Sales of 4x6 images

[Atlanta-Mike]

I shoot sports and offer prints of various sizes for sale on my web site. However, I don't offer the 4x6 size as an individual item but only as part of a package. My reason is that even though the % return is pretty good on a 4x6, the actual money received is pretty small. Therefore the smallest size in individual print I offer is 5x7.

I just had a parent e-mail and say he wanted to by 20-30+ 4x6's and wondered if there is some way he got do this. I was offering 4x6 prints for $2.50/each and this is what I will charge him since I don't want to turn down that large an order. But I was wondering what other people do. Do you offer this size? If you don't would ever make an exception?

I am now thinking I should revisit my decision not to offer 4x6 and maybe offer them at a price of $3.00 vs the $5.00 I charge for the 5x7 size. That way I may get some sales I would not have otherwise, while others may see the 5x7 as the better deal and then I get the upsell. My percentage profit on a 4x6 maybe better than the 5x7, but the actual dollar profit on the 5x7 is higher.

Atlanta-Mike

 

[Ed Mulholland]

I dont offer 4x6's on my site, if I'm asked I will sometimes make an exception if the quantity is large enough...I do have some clients who order quite a bit and I'll do it for them. But again, I dont advertise it.

Ed
http://www.boxing-pics.com

I shoot sports and offer prints of various sizes for sale on my web
site. However, I don't offer the 4x6 size as an individual item
but only as part of a package. My reason is that even though the %
return is pretty good on a 4x6, the actual money received is pretty
small. Therefore the smallest size in individual print I offer is
5x7.

I just had a parent e-mail and say he wanted to by 20-30+ 4x6's and
wondered if there is some way he got do this. I was offering 4x6
prints for $2.50/each and this is what I will charge him since I
don't want to turn down that large an order. But I was wondering
what other people do. Do you offer this size? If you don't would
ever make an exception?

I am now thinking I should revisit my decision not to offer 4x6 and
maybe offer them at a price of $3.00 vs the $5.00 I charge for the
5x7 size. That way I may get some sales I would not have
otherwise, while others may see the 5x7 as the better deal and then
I get the upsell. My percentage profit on a 4x6 maybe better than
the 5x7, but the actual dollar profit on the 5x7 is higher.

Atlanta-Mike

--
Muls
http://www.boxing-pics.com

Canon D-60
Sigma 28-70 EX
Olympus C-4040

 

[riokid]

You have to factor in all cost: picture taking, order taking, PS correction/selection time, printing cost, equipment depreciation, etc . . .

In your example, 30 prints at $3.00 only brings $90. At 30 cents a print will only cost $9.00. You then spend time shooting, proofing, selling, printing and delivery.

If this scenario is part of a bigger order then you wil probably be OK. If not, you might end up with something less than $10 per hour.

Are you or will you be happy with that rate?

As a comparison, you will pay $60~75 per hour for the roto router to come to your house or the Pep Boys mechanic will be at about $70 per hour.

Maybe figure out your hourly rate for your day job and try to get something more than that as a starting point.

Cheers!

I shoot sports and offer prints of various sizes for sale on my web
site. However, I don't offer the 4x6 size as an individual item
but only as part of a package. My reason is that even though the %
return is pretty good on a 4x6, the actual money received is pretty
small. Therefore the smallest size in individual print I offer is
5x7.

I just had a parent e-mail and say he wanted to by 20-30+ 4x6's and
wondered if there is some way he got do this. I was offering 4x6
prints for $2.50/each and this is what I will charge him since I
don't want to turn down that large an order. But I was wondering
what other people do. Do you offer this size? If you don't would
ever make an exception?

I am now thinking I should revisit my decision not to offer 4x6 and
maybe offer them at a price of $3.00 vs the $5.00 I charge for the
5x7 size. That way I may get some sales I would not have
otherwise, while others may see the 5x7 as the better deal and then
I get the upsell. My percentage profit on a 4x6 maybe better than
the 5x7, but the actual dollar profit on the 5x7 is higher.

