PBase Pro Stock

[sheila]

I am taking a poll from those who be willing to pay a higher annual fee for a second PBase site which would incorporate the following:

More stable site!
Printing for customers/clients
Choice of embedding watermarks on images
More choice of stylesheets and change to Profile page
Ability to add PayPal shopping cart
Use of software such as FotoQuote for pricing and usage of images
Ability to use "flash"
Better search engine function

The current PBase site would be unchanged and still be dedicated for photosharing but the pro site would be pros and serious amateurs who sell or want to sell their work.

There is a huge potential for PBase Pro and its subscribers and I am sure that due to the millions of images already on the site, and thousands of excellent photographers, it really could make its mark in the photography stock market.

Cheers
Sheila

[akmc_in_au]

I am taking a poll from those who be willing to pay a higher annual fee for a second PBase site which would incorporate the following:

More stable site!
Printing for customers/clients
Choice of embedding watermarks on images
More choice of stylesheets and change to Profile page
Ability to add PayPal shopping cart
Use of software such as FotoQuote for pricing and usage of images
Ability to use "flash"
Better search engine function

The current PBase site would be unchanged and still be dedicated for photosharing but the pro site would be pros and serious amateurs who sell or want to sell their work.

There is a huge potential for PBase Pro and its subscribers and I am sure that due to the millions of images already on the site, and thousands of excellent photographers, it really could make its mark in the photography stock market.

Cheers
Sheila

I voted yes, but in a qualified fashion. I'm not a pro (as anyone who's seen my galleries would attest ) and have no intention (or likelihood ) of selling my photos, but I'd happily pay double what I am now for a more... and I hesitate to use this word, because it could easily be taken the wrong way, but... "professional" site. Now I need to explain what I mean by that. I'm not suggesting that the people who are running pBase are a bunch of amateurs, but I DO think (as I posted in a thread earlier today) that there's a lack of "structure" in how changes and fixes are addressed. My concern is that if there were to be two separate pBase sites, the existing management may end up stretched way too thin, even though the higher fees should allow some additional resources to be brought in. (I have a horrible suspicion that this (the overstretched part) is what's happening already.)

What I agree WOULD be an idea would be for there to be two LAYERS of pBase; the underlying one which is for people who just want to photo share and nothing more. This would also benefit from the "more stable site" aspect. (I haven't had TOO many problems (aside from Tuesday night's outing and some slowness last night), but the number of "What's up with pBase?" threads and posts in the Q&A Forum is getting a little disturbing.) The same would apply to the search engine; that thing REALLY needs a fix. Actually it needs to be ripped out by the roots, burnt to the ground, and rebuilt from the ground up.

A Pro level membership could then "unlock" a lot of the additional features described above. Rather than a separate professional site, it would be a professional level.

But whether it was done as a pro site or just an additional layer; yes, you could count me in. It would be the best of pBase as it is, with the quibbles fixed.

[flemmingbo]

A big yes from me! Pbase Pro is a great idea, I would gladly pay double for some of the pro features you mention and are offered by Zenfolio, Smugmug etc.

regards,

Flemming Bo

I am taking a poll from those who be willing to pay a higher annual fee for a second PBase site which would incorporate the following:

More stable site!
Printing for customers/clients
Choice of embedding watermarks on images
More choice of stylesheets and change to Profile page
Ability to add PayPal shopping cart
Use of software such as FotoQuote for pricing and usage of images
Ability to use "flash"
Better search engine function

The current PBase site would be unchanged and still be dedicated for photosharing but the pro site would be pros and serious amateurs who sell or want to sell their work.

There is a huge potential for PBase Pro and its subscribers and I am sure that due to the millions of images already on the site, and thousands of excellent photographers, it really could make its mark in the photography stock market.

Cheers
Sheila

[53digital]

I would like to see an 'pro' account that offers a shopping cart and paypal as payment method. No need for credit card processing because paypal does that anyway.

I would be happy to pay a little extra for that.

