Collections – How do you set them up?

Here’s the instructions –

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About Collections

Collections are ways to sell entire “sets” of images under one main “preview” image. While a collection is technically a type of category, you make it “sellable” by attaching it to a main preview image.

[list=*]
[*]Create a collection using options in the “Collection” (this) panel.[/*]
[*]Assign images to the collection by searching, selecting, and choosing “Add Selected Images”, and pushing “save”, similar to the “Categories” panel.[/*]
[*]In the batch editor search results, find an image you wish to use as the “Main” image representing the collection. Click “Edit”.[/*]
[*]Be sure to modify the price to that which you feel properly reflects the combined worth of all the images, with obvious bulk discounts or special license considerations.[/*]
[*]In that Edit Image panel you will find a dropdown to assign the collection. Choose the desired set of images that will be available with this purchase.[/*]
[*]You can unassign an image from hosting a collection by visiting your collection panel, and clicking the X corresponding to the collection preview image in the list.[/*]
[*]TIP: For the “main image” you should make a collage, software box, or similar type preview to visually imply a “set” of images. You can create and upload one of these with the intention of turning it into a “collection” preview.[/*]
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It seems like a lot, but you will get used to it fast. Its the simplest way to implement a valuable system like this without over-complicating things.

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I’m struggling with this too.

it IS a bit confusing, especially if you don’t assign a preview when you first set up the collection, but once you’ve done it, it’s pretty smooth…

… upload & publish your images
… create a composite image for your title, (decide on one of your images as the title)
eg, http://cascoly-images.com/pix/image/orgosolo-murals-collection/
be sure to upl & publish this image, too

… in the batch editor, search for the images you want “eg” search for ‘orgosolo’, click to select all, then deselect any that don’t fit
… click on collections and create your new collection, then click to add the selected images to the collection
… when back at the display of selected images, click on the preview image you’ve decided on, set pricing for various sizes, and go to the bottom of the popup and set it as the preview for the collection.; save
… (optional) click on the image number of the popup image to get the regular image page to edit — change the name of the image to something like ‘orgosolo-image-collection’ and add appropriate info the the description, SEO, etc

some folks have a special category of ‘Collections’, but I include them under the appropriate descriptive category. then I have a separate menu item on my home page that shows all collections:

http://cascoly-images.com/pix/image-collections-cascoly/

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later, as you process images, you can add them to the collection on the main edit screen when you publish – VERY handy

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@christine – no additional editing to individual images necessary; however, I have put a suggestion in the q that would automatically add a link to the collection from each individual image — eg “This image is part of collection X”

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For anyone still in doubt about making their own collections, contact me and we can work something out

I have created a collection and added the montage plus the four images that make it up and published them

I have added them all to the collection

I have edited the prices on the montage so it shows the discount

How do I make it work – please?

http://kerioakimaging.com/image/sold-for-sale-under-offer-to-let-collection/

If anyone is around at the moment that knows how to do this and uses Skype I can share screen

Hi C – I’ve been struggling with this today, too.

I have set up a Collection with discounted bulk pricing but like you, I cannot get Collections to appear in the menu (it’s “invalid”) nor can I find a way to link it to categories.

It’s newsworthy too, what with Lonely Planet rating Yorkshire as one of the top places in the World to visit. So I want to Tweet, G+, FB about it and get it out there.

I think I might go down the Text widget route next.

As to the “pop-up” bit, go to Symbiostock > Batch Editor and search for the image you want to allocate as the “Preview” image for your collection. Select it and click on the “Edit ####” link beneath the image and that’s the pop-up that you can use to price up the collection and allocate it it as the “Preview” by scrolling to the bottom of the pop-up.

Well the text widget works, putting an HTML link in there.

At the moment all I have done is create a page saying I have them and will give them a unique keyword. I don’t think clients are likely to go looking for collections but may use them if they come across them on subjects they are looking for ?