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Author Topic: Ktools Photostore  (Read 76223 times)

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« Reply #25 on: February 03, 2011, 18:40 »
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Lisa, the language file is an exception - it's basically a list of phrases and words the site uses at various points. As long as you don't tinker with the syntax, you can update the text. It will say something like "Thank you for contacting us" and you may want to say "We really love your feedback" (whatever...) - it's easy to make some quick, valuable updates.


Fotonaut

« Reply #26 on: February 04, 2011, 02:28 »
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Some tips on which files to use for customizing that I posted to the Ktools forum in 2009 (for those who do not have Ktools forum access):


Change background image and colours
www / config_public.php

Make changes to the photo details page
www / i_details.php

Make changes in left column table/left menu (statistics etc.)
www / i_gallery_nav.php

Make changes in images (such as watermarks)
www / images

Make changes in the frontpage
www / index.php

Make changes to the hover view
(change borders, remove Title: and Description: texts, etc.)
www / js / xns.js

Make changes to the search box area.
www / search_bar.php

Remove the "Newest images" and "Most popular images" tabs
www / crumbs.php

« Reply #27 on: February 04, 2011, 05:04 »
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thanks, for those tips, Thomas, especially about finding out where to edit or change text. BTW, how's the progress on setting up your site? i'm still half way on mine, probably won't be up and running till end of Feb.

I'm lucky if my site is up by then. I'm doing some extensive editing to the layout, slowly but surely, then there's the licensing part and all the technical problems I'm sure will arise once I get it online. Would be great to get it up and going in March, but I try not to set a timeline.

Are you keeping the tag cloud? I think it gives the store a "bloggy" look, but thought about keeping it for the sake of SEO. I think it helps the site's ranking having these highly relevant words in bold. Figure I'd tone it down with a light gray.
Any SEO experts in here who knows if the color of such tags will affect how Google ranks the site? Do they even help a bit, these tag clouds?

« Reply #28 on: February 04, 2011, 05:05 »
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Some tips on which files to use for customizing that I posted to the Ktools forum in 2009 (for those who do not have Ktools forum access):


Change background image and colours
www / config_public.php

Make changes to the photo details page
www / i_details.php

Make changes in left column table/left menu (statistics etc.)
www / i_gallery_nav.php

Make changes in images (such as watermarks)
www / images

Make changes in the frontpage
www / index.php

Make changes to the hover view
(change borders, remove Title: and Description: texts, etc.)
www / js / xns.js

Make changes to the search box area.
www / search_bar.php

Remove the "Newest images" and "Most popular images" tabs
www / crumbs.php

Thank you for sharing!

« Reply #29 on: February 04, 2011, 07:40 »
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Thank you all for sharing! Those links are very helpful, fotonaut.

« Reply #30 on: February 04, 2011, 11:16 »
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Don't know if it's still the case, but the tag cloud can crush the server, hogging a lot of resources for little gain. YMMV.

« Reply #31 on: February 04, 2011, 11:58 »
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Hi Lisa I just sent you a PM on this.

Fotonaut

« Reply #32 on: February 04, 2011, 15:35 »
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Just a tip on the Ktools site that i find best designed, almost to the point that it no longer looks like a Ktools site: http://www.justworldphoto.org/

lisafx

« Reply #33 on: February 04, 2011, 15:52 »
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Extremely helpful info in this thread!  Thanks a lot Fotonaut, for sharing those locations.  You probably saved a lot of people hours of work :)

Thanks for the PM Elena!

« Reply #34 on: February 04, 2011, 18:14 »
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Make changes to the search box area.
www / search_bar.php



Well, you answered my question. Thanks. I don't know how I missed this before.  :)

« Reply #35 on: February 04, 2011, 19:56 »
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I encountered a big problem with Ktools Photostore that you may want to be careful about...

I had my Ktools store up and running for about 6 months and was pretty pleased.  I had invested probably hundreds of hours in getting it up and running and uploading files and it seemed all was going well.

Then my hosting company made some changes to improve security for their hosting clients and suddenly nothing worked.  I tried Ktools support and, although they gave advice, they eventually ended up pointing their fingers to the hosting company.  Of course the hosting company said it was an application problem in my software.

I'm sure if I was an expert programmer I could have eventually figured it out.  Unfortunately I'm not.  After a bunch more time trying to fix my store I finally gave up and went the smugmug route. 

Smugmug has it's limitations but at least they provide the hosting this problem shouldn't crop up.  If you go with Ktools it might be best to use their hosting company.  It seems like that was an option.

