I love to look at pictures of Teagan. She’s changed so much in her 2.5 years. I have so many photographs documenting the milestones and freeze those special moments that seem to fly by too fast. Although, I have to admit that I’ve become a little lazy in this digital era. I used to print images from my film negatives within days of taking the pictures. Now? My digital images sit on my hard drive. I can’t even begin to tell you how many pictures are stored on my hard drive and on my external hard drive. Remember my post, “My printer is a shelf?” Well, I still haven’t added ink to my printer! And my walls are begging for new prints! That’s when I decided to turn to an online photo service for my printing needs.
I was extremely excited to test out the newly re-launched PhotoWorks.com. PhotoWorks, an American Greetings company, has a new look and easier site navigation. Their team utilized a variety of initiatives including usability testing, customer feedback, and an analysis of industry best practices to determine where improvements were needed. These updates required the skills of a cross-functional team willing to think outside the box to come up with solutions that would really enhance the experience for shoppers.
PhotoWorks features interesting items that you might not consider buying through a photo site. This company offers attractive photo card designs, creative photo books, themed calendars and of course, prints. They also offer unique ideas like cutting boards, wine boxes and woven throws. My first thought was to put together a photo book but a couple of other items really caught my eye. After careful consideration I decided to order a sterling silver necklace charm, a mug and a bunch of 4×6 and 5×7 prints. So began my PhotoWorks experience.
I’ve used other photo services and the process can be frustrating. PhotoWorks.com was very easy to navigate. Their site is clean and attractive. I’m not sure if it was my Internet connection but the site seemed a little slow when I tried the upload feature. That was the only issue I had during my order process. I was able to drag and drop pictures without an issue. My favorite feature was the item preview. Here’s a screenshot of the preview of my charm. This feature helps visualize what your product will look like within your item of choice. It definitely helped me make up my mind to order the charm.
Preview of the Sterling Silver Photo Charm
Some of the items must have taken longer to create because my order was shipped in multiple packages but I still received all of the items within a week.
Sterling Silver Photo Charm (square): I honestly have to say that I LOVE it. Teagan’s photo is permanently sealed with a waterproof and UV-resistant coating. I’ve received MANY compliments on the charm. The sterling silver charm is $24.95. I checked other online photo stores and this is a competitive price. My only wish is that it came with it’s own necklace.
Prints: They were second to arrive and the quality was superb. I’m really picky when it comes to my prints. One of my pet peeves is flimsy photo paper! These prints were on nice photo matte paper (I’m partial to matte finishes). Good quality paper gives your images a nice professional feel. The colors were nice and the prices were average for prints ($0.15 each for 4×6 prints).
11 oz Mug (Black): I chose two pictures for the mug. The pictures look beautiful. They are clear and sharp and not pixilated. The mug is priced at $14.95.
Go ahead and give PhotoWorks a try. Their site is easy to get around, with a simple uploading feature. Choose wonderful gift ideas for Easter or plan ahead for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. You can even share your projects with your friends and families by sending an invitation to view your photo albums or photo books through email. I love documenting my daughter’s milestones and our family events. Why not share yours with the ones you love? You’ll be sure to put a smile on someone’s face.
Check out this page for their current coupon codes. One of their current promotions is 20% off the purchase of any PhotoWorks Studio Book. Code: EASIESTBOOK. Offer valid limited time only through 04/30/2010.
www.photoworks.com
Follow PhotoWorks on Facebook.
* I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by M80 on behalf of PhotoWorks. I received a coupon code to try out PhotoWorks products to facilitate my review.
The review is in my own words and is my opinion. Your results and opinion may differ.
2 comments
Love the necklace!! Think I might order one with my babies picture. 🙂 The mug looks really nice too!
Upon reviewing Photoworks website. They look like a very promising company to me. I have always used Shutterfly for my printing needs, but I might have to give these guys a try! I have noticed that prices are a bit higher, but it looks as if the overall quality might be a bit more top-notch and your CHOICES are more diverse. I love the multiple different covers you can choose for your photobooks and such! I have also noticed that first time customers get free shipping! That’s a good deal all in itself. Thank you for posting this review..I am definitely going to have to give them a try!
Thanks!:)