Atlanta-Mike

 

[MarkLe]

Mike,

I'd stay with 2.50 for 4x6. but that's not the point: if you feel like selling 4x6 will be easier then go for it, don't worry about anything else than making your well deserved profit over it. it will be better selling more 4x6 than less 5x7.

 

[Zippy DooDah]

You have to give the customer what they want.

Personally, I think all of my work should be sold as a 20x30 canvas print, but that's a hard sell. I've had numerous people say they want wallet-sized photos. I hate to sell those since it's more of a Wal*Mart thing than a "big artsy professional photographer" thing, but I found that I was losing sales by not giving the customer what they wanted. They key, as Mark indicates below, is to simply price the packages so that you make the profit you deserve regardless of the size the customer selects. So, you cold offer packages that include thirty 4x6 and sixty wallet-sized. Or, you could charge a profitable session feee and a profitable retouching fee and then not worry so much about the difference between a 4x6 and a 16x20.

But, the lesson I learned the hard way: you have to give the customer what they want.

.....................Zippy

Mike,
I'd stay with 2.50 for 4x6. but that's not the point: if you feel
like selling 4x6 will be easier then go for it, don't worry about
anything else than making your well deserved profit over it. it
will be better selling more 4x6 than less 5x7.

 

[photolando]

Well, whatever you do, don't change (raise) your prices on this guy. He expects the prices you have now. And if anything, I would actually give him a discount for the large order. Say 10% of the total price. You are not going to lose that much and you will look good in his eyes and I'm sure he will always have a nice thing to say to you to other parents.

Now, should you raise your prices? I think so. I'm not sure how much retouching you do on your sports photos. I would think not much. At least compared to a fine portrait. I see a lot of sports/memory mate prices at around $15-20 for an 8x10; $10-15 for a 5x7. I would put a 4x6 somewhere between $5-8.

But I always give a small discount for those who buy large quantities or packages.

Mike

 

[Ken Phillips]

... and don't sell them individually. Only the 8x10 and larger prints go on a 'per each' basis!
Ken

I shoot sports and offer prints of various sizes for sale on my web
site. However, I don't offer the 4x6 size as an individual item
but only as part of a package. My reason is that even though the %
return is pretty good on a 4x6, the actual money received is pretty
small. Therefore the smallest size in individual print I offer is
5x7.

I just had a parent e-mail and say he wanted to by 20-30+ 4x6's and
wondered if there is some way he got do this. I was offering 4x6
prints for $2.50/each and this is what I will charge him since I
don't want to turn down that large an order. But I was wondering
what other people do. Do you offer this size? If you don't would
ever make an exception?

I am now thinking I should revisit my decision not to offer 4x6 and
maybe offer them at a price of $3.00 vs the $5.00 I charge for the
5x7 size. That way I may get some sales I would not have
otherwise, while others may see the 5x7 as the better deal and then
I get the upsell. My percentage profit on a 4x6 maybe better than
the 5x7, but the actual dollar profit on the 5x7 is higher.

Atlanta-Mike

--

'Don't hope your pictures will 'turn out' ... make them good to begin with'. Oft said by my late father.
http://www.ahomls.com/gallery.htm

 

[riokid]

and the custom lab that handles my work prints them as a sheet.

It makes selling easier and the customers are always happy to get extra action shot of Billy.

$10 - $15 per unit does not seem unreasonable. While the printing cost remains about the same, I am able to cut down my handling time by at least a half.

I hear your point in giving the customer what they want. To a limited extent, I give them choices from packages. Heck even Sears or Walmart sells them as units of 8 X 10 or 11 x 13.

Personally, I think all of my work should be sold as a 20x30 canvas
print, but that's a hard sell. I've had numerous people say they
want wallet-sized photos. I hate to sell those since it's more of
a Wal*Mart thing than a "big artsy professional photographer"
thing, but I found that I was losing sales by not giving the
customer what they wanted. They key, as Mark indicates below, is
to simply price the packages so that you make the profit you
deserve regardless of the size the customer selects. So, you cold
offer packages that include thirty 4x6 and sixty wallet-sized. Or,
you could charge a profitable session feee and a profitable
retouching fee and then not worry so much about the difference
between a 4x6 and a 16x20.

