Pictorem.....Worthwhile?

[wds]

Is the Pictorem site (https://www.pictorem.com/) worth looking into. Anyone making money there? How does it compare to FineArtAmerica?

[kall3bu]

I just started to upload there. Steven Heap just reported in his monthly report that he already got sales there - he is also still new there, but uploaded already many images.

Quality: Seems good!
Custom service much better that FAA.

Biggest reason to upload there: Free shipping to USA and Canada!

And they have great Murals also to offer.

I am pretty sure it is worth to try.

[kall3bu]

and higher ranking on google

[steheap]

I've been impressed so far. This is the article where I mentioned my sales:

https://backyardsilver.com/say-again-earnings-from-stock-photography-have-increased/

You can choose your pricing (although in simpler ways than FAA) and I have chosen a margin of $20 per square inch of print. I have a feeling that people buy larger prints because it is not as expensive as I had on FAA and the shipping is free. You also get to know the email and name of the buyers so you could add them to your mailing list (perhaps!)

So far, so good.

Steve

[Mantis]

Is the Pictorem site (https://www.pictorem.com/) worth looking into. Anyone making money there? How does it compare to FineArtAmerica?

The site doesn�t show image thumbnails for me. Just the item description.

[wds]

Thanks all. I have been disappointed with FAA and was wondering if Pictorem performance would be better....sounds like it is worth a try.

[wds]

I'm confused. I just did a google search "new york photos wall art" and there were no results from pictorem at all?

[steheap]

That is very strange. I've searched for mine in the recent past and have seen the Pictorem results, but now I don't. I have sold three metal prints in the past month and they were not ones I actively marketed myself, although the locations were (two in Kauai), so I am not sure where the buyers found my images.

I'll continue to investigate those Google results...

Steve

[steheap]

If I search for something with fewer results - such as Cheat Lake print - my images appear in the top row of organic results and Pictorem in there alongside FineArtAmerica and Pixels. The latter ones have been online for much longer. So they do get there, but there will be many fewer in a popular place like New York?

[wds]

I would guess the results also depend on "where in the world" the person doing the search happens to be located.

[wordplanet]

Also Google throws up results of pages similar to those you've looked at in the past, so your stuff comes up higher when you search than it does if a stranger searches for it.

But three sales your first month is great! As is the free shipping. Definitely worth a look! Thanks for the info!

[steheap]

Yes, if you are thinking of signing up as a contributor, please use my referral link. They do pay a small commission if the person then signs up for an annual plan. https://www.pictorem.com/index.html?refer=JH10JED1EDI

Thanks!

[Mantis]

Looks like they limit you to 250 images unless you pay for the premium Pro membership.

[wds]

Not sure what the "Premium Pro" membership costs, but I would be inclined to start with the 250 image limit and see the results before going further.

[cascoly]

Not sure what the "Premium Pro" membership costs, but I would be inclined to start with the 250 image limit and see the results before going further.

and that's certainly better than FAA 25 image limit

[Dave]

I am from Australia and have had images on FAA for at least 3 years and the only thing I have sold was facemask about a years ago.

[stockastic]

Any recent activity on, or thoughts about, pictorem?   

[wds]

I've been on for a  few months and frankly, not impressed in terms of sales so far...certainly no better than FAA.

[stockastic]

Do you get the impression the site is still being actively developed and maintained? Are the owners interested in making it better in the future?

For example - you currently can't do much with your main page there - you can't even control what images it shows. 

So it would be nice to hear some positive from the people running Pictorem, about future plans.

[Uncle Pete]

Not sure what the "Premium Pro" membership costs, but I would be inclined to start with the 250 image limit and see the results before going further.

and that's certainly better than FAA 25 image limit

Unless I upload 250 images and make no sales, which makes the quite even? 

I just signed up, based on this thread. Looks like fun and potentially could be something. I still think that I can't just upload and wait to be discovered. People who do work these sites and get downloads, also use social media to promote.

I don't exactly understand the pricing on Pictorem? On FAA for example, I just add a standard amount of profit I'd like to make. On Pictorem it has a percentage. Percentage of what? The cost of making the image? So 50% means if the print and shipping and whatever else is $10, then my markup is $5, but if someone orders a smaller print, I'd make less.

What I mean is, I kind of like the flat mark-up system. Maybe I don't understand?

I did like the data being read, including the title and the keywords. Makes it easy. Also default pricing is good, unless I want to make something, special. OH and they also have a nice "Limited Edition" feature, so I can say, there will only be 25 of this image printed. Whoo Hoo, rare, LE, buy it now before they are gone. 

