I have read a billion posts in here with all sorts of answers, but it is clear that each situation has a different solution. To start off, I am currently in the Low to Low-Mid price range.

Currently I offer GraphiStudio and Asuka Hard Cover Books. Mainly because I have the sample kit from Graphi and an Asuka Hard Cover from our wedding. I currently offer the 12x12 and the 9.5x13 as the two Graphi options for the brides. Two questions about this. Why is Graphi's 10x10 really a 9.5x9.5? Do you just list it as a 10x10 on your price sheets? I love that I can get Parent Books at a reasonable price from them without the hassles of redesign. What I don't like is the idea of dealing with overseas production and I have heard a good amount of people have issues. Also, 9.5 x 13 doesn't seem to match any other vendor or templates that I could pick up, so that kinda stinks.

I like KISS books and am currently looking into them. I like the simplicity. The only issue I have with KISS is parent albums. My clients can't afford to get two 8x8 KISS books for parents. Do any of you guys offer a KISS main wedding album and then a lower price parent album from another vendor?

So for my price level of brides, which vendors offer solid products with the options of parent album at a reasonable price for their price point? Thanks for helping me out. I am truly new to this area of the business.

How much are you selling the parents for? I do some fun pricing with parents to get them to buy. I've considered doing a flat rate of $1000, but haven't decided yet. You can do 80% discounted from your main album. E.g., they buy the big one for $4000, you sell them a parent for $800. You've already made your money for the design, etc., on the main book so you can offer the parent album much cheaper and still be profitable.

Just some thoughts.

I doubt as a "low to mid" photographer, he is selling an album for $4k. I know I'm not.



My current plan is to only offer square designs so that I can easily get any size without a redesign, and if they cannot afford another two 8x8 KISSes, even with a discount, then they could get a duplicate Asukabook or something.

The thing is when starting you need every referal you can get and if you order a graphi and most likely it has a mistake or bubble and you delay the album and they don't get a high quality book. The center non guttered pages also get funky over time. For a starter album you can't beat the Asuka EX laminate. You can quicky resize the 10X10 to a 5X5 non laminate parent album to lower costs. The pages are protected, the quality is very high and it makes you look good when they show the album. Giving a smaller purse size book that the client can take to work and show off is worth cost itself in advertising.

Kevin,

Lindsay is right. I am definitely not selling 4k albums yet. I hope you didn't take any of comments as a knock on KISS because I truly love the idea and am still seeking to move that direction as my business grows.

Lindsey,

That is how I had it to. 7x7 Parent albums through Asuka. I was using the Hard Cover. I am anxious to see the EX laminate.

Steve,

I am with you on the referrals. I definitely need to build my client base. I know we talked about the albums earlier and I do remember your thoughts. Do you have samples of the Asuka EX albums that I could take a look at sometime?

Of Course- video night soon, I will show you my higer end Albums Unlimited also. I wish Asuka had a flushmount it must be the magic sharp they add to prints or something, it just seems like the look over each page in the computer eventhough I know they don't. Every page Asuka prints is always right on with my expectations, actully usually better.

I think you're likely undervaluing the books and what their true retail can/should be. The average I've seen nationally seems to hover around $40/page. If you're selling for less than that, why? I'm betting it's an expectation management issue vs. "what the market will support."

I'm in Indiana--not exactly the richest place in the world--and people pay a good chunk of change for books. A lot of that is because I priced them for what I thought their value was--not what other people in the market said was possible.

I'm not saying just overnight jack up your prices, but I think you may be missing out on some potential income by assuming too much.

$.02