Costco photo printing

[usports2]

I just uploaded a 12 x 12 LO at costco.com
The cost was $2.99 plus OH sales tax.
A bit pricey compared to other places I've used, but they can have it ready in one hour.
Anybody ever use Costco's services before? I only uploaded one photo so I can check quality.
Have a good one,
Donna

[LadyCarolyn]

Donna, I have heard that Costco is very good . . . and the price is VERY reasonable. At our local Black's they want $14.99 per page!!!


I just uploaded a 12 x 12 LO at costco.com
The cost was $2.99 plus OH sales tax.
A bit pricey compared to other places I've used, but they can have it ready in one hour.
Anybody ever use Costco's services before? I only uploaded one photo so I can check quality.
Have a good one,
Donna

[Amanda]

Costco is great - i've used them several times

[maryjos]

The quality is okay, but I have to say my own experience with them was not as good as some other places. Like a lot of photo processing places, YMMV from store-to-store so it's always a good idea to get just 1-2 pages printed first and see if you are happy with what you get.

[Margie]

you've found cheaper than 2.99 for a 12x12?

[omio]

I uploaded a big order to Scrapbooks2Share. First time I've used them but I had ordered a sample pack at one time and I also saw some LOs that Formby had printed. If you use the regular paper (either matte or glossy), 8x8 is $1 a page and 12x12 is $1.50 a page. There is a flat shipping fee of $6. This paper is thinner than regular photo paper (which is an option but more expensive) but Lynnie said she likes the thinner paper because her albums lie flatter. Did I miss anything, Lynnie?

I think this is husband and wife business. They have been very responsive to my questions and shipped my order (37 LOs in two different sizes) within two days of my upload. So far I'm very impressed and can't wait to get my prints. Their price page is at SB2Share (http://www.sbtoshare.com/What_It_Costs.htm).

[bendipez]

I just sent an order to 3scrapateers...they have a special with Scrapbooks2Share,$3.00 for one upload printed on both matte and glossy. I know Lynnie(formby girl) like SB2Share and their quality seems fairly good. I've also used Scrapbooksplease and was happy(wait for a sale and you can get a great deal). It also depends on how you like your LO's printed. I like the more matte and thinner paper. Costco has been very good and it's quick.

[Tara]

I use Costco all the time and I'm very happy. They've always been willing to reprint for me when there is a problem, as well. Also, if you want to get really specific, you can talk to one of the leads of the department and they can give you their printer specifications and help you with any specific problems you have. The only thing I don't like is that I always have to leave some sort of a border because inevitably they cut a tiny bit off of one side (and the side varies each time!)...so if you have an element that runs to the edge, you have to add a bit of space so it doesn't get cut off.

But it is soooooo convenient. I upload at night and pick it up the next day. They are really fast!

[maryjos]

Yeah, that was basically the problem I had, my pages were printed somewhat crooked and got trimmed noticeably on the sides. I just prefer to use other places like sb2share where it's not an issue. Someone else had recommended Pure Print Design. Haven't got a chance to use them yet, but the price is very good and they print larger and trim down so the pages come out perfect. Definitely next on my list to try:

http://www.pureprintdesigns.com/pureprintdesigns/

[Wags]

Here's another printing option for you - (from Viovio's newsletter)


In conjunction with the new 12x12 photo book Viovio (http://www.viovio.com) is also offering an unbound option. The same digital silk quality pages available in the 12x12 bound books are now available loose at the low price of $.75 per page. The double-sided minimum page count is 24. If you prefer single-sided printing for your pages the fee is only an additional 15%. With single-sided printing the minimum page count is 12.

To order loose pages simply create a gallery, upload your pages, and click the “order photo book” icon engaging the bookmaker process. Remember to check the field that you want the cover image printed inside the book, accept the default cover info and move to the purchase page. “Unbound book” will be the last selection from the drop down menu.

Looks like it would cost $10.35 for 12 single sided prints - so that would make them about .86 each. If I'm doing my math correctly.

[usports2]

Thanks for all the great feedback. I have tried sb2share also and their $1.50/page is great, but I don't like their thin paper. I also didn't think their colors matched my monitor very well.

I got my album page from Costco and was very pleased. They print on the heavy paper. I honestly didn't notice if they cut off a side because my LO didn't bleed to the edge....will have to watch that.

Will have to check out viovio and pureprintdesigns.

Thanks again!
Donna

[omio]

I uploaded a big order to Scrapbooks2Share.

My prints arrived and I LOVE them! I uploaded 37 layouts; my total for 37 prints at 12x12 and 74 prints at 8x8 came to $135. I purposely chose the thin glossy paper because the prints are for albums. They go in very nicely back-to-back and have the pliable feel of a nice magazine.