But, the lesson I learned the hard way: you have to give the
customer what they want.

.....................Zippy

Mike,
I'd stay with 2.50 for 4x6. but that's not the point: if you feel
like selling 4x6 will be easier then go for it, don't worry about
anything else than making your well deserved profit over it. it
will be better selling more 4x6 than less 5x7.

 

[m5laser]

I also do sports photography and I too offer 4x6's. For one 4x6 I charge $5 CDN (to make it worth my time), and offer specials like three 4x6's for $12.

I am tempted to only offer 5x7's (because they look so much better), but 4x6's are my biggest seller, and are easy to run off at home. I wish my printer was set for 5x7's aslo.

Duncan

I shoot sports and offer prints of various sizes for sale on my web
site. However, I don't offer the 4x6 size as an individual item
but only as part of a package. My reason is that even though the %
return is pretty good on a 4x6, the actual money received is pretty
small. Therefore the smallest size in individual print I offer is
5x7.

I just had a parent e-mail and say he wanted to by 20-30+ 4x6's and
wondered if there is some way he got do this. I was offering 4x6
prints for $2.50/each and this is what I will charge him since I
don't want to turn down that large an order. But I was wondering
what other people do. Do you offer this size? If you don't would
ever make an exception?

I am now thinking I should revisit my decision not to offer 4x6 and
maybe offer them at a price of $3.00 vs the $5.00 I charge for the
5x7 size. That way I may get some sales I would not have
otherwise, while others may see the 5x7 as the better deal and then
I get the upsell. My percentage profit on a 4x6 maybe better than
the 5x7, but the actual dollar profit on the 5x7 is higher.

Atlanta-Mike

--
http://www.actionimages.ca

 

[T. Marvin]

Mike:

I sell sports action shots, but all of may sales are handled through printroom.com, so I don't have to print the photos or collect the money. I'm finished with the images once they are uploaded.

My prices are:
4x6 - $6
5x7 - $8
8x10 - $10
8x12 - $12.

With that pricing structure, I get about $5 profit from each the 4X6 or 5X7. So I don't care which one they order.

I am tempted to only offer 5x7's (because they look so much
better), but 4x6's are my biggest seller, and are easy to run off
at home. I wish my printer was set for 5x7's aslo.

Duncan

I shoot sports and offer prints of various sizes for sale on my web
site. However, I don't offer the 4x6 size as an individual item
but only as part of a package. My reason is that even though the %
return is pretty good on a 4x6, the actual money received is pretty
small. Therefore the smallest size in individual print I offer is
5x7.

I just had a parent e-mail and say he wanted to by 20-30+ 4x6's and
wondered if there is some way he got do this. I was offering 4x6
prints for $2.50/each and this is what I will charge him since I
don't want to turn down that large an order. But I was wondering
what other people do. Do you offer this size? If you don't would
ever make an exception?

I am now thinking I should revisit my decision not to offer 4x6 and
maybe offer them at a price of $3.00 vs the $5.00 I charge for the
5x7 size. That way I may get some sales I would not have
otherwise, while others may see the 5x7 as the better deal and then
I get the upsell. My percentage profit on a 4x6 maybe better than
the 5x7, but the actual dollar profit on the 5x7 is higher.

Atlanta-Mike

--
http://www.actionimages.ca

 

[Shutter.]

I currently charge $3 for the first of a shot, and $1 each additional. But that's usually part of a larger portrait order. I used to do just $1 w/ a $5 minimum per shot.

Minimum total order combined should be around $50.

It's a lot of work to fulfill 4x6 orders for the price.

I shoot sports and offer prints of various sizes for sale on my web
site. However, I don't offer the 4x6 size as an individual item
but only as part of a package. My reason is that even though the %
return is pretty good on a 4x6, the actual money received is pretty
small. Therefore the smallest size in individual print I offer is
5x7.

