Got Photoshop?

I'm launching a new business selling Photoshop layer styles. The site just went live yesterday, so please check it out and let me know what you think.

This is roughly my 10th attempt at launching a new business, but it's the first one that involves directly selling my own creations. My goal is to corner the high-end of the layer styles market. Launching this site is the first step, but it will probably take a few more iterations to get where I want.

The styles are all based on my own photography. I spent about 4 months shooting high-resolution textures at locations all over the place. The textures are meant to be the thing that separates my products from some of the lower-quality styles people sell, but I'm not sure if I've emphasized that enough on the site.

Anyway, let me know what you think. Any feedback, good or bad, would be helpful.

PS: If you have a design related blog/forum/etc, and you want a review copy or a free copy to give away to your readers, just send me a PM.

The work you display on the webpage is quite polished and suggestive. Seems like a good idea, but remember that you need to be original nowadays and bring the most creative solutions, because competition is really tough.

Also i have noticed this: When you buy our style collections, we also include our original high resolution textures in PNG format, absolutely free. That means you’re getting more than Photoshop styles, you’re getting a complete set of texture photography, too

Maybe it's giving to much. i don't know details, but if it is the complete hi res image, then you are giving a great part of your work, for free. maybe it could be a good idea to give a sample and think about how the hi res textures can also be profitable to you. just a suggestion tho.

i sincerely hope you succeed mate.

  On 8/9/2010 at 10:42 PM, ruiagnelo said:

The work you display on the webpage is quite polished and suggestive. Seems like a good idea, but remember that you need to be original nowadays and bring the most creative solutions, because competition is really tough.

 

Also i have noticed this: When you buy our style collections, we also include our original high resolution textures in PNG format, absolutely free. That means you’re getting more than Photoshop styles, you’re getting a complete set of texture photography, too

 

Maybe it's giving to much. i don't know details, but if it is the complete hi res image, then you are giving a great part of your work, for free. maybe it could be a good idea to give a sample and think about how the hi res textures can also be profitable to you. just a suggestion tho.

 

i sincerely hope you succeed mate.

Thanks. I agree about the textures, I put a ton of work into them.

I originally had these priced at $49/set, but initial feedback from a design forum I posted this on yesterday was "you're charging too much!", so I cut the price to $12 as an experiment. *shrug*

They look awesome chaosmachine, I would agree that $50 a set is too much, but $12 a set is too low, just my 2 cents. Excellent work man.

  On 8/9/2010 at 10:42 PM, ruiagnelo said:

The work you display on the webpage is quite polished and suggestive. Seems like a good idea, but remember that you need to be original nowadays and bring the most creative solutions, because competition is really tough.

 

Maybe it's giving to much. i don't know details, but if it is the complete hi res image, then you are giving a great part of your work, for free. maybe it could be a good idea to give a sample and think about how the hi res textures can also be profitable to you. just a suggestion tho.

 

i sincerely hope you succeed mate.

Comepltely agree. Hence my thinking that $12 a set is too low.

Excellent stuff man, the styles look amazing, well presented and very tempting.

Everybody thinks everybody is charging too much, but time and time again it's been proven people associate value with price.

Then again, when you don't have a market base it's difficult. The only thing I can think of is, don't just leave the site lying around, advertise it, but I'm sure you already know that.

  On 8/9/2010 at 10:56 PM, chimera slot mom said:

Excellent stuff man, the styles look amazing, well presented and very tempting.

 

Everybody thinks everybody is charging too much, but time and time again it's been proven people associate value with price.

 

Then again, when you don't have a market base it's difficult. The only thing I can think of is, don't just leave the site lying around, advertise it, but I'm sure you already know that.

Thanks.

Yeah, I am going to do everything I can to make it successful. I bought an advertisement on Reddit that will run on Thursday, it will be interesting to see how it goes.

i took a second look and they really look good. specially the stone ones.

now i think you should move forward with new approaches. like trying different fonts, maybe work on fonts that are flexible to the point of getting a lot of different texture works. more ideas. innovation.

i know of a lot of new businesses and i can say they can grow huge if there is an initial effort. all that is needed is to grab attention and show originality.

the biggest human conflict is the competition for new ideas.

maybe try a two-tiered price structure - a cheaper price for just styles, and a higher price for 'pro' sets that include the original images?