Also, I compared one of the 8x8 prints with one I had printed out on my Epson photo printer and I liked SB2Share better. (And I'm more picky about color than I should be given my level of expertise. :lol:) So, if anyone wants to give it a try, the information is at Scrapbooks to Share (http://www.sbtoshare.com/).

[Gremma]

I use Costco in Canada. They have a 12x18 size of photo paper. I format the 12x12 LO on the canvas (in DIP 9) then I put 3 4x6 on the bottom section. So I am getting one 12x12 and 3 4x6 for only $2.99! They are fast and I like the quality. I have never had a problem.

[debbers]

To compare ... a 12x12 print from a local photo lab costs $13.99.

:)

deb

[LadyCarolyn]

I just had 6 12 x 18 photos printed from Costco . . .$2.99 each Canadian . . they are UNBELIEVABLE. I have not done a scrapped page as I want bound books for that, but my photos are incredible . . . ..nothing crooked, etc.

[Fade2Pink]

I've been using Costco as well. For one, I like that I can get them in an hour, if I want/need. I tried on on-line web place (can't recall the name) and though the quality was good, it took 8 days to get it and I had ordered 8x8 size, but sent a 12x12 file, thinking they would adjust the size, instead all the pages were the bottom right corner of each of the page. :eek: I am getting my 12x12s for $2.99 and my 8x8 for $1.49.

[Kathleen]

Another tip on Costco printing, especially if you print 12x12. When you order a 12x12 print, Costco is actually printing a 12x18 print and they trim off the bottom six inches. So rather than just having a single 12x12 printing, when I am getting my image ready for print, I take my flattened image, reszie the canvas size to 12x18, duplicate the LO twice and resize one image to 6x6 and one to 4x4. My husband takes the occasional 6x6 to his office (isn't he awesome??), and I use the small 4x4 for little accordion brag books. So I get 3 prints for the same price as 1 ($2.99).

Here is what my image that I send to Costco looks like:

http://cdn-1-service.phanfare.com/images/external/1466784_1419796_35458288_Web_2/0_0_31757f18bd97026aead3569433903c5f_1

[Betsyfru]

Great idea, Kathleen, I'm going to try that out! Might as well get 3 for the price of one! If you have text on the page, can you read it at 4x4 or 6x6?
I use Costco for my 12x12 pages all the time, and have been since I first started scrapping in 2006. The photo lab techs are my friends now and can't wait to see what I upload each time. They do a wonderful job and I have absolutely no complaints with all of the pages I've had printed there.

[Kathleen]

Reading the text at 4x4 size, of course depends on how big it is! A lot of journaling or small journaling is hard to read, but you do get the overall feeling of the LO. I usually can read 6x6 without a problem.

The photo lab techs are also my friends, and it is fun to have them comment and ask question about "how did you do that?" I've actually given them both information about the obsession, I mean hobby of digital scrapbooking.

[audreyt]

I second using Costco for printing photos. They do a great job.

[austinDSP]

Hi there, I'm brand new to digital so I don't know anything about other places but my husband works at Costco (not in the photo lab) so I get everything printed there. Here are some hints that may be useful. (1) Gremma mentions the 12x18 and she is absolutely correct. The extra space costs nothing extra so you might as well take advantage of it. (2) For scrapbooking, for me, requesting the lustre finish works best. (3) Request that your photo bleed to the edge (even if yours doesn't). Otherwise, their equipment default is to allow for an edge/border. With a request to bleed, they change that to print 100%. (4) Lastly, if you get a crooked print or anything else is wrong, they should and will reprint for free - as many times as it takes. Even if you made the mistake and forgot to request something such as bleeding to the edge. I know that's a hassle but at least you can get it corrected. Plus they need to know if someone is making errors. This is lengthy but hopefully helpful. Thanks!

[swatkins56]

Thanks for the great insider tips. Can you order a bleed if you upload from the web? Or do you have to go in person?

I'm embarrassed to say I've been digi scrapping for more than 18 months and am still working on the issue of printing pages. I decided to do my Alaska cruise book in 8x10 so I could print it on a regular machine. I wasn't happy with the color, and then I took some in to Office Depot, and it's amazing what a difference a good tech can make. Stacy made my layouts sing! She also printed my son's wedding invitations. When I went in on her day off to get a few more done, her boss could not figure out how to print them properly. So I only go in on week-ends when she's working.

Now that the Alaska book is done, I'm in a quandry over sticking with 8x10 and relying on Stacy, or going back to 12x12 and give Costco a chance.

[coyotef]

I have used Costco for years for my scrap pages. They do 8x8 which is my preference. and they probably could do 8X10. It sounds like you got a good person in Staci. I have only had to have one redo at Costco
the others were all perfect.
and yes you can order full bleed.