I just had a parent e-mail and say he wanted to by 20-30+ 4x6's and
wondered if there is some way he got do this. I was offering 4x6
prints for $2.50/each and this is what I will charge him since I
don't want to turn down that large an order. But I was wondering
what other people do. Do you offer this size? If you don't would
ever make an exception?

I am now thinking I should revisit my decision not to offer 4x6 and
maybe offer them at a price of $3.00 vs the $5.00 I charge for the
5x7 size. That way I may get some sales I would not have
otherwise, while others may see the 5x7 as the better deal and then
I get the upsell. My percentage profit on a 4x6 maybe better than
the 5x7, but the actual dollar profit on the 5x7 is higher.

Atlanta-Mike

--
Jim Fuglestad

Skill in photography is acquired by practice and not by purchase. -Percy W. Harris
Our existence is determined by the truths we tell.
Why simply live and let live? Live and help live.
http://www.pbase.com/jfuglestad/galleries

 

[Mike Goebel]

4x6's are our biggest sellers. They go for $5.00 each. Click on our site below and check it out.

I shoot sports and offer prints of various sizes for sale on my web
site. However, I don't offer the 4x6 size as an individual item
but only as part of a package. My reason is that even though the %
return is pretty good on a 4x6, the actual money received is pretty
small. Therefore the smallest size in individual print I offer is
5x7.

I just had a parent e-mail and say he wanted to by 20-30+ 4x6's and
wondered if there is some way he got do this. I was offering 4x6
prints for $2.50/each and this is what I will charge him since I
don't want to turn down that large an order. But I was wondering
what other people do. Do you offer this size? If you don't would
ever make an exception?

I am now thinking I should revisit my decision not to offer 4x6 and
maybe offer them at a price of $3.00 vs the $5.00 I charge for the
5x7 size. That way I may get some sales I would not have
otherwise, while others may see the 5x7 as the better deal and then
I get the upsell. My percentage profit on a 4x6 maybe better than
the 5x7, but the actual dollar profit on the 5x7 is higher.

Atlanta-Mike

--
http://www.belmontstudio.photoreflect.com

 

[Atlanta-Mike]

Thanks for the comments. I have replied to him and will add 4x6's back to my web site.

Atlanta-Mike

Personally, I think all of my work should be sold as a 20x30 canvas
print, but that's a hard sell. I've had numerous people say they
want wallet-sized photos. I hate to sell those since it's more of
a Wal*Mart thing than a "big artsy professional photographer"
thing, but I found that I was losing sales by not giving the
customer what they wanted. They key, as Mark indicates below, is
to simply price the packages so that you make the profit you
deserve regardless of the size the customer selects. So, you cold
offer packages that include thirty 4x6 and sixty wallet-sized. Or,
you could charge a profitable session feee and a profitable
retouching fee and then not worry so much about the difference
between a 4x6 and a 16x20.

But, the lesson I learned the hard way: you have to give the
customer what they want.

.....................Zippy

Mike,
I'd stay with 2.50 for 4x6. but that's not the point: if you feel
like selling 4x6 will be easier then go for it, don't worry about
anything else than making your well deserved profit over it. it
will be better selling more 4x6 than less 5x7.

 

[Atlanta-Mike]

No way will I raise my price on this guy or even on photos taken this season. I told the customer I would add the 4x6 soze back to my web site and the price would be $2.50. However, for next season I am going to raise the price of a 4x6 to $3.00 vs the $5.00 I am selling 5x7's at now.

As for discounts, I have a web site that I programed myself using Paypal to complete the transaction. The web site works very well and no one has complained about the buying process. Only comments have been positive and I have sold over 400 photos this past season and orders are still coming in. I know that 400 photos is nothing big, but since I am not a pro and this was my first season charging people and I only shot 5 different teams, it's not a bad start. However, the programing needed to update my web site to offer discounts on large orders may be a little over my head. I will look into it though since it is a good idea. Very good idea as I think about it me while typing this message.

