Photos by Stan wrote:
IF I add something to a 'shopping cart' and the reply is " someone will reply to you in 24 hours "

I think I would cancel the order ...

something put in a shopping cart should be processed immediately
and the line needs to say  ...     thank you for your purchase and confirmation of the placed order etc .....

NOW if you meant 'wish list' or ... questions concerning ...
MAYBE that line would be OK to use

Consider I am licensing photos and not selling something.  So if your a magazine and you order a photo we are not going to send you the photo with no questions asked.

Photos by Stan wrote:
IF I add something to a 'shopping cart' and the reply is " someone will reply to you in 24 hours "

I think I would cancel the order ...

something put in a shopping cart should be processed immediately
and the line needs to say  ...     thank you for your purchase and confirmation of the placed order etc .....

NOW if you meant 'wish list' or ... questions concerning ...
MAYBE that line would be OK to use

Jack English wrote:
Consider I am licensing photos and not selling something.  So if your a magazine and you order a photo we are not going to send you the photo with no questions asked.

Despite your objection and reason behind it I believe an overwhelming majority of potential customers would do the same thing that Stan said.  I know I would.

So instead of rationalizing the situation, maybe you should make a change to your ordering system.
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As a side note, it reminds me of the scammer online camera retailers that offer extremely lowball prices, and when you place an order using the shopping cart they reply with a similar "we'll contact you" message instead of an order confirmation.

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Jack English wrote:
Consider I am licensing photos and not selling something.  So if your a magazine and you order a photo we are not going to send you the photo with no questions asked.

Why not?
All of the stock photo sites do.

Photos by Stan wrote:
IF I add something to a 'shopping cart' and the reply is " someone will reply to you in 24 hours "

I think I would cancel the order ...

something put in a shopping cart should be processed immediately
and the line needs to say  ...     thank you for your purchase and confirmation of the placed order etc .....

NOW if you meant 'wish list' or ... questions concerning ...
MAYBE that line would be OK to use

Jack English wrote:
Consider I am licensing photos and not selling something.  So if your a magazine and you order a photo we are not going to send you the photo with no questions asked.

SayCheeZ!  wrote:
Despite your objection and reason behind it I believe an overwhelming majority of potential customers would do the same thing that Stan said.  I know I would.

So instead of rationalizing the situation, maybe you should make a change to your ordering system.

Despite both of your objections, I can say that in the real world of my customers ordering, in 5 years I have not had anyone cancel their orders.

Secondly, on sites like SmugMug and Zenfolio where that sort of messages often exist, one of the reasons is because the images uploaded are PROOFS and the operator needs to upload the actual images to permit the processing of the order to be completed.

For example, I upload a versions with a watermark and logo for digital downloads, but for print orders that image needs to be replaced with one that is blank, because the version of the photo file to be used depends on what is ordered.

There isn't a magic photo fairy that goes to hard drives, gets the photos, possibly sizes/crops them, and then uploads to the site before releasing the customer's order to be processed.

If a system where the photographer replaces photos/approves the orders before they are processed was not something that is totally normal, neither Smugmug nor Zenfolio would have that option, yet they do and have had it for quite some time.

Customers are aware of this and it does not seem to bother any of them, even Amazon often takes 24 hours before they ship, so it is incredibly laughable that the folks who seem most upset are photographers who really should know better.

DougBPhoto wrote:
Secondly, on sites like SmugMug and Zenfolio where that sort of messages often exist, one of the reasons is because the images uploaded are PROOFS and the operator needs to upload the actual images to permit the processing of the order to be completed.

For example, I upload a versions with a watermark and logo for digital downloads, but for print orders that image needs to be replaced with one that is blank, because the version of the photo file to be used depends on what is ordered.

There isn't a magic photo fairy that goes to hard drives, gets the photos, possibly sizes/crops them, and then uploads to the site before releasing the customer's order to be processed.

If a system where the photographer replaces photos/approves the orders before they are processed was not something that is totally normal, neither Smugmug nor Zenfolio would have that option, yet they do and have had it for quite some time.

Customers are aware of this and it does not seem to bother any of them, so it is rather laughable that the folks who seem most upset are photographers who really should know better.

Actually, if I remember right SmugMug does have a system where the proof copy is limited (either with a watermark or size limitation) but the customer can download a full size version or even a cropped version.  Smug also offers settings that only allow certain sizes or uncropped versions of photos to be sold.  It's in one of their top tier membership packages, not on the basic accounts.

Smugmug also does have an option to delay an order so that the photographer can inspect what's going on, but according to SmugMug that's more of a quality control issue.

Zen may or may not have the same type of options.  Not sure on that.

Jack English wrote:
So you agree to send the photo(s) to the "magazine" and ask no questions and they can use it however they want and not to discuss usage rights and cost to the image they want to license?

If it was placed in a shopping cart and already sold, there's no point in discussing usage rights and COST.
They just bought it!  You sold it!  It's theirs!

Your license should describe the usage and price before the sale. 

Do you understand the legal complications that you can get into by changing the price or terms AFTER the sale?
It's the top violation that the FTC loves to go after!

SayCheeZ!  wrote:
Actually, if I remember right SmugMug does have a system where the proof copy is limited (either with a watermark or size limitation) but the customer can download a full size version or even a cropped version.  Smug also offers settings that only allow certain sizes or uncropped versions of photos to be sold.  It's in one of their top tier membership packages, not on the basic accounts.

