Given the digital storefront of the businesses and no physical location being planned, apart from the online, the ‘local’ competition encapsulates a much broader geographic area then the traditional interpretation. Regardless a review of Canadian branded art in this subject matter is less revealing, having completed a scope of the offerings within the GTA. Businesses offering images focused on the moon are not representative within the larger format of independent web portals, or specific store fronts. Upscale art shops do exist; however it is in largely impressionistic artistic impressions and not photographic in nature. As such they simply would not be considered in direct competition with this small businesses planned demographic or product offering.
Where competition does exist in the digital space is hosting within small shops on sites such as Etsy. On Etsy alone there is an offering of lunar specific image and astrophotography focused sites.
Image the Cosmos (https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/ImageTheCosmos)
+ website store front experience is exceptional, professional look and feel.
+navigation and broad product assortment from photographic to interpretive and more artistic in nature.
+/- pricing ranges from the mid/low tier to the mid/low range dependent on subject matter and medium chosen.
+4.8/5 on customer satisfaction reviews
Despite pricing scale, the site does not delve into the digital offering and price point being considered for the small business.
No marketing or branding evident of the site or the photographer.
Arvecta (https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Arvecta)
+Pricing, offering a single photo of the moon in digital form for $2.79
+Resolution or image quality not provided besides brief description.
-Website branding or any marketing is not evident, basic personalization of storefront
-No personalized information on the artist or the subject matter aside from the image
The small business represent within the Etsy store shops aside, one other website persisted in my searches that offers a large assortment of images and a unique pricing model that demands consideration:
MEGAPIXL (https://www.megapixl.com/moon-stock-photos)
+Exception amount of image selection, resolutions and medium
+’Free’ images accessible marketing allowing select images to be downloaded during the trial period
+Unique retro style branding on website, layout and search functions are speedy and professional in nature.
+independent digital web portal
-image reuse/use rights limited in nature and tied to increased pricing
-after 1 week trial period pricing is subscription based, scaling from $15/month to $219/month
-site lacks any connection to the individual photographer/artist
-large selection of images can play to devalue a single image alone
Finally, in completing this search and reviewing possible competition a few key items became extremely clear:
First, given the specificity of my small business’s offering (positive or negative), there simply is not a plethora of competition on the local level. Within the digital space there definitely is competition, and there is some further though to given on a finalized product and pricing position.
Finally, the lack of branding and marketing within the store fronts is very much apparent. This is key to being successful in this space, the importance of tying a story or unique branding to a product cannot be overstated. This positioning on pricing is directly tied to the value the consumer attributes the brand or the individual representing it. Photography falls within the artistic realm, so this value or worth assigned an image is amplified even more so.