[stockastic]

They seem to be doing some things right, like reading metadata. I won't even worry about the pricing unless/until I get sale #1.

I'd just like to feel like if I go to the trouble of uploading hundreds of images, the site won't go away a few months later, or be bought and downgraded.  And I'd really like to see some more control over the appearance of my pages there.

Basically I'm looking for an alternative to FAA for the future. I think FAA is going to change in ways I won't like.

[Luuk]

Just looked around, first portfolio I saw sells stockphotos from other authors:

https://www.pictorem.com/profile/Shamudy (did a tineye search on some photos, all other authors)

I don�t know how bad this is at FAA, but this doesn�t give me a good feeling about uploading artwork.

[Mantis]

Have 250 images up with zero views, let alone zero sales. Four months and counting.  Not surprising.  I get zero sales on FAA as well, except for the occasional $2 postcard.

[stockastic]

Just looked around, first portfolio I saw sells stockphotos from other authors:

https://www.pictorem.com/profile/Shamudy (did a tineye search on some photos, all other authors)

I don�t know how bad this is at FAA, but this doesn�t give me a good feeling about uploading artwork.

FAA is full of "artists" with bulging portfolios of stuff they didn't create. Sometimes it's just stolen, sometimes it's arguably legal but definitely nothing to be proud of.  Lots of vintage photos, which I suppose are public domain, but with a nice markup for the "artists".    Also vast amounts of repetitious junk, "color variants" etc.   

I guess I thought Pictorem might be different, but no surprise if it's not.

[stockastic]

Have 250 images up with zero views, let alone zero sales. Four months and counting.  Not surprising.  I get zero sales on FAA as well, except for the occasional $2 postcard.

My sales at FAA this year are half of my average of previous years, and still declining. I assume they're heading to zero. 

[Uncle Pete]

Just looked around, first portfolio I saw sells stockphotos from other authors:

https://www.pictorem.com/profile/Shamudy (did a tineye search on some photos, all other authors)

I don�t know how bad this is at FAA, but this doesn�t give me a good feeling about uploading artwork.

You're right to question that artist. The usual world traveler, which we know is unlikely. Same happens on FAA and stock sites.

What we can see on FAA is recent sales "activity" and I don't follow like I did years ago, but I don't see the Public Domain images getting any sales. And for myself, the sales have dropped off this year and I get the usual postcard, small print or a T-Shirt now and then.

Still Pictorem is one more outlet and uploading is easy. I'll make that a Winter project. I can't see just giving up without at least trying?

[Luuk]

Just looked around, first portfolio I saw sells stockphotos from other authors:

https://www.pictorem.com/profile/Shamudy (did a tineye search on some photos, all other authors)

I don�t know how bad this is at FAA, but this doesn�t give me a good feeling about uploading artwork.

You're right to question that artist. The usual world traveler, which we know is unlikely. Same happens on FAA and stock sites.

What we can see on FAA is recent sales "activity" and I don't follow like I did years ago, but I don't see the Public Domain images getting any sales. And for myself, the sales have dropped off this year and I get the usual postcard, small print or a T-Shirt now and then.

Still Pictorem is one more outlet and uploading is easy. I'll make that a Winter project. I can't see just giving up without at least trying?

I wish I could have �photographed� all the places he has been to, he must have been all over the world...

I think I will try pictorem as well, just being demotivated lately of all copied artwork I see around.

I had 3 sales on FAA early this year for a total of $450, other than that nothing over $5 for 3 years now.

[stockastic]

First came the plague of stolen work - then the plague of public  domain images.  Next will be the plague of "art" generated by so-called "AI" in response to text entered by the "artist".  Watch for that stuff to be uploaded by the ton, to these POD sites that run on autopilot. 

"Moody black and white photo of Brooklyn bridge with lonely person walking away"

"Beautiful painting of canal in Venice at sunset, gondola in foreground"

[PaulieWalnuts]

Pictorem is one of the labs I evaluated for Shopify integration. They have a Shopify app that offers one of the best integrations I've seen because it creates one Shopify listing with multiple product and size variations in one listing. Most of the other apps all create a different listing each for canvas, paper, metal, etc. So unless you manually combine them you end up with a mess of what appear to be duplicate product listings. FAA's Shopify app creates multiple listings.

