Anyone had problems with Photobox recently ?

S

stevewestern

Suspended / Banned
Messages
5,472
Edit My Images
Yes
Evening All !
I recently placed a fairly big (for me) order with Photobox consisting of different sized prints from the same files - ie a 15x10 and a 9x6 from the same file, and then some 6x6 and 12x12's from the same file etc..
The order was delivered to my Mum, and she bought it out to me in Spain (no room for luggage Mum, I need my prints !)
Anyway, I have had a look, and the smaller prints are all light - way too light, and the larger prints are all too dark.
I emailed them to let them know about this, and got an automated reply on Wednesday. I then emailed again this morning with scans to show the problem - like this :

photobox_print_problem_resized_resize.jpg



photobox_print_problem_2_JPG_resize.JPG


Sadly, I have heard nothing since.
Now, I know it is early days yet, but last time I had a problem with Photobox (not their fault, but due to the postal strikes, some prints went missing) I was amazed by how quick they were to respond and help out (the pictures were reprinted and sent out with no questions).
So, my questions are - have they let QC go, along with customer service, and am I just unlucky ?

I have discussed this with LeeP, of togsprint, and he explained what might be the cause of the printing problem, and I had to tell him that sadly, the market out here won't allow me to use him for my printing (there is NO profit made, it is something I do for the pleasure, and even with prices set to just about cover cost, many still complain about the price). I would love to get Lee to do the printing, as he does a much better and more consistant job, but I cannot afford to pay to sell...!
So, am I just unlucky, or anyone else had similar problems ?
 
Steve

Perhaps if I send you a colour chart over email, you can get prints done in the same sizes you have above. You can then send them back to Photobox to show the problems.

Sadly, unless enough people complain they will keep on printing like it.

No doubt, you'll get some free printing credits for them as a 'Sorry', however it won't stop it happening again.

Sadly at 10p for a 6x4 (or if you buy 500 then £0.04 each!) we cannot really compete at that. However, like I said before, I always check each print before it goes out. Will often reprint at my expense if something doesn't look right, give people a call if a crop isn't quite right or an image needs cropping etc ...

Just the way it goes with an automated service sadly. You get an operator who just doesn't care.

Cheers

Lee
 
think maybe unlucky i got prints today and they were fine.

keep complaining though [they or so i have heard] usually reprint if you really complain
 
Photobox really seem to have lost the plot recently and the new website hasn't helped at all, judging by the comments on their blog customers are leaving in droves. I had a problem with uploading that I fixed by resetting IE7 but it only worked once so I've given up with them as well, support could only suggest using a different browser. :(
 
Lee - clearly, you do get what you pay for, and they are amazingly cheap, but this seems to show that cheap means a lowering of quality if as pxl8 says, people are leaving in droves..
If you can be bothered then please do send me a colour chart, but the big problem is that if I order prints for friends, and get them sent direct, then who knows what happens to any reputation I may have - goes to show that you really do need to get the job done properly first.
Lee - thanks for your help on this..
 
I've had a few done this week and quality has been fine. I absolutely hate the new site though, slow, cumbersome, terrible :(
 
dod said:
I've had a few done this week and quality has been fine. I absolutely hate the new site though, slow, cumbersome, terrible :(
Click to expand...

I have had a few done this week and they have been fine also, really don't like the new site. Did have problems uploading but that has been sorted now.:)
 
Depending on the size of print you order from Photobox they use a different printer and different printers support different profiles (RGB /sRGB etc). I have had exactly the same problem with them on different sized prints of the same image and if you delve into their small print its all explained on the site. However, it doesn't solve the problem, you're just better informed about the problem.

Personally I only used them once and wouldn't use them again. They don't make the printers but they make the profit regardless. If you want cheap prints then use them. If you want reliable printing go elsewhere. :thumbsdown:
 
I took my complaint all the way to the MD and was basically not entertained despite shabby printing. I voted with my feet and tell everyone never use photobox.
 
HIMUPNORTH said:
I took my complaint all the way to the MD and was basically not entertained despite shabby printing. I voted with my feet and tell everyone never use photobox.
Click to expand...

Who are you using now HUN?
 
I use Photobox a lot & to be honest have always found them pretty good - the only recent problem I've had is that I received someone elses print instead of mine, after contacting them I received the correct print the next day..