Nice domain. Good luck with it.

  On 8/9/2010 at 11:36 PM, Gary C said:

Nice domain. Good luck with it.

Yeah, I was very surprised it was available. Google says there's 33K searches every month for the phrase "photoshop layer styles", so I'm hoping to capitalize on that.

I've definitely searched those exact phrases before.

Wouldn't pay for them personally, but then I'm not a professional graphic designer, so I'm not your market.

$12 sounds decent to me. Maybe make a bundle for $30.

  On 8/9/2010 at 10:47 PM, chaosmachine said:

  On 8/9/2010 at 10:42 PM, ruiagnelo said:

The work you display on the webpage is quite polished and suggestive. Seems like a good idea, but remember that you need to be original nowadays and bring the most creative solutions, because competition is really tough.

 

Also i have noticed this: When you buy our style collections, we also include our original high resolution textures in PNG format, absolutely free. That means you’re getting more than Photoshop styles, you’re getting a complete set of texture photography, too

 

Maybe it's giving to much. i don't know details, but if it is the complete hi res image, then you are giving a great part of your work, for free. maybe it could be a good idea to give a sample and think about how the hi res textures can also be profitable to you. just a suggestion tho.

 

i sincerely hope you succeed mate.

 

Thanks. I agree about the textures, I put a ton of work into them.

 

I originally had these priced at $49/set, but initial feedback from a design forum I posted this on yesterday was "you're charging too much!", so I cut the price to $12 as an experiment. *shrug*

it's always the dilemma when trying to sell products that you've put a lot of work into. a high price tag entices a certain type of customer who falsely think that price reflects quality. my suggestion is you up the price a little bit, maybe $25, somewhere in the middle

edit: can one convert or use these styles in adobe illustrator?

  On 8/10/2010 at 12:31 AM, Awepittance said:

edit: can one convert or use these styles in adobe illustrator?

unfortunately not. i thought about doing a separate set for illustrator, but google says there's almost no demand.

  On 8/10/2010 at 12:22 AM, Gary C said:

I've definitely searched those exact phrases before.

 

Wouldn't pay for them personally, but then I'm not a professional graphic designer, so I'm not your market.

 

$12 sounds decent to me. Maybe make a bundle for $30.

There is a bundle. For $29 :)

http://photoshoplayerstyles.com/sale

It's not visible from the front page (there's a link on the style pages), but it will be soon.

I really like the textures, good luck!

Sell the textures instead.

  On 8/10/2010 at 2:14 AM, vasio said:

Sell the textures instead.

It's a good idea, and I've thought about it, but the texture market is dominated by huge players. If the styles angle doesn't work out, ultimately I may end up just putting them up as stock photos somewhere.

great job chaos. $50 may be high but dont sell yourself too short. if you price the textures separately make them maybe a tad higher than istock?

the layer styles are nice. well done man.

i don't have photoshop but i understand it is the shit so good on ya

charge more, dont add your original high res textures

go

  On 8/10/2010 at 2:37 AM, chaosmachine said:

  On 8/10/2010 at 2:14 AM, vasio said:

Sell the textures instead.

 

It's a good idea, and I've thought about it, but the texture market is dominated by huge players. If the styles angle doesn't work out, ultimately I may end up just putting them up as stock photos somewhere.

even the fall back of supplying stock photos/textures might be difficult in a market which is overly-saturated. those in the know either take their own, search google, or just head to deviantart (i think? it's what i did years ago). i think you have a good niche going on with the styles; and the domain to back it up. have the textures available for a bonus fee. you should throw up some logos as examples other than just text; exactly what you provided in this thread. i think the price is fair until you get some sort of market going; when your domain yields a top result for google or what have you. after that jack the price. clever idea which i wish i thought of.

yeah i dont think text sell the textures that well tbh, add some different shiz

pretty fucking cool dude, hope this becomes very successful for you

When you've sold a few you should open a feedback section so customers can leave reviews and/or examples.

  On 8/10/2010 at 2:55 PM, Gary C said:

When you've sold a few you should open a feedback section so customers can leave reviews and/or examples.

i thought that too. like a guestbook or something.

it's good for the one selling and for those about to buy.

excellent textures chaos. I agree with some people here that you could charge a wee bit more than $12 a pack but I am no expert. Good luck!