Atlanta-Mike

Well, whatever you do, don't change (raise) your prices on this
guy. He expects the prices you have now. And if anything, I would
actually give him a discount for the large order. Say 10% of the
total price. You are not going to lose that much and you will look
good in his eyes and I'm sure he will always have a nice thing to
say to you to other parents.

Now, should you raise your prices? I think so. I'm not sure how
much retouching you do on your sports photos. I would think not
much. At least compared to a fine portrait. I see a lot of
sports/memory mate prices at around $15-20 for an 8x10; $10-15 for
a 5x7. I would put a 4x6 somewhere between $5-8.

But I always give a small discount for those who buy large
quantities or packages.

Mike

 

[Atlanta-Mike]

Do you sell 5x7's in a set of 2 for the same price as the 4 4x6's?

Atlanta-Mike

I shoot sports and offer prints of various sizes for sale on my web
site. However, I don't offer the 4x6 size as an individual item
but only as part of a package. My reason is that even though the %
return is pretty good on a 4x6, the actual money received is pretty
small. Therefore the smallest size in individual print I offer is
5x7.

I just had a parent e-mail and say he wanted to by 20-30+ 4x6's and
wondered if there is some way he got do this. I was offering 4x6
prints for $2.50/each and this is what I will charge him since I
don't want to turn down that large an order. But I was wondering
what other people do. Do you offer this size? If you don't would
ever make an exception?

I am now thinking I should revisit my decision not to offer 4x6 and
maybe offer them at a price of $3.00 vs the $5.00 I charge for the
5x7 size. That way I may get some sales I would not have
otherwise, while others may see the 5x7 as the better deal and then
I get the upsell. My percentage profit on a 4x6 maybe better than
the 5x7, but the actual dollar profit on the 5x7 is higher.

Atlanta-Mike

--
'Don't hope your pictures will 'turn out' ... make them good to
begin with'. Oft said by my late father.
http://www.ahomls.com/gallery.htm

 

[Atlanta-Mike]

I have a Printroom Pro account also, but just can't seem to bring myself to use them. My web site is working great and I don't have to pay the Printroom commission of 16% or so. Also, do you have to edit each photo to be ready for printing when you upload to Printroom or do you use their software to only upload the thumbnail image?

If you have to edit all your photos before sending to Printroom, that would be a lot of work. If you only send the thumbnails and then only edit for printing once someone places an order, then that is what I am doing now. Therefore, for me, I keep coming back to issue of what does Printroom do for me that is worth giving them 16% of my sale? This is just my personal opinion, but it is the reason I have not used my Pro account with them.

Atlanta-Mike

I sell sports action shots, but all of may sales are handled
through printroom.com, so I don't have to print the photos or
collect the money. I'm finished with the images once they are
uploaded.

My prices are:
4x6 - $6
5x7 - $8
8x10 - $10
8x12 - $12.

With that pricing structure, I get about $5 profit from each the
4X6 or 5X7. So I don't care which one they order.

I am tempted to only offer 5x7's (because they look so much
better), but 4x6's are my biggest seller, and are easy to run off
at home. I wish my printer was set for 5x7's aslo.

Duncan

I shoot sports and offer prints of various sizes for sale on my web
site. However, I don't offer the 4x6 size as an individual item
but only as part of a package. My reason is that even though the %
return is pretty good on a 4x6, the actual money received is pretty
small. Therefore the smallest size in individual print I offer is
5x7.

I just had a parent e-mail and say he wanted to by 20-30+ 4x6's and
wondered if there is some way he got do this. I was offering 4x6
prints for $2.50/each and this is what I will charge him since I
don't want to turn down that large an order. But I was wondering
what other people do. Do you offer this size? If you don't would
ever make an exception?

I am now thinking I should revisit my decision not to offer 4x6 and
maybe offer them at a price of $3.00 vs the $5.00 I charge for the
5x7 size. That way I may get some sales I would not have
otherwise, while others may see the 5x7 as the better deal and then
I get the upsell. My percentage profit on a 4x6 maybe better than
the 5x7, but the actual dollar profit on the 5x7 is higher.

