Set gallery expiration dates within gallery settings
I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be able to set gallery expiration dates within my settings. I only allow clients to view their gallery for X amount of days and then have to manually go in and change the password to something random that they won't know.
I would like the choice to have their gallery password work for a certain amount of days that I can designate and then when it expires default to a "Your gallery has expired, please contact for more information" kind of deal. Maybe even a "days left" counter when they have to log in to remind them when it will expire.
I don't want to just make the gallery unlisted because then their password would still work. It would just eliminate some calendar set up and reminders for me to personally go in and make the password changes.
Amy Lee
shared this idea
52 comments
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Kristen
commented
I really want this feature! I always tell my clients their galleries will be up for "x" number of days. I have to manage them by hand to be true to what I have said.
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Sandra Balzola
commented
This is definitely a must in my business I only give clients access to galleries for a certain amount of days (promotional prices and such) then that's it. Shame with all the other great options on here this isn't one of them.
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Warner Taylor
commented
I don't understand why this idea has been out here for 3+ years and not implemented yet. It isn't like this would be a hard implementation. All it takes is another field in an already large DB Table, and a little extra lines of code on the page:
1. "This gallery will expire on $experation_date"
2. if ($expiration_date <= $today) then don't show the gallery and say "Gallery has passed its expiration date. Please contact the photographer to ask if this gallery can be reopened."
3. $diff_days = $expiration_date - $today
if ($diff_days <= X days) then say "This gallery will expire in $diff_days so place your order soon"Come on guys, it isn't that hard. You are adding other ****** items every month why can't this one be done? We increase our dues and can't get some of the simple ideas through?
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Amy L.
commented
THIS IS A MUST!
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Nick Porcaro commented
I've been using SmugMug for a few years now and asked for this change in my first week as a user. I can't believe this change still hasn't been made....
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Warner Taylor
commented
I think that SM is being geared more toward the full-time professional photographer and sometimes forgets that there are part-time professional photographers that use their program as well and don't have the time to keep updating and emailing customers. This feature would be great under an event also, or even better that all galleries under an event would expire when the event did.
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Bill Clearlake
commented
It would also be great to have the option to hide, remove or archive the gallery when it expires.
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Brandon
commented
They just doubled the yearly price of SmugMug and are seriously overlooking how important this is. It would be more money for us AND more money for them. At this point, my income from SmugMug has barely been enough to make profit over the current subscription price, because my clients have no initiative to buy. For portrait sessions I don't even use SmugMug anymore for that reason. I sit my clients down and order prints with them. But I'd still like to have an expiration date on wedding galleries, so wedding guests will get prints. I'm having a very hard time justifying paying the new $300 price. I don't necessarily want to stop using SmugMug, but I might have no choice.
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Mark Dickinson commented
They say "why" your galleries are unlimited.. ITs to sell prints and get people to buy, or make amove on their photos.
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lorena
commented
I've been google-ing how to set an expiration on my galleries. You really mean to tell me that that is not an option?
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Juli Bonell commented
A "You have __ days left" is a great idea. Reminder and urgency to make their purchase.
My thought (and maybe someone mentioned this already) was to have the password then simply change our own site-wide password to lock it from clients.
Maybe to simply have the ability to select a certain calendar date for it to close when you enter the client password?
But it would need to have the ability to have a pop up when they try to log in explaining that "Your gallery has expired, please contact ___ for more information" -
David Owen
commented
I agree, this function is a definite pro requirement. Should be implemented now.
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Fred Findley
commented
Dear SM, basically your customers are asking for the following: When we create our galleries, it would be beneficial for us AND YOU if we could set an expiration date for the gallery. The actual gallery would not be deleted, and the photos would still remain on the server, but that particular gallery would become invisible to our clients (basically anyone not logged in as the admin).
WHY? Because this helps us add pressure to the purchasing and helps us to drive up sales which benefits you because you receive a cut of our increased earning potential by having this feature.
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Warner Taylor
commented
I second all the comments about this being needed and long overdue. They (SM) took manpower to make a "new and improved" control panel (which I say I dislike the new one and want the old one back) instead of listening to what their customers wanted. Yes, they have a lot of features but LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS and go from there. It is like the B&W option, been out here 2+ years and still "under review." Get on with it, either you will do it or not. Just tell us!
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Amy Lee
commented
Yep, I started this request almost 2.5 years ago and I feel that it's ridiculous that it has not been implemented yet. Such a simple fix that would help to benefit us pros so much. Smugmug is supposed to help us with revenue and ease of usability and time management. This is still a big issue for me of marking on my calendar when to email a reminder to my clients and then going in and turning it off of the day of expiration. I'm really disappointed some small features like this that would make a huge difference to our work flow hasn't even been addressed in 2.5 years guys....
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Donald Bakewell commented
I can't believe this hasn't been done yet either. I switched from Pictage and with them, it's easy to set expiration dates with password protected gallery or without passwords. This was awesome as it creates a sense of urgency to order prints. They email all the folks on the "guest list" to notify them that the event is expiring in say 14 days. Then swarms of orders come in on an album that has been posted for 3 months already. They would even do event re-releases on anniversaries to the date of the event or around Xmas time, etc. I made WAY MORE money selling products with Pictage than on SmugMug and I didn't have to do a thing. Seems Smug is completely missing the boat on this one. :( If Smug gets this feature and pairs it up with the ability to collect email addies of those who visit each event, they'd be the ShiX! :)
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Joey Chandler commented
Hate to say this - but it is crazy that this isn't here yet. Ditto that there should be a way to set the expiration date and have it automatically close the gallery. Bonus points if it were to email me and the clients in the events when it was getting close.
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Jared
commented
I will reiterate the "anonymous" concerns:
"I would like this but without it being tied to whether the gallery is password protected or not. Just give the ability to set an expiration date for a gallery and after that date it would not be accessible by anyone other than the owner and would not show up in searches or via direct links. Also agree with Diane that it should be for Events as well."
I also agree with The R2 Studio's suggestion: an email could be sent to customers "you have X amount of days left to view your gallery! HURRY!" and then changes are made to the gallery...
to which I add and suggest SmugMug takes this idea a few steps further:
1) Allow the expiration date of multiple price-lists associated to a gallery to occur. For example, cheap price-list expires in 30 days, normal price-list expires in one year, and then the archived price list gets implemented.
2) Allow coupon and discounts of any kind associated with a gallery to have expiration dates as well.
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Anonymous commented
I would like this but without it being tied to whether the gallery is password protected or not. Just give the ability to set an expiration date for a gallery and after that date it would not be accessible by anyone other than the owner and would not show up in searches or via direct links. Also agree with Diane that it should be for Events as well.
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Terry Mercer
commented
Great idea... especially on wedding, portraits, and people shots...
