Question 1

Do I need an account to browse photos?

Accepted Answer

No — you can browse all public photos, photographers, and categories without creating an account. An account is required only when you are ready to make a purchase.

Question 2

How do I purchase a photo?

Accepted Answer

Add the photo and your preferred size to your cart, then proceed to checkout. Payment is processed securely by Stripe. Once payment is confirmed, a download link is delivered immediately to your account.

Question 3

What sizes can I purchase?

Accepted Answer

Photos are available in three purchasable sizes: Small (1024 px, $25 NZD), Medium (2560 px, $50 NZD), and Large (3840 px, $75 NZD). Some photographers on a paid plan also offer an XLarge (5120 px, $100 NZD) option. All prices are in NZD.

Question 4

Can I re-download a photo I have already purchased?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All your purchases are saved in your order history. Log in and visit your account to download any file you have previously purchased, as many times as you need.

Question 5

What file format will I receive?

Accepted Answer

Downloaded files are high-quality JPEG or WebP images at the resolution you purchased. Originals are not sold directly — the purchasable variants are carefully processed to ensure consistent quality across all purchases.

Question 6

Can I preview a photo before buying?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every photo has a watermarked preview you can download for free to check composition and framing before committing to a purchase. The preview is not suitable for publication — it is for evaluation only.

Question 7

How are payments handled?

Accepted Answer

All payments are processed by Stripe, one of the world's most trusted payment platforms. Happyapple never stores your card details — Stripe handles all payment security.

Question 8

What is the refund policy?

Accepted Answer

Because image files are delivered digitally and immediately, refunds are generally not available once a file has been downloaded. If you experience a technical problem with a purchase, please contact us and we will do our best to resolve it.

Question 9

What can I use a purchased photo for?

Accepted Answer

Each photo is licensed for personal and commercial use in accordance with the licence terms set by the individual photographer. The licence is for a single end-user and is non-transferable. You may not resell, redistribute, or sub-license downloaded files.

Question 10

Can I favourite photos without buying them?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Use the heart icon on any photo to save it to your favourites. Favourites are tied to your account so they persist across sessions.

Question 11

How do I start selling?

Accepted Answer

Sign up for a free account, confirm your email, and complete the photographer onboarding. You will be prompted to connect a Stripe account so we can pay you. Once that is done, you can start uploading photos immediately — no upfront cost required.

Question 12

Do I need to connect Stripe to upload photos?

Accepted Answer

You can upload photos before connecting Stripe, but your photos will not be purchasable by customers until your Stripe account is connected and approved. We recommend completing Stripe setup early so your shop is ready to go.

Question 13

What is Stripe and why do I need it?

Accepted Answer

Stripe is the payment processor Happyapple uses to collect payments from customers and pay you. It is trusted by Amazon, Google, Shopify, and millions of other businesses worldwide. You connect your bank account to Stripe once during setup. From then on, your earnings go directly to your Stripe account after each sale. Happyapple never sees or stores your card or bank details.

Question 14

How much commission does Happyapple take?

Accepted Answer

Happyapple takes a 20% commission on each sale. You keep 80% of every purchase. The commission applies only when you make a sale — there are no listing fees or upfront charges. Your monthly membership plan (if any) covers features like higher upload limits and is separate from the sales commission.

Question 15

How do payouts work?

Accepted Answer

Once a sale clears, your 80% share is transferred to your connected Stripe account on a regular payout schedule. You can view your payout history in your dashboard.

Question 16

What types of photos can I upload?

Accepted Answer

You can upload original photographic work that you own the rights to. AI-generated images are detected and flagged automatically — the platform is for authentic photography only. Images that violate our content guidelines may be removed.

Question 17

How many photos can I upload?

Accepted Answer

The free Welcome plan includes up to 100 photos. Paid plans offer higher limits — see the Pricing page for the full comparison across tiers.

Question 18

Can I organise my photos into collections?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can create collections to group related photos. Collections appear on your public profile and help customers explore your work. The free plan includes up to 5 collections; paid plans allow more.

Question 19

Can I make collections private?