Atlanta-Mike

--
http://www.actionimages.ca

 

[Dave Beaman]

I don't have a website yet, but I charge $7.00 for a 4x5 or 4x6. My 5x7s are $11.00.

I sometimes use Wal Mart for printing. My older brother thought that I shouldnt' charge $7 for a print that cost me 30 cents to make. My brother who is retired makes some extra cash by mowing the grass on a couple of commercial lots. I told him that I thought it wasn't right to charge $40 to mow a lot when It only cost him $2.00 for gas and oil for the mower. He got my point very quickly on that analogy to my print sales.

dave

I shoot sports and offer prints of various sizes for sale on my web
site. However, I don't offer the 4x6 size as an individual item
but only as part of a package. My reason is that even though the %
return is pretty good on a 4x6, the actual money received is pretty
small. Therefore the smallest size in individual print I offer is
5x7.

I just had a parent e-mail and say he wanted to by 20-30+ 4x6's and
wondered if there is some way he got do this. I was offering 4x6
prints for $2.50/each and this is what I will charge him since I
don't want to turn down that large an order. But I was wondering
what other people do. Do you offer this size? If you don't would
ever make an exception?

I am now thinking I should revisit my decision not to offer 4x6 and
maybe offer them at a price of $3.00 vs the $5.00 I charge for the
5x7 size. That way I may get some sales I would not have
otherwise, while others may see the 5x7 as the better deal and then
I get the upsell. My percentage profit on a 4x6 maybe better than
the 5x7, but the actual dollar profit on the 5x7 is higher.

Atlanta-Mike

 

[Ken Phillips]

... which reminds me, time to update that web site.
Ken

Atlanta-Mike

I shoot sports and offer prints of various sizes for sale on my web
site. However, I don't offer the 4x6 size as an individual item
but only as part of a package. My reason is that even though the %
return is pretty good on a 4x6, the actual money received is pretty
small. Therefore the smallest size in individual print I offer is
5x7.

I just had a parent e-mail and say he wanted to by 20-30+ 4x6's and
wondered if there is some way he got do this. I was offering 4x6
prints for $2.50/each and this is what I will charge him since I
don't want to turn down that large an order. But I was wondering
what other people do. Do you offer this size? If you don't would
ever make an exception?

I am now thinking I should revisit my decision not to offer 4x6 and
maybe offer them at a price of $3.00 vs the $5.00 I charge for the
5x7 size. That way I may get some sales I would not have
otherwise, while others may see the 5x7 as the better deal and then
I get the upsell. My percentage profit on a 4x6 maybe better than
the 5x7, but the actual dollar profit on the 5x7 is higher.

Atlanta-Mike

--
'Don't hope your pictures will 'turn out' ... make them good to
begin with'. Oft said by my late father.
http://www.ahomls.com/gallery.htm

--

'Don't hope your pictures will 'turn out' ... make them good to begin with'. Oft said by my late father.
http://www.ahomls.com/gallery.htm

 

[TonyK_in_Texas]

Last Christmas I charged $2 for 4x6 prints of fashion dolls for a local doll shop.

As it was a sideline job for me, I wasn't too concerned about time and such. Now I am, not that I do this for a living.

Seeing other folks charge $5 or more $$ for a 4x6 has opened my eyes though I doubt I would charge that much from the doll folks. They spend their $$ on their hobby and would bulk at that much. I would probably go with $3 for a 4x6 and move up from there.

And my post-processing is pretty fast using C1LE on my D30. My system is pretty well calibrated and I get good exposure/color and only have to tweak a small amount. So I can whip a photo session out pretty fast and still realize a small profit.

Again if this were my day job I would be charging two or three times my current amount for 4x6 prints and scaling the other prints from that.

