Lifepics/ New for 2011

With the beginning of each business year, all of us at Mastercolor try to reflect on the recent busy season and how we could improve services for our customers.  It is a convenient time for us to tackle this task because January is typically our slowest month.  In 2010 what we already knew was confirmed once again: uploading images is not the most comfortable thing for most digital camera users.  I have discussed the frustrations of how to organize and order your images in my previous BLOGS, but what I want to do is introduce you to a new service that we have finally launched.  We waited until after the Holidays to have a campaign for this service because we wanted our staff to have the extra time to answer your questions.

We have added the Lifepics button on the front page of our website as the fourth option for uploading your images to us.  I want to stress that anyone who is willing to take a moment to tour the ROES software (download here) that this is the most powerful option we offer, and it allows a MUCH FASTER uploading speed. ROES also offers many options that are not available on Lifepics, especially for creating composites

LifePics is much more of a “shareware” option than ROES.  It allows you to select all the images you want to upload and stores them in folders that you name.  Once your images have uploaded you can send an invitation to family or friends to view and order pictures. LifePics allows your invited friends to order from your folders (saving you the cost of printing for them).  A new feature in the LifePics technology allows you to upload any image that you have been “tagged” on in Facebook. This is very helpful when you want copies of those old memories from the 90’s, 80’s and earlier.

The Lifepics software uploads your images on the FRONT end of your ordering process, just like the software that Shutterfly and Snapfish use.  This is a long process on any site that you choose.  However, you can select different file sizes to upload to increase the speed of the upload, but the smaller the file size the smaller the maximum print size that will be allowed for ordering.

Once the images have uploaded you can order prints, photo calendars, Coffee Mugs, Magazine Cover, Canvas Gallery Wraps, Greeting Cards or any other service we offer.  Within the LifePics network you might also find products that Mastercolor does not produce, but one of the partners in the LifePics system can, for examples a photo blanket or playing cards.

Why use Lifepics? I think the main advantage is that you can order from a local Lab.  If Mastercolor receives your print order by 10a.m., it will be ready that day for you to pick up.  You pay online either using your credit card or pay pal, and your prints are ready when you arrive.  LifePics also serves as a free option to share your images with a large group (baseball team, church group, class reunion, etc.) without having to “friend” everyone you want to share the pictures with.

We are very excited to offer this new option for sending your orders to Mastercolor, however please feel free to call us and we can discuss what option would be the best for you to use.  Our ROES software is still the fastest uploading option, but with the sharing abilities, and the extra items that are available on LifePics we are confident it will be the best option for many of our customers.