Zenfolio Updates Pricing Model After Customer Backlash
So, back in December, I posted that I was moving to Squarespace from Zenfolio due to a new fee for downloading images - even if you are donating them for free. This is a follow-up post to update you on some new changes by Zenfolio due to customer feedback/backlash.
So, Zenfolio is responding to their decision that caused me to move my website to SquareSpace due to feedback from their customers. I wonder how many other accounts were lost from this move other than mine. However, I still think that they don’t get it. They are still more expensive even without the new reduced add-on fee than most other hosting services. The change does not take effect until March 1 and thus is in place for 6 months before rolling back to this reduced amount. See below the email I received for the update.
Thank you for being a valued Zenfolio customer. On September 15, 2022, we instituted a $0.99 fee on all e-commerce orders and bookings with packages to cover substantial increases in our costs due to global inflation.
In response to customer feedback, we have decided to remove the $0.99 fee on orders as of March 1, 2023 and replace it with a cost per digital image sold to provide you with a more clear and transparent pricing structure. The cost per digital image sold will be $.09 per individual digital image or $.99 for all digital images in a gallery. The cost per individual image applies to all digital images sold through the shopping cart and the cost per gallery applies to a gallery containing any number of images. The total cost for all digital images will not exceed $0.99 on an order.
This change is not yet live. The new digital download costs are applicable for purchases made through the shopping cart and will be reflected in the platform on March 1, 2023.
I was very disappointed with the move because I was very happy with their platform and service. But sometimes it takes a change like this to learn what else is out there. The format and ease of use of SquareSpace are a big improvement over Zenfolio which I am enjoying. Zenfolio has the advantage of unlimited storage (unless you upload RAW photos). So, in my opinion, both are excellent platforms and I hope that Zenfolio the best.
What are your thoughts? If you are using Zenfolio, are you impacted by this?
