Grey Friday
November in Lochgoilhead. Not a cloud in sight.
The seasonal sales are at their peak. I’m as guilty as any for my spending sprees and, on the other side of the retail counter, for jumping on the bandwagon, offering discounts and running ad campaigns in my own on-line shop. It’s all a bit of a melee, this rampant consumerism. I think I prefer it when spending decisions are considered and justified, which can admittedly be difficult when it comes to the luxury of artwork.
Thankfully, Black Friday discounts and stock clearances aren’t that important to my little business. In fact, sales at this time of year border on loss-making as back-end processing costs remain fixed for me. A wee spike in the number of sales would be good, but honestly, I’m happy if anyone finds joy from having a photo of mine on their wall.
What I have found are a few ‘abandoned carts’ on my web site, where customers might have been put off by delivery/shipping charges. I totally understand - I often do the same where delivery ends up forming a fair chunk of the total bill. So, I’ve decided to take a bit of a hit and reduce shipping costs significantly, but only for my UK customers for now. I hope it encourages those who may have paused at the checkout to complete their purchase.
At this time of year, like most photographers, I also create a calendar of my favourite seasonal shots. I used to just give copies away to family and friends in place of a Christmas card. Unfortunately (fortunately), they grew in popularity, perhaps as my photography skills developed, to the point where it was costing me a fortune! For my 2026 calendar, some of my friends (perhaps even you), will now need to buy one. I am quite proud of the images - it has been a good photography year, so far.
When the grey November rain eventually dies down and more picturesque winter days bring snow to the mountain tops, I’ll be back out, trying to capture some more of this beautiful land. Until then, there are sensors and lenses to be properly cleaned, other camera gear to get some annual TLC, and even photos from the past year still to develop.
Happy shopping.
