Packaging photos for retail?

[thefonz78]

I would like to get some prints in some local gift shops once i get enough images i'm happy with. How do people package them for retail? I was think just a piece of card to reinforce it at the back then a cellophane sleeve. Will this be expectable?

[dan123]

It shud be, its what i do mine in, altho i mount mine so dont really need the card, and maybe a small descriptive sticker or something to say what the shot is, and who by etc,

[thefonz78]

how do you mount yours?

[swan lover]

Hello The Fonz, the minimum photographers do around here is print A4 or A3 some go bigger and smaller, purchase a ''appropiate mount IE 16''x12'' for the A4's A backing board and a plastic sleve and some sell them for around £20 to £25 pounds, all can be found I am told on the internet, Please accept my appolagies for nnot giving any leads.

[thefonz78]

Thank you Swan lover. Is that how much they are selling in the gift shops? Do you know how much the shop gets and how much the photographer gets?

[dan123]

Generally ive found around here, gift shops arent that woried about really good quality work, ive seen some awfull images being sold here, Most want them fairly cheep or they wont sell, around 15 quid, ive seen them as low as a fiver here though, So the best thing to do its pick your profit margin and stick to it, Sell the photos to the shop for around 10-15 and let them deal with the mark up on it, My prints on my site are 25 quid, they do sell occasionally, and another site that push my work sell for 30 and they sell too,

Mounting, Faily easy to do, and cheep, A peice of card with the middle cut out to size of the print, with a nice thick boreder of around 3 inches will set it nicely in a frame, I reconend double mounting, Recently Seen some of mine double mounted on ivory on A2 looked very nice, If you want i can psot some pics of prints mounted and framed,

Think about Greetings cards too, just another thought,

[Cathus]

If you're serious about mounting you might want to invest is a mount cutter.

This is how I do mine...

http://blog.glnphotography.com/archives/18

[thefonz78]

The mount cutter is something i would be really interested in thank you Cathus. I've just read the blog they are expensive but sure it will pay for itself in time. What thickness of card should i use? Do you attach the print to the mount with masking tape? I Want to sell A3 size prints will I only get £10 for them in a shop?

[dan123]

Dont think id buy one myself just yet, Do some Research! see what is already there and what they charge, and then, approch them once youve got your shots, and see how much theyd be willing to buy them for, start high and drop if you need to,

[swan lover]

Originally Posted by thefonz78

Thank you Swan lover. Is that how much they are selling in the gift shops? Do you know how much the shop gets and how much the photographer gets?

Those prices I gave are only a guide here in my county of pembrokeshire, and I was told that is cheap, yet people grumble about that price! how much the shop gets from my limited experiance you could negotiate a deal so much percentage for a trial period to be re-negotiated at a later date or a straight flat rate deal, the galleries around my county charge anything from 35-50% try the gift shops to see how you go, good luck mate.