Good luck either way.

lisafx

« Reply #36 on: February 04, 2011, 20:04 »
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Wow.  Scary.  Thanks for sharing that. 

I am signed up through Bluehost, which is one of the hosts they recommend.  Hope that doesn't happen down the line though. 

Out of curiosity, were you getting sales in those 6 months? 

Fotonaut

« Reply #37 on: February 04, 2011, 20:12 »
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I encountered a big problem with Ktools Photostore that you may want to be careful about...

I had my Ktools store up and running for about 6 months and was pretty pleased.  I had invested probably hundreds of hours in getting it up and running and uploading files and it seemed all was going well.

Then my hosting company made some changes to improve security for their hosting clients and suddenly nothing worked.  I tried Ktools support and, although they gave advice, they eventually ended up pointing their fingers to the hosting company.  Of course the hosting company said it was an application problem in my software.

I'm sure if I was an expert programmer I could have eventually figured it out.  Unfortunately I'm not.  After a bunch more time trying to fix my store I finally gave up and went the smugmug route. 

Smugmug has it's limitations but at least they provide the hosting this problem shouldn't crop up.  If you go with Ktools it might be best to use their hosting company.  It seems like that was an option.

Good luck either way.

This should be a concern, which is one reason why I use Ktools own hosting.
I honestly would have dropped Ktools in favour of e.g. Photoshelter had it not been that I need a contributor add on solution. Which only Ktools offer within a manageable cost. If I was only selling my own files, I would not have bothered with Photostore, just too much work.

« Reply #38 on: February 04, 2011, 23:32 »
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I highly recommend ktools hosting - it will future-proof the host tweaking their system away from what's needed to have it work. And it uses cpanel, so if you do move to another host, you can migrate the cpanel without rebuilding the site. Very easy.

« Reply #39 on: February 05, 2011, 07:17 »
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Does anyone make much money from this?  I just think after paying for the software and the hosting and spending lots of hours tweaking the site, it would have to make quite a lot for me to cover my expenses and make some profit.  If this was just for my portfolio, am I going to be able to get enough buyers to use it?

« Reply #40 on: February 05, 2011, 09:13 »
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Does anyone make much money from this?  I just think after paying for the software and the hosting and spending lots of hours tweaking the site, it would have to make quite a lot for me to cover my expenses and make some profit.  If this was just for my portfolio, am I going to be able to get enough buyers to use it?

I was just about to post the same question.  Lots of talk here about how to set it up, and it seems lots of people have experience with Ktools.  But is anyone generating sales?  And a basic question... what is Ktools' cut on the sales or do you keep it all?

I'm taking a different route, working with a friend who is a programmer to build a site from scratch.  Everything coming along well but still figuring out the payment part.  Hoping to launch in 30 - 60 days.

« Reply #41 on: February 05, 2011, 09:20 »
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Does anyone make much money from this?  I just think after paying for the software and the hosting and spending lots of hours tweaking the site, it would have to make quite a lot for me to cover my expenses and make some profit.  If this was just for my portfolio, am I going to be able to get enough buyers to use it?

I was just about to post the same question.  Lots of talk here about how to set it up, and it seems lots of people have experience with Ktools.  But is anyone generating sales?  And a basic question... what is Ktools' cut on the sales or do you keep it all?

I'm taking a different route, working with a friend who is a programmer to build a site from scratch.  Everything coming along well but still figuring out the payment part.  Hoping to launch in 30 - 60 days.

I have seen a couple of reports of people starting to make money, but people who have posted here have just had it set up for only a month or two.

As far as ktools' cut...I didn't think they got one. It was my understanding that this software enabled everyone to be totally independent from having to pay anyone else anything, except the software fee that goes to ktools. If I have misunderstood, I hope someone will jump in and say, before I upload all my photos.

ktools does have a referral program, and they do have a link at the bottom of the home page unless you pay a little extra, then you can get software with their name removed from everything.

« Reply #42 on: February 05, 2011, 11:39 »
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Wow.  Scary.  Thanks for sharing that. 

I am signed up through Bluehost, which is one of the hosts they recommend.  Hope that doesn't happen down the line though. 

Out of curiosity, were you getting sales in those 6 months? 

I sold a few files--never enough to pay back the cost of the software.  Mostly stuff I shot for Phoenix Marathons and Ironman triathlons.  None of my other regular stock sold at all.

I have similar experience on Smugmug.  Some event stuff sells.  Very little other stuff.  So far I'm making enough to pay the annual fee but not much more.

« Reply #43 on: February 05, 2011, 11:47 »
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Ktools doesn't take a cut - this is the same developing a site from scratch (commission-wise), which is why you assume all technical responsibility for the site. One can quickly grow to appreciate other premium hosted solutions...

