Everyone who works at a museum; everyone who is at an organization that sells reproductions of collection images; everyone who purchases reproductions of images--pay attention. Click over to NMMprints.com right now. Don't even waste time reading the rest of this post. Just go there. Check it out!
OK, I haven't actually ordered a print yet from this new site from the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, but I have ordered a print from the Museum the past, and let me tell you, it wasn't this easy back then! Back then, in the dark ages, I wasn't even able to see the image I was ordering before it arrived.
This new site, from the Museum that brings you the excellent NMMimages.com, is a destination for those that want a hardcopy reproduction. They have prints, framed prints, canvases, even framed canvases available. The search interface is excellent, so if you know you're looking for something to hold in your hands or hang on your wall, just head to NMMprints.com; if you need an image electronically, then NMMimages.com is still your destination.
As far as I can tell (and I count on Douglas McCarthy, the Picture Library Manager to correct me if I'm wrong) there are still more images in NMMimages.com (for example, a purse from the Franklin expedition is beautifully imaged in NMMimages.com but not present in NMMprints.com). So for browsing and research, NMMimages.com might still be the prime destination.
For the future, I hope we see a little link below the images in NMMimages.com that says, "Order a print" to take one right to the NMMprints.com image details/order page. Or, if permissions don't allow this, perhaps text that says, "Sorry, print orders for this image not available; would you like to see related images from NMMprints.com that are available?" The "related images" link that appears with each image on NMMimages.com is such a wonderful feature, it would be great to see it apprear not only within NMMprints.com but into NMMprints.com from images in NMMimages.com. In the far future, perhaps the sites could be integrated; in the very far future, perhaps after one has selected "Order a copy," one could pick a .jpg of the image, or a framed print, or a tshirt, or a book bag (a la CafePress or Zazzle).
So why not start your Christmas shopping now? Why not celebrate the winter solstice with a lovely print as a gift? Start browsing the collections on the left; I really like Staff Favourites.
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3 comments:
It really is a great site. As someone who works with the very issues that Heather describes I'd be interested in reading everyone's reactions to the site...and I wouldn't mind hearing how it works our for the NMM folks!
Hi Heather and Kelly, thanks for your kind words, we really appreciate your feedback and suggestions.
You're quite right, Heather, when you say that there are many more images at nmmimages.com - this is mainly because we wanted everything you see on nmmprints.com to be immediately available for purchase. We are currently looking at integrating the two websites (and the "mothership" www.nmm.ac.uk!) better to improve visitors' experience, so watch this space. Also, our Retail colleagues are planning a whizzy new online shop for late 2009/early 2010 which offer a more cohesive shopping "trip".
We are very pleased with nmmprints.com so far - it gives our customers a much faster, safer and better way to get prints from the NMM. Not having to order prints unseen is a big bonus too, obviously. For my team, it means time previously spent printing, packaging, dispatching etc. is now spent on more interesting stuff like captioning new collections. A winner all round, we think!
Keep us posted, Douglas! Especially about the whizzy new online shop--sounds exciting!
And *so* glad this works out well for your staff--we want your staff to spend more time captioning!
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