I know you can integrate the paypal shopping cart into a pbase account as it is, but it would be great to have a proper settings page to establish separate pricings for images like standard, panoramic, etc, so when you upload an image you just choose between 'not for sale', 'standard' etc, and that sets the price.

[dougj]

Good idea Sheila, more funding would provide more resources and options for licenses/sales.

[rsbfotos]

I am taking a poll from those who be willing to pay a higher annual fee for a second PBase site which would incorporate the following:

More stable site!
Printing for customers/clients
Choice of embedding watermarks on images
More choice of stylesheets and change to Profile page
Ability to add PayPal shopping cart
Use of software such as FotoQuote for pricing and usage of images
Ability to use "flash"
Better search engine function

The current PBase site would be unchanged and still be dedicated for photosharing but the pro site would be pros and serious amateurs who sell or want to sell their work.

There is a huge potential for PBase Pro and its subscribers and I am sure that due to the millions of images already on the site, and thousands of excellent photographers, it really could make its mark in the photography stock market.

Cheers
Sheila

I voted yes, but in a qualified fashion. I'm not a pro (as anyone who's seen my galleries would attest ) and have no intention (or likelihood ) of selling my photos, but I'd happily pay double what I am now for a more... and I hesitate to use this word, because it could easily be taken the wrong way, but... "professional" site. Now I need to explain what I mean by that. I'm not suggesting that the people who are running pBase are a bunch of amateurs, but I DO think (as I posted in a thread earlier today) that there's a lack of "structure" in how changes and fixes are addressed. My concern is that if there were to be two separate pBase sites, the existing management may end up stretched way too thin, even though the higher fees should allow some additional resources to be brought in. (I have a horrible suspicion that this (the overstretched part) is what's happening already.)

What I agree WOULD be an idea would be for there to be two LAYERS of pBase; the underlying one which is for people who just want to photo share and nothing more. This would also benefit from the "more stable site" aspect. (I haven't had TOO many problems (aside from Tuesday night's outing and some slowness last night), but the number of "What's up with pBase?" threads and posts in the Q&A Forum is getting a little disturbing.) The same would apply to the search engine; that thing REALLY needs a fix. Actually it needs to be ripped out by the roots, burnt to the ground, and rebuilt from the ground up.

A Pro level membership could then "unlock" a lot of the additional features described above. Rather than a separate professional site, it would be a professional level.

But whether it was done as a pro site or just an additional layer; yes, you could count me in. It would be the best of pBase as it is, with the quibbles fixed.

I voted Yes, but also with a qualified response. I too am not a pro but would not mind paying a higher level membership for the benefits.

I would like to thank Sheila and Alan for making my response a whole-lot easier, as I am also not a typist.

I concur fully and completely with their Pbase opinions and Pbase needs.

----------------------------------
10kzoomfz
"You can't see the forest, when you sneeze."

[alangrant]

I was going to give a "qualified yes" like a couple of others, but in the end I decided that the qualifications were too important so I didn't vote.

I can certainly see the potential in the idea of paying extra to get "added value" benefits that would only be of interest to a subset of members (e.g. printing for customers, watermarks, use of FotoQuote, shopping cart). It makes sense that rather than being subsidised by members who just want to share their family snaps, these would be paid for by the people who specifically need them.

But now the qualification: I have a problem with the idea that features such as a more stable site and a better search engine would be optional extras. Take the search engine, for example. Suppose it is within the capabilities of the PBase team to develop (or buy in) a search engine that works reliably and produces useful results. Are basic members expected to continue to put up with the current crippled search, knowing that a proper one exists? What about the general public (non-members) who browse the site, presumably they would continue to have their time wasted by the dodgy search function, or by occasional attacks of the red X's?

So my concern is that the "two-sites" idea would end up as an excuse for PBase to fail to provide basic functionality for all members. But a single site with paid-for extra features for those who choose them sounds fine. I think that pretty much corresponds to the other Alan's "two layers" idea.