Accepted Answer

Yes, on paid plans. Private collections are accessible only via a password-protected link — ideal for delivering client work securely without making it public.

Question 20

Can I set my own prices?

Accepted Answer

Custom pricing is available on the Expert (paid) tier. You can set prices above the platform minimums for each size. All pricing uses NZD. Platform minimum prices are: Small $25, Medium $50, Large $75, XLarge $100.

Question 21

Who owns my photos?

Accepted Answer

You do. Uploading photos to Happyapple does not transfer ownership. You grant Happyapple a licence to display and sell your photos on the platform in accordance with our Photographer Agreement, but all intellectual property rights remain yours.

Question 22

Can I delete a photo after it has been sold?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can remove a photo from your shop at any time. Customers who have already purchased that photo retain access to their download. Removing a photo stops new sales but does not affect existing orders.

Question 23

Is there a free plan?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Welcome plan is free — no credit card required. It includes up to 100 photo uploads and 5 collections. You can start selling immediately and upgrade to a paid plan whenever you are ready.

Question 24

What do the paid plans include?

Accepted Answer

Paid plans unlock higher upload limits, more collections, private password-protected collections, AI-assisted metadata on every upload, and (on the Expert tier) custom pricing and a white-label showcase page. See the Pricing page for a full feature comparison.

Question 25

Can I change plans at any time?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can upgrade or downgrade your plan at any point from your dashboard. Upgrades take effect immediately. Downgrades apply at the end of your current billing cycle and are prorated.

Question 26

What happens to my photos if I cancel?

Accepted Answer

Your photos and collections remain intact. Paid-tier features are locked at cancellation, but your account and all uploaded images are retained on the free Welcome plan. We will never automatically delete your content.

Question 27

What happens if I downgrade and I have more photos than the lower plan allows?

Accepted Answer

You will be notified before the downgrade completes. Happyapple will never automatically delete content to fit a lower tier — you need to remove photos yourself to bring your account within the new plan's limits before the downgrade is confirmed.

Question 28

Are there any upfront or listing fees?

Accepted Answer

No. There are no listing fees or charges per upload. The monthly plan fee (if you are on a paid plan) covers features. Commission is only charged when a sale is made.

Question 29

How does the 20% commission work?

Accepted Answer

When a customer purchases one of your photos, Happyapple retains 20% of the sale price and transfers the remaining 80% to your Stripe account. For example, a $50 sale results in a $40 payout to you. The commission applies to every sale regardless of your membership tier.

Question 30

Is GST included in the prices?

Accepted Answer

All prices displayed on Happyapple are in New Zealand dollars (NZD), inclusive of any applicable GST.

Question 31

How does AI metadata work?

Accepted Answer

When you upload a photo, our AI analyses the image and suggests a title, description, and relevant tags. You review each suggestion and can accept, edit, or ignore it before anything is published. Nothing goes live without your approval.

Question 32

Is AI metadata compulsory?

Accepted Answer

No. AI suggestions are completely optional on every plan. You can skip them entirely and write your own titles, descriptions, and tags if you prefer.

Question 33

What if the AI suggestions are wrong?

Accepted Answer

AI suggestions are a starting point, not a final answer. You are always in control — edit any suggestion to correct it or ignore it altogether. The AI is designed to save you time on the first draft, not to make decisions for you.

Question 34

Does Happyapple accept AI-generated images?

Accepted Answer

No. Happyapple is a marketplace for authentic photography. When you upload an image, it is automatically screened for signs of AI generation. Images flagged as AI-generated may be rejected or removed. If you believe an image has been incorrectly flagged, please contact us.

Question 35

How does AI image detection work?

Accepted Answer

Our system analyses each uploaded image using AI to look for patterns typical of AI-generated artwork. This helps maintain the integrity of the marketplace and ensures customers are buying real photography.

Question 36

Is my photo data used to train AI models?

Accepted Answer

No. Your uploaded photos are used only to generate metadata suggestions for your own account and to screen for AI-generated content. Happyapple does not use your images to train or fine-tune any AI model.

Frequently asked questions

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