Take care,

I sometimes use Wal Mart for printing. My older brother thought
that I shouldnt' charge $7 for a print that cost me 30 cents to
make. My brother who is retired makes some extra cash by mowing the
grass on a couple of commercial lots. I told him that I thought it
wasn't right to charge $40 to mow a lot when It only cost him $2.00
for gas and oil for the mower. He got my point very quickly on that
analogy to my print sales.

dave

I shoot sports and offer prints of various sizes for sale on my web
site. However, I don't offer the 4x6 size as an individual item
but only as part of a package. My reason is that even though the %
return is pretty good on a 4x6, the actual money received is pretty
small. Therefore the smallest size in individual print I offer is
5x7.

I just had a parent e-mail and say he wanted to by 20-30+ 4x6's and
wondered if there is some way he got do this. I was offering 4x6
prints for $2.50/each and this is what I will charge him since I
don't want to turn down that large an order. But I was wondering
what other people do. Do you offer this size? If you don't would
ever make an exception?

I am now thinking I should revisit my decision not to offer 4x6 and
maybe offer them at a price of $3.00 vs the $5.00 I charge for the
5x7 size. That way I may get some sales I would not have
otherwise, while others may see the 5x7 as the better deal and then
I get the upsell. My percentage profit on a 4x6 maybe better than
the 5x7, but the actual dollar profit on the 5x7 is higher.

Atlanta-Mike

--
TonyK

 

[Atlanta-Mike]

Hey Tony, you use to post a lot in the Oly forum, right? I understand how you feel about the pricing. I am still getting a feel for what people are willing to pay in this area. However, I feel the $2.50 for a 4x6 may be a little light so for next season I am going to raise it to between $3.00 and $4.00 with $3.00 being the most likely price.

As I improve my skills at shooting soccer, I have noticed they need less and less processing. However, they still all need some degree of processing. It is the one part of the whole work flow I wish I could have someone else do. Printroom offers a service like this, but they charge something like $2 per photo and who knows if it would be done to my standards, maybe they would be better

Atlanta-Mike

As it was a sideline job for me, I wasn't too concerned about time
and such. Now I am, not that I do this for a living.

Seeing other folks charge $5 or more $$ for a 4x6 has opened my
eyes though I doubt I would charge that much from the doll folks.
They spend their $$ on their hobby and would bulk at that much. I
would probably go with $3 for a 4x6 and move up from there.

And my post-processing is pretty fast using C1LE on my D30. My
system is pretty well calibrated and I get good exposure/color and
only have to tweak a small amount. So I can whip a photo session
out pretty fast and still realize a small profit.

Again if this were my day job I would be charging two or three
times my current amount for 4x6 prints and scaling the other prints
from that.

Take care,

I sometimes use Wal Mart for printing. My older brother thought
that I shouldnt' charge $7 for a print that cost me 30 cents to
make. My brother who is retired makes some extra cash by mowing the
grass on a couple of commercial lots. I told him that I thought it
wasn't right to charge $40 to mow a lot when It only cost him $2.00
for gas and oil for the mower. He got my point very quickly on that
analogy to my print sales.

dave

I shoot sports and offer prints of various sizes for sale on my web
site. However, I don't offer the 4x6 size as an individual item
but only as part of a package. My reason is that even though the %
return is pretty good on a 4x6, the actual money received is pretty
small. Therefore the smallest size in individual print I offer is
5x7.

I just had a parent e-mail and say he wanted to by 20-30+ 4x6's and
wondered if there is some way he got do this. I was offering 4x6
prints for $2.50/each and this is what I will charge him since I
don't want to turn down that large an order. But I was wondering
what other people do. Do you offer this size? If you don't would
ever make an exception?

I am now thinking I should revisit my decision not to offer 4x6 and
maybe offer them at a price of $3.00 vs the $5.00 I charge for the
5x7 size. That way I may get some sales I would not have
otherwise, while others may see the 5x7 as the better deal and then
I get the upsell. My percentage profit on a 4x6 maybe better than
the 5x7, but the actual dollar profit on the 5x7 is higher.

Atlanta-Mike

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TonyK