[nooutlet]

I ended up voting "No, ..." because it includes the bit at the end "as an alternative" and I would say that if we could just give you these features right away, we'd do it on the site we have right now without creating a new site.

[jdepould]

I thought customer printing was supposed to be phased in after the printing started?

[pinemikey]

I am taking a poll from those who be willing to pay a higher annual fee for a second PBase site which would incorporate the following:

More stable site!
Printing for customers/clients
Choice of embedding watermarks on images
More choice of stylesheets and change to Profile page
Ability to add PayPal shopping cart
Use of software such as FotoQuote for pricing and usage of images
Ability to use "flash"
Better search engine function

The current PBase site would be unchanged and still be dedicated for photosharing but the pro site would be pros and serious amateurs who sell or want to sell their work.

There is a huge potential for PBase Pro and its subscribers and I am sure that due to the millions of images already on the site, and thousands of excellent photographers, it really could make its mark in the photography stock market.

Cheers
Sheila

Uh. No. Maybe it's just my Canadian background but two-tiered systems suck and are ultimately a way for some people to use their money to skip line. We don't need to make some exclusive place for people who want to use Pbase's popularity to get sales but at the same time put themselves up onto some pedestal looking down on the great unwashed Pbase members who actually create the popularity of the website. Who needs another Smugmug?

[akmc_in_au]

Uh. No. Maybe it's just my Canadian background but two-tiered systems suck and are ultimately a way for some people to use their money to skip line.

Don't forget Mike, Sheila and I are both Aussies. We invented egalitarianism.

(I also know all the words to Oh Canada, have an MP3 of it on my notebook, look great in a scarlet red shirt, and my 40D and I are looking forward to some up close and personal time with the scenery in BC and Alberta later this year, hopefully.)

We don't need to make some exclusive place for people who want to use Pbase's popularity to get sales but at the same time put themselves up onto some pedestal looking down on the great unwashed Pbase members who actually create the popularity of the website.

Not to disrespect your opinion, but to be fair I don't think that this is at all what Sheila's objective is. As I read it the issues are twofold:
- First, the current PBase site has some reliability issues which don't matter so much for hobbyists, but really aren't sustainable for people who want to use their skills to put bread on the table. If a member wants to show some images to their cousins in another city/ state / country and they hit the Red X Gremlin, it really doesn't matter if they have to be told "it'll be fixed in a few hours". If it's a customer, on the other hand, you risk losing them forever.
- Second, a lot of the features that Sheila's proposing (such as a fully supported sales system) wouldn't be relevant to the vast majority of PBasers. That being the case, the upper tier / second site (or whatever) would take the burden of the cost of those features off the members who aren't using them. It wouldn't be people using their money to queue jump… rather it would be better matching the price to the level of services that any individual member needs. I don't think that there's any suggestion of elitism or snobbishness in this; PBase has members of all skill levels who mix and mingle and exchange comments, and I doubt that that would change.

Who needs another Smugmug?

I hadn't really noticed that that was an issue over there, though I visit it only rarely these days. (Not that I think that there's anything WRONG with SmugMug (as opposed to a certain other pink and blue site that I've mentioned in the past); it's just that there are too many galleries on PBase to browse and not enough time, much less time to spend on other sites.)

[pinemikey]

Uh. No. Maybe it's just my Canadian background but two-tiered systems suck and are ultimately a way for some people to use their money to skip line.

Don't forget Mike, Sheila and I are both Aussies. We invented egalitarianism.

(I also know all the words to Oh Canada, have an MP3 of it on my notebook, look great in a scarlet red shirt, and my 40D and I are looking forward to some up close and personal time with the scenery in BC and Alberta later this year, hopefully.)

We don't need to make some exclusive place for people who want to use Pbase's popularity to get sales but at the same time put themselves up onto some pedestal looking down on the great unwashed Pbase members who actually create the popularity of the website.