Making money with the software is just like any business - it's a tool, but part of the overall plan. It will depend on your niche, your referral network, your ability to drive traffic to your site, etc. Just having a website doesn't get you much, but making it part of an overall plan can work. Seems like a lot of event photographers use it for event/sports/wedding sales, or stock sites dedicated to a niche, like regional or travel images.

« Reply #44 on: February 05, 2011, 11:54 »
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Ktools doesn't take a cut - this is the same developing a site from scratch (commission-wise), which is why you assume all technical responsibility for the site. One can quickly grow to appreciate other premium hosted solutions...

Making money with the software is just like any business - it's a tool, but part of the overall plan. It will depend on your niche, your referral network, your ability to drive traffic to your site, etc. Just having a website doesn't get you much, but making it part of an overall plan can work. Seems like a lot of event photographers use it for event/sports/wedding sales, or stock sites dedicated to a niche, like regional or travel images.

I didn't think ktools took a cut, thanks for confirming.

I am hopeful that I will be able to at least make the money back from the software purchase and hosting fees. I will do my best to drive traffic to my site and I can also use the site for private galleries.

But mostly I am setting my site up because I at least feel like I am doing something constructive and I have taken a positive step forward. This will be part of a total plan to replace the earnings that I have lost from said greedy agencies.

lisafx

« Reply #45 on: February 05, 2011, 12:11 »
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But mostly I am setting my site up because I at least feel like I am doing something constructive and I have taken a positive step forward. This will be part of a total plan to replace the earnings that I have lost from said greedy agencies.

^^ Yes, exactly! 

What I am regretting is the amount of time this is taking me that would probably be better spent shooting and uploading, at least in the short term.   But ITLR, it will probably be a good idea to have a site up and running, and hopefully build a clientele over time.  You know, "if you build it they will come".  Or more accurately "If you DON'T build it, they won't ever come"...

« Reply #46 on: February 05, 2011, 13:11 »
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Photographer sites are more or less essential for anyone doing regular events work. Photoshelter always looks like a good option though I have never tried it myself.

I have seen some impressive looking Ktools based sites. But I think I would be very cautious however of running my own site and having to be responsible for the programming side, updates, security updates etc. It's not just the actual package which is going to need regular tweeking and upgrades. Also the server software, PHP etc. That's a lot to be responsible for.

Weird them closing the forum. I would have thought that sharing info with other users would have been a valuable part of the deal. I wonder how many sites in total are running on this package.
 
« Last Edit: February 05, 2011, 13:12 by bunhill »

« Reply #47 on: February 05, 2011, 13:44 »
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But mostly I am setting my site up because I at least feel like I am doing something constructive and I have taken a positive step forward. This will be part of a total plan to replace the earnings that I have lost from said greedy agencies.

^^ Yes, exactly! 

What I am regretting is the amount of time this is taking me that would probably be better spent shooting and uploading, at least in the short term.   But ITLR, it will probably be a good idea to have a site up and running, and hopefully build a clientele over time.  You know, "if you build it they will come".  Or more accurately "If you DON'T build it, they won't ever come"...

I know it's taking time to upload photos and get the site running, but once it's done, it's yours. I don't find it any more tenuous than dealing with the microstock agencies. One thing for sure is whatever you DO sell, is yours 100% to keep. I find comfort in that thought, even if I only make a small amount of money.

And I think it's like everything else...you do without but once you have it, you find all kinds of uses for it and then wonder why you didn't have one sooner.

Quote
snip
But I think I would be very cautious however of running my own site and having to be responsible for the programming side, updates, security updates etc. It's not just the actual package which is going to need regular tweeking and upgrades. Also the server software, PHP etc. That's a lot to be responsible for.

I understand being cautious, but I'm just not going to dwell on the what ifs that may happen in the future. I will cross those bridges when they come up. They may never come up, so no point in worrying about it.

« Reply #48 on: February 05, 2011, 14:18 »
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The ktools forums aren't closed - I'm over there all the time. Sounds like they're closed to new registrations, which is odd.

If you've making modifications to the code of the script, it can be quite hard to upgrade. The V4 update, if it ever comes out, will make look and feel changes easier to keep updated.

« Reply #49 on: February 05, 2011, 14:22 »
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The ktools forums aren't closed - I'm over there all the time. Sounds like they're closed to new registrations, which is odd.

If you've making modifications to the code of the script, it can be quite hard to upgrade. The V4 update, if it ever comes out, will make look and feel changes easier to keep updated.

I just registered a couple of days ago and I can go to the forums.


 

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