Beyond that, I wasn't impressed. I ordered canvas and photo paper sample prints. I think their production time when I ordered was 4 days and it's now 6 days. I finally got the prints a month later. Left a voicemail with support and never got a call back. Emailed support and finally got a response about issues with suppliers. Paper print arrived in a generic brown semi-rigid mailer and no other protection. No cellophane, wrapping tissue or anything else. And prices are about double the average cost I've seen. If that order had actually been for one of my customers they probably would have either been angry or cancelled the order.

High cost, slow production, low quality presentation, and poor support is a pretty bad combination.

[stockastic]

Pictorem is one of the labs I evaluated for Shopify integration. They have a Shopify app that offers one of the best integrations I've seen because it creates one Shopify listing with multiple product and size variations in one listing. Most of the other apps all create a different listing each for canvas, paper, metal, etc. So unless you manually combine them you end up with a mess of what appear to be duplicate product listings. FAA's Shopify app creates multiple listings.

Beyond that, I wasn't impressed. I ordered canvas and photo paper sample prints. I think their production time when I ordered was 4 days and it's now 6 days. I finally got the prints a month later. Left a voicemail with support and never got a call back. Emailed support and finally got a response about issues with suppliers. Paper print arrived in a generic brown semi-rigid mailer and no other protection. No cellophane, wrapping tissue or anything else. And prices are about double the average cost I've seen. If that order had actually been for one of my customers they probably would have either been angry or cancelled the order.

High cost, slow production, low quality presentation, and poor support is a pretty bad combination.

Sounds like they're not much different than FAA - I wouldn't be surprised if they're using the same print vendors.   

After following FAA's forum for a few years, I see the pattern.  Usually, they do ok but since the pandemic, shipping costs have skyrocketed and (as many forum posters have pointed out) become wildly inconsistent.  Usually the order is filled on a timely basis, but sometimes things go off the rails and I've seen forum posts from angry customers who got nowhere with customer service.    Quality is usually ok, but sometimes it's a disaster, probably because FAA just found a lower-cost supplier.

Looks like Pictorem is a mixed bag.   I'd just like to know if it has a future - will it get better, or just go away?       

[PaulieWalnuts]

Pictorem is one of the labs I evaluated for Shopify integration. They have a Shopify app that offers one of the best integrations I've seen because it creates one Shopify listing with multiple product and size variations in one listing. Most of the other apps all create a different listing each for canvas, paper, metal, etc. So unless you manually combine them you end up with a mess of what appear to be duplicate product listings. FAA's Shopify app creates multiple listings.

Beyond that, I wasn't impressed. I ordered canvas and photo paper sample prints. I think their production time when I ordered was 4 days and it's now 6 days. I finally got the prints a month later. Left a voicemail with support and never got a call back. Emailed support and finally got a response about issues with suppliers. Paper print arrived in a generic brown semi-rigid mailer and no other protection. No cellophane, wrapping tissue or anything else. And prices are about double the average cost I've seen. If that order had actually been for one of my customers they probably would have either been angry or cancelled the order.

High cost, slow production, low quality presentation, and poor support is a pretty bad combination.

Sounds like they're not much different than FAA - I wouldn't be surprised if they're using the same print vendors.   

After following FAA's forum for a few years, I see the pattern.  Usually, they do ok but since the pandemic, shipping costs have skyrocketed and (as many forum posters have pointed out) become wildly inconsistent.  Usually the order is filled on a timely basis, but sometimes things go off the rails and I've seen forum posts from angry customers who got nowhere with customer service.    Quality is usually ok, but sometimes it's a disaster, probably because FAA just found a lower-cost supplier.

Looks like Pictorem is a mixed bag.   I'd just like to know if it has a future - will it get better, or just go away?     

Pictorem's website makes them look like a high-end print lab but what I received was nowhere close to high-end. Seems they only have locations in New York and Canada but I'm not sure if they actually do the printing. The return address is labeled with the company Xitrade. They operate as both a print lab and a POD. Haven't tried the POD. But yes I'm also concerned about their longevity. It takes a ton of time to load products and/or integrate to something like Shopify and if they're unreliable or go out of business it's a waste of time.

With FAA, I've found the overall quality of products to be good, production times are mostly good, and customer service is a bit hit or miss. One guy owns and built the entire platform. I think he's done an amazing job with it but at some point he'll probably decide it's time to sell it. Whoever buys it will likely do the usual cost cutting and wringing artists dry. FAA has a partnership with Getty so I'm guessing they'd be one of the top potential buyers.