Not to disrespect your opinion, but to be fair I don't think that this is at all what Sheila's objective is. As I read it the issues are twofold:
- First, the current PBase site has some reliability issues which don't matter so much for hobbyists, but really aren't sustainable for people who want to use their skills to put bread on the table. If a member wants to show some images to their cousins in another city/ state / country and they hit the Red X Gremlin, it really doesn't matter if they have to be told "it'll be fixed in a few hours". If it's a customer, on the other hand, you risk losing them forever.
- Second, a lot of the features that Sheila's proposing (such as a fully supported sales system) wouldn't be relevant to the vast majority of PBasers. That being the case, the upper tier / second site (or whatever) would take the burden of the cost of those features off the members who aren't using them. It wouldn't be people using their money to queue jump… rather it would be better matching the price to the level of services that any individual member needs. I don't think that there's any suggestion of elitism or snobbishness in this; PBase has members of all skill levels who mix and mingle and exchange comments, and I doubt that that would change.

Who needs another Smugmug?

I hadn't really noticed that that was an issue over there, though I visit it only rarely these days. (Not that I think that there's anything WRONG with SmugMug (as opposed to a certain other pink and blue site that I've mentioned in the past); it's just that there are too many galleries on PBase to browse and not enough time, much less time to spend on other sites.)

Sorry for my bashing about the subject but with Sheila and some of the more respected members excluded, I feel more than a few will think this two tiered system means going to the front of the line. Remember Pbase has most of it's clients in the United States and here, getting to the front of the line is the end all be all...even if you're not in a hurry. They'll skip in line just for a cup of coffee. No patience and no respect.

I feel everything on Sheila's "list" should be available to ALL Pbase members. If they don't use them that's their prerogative, but don't set up some system where one more higher hurdle is placed in front of someone trying to get to the next level. In my opinion, two tiered systems are a form of economic segregation. With regards to the programmers, I would think they would want to simplify the site, providing the features to all members instead of trying to maintain two systems which while similar will have enough functional differences to pretty well double their workload.

Smugmug turned me off from day one it stuck it's head from under it's rock.

[sheila]

Thanks for your input, Mike. I don't see that having a choice of two sites, is placing any sort of hurdle for those wanting to get to the next level. Most photographers on PBase would love to sell their work and a second site would give them more opportunity to do so with a site with a much more "professional" look and the ability to sell prints to customers. But its all down to choice, Mike. No one will force PBasers not interested in a pro site to join or pay, say, $100 a year for the benefits of more bells and whistles et al.

I was a member of SmugMug Pro for a year but was not overly keen on its interface.

Sheila

[jypsee]

you think stock photography is problematic and is pulling the quality of photographic selling opportunities into a black hole (my take on your letters re stock photography). So, why would you want stock to be available to you? at any price?

And, I have to say I vote an unqualified NO to the proposal. If you want a stable site, build your own and host it at, for instance, GoDaddy, they guarantee uptime.

[akmc_in_au]

If you want a stable site, build your own and host it at, for instance, GoDaddy, they guarantee uptime.

To put it charitably, I think that "If you don't like it go build your own" would be a distinctly minority view.

If someone builds their own web site, then it's purely about their own images. Yes, there ARE a few people on here who are all about themselves, but they're a distinct minority. For everyone else, it's about sharing and learning and communicating with like-minded individuals. Looking at other people's images is as important as seeing their own, whether they're professionals or not, whether they sell the images or not. People simply don't get that kind of community on a "build your own" site, which means that they go to photo sharing sites instead. And when they do so they pay for that service, and when they pay for it they expect stability. If they don't get it... then after a certain point (a point which will vary depending on the individual's own frustration threshold), they go somewhere else. There may be some PBase die-hards who will stick with the site through thick or thin, but whether they would be enough to keep it afloat would be another matter.

Everyone loses in that scenario, because the loss of PBase and the loss of its community (except for those who float above it, as Mike alluded to) would be a great loss indeed.

Stability is one of the things which therefore needs to be uppermost in PBase's priorities, regardless of this proposal, IMHO.