The new website however, so far at least, seems a BIG mistake to me - it's slow, not as easy to navigate & the "Offers" that I often used don't seem to be available anywhere on the site now ??

simon
 
HIMUPNORTH - how did you get to the MD ?
Care to pass on his contact details ?
And, as dod (super sluth) says, who are you using now ?
 
I had a few prints done the other day, quality wise they seemed good, but they didn't match the prints on my screen (colour or brightness). I don't know if that is a problem with my screen (which is calibrated by a Huey) or them now you mention your prints..
 
Still no reply from Photobox, so I am going to get onto them again.
Meanwhile, true to his word, Lee at togsprint has emailed me a colour calibration chart.
I am going to look into getting him to print some for me, which will mean I will be loosing on each sale, but at least I will be keeping my side of the deal.
Shame that photobox have lost the plot so much recently..
 
I have just had an email from photobox to tell me that they have refunded the money for the larger images, so that I can sort out the colour problem myself and then re-order.
Here is a quote from the email :

Unfortunately it is difficult to match the smaller prints to the larger ones as they are done using different printers. However I have refunded the cost of the large ones to your account so you can order them again once you have brightened them yourself.


Yeah Right !
Last they will see of me, I expect !
Meanwhile, Lee has got an order from me, and I expect he will be getting more..
 
Intresting that, shame about photobox i used them and liked them service
 
I have been told that all prints under 12x8 are done on the Fuji Frontier minilabs which don't suport profiles by default; while anything over this size is printed on Polielletronica large format printers.
That could be two reason for the difference in output.
In the past to ensure consistency I put my smaller prints on a canvas and printed all on large format. The downside is you have to cut them yourself which is a pain sometimes.
 
I used Photobox for all of last year and had about 2000 prints from them and they were fine. The odd problem every now and then which was put right by excellent customer service. However I also noticed a sharp decline in print quality and I have started using Loxley. They are a whole lot more pricey but my customers seem to be over the moon with the quality (as am I) and its nice to be able to talk to the printer on the phone as well!

Slightly off topic I went on the colour managament course recently at Peak District Photography Centre and although it was only one day long it gave me a lot of information (and confidence) in setting up my digital darkroom, monitor and printer (when I finally blow the cobwebs of my visa card and buy one!)

Bob
 
I used Photobox for a good few years but since the site change I will not be going back there, paid for next day delivery on my last order as it was rush job, took them three days to process the job then it came out standard first class to me, took over a week in total, customer services are very unhelpful, going to to be heading over to one vision when the next order is ready to go...

Bye Bye Photobox..
 
there A4 prints are horrible. dull with a grey like film over them.. i was using them regularly but no more:(
 
Just received 2 20 x 30" prints from them - print quality is excellent but...

Both prints were damaged & inadequately packaged/protected - now awaiting replacements after sending the damaged ones back to their "freepost" address

simon
 
i'd also had a set done in a photobook - and the prints themselves looked soft, slightly lacking in colour and dull.
any vibrancy had gone.
they sent me their calibration card but, looking at it, looks almost as if a polariser had been used on everything - not posible to calibrate my monitor to that print, never mind the actual pictures.
i printed other pictures at home on my HP 7960 and (after i'd fixed a user-initiated ICC profile problem), everything was great.
so, clearly the issue was not mine...
 
Got my prints back today, and they were as good as they usually are.

But ... any of you seen this months Which? magazine? A feature on digital photography, including online photo printing, and of the 8 online services reviewed, Photobox comes out worst, with an overall score of 35%. Best was Snapfish at 73% (altho not as good for enlargements as 6x4s), which I'd never heard of before, following by Aldi, Bonusprint, Boots, WHSmith, Kodak Gallery, and Colorama.

Cathy
 
i've been using photobox for some time now - following this and other threads i did some test prints - all the same shot different sizes - no problems at all

interesting that snapfish did well in the survey they only seem to sell a few sizes...
 
Snapfish just don't have the print range I need so not really an option - Aldi looks intriguing though, their 30 x 20inch print is less than half the price of Photobox, might have to give them a try, anyone know the paper they use (weight) ?

simon
 
I received some 6x4's back from Photobox a couple of weeks back and was very disappointed with them - very dark and blurry.

It was my first order with them and I certainly won't be in a hurry to use them again.
 
Well, despite the Spanish postal services best efforts, my prints have just arrived from LeeP at togsprint, and they look wonderful, and were well packed too. I am chuffed to bu**ery.
Just got to shift my photobox credit - any takers ??

Many thanks Lee !
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top