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Shutterfly

2002-02-08 19:00:03+00 by TC 3 comments

A Dot-Com survivor Shutterfly is a pretty cool service. I'm pretty tired of good ideas (along with a ton of bad ones) going bust so it's nice to spread some good news. This company actually figured how to execute and have excellent customer service. One of the reasons I think these guys will continue is that not only does my semi-technical wife use them but my completely tech-clue-less father in-law. With all the shutterbugs in this communty I figure some of you might benifit. The coolest trick I found is that you can put up all your digital pictures from say a trip somewhere and people can order the pictures and quantities they want online.

[ related topics: Photography Content Management Technology and Culture Current Events Travel ]

comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):

#Comment made: 2002-02-21 05:35:11+00 by: Dan Lyke

I see a great need for a partnership with Voyeurweb.

I see the short-term appeal, but I don't get the business model. As of a year ago they were in for 25 million.

If an 8x10 is $3.99, the break-even on an Epson PhotoStylus[Wiki] is around 50 prints (less than 30 prints in capital costs, 20 prints in materials)? And the Epson[Wiki] gives you immediate gratification. And while the place to host your pictures is great, free web hosting has... not done well, and Microsoft[Wiki] has gotten people used to mailing around huge[Wiki] attachments. Most of the technical assistance (borders, titles, red-eye removal) are better done locally with the software that comes with your digital camera.

May be a great service, and look like they're really useful for that transition period if you're an APS snap-shotter looking to get into digital slowly, but I wouldn't buy stock. My bet for doing the snap-books, cards and similar is on Creative Memories, because they've wisely incorporated a real-life social and community building component into their marketing strategy, and they have better branding in the market that Shutterfly is targeting.

#Comment made: 2002-02-21 05:35:12+00 by: TC

I'll take that bet. They are both privately held companies but I am sure we can find valuation for both and agree on some metric for success (% of growth or % of market) and pick a finite date say 2 years from now. perhaps a bottle of Ardbeg 17 vs Balvenie 17 ???? another discussion has me thinking of scotch as fine choice for currency

#Comment made: 2002-02-21 05:35:12+00 by: Dan Lyke

The comparison bit makes it tough. If we can find estimates of size, I'll certainly bet Creative Memories[Wiki] against Shutterfly[Wiki] in relative growth rates.