stuff jen says: Apr. 12: ClubPhoto's demise

I've done tons of research on photo processing sites, and one that impressed me from the start was ClubPhoto. They had low print prices, the same quality of other printers and excellent customer service. They also offered frequent specials. And they quoted me on their "customer testimonials" section so I admired them even more. What's not to love?

A couple weeks ago I started to upload some images to my ClubPhoto account and although I could log in fine, I kept getting errors when I started the upload. It was late at night and I figured maybe their site was going through maintenance and I'd just try the next day. Still no work-y.

I tried again late last night and couldn't even access their site. Again, I thought maybe they were doing server maintenance. I tried again this afternoon and still couldn't get in. Time to Google, no?

It didn't take long to find out what happened. Here's the scoop, according to Michael G at Multiply and recgroups.com. ClubPhoto abruptly shut down their business last month, with absolutely no advance warning to employees, affiliates or customers. You'd think they would at least have a notice on their home page, an apology, an explanation, something. But visit ClubPhoto.com and you'll just get a DNS error.

Time to find another printing service...

If you're a fan of 4" digital prints then here are just a few of the other sites that offer them.

PEphoto (8-cent prints)
Fotki (9 cents)
Photocheap (10 cents)
Bonusprint (11 cents and up)
winkflash (12 cents)
photomama (12 cents)
Photo Drive Up (15 cents)
Adorama (19 cents)
myPhotopipe (19 cents)
SmugMug (19 cents)
MyPhotoAlbum (15/19 cents)
WebShots (24 cents)

Of these, I have experience only with winkflash. You might want to check out this web site, which rates online photo processing companies and lists prices for common print sizes. It appears to be updated semi-regularly. Oh, and if you're wondering what's so great about 4" digital prints, read Fotki's description. FYI, they are also called 4D, 4xD, 4x, 4x5, 4x5.3, and stuff like that.

RIP, ClubPhoto. I curse the a-holes that bought you and ruined you. --sob!--

--J.

facts of jen's life

So, who do you think you are? I think I’m Jen. People who don’t know me sometimes call me Jenny. That’s weird.

Tell me about yourself. I was born a small black child, and am now a grown-up, or at least my kids think I am. I’m in my mid-40s and live in the ‘burbs of Portland, Oregon. My husband is Victor, and my kids are Katie and Jack. Read this if you want the real and very long scoop.

Tell me things people might not know about you. I am an ordained minister and can perform marriages. Why no one has asked me to do this for them yet, I do not know. ● At the request of my Disney-hating friend Ed, I got mouse ears embroidered with the name “Satan” and I didn’t even get kicked out of Disneyland. It’s quite possibly the