Smugmug also does have an option to delay an order so that the photographer can inspect what's going on, but according to SmugMug that's more of a quality control issue.

Zen may or may not have the same type of options.  Not sure on that.

uh huh

and shopping carts being reviewed/not instantly fulfilled to permit photographers time for reviewing the photos and/or the licensing based on a client's actual usage is TOTALLY NORMAL

SayCheeZ!  wrote:

If it was placed in a shopping cart and already sold, there's no point in discussing usage rights and COST.
They just bought it!  You sold it!  It's theirs!

Your license should describe the usage and price before the sale. 

Do you understand the legal complications that you can get into by changing the price or terms AFTER the sale?
It's the top violation that the FTC loves to go after!

Please people I am not asking your opinion on how to license photos..  I have been doing this for over 20 years and by no means am asking for anything more then help with my original question!

Jack English wrote:
So you agree to send the photo(s) to the "magazine" and ask no questions and they can use it however they want and not to discuss usage rights and cost to the image they want to license?

Since you stated in the original post that the customer ADDED an item to the shopping cart and SUBMITTED it ...

Then NO ... no further questions about use should be discussed !!!

Any details about USAGE of any purchase should be handled WAY before the checkout procedure

Do you go buy food at a grocery store and pay for it and then THEY tell you how you can cook it ????

ONCE someone "buys" a product then it sounds very UN - professional to talk to them within 24 hours to go over what can and can not be done with their purchase

SayCheeZ!  wrote:
If it was placed in a shopping cart and already sold, there's no point in discussing usage rights and COST.
They just bought it!  You sold it!  It's theirs!

Your license should describe the usage and price before the sale. 

Do you understand the legal complications that you can get into by changing the price or terms AFTER the sale?
It's the top violation that the FTC loves to go after!

You're assuming that all shopping carts result in the processing of a financial sales transaction, which is a failed assumption.

Shopping carts also exist where the client gathers what they want and submit their request to the photographer, and THEN the photographer reviews their specifics and provides them with the license and cost AFTER the shopping cart process.  In other cases, it may happen prior.   They are all still called a shopping cart and may not operate like your personal experiences at Walmart.  The world is filled with difference, subtleties, and shades of grey.

Let go of your narrow thinking, there is a whole world out there that may not do things exactly like you do, and stunningly that does not automatically make them wrong.

Jack English wrote:
When a user (magazine, ad agency, company, etc.) has added their image(s) into the shopping cart and filled in the information requested I am trying to come up with a line that will pop up once the user has clicked on the submit tab.

Do you like this (sound professional)?

Thank Your for your interest in Surf Images, a representative will reply to your order within 24 hours.

Thank you for your interest in Surf Images.  A representative will reply to your order within 24 hours.

/done

Jack English wrote:
So you agree to send the photo(s) to the "magazine" and ask no questions and they can use it however they want and not to discuss usage rights and cost to the image they want to license?

Before they buy it they have to agree to your terms. It is a normal practice. That's how I do it. Check out my website. http://mediacompassphoto.photoshelter.c … pxagXStZd4

SayCheeZ!  wrote:

Actually, if I remember right SmugMug does have a system where the proof copy is limited (either with a watermark or size limitation) but the customer can download a full size version or even a cropped version.  Smug also offers settings that only allow certain sizes or uncropped versions of photos to be sold.  It's in one of their top tier membership packages, not on the basic accounts.

Smugmug also does have an option to delay an order so that the photographer can inspect what's going on, but according to SmugMug that's more of a quality control issue.

Zen may or may not have the same type of options.  Not sure on that.

I agree. I upload the original images to my PhotoShelter website and they are shown with a watermark at low resolution. When the costumer purchases the photo, they get a digital download of the original without the watermark. It's all done automatically. They also have to check and agree to the usage license of the images. No need to wait 24 hours. You could loose a potential client within those 24 hours.

me voy wrote:
I agree. I upload the original images to my PhotoShelter website and they are shown with a watermark at low resolution. When the costumer purchases the photo, they get a digital download of the original without the watermark. It's all done automatically. They also have to check and agree to the usage license of the images. No need to wait 24 hours. You could loose a potential client within those 24 hours.

Thanks for sharing, I must have missed the memo that the way you and CheeZ do things is the ONLY right way.

DougBPhoto wrote:
Let go of your narrow thinking, there is a whole world out there that may not do things exactly like you do, and stunningly that does not automatically make them wrong.

DougBPhoto wrote:
Thanks for sharing, I must have missed the memo that the way you and CheeZ do things is the ONLY right way.

Hardly narrow minded thinking at all.
My mind is constantly thinking out of the box, especially when it comes to business matters.

The OP requested opinions.  A few of us gave 'em.
Then a few of us get bashed for giving an opinion.
It's kind of ignorant to bash the people when you're surveying their opinion. 

If you're creating a new brew and you take a survey and the average customer says 'it sucks', you don't reply 'you just don't know good beer' and insult 'em.  You either adapt the process to appeal to the wider audience, or just try to market  the smaller demographic that thinks it tastes good.  You have a choice. 

The OP has a choice too.

He can take the time and effort to contact a customer within a day to confirm their order with the trade off that there will be cancelled orders, or he can use a more modern and up to date approach that gives the customer exactly what they want within minutes at the most with no hassles (therefore much less chance of cancelled orders).

Do it your way or another way. I really don't give a fuck.  It doesn't affect me at all.