The perfect online printing solution does not exist

<p>I just have to vent a little because it's so frustrating that I can't find an online ordering solution that does everything I need. It's not like I need the impossible, in fact, everything I want is provided by the available labs. Unfortunatly, no one lab seems to provide everything. I've looked at Millers Pro, Pictage, SmugMug and my cart that comes with my website (Photobiz). </p>

<p>My current cart lets me offer gift certificates and retouch after the sale (it's just a cart, I have to upload to the lab) but doesn't show the crop to the client. I'm tired of getting phone calls where I have to explain 2/3 ratio vs. 4/5 so I am searching for another way. </p>

<p>Pictage is nice but everything is printed direct from the website. I need to be able to retouch.</p>

<p>SmugMug let's you retouch the picture before they print but doesn't have any way to give people credit or a gift certificate. (My packages come with a print credit for online purchases). Also doesn't have boutique packaging (Pictage does). SmugMug has no way for the client to sort the pictures into groups so they can more easily decide (this is not a biggie but would be nice).</p>

<p>My frustration is mounting. If anyone knows of an online cart that offers everything I need, shout out! "favorites" and "boutique packaging" aren't essential but it must allow for retouching after the order is placed and gift certificates.</p>

 

<p>So it sounds like the weak spot is your cart - which you'd have to fix by showing the same images twice - once in 2x3, and once in 4x5, pre-cropped. Problem goes away. Then it's off to Millers for nice prints and boutique-ish packaging and drop shipping once you've massaged the images.</p>

<p>Have you checked out the PickPic and White House Custom Color combination? WHCC recently bought out PickPic, and they have good integration and working on even more tighter integration. I use both and am quite happy with it. Not sure if its going to do just what you want, but, its an option...</p>

<p>Matt --- I can't pre-crop 700 wedding images and even if I did it wouldn't stop the client from ordering an 8x10 of the 2/3 crop.</p>

<p>Hooman --- I'll check them out next</p>

<p>PickPic isn't much more than what I already have with Photobiz (just offers gift certificates, I think.)</p>

<p>If SmugMug would just offer gift certificates, I would switch. I emailed them (they don't take calls because they have "perfected email support). That was 3 hours ago...</p>

<p>I see. The carts I've worked with allow you to classify products (in batches) so that certain attributes/flavors aren't mapped to products of certain classes. That way you've got some products that are only available as 4x6, 8x12, 12x18 ... and others that are only available as the boxier varieties.<br /><br />You might be able to use such a class system to simply flag those images that you know aren't suitable for a squarer crop, and then let people choose from the formats that are available per image. I'm sure you're at least <em>looking</em> at each image before putting it up. A single mouse click to tag it as "2x3 only," and using your cart's classification tools to prevent the ordering of uncooperative aspect ratios for such images ... that gets around the problem, too.<br /><br />If, on the other hand, you're framing all of your shots so that they'll work in both aspect ratios, then it doesn't matter. But if you're leaving it up to the customer to decide whether a given image is going to lose important content when cropped down, then you either need to help them out with flags on some images, or live with their willfully bad decisions.</p>

<p>Zenfolio.</p><p><br></p><p>From the folks at MPIX. I have tried them all, this one has the most features for what I am trying to accomplish</p><p>PROS:</p><p><br></p><ul><li>Upload low resolution photos. Replace with high resolution and retouched when the client orders with delayed printing</li><li>COUPONS: and they are so easy to use</li><li>Use their lab (MPIX) or fufill your own print orders.</li><li>Awesome crop tool for clients</li></ul><p><br></p><p>CONS:</p><p><br></p><ul><li>Cannot add logo or customize with CSS - which doesn't bother me. I use a stripped-down gallery and turn off their logos. I also point my own url there (clients.callawaygable.com)</li></ul><p>Good luck!<br></p>

<p>Have you thought about RedCart? It's simple cart solution. You purchase the product, it around $900 and you can install on your own servers or they will do it for you, or you can choose to host with them. You upload the images. The client orders, creates their own crop, borders (if you allow it), BW, Sepia etc..... <br>

It can be totally customized and then you upload to your own lab of choice, after the order is placed. </p>

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<p>Take a look at PhotoCart for $329. It offers a preview of the various cropped sizes.</p>