Introduction

Shutterfly is the number one online photo service. Once you become a member of Shutterfly there are many services that become available. For instance uploading pictures and ordering prints that are mailed to your door or picked up at local Target locations. Pictures can be edited and printed on many different surfaces including posters, canvas, collages, coffee mugs, and even clothing. Shutterfly also offers an online digital archive that can store unlimited pictures. There is also a feature that allows groups to share photos and information on a website if they have the login and password. This would be useful to coordinate sports teams or recreational/work groups. Whatever the occasion from weddings, sporting events, or school graduations, Shutterfly will be there to document the event.



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History of Shutterfly

Photo sharing sites first originated in the mid to late 1990s in the form of services providing online ordering of prints. During the early 2000s more sites emerged with the idea of providing permanent and centralized access to a user’s photos. Shutterfly, Inc. was founded in December 1999 and is an internet-based social expression and personal publishing service which provides products and services that make it convenient for consumers to preserve their digital photos in a creative manner. Currently there are approximately 2.4 million customers globally and more than 2.3 billion images stored in the company’s digital archive. They do not charge for storage and have never deleted a photo. Shutterfly has an arrangement with Target Stores which started in 2007 that allows users to order photos online and pick them up at their local Target store in as little as an hour. Shutterfly’s flagship product is its Photo Book line which enables users to create and self-publish photobooks. In August 2008 Shutterfly launched a new product call Share Sites which allows users to create public web pages to share photos stored through Shutterfly. Users can invite family and friends to view the photos as well as make comments. Shutterfly also distributes the image organizer software Shutterfly Studio. The company is headquartered in Redwood City, CA with manufacturing facilities in Hayward, CA and Charlotte, NC. Net Revenues for 2007 totaled 186.7 million.


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Personal Uses

Now that digital cameras have made film obsolete for the average consumer, more people are using online digital print services that let you edit pictures and get them ready for printing. They also make it easy to get the high-quality prints you've come to expect only from professionals.

These online photo services offer a wide range of options that not only give you professionally printed photos, but also let you create a host of other keepsakes for relatively affordable prices. The different uses of the online photo service can be divided into two sections – products and services.

Services:
One of the more obvious services available is the ability to print quality photos. Pictures can be uploaded to the site in the form of an album, where you can then select the size, finish and quantity of your favorite photos. In addition to printing, customers can even edit the picture to their liking. For instance, if a picture had an obscure item in the background, this can easily be cropped out to complete the picture.

Online photo services are not limited to printing pictures, but are also helpful in sharing photos with loved ones. According to the Shutterfly website, customers can create a personalized site that can be shared with others. This is a secure site that allows friends and family to add, edit, and share photos with others (1). For example, a bride and groom may set up a site displaying pictures that were taken at the wedding. Not only do the guests get to view the pictures, but are also able to add additional photos taken.

Shutterfly also offers another service that may not seem so obvious. When film was popular, some people would safeguard photos by placing film negatives in safe deposit boxes. Nowadays, a better solution exists. According to MJ Johnston, online photo services can also serve as a backup storage for photos (2). Regardless of whether you back up your photos or not, it is nice to have a secondary tool to protect such valued photos.

Products:
After providing quality photo editing and sharing services, online photo services also provide products that can be personalized with photos. Some of the products available through Shutterfly include (but are not limited to):

• Cards (Holiday/Birthday)
• Calendars and Posters
• DVDs
• Invitations
• Photo Books
• Clothing and other Accessories (3)




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So whether you are into sharing, printing, or creating unique gifts, online photo services such as Shutterfly have what you need.

(1) Reference: www.shutterfly.com/nav/signedOutShare.sfly
(2) Reference: www.articlesbase.com
(3) Reference: http://www.shutterfly.com

Corporate Uses

Shutterfly and other online photo services do not just benefit consumers. In actuality, there are multiple uses that businesses and entrepreneurial-oriented individuals can capitalize on. For instance, photographers could take advantage of Shutterfly by starting their own business. One of the options available is Pro Gallery, which makes owning a business effortless. The individual is able to manage the online photo store through the design, pricing, and availability of products; whereas, Shutterfly provides the grunt of the work by:

1) Supplying an online professional gallery
2) Creating a website for customers to visit
3) Providing all customer service (orders, payments and customer support)
4) Protection provided as well as reports for performance

Shutterfly does not only facilitate businesses marketing photos. Other possible options available for firms may be to use Shutterfly as a way to improve customer and employee relations or to promote the company through featured products. For employees, calendars or photo books containing photos of a company function would make great mementos. From a managing perspective, Shutterfly could be used to create portfolios, catalogs, or professional presentations. For clients, photos could be used as a marketing tool on calendars, brochures, or other souvenirs that feature the company product.

An Example of Shutterfly for Company Use



Another approach to marketing the brand name of the business does not require action on the part of the business but rather the consumer. Some businesses are encouraging consumers to upload pictures of their events in order to spread word of their product or name. In addition to using consumers to promote their company, businesses also use the online albums to find photos to use in their own campaigns. Both of these approaches are a low-cost and effective way to get brand recognition (2).

Lastly, non-profit organizations can also take advantage of Shutterfly. Schools can use the online photo center to help create yearbooks. The process of managing the yearbook can be eased through the variety of layouts provided. Fundraising is also a possibility through Shutterfly. Many schools and other organizations can create photo galleries or other products and generate proceeds for their fundraiser.
Although an online photo service may seem more customer-oriented, businesses and non-profit organizations can take full advantage of the benefits offered through Shutterfly.

Reference: www.shutterfly.com/business/index.jsp
(2) Reference: PR Week (US), October 27, 2008, Inside Information – Photo-sharing sites enter the brand awareness picture by Beth Krietsch, Section: Media Roundup; pg.13

Conclusion

As you can see Shutterfly is a very useful product for a wide variety of customers. Shutterfly can be used to keep in touch with friends and family, organize group events, and even coordinate business activities. Shutterfly can help with the perfect gift around the holidays. Setting up an account is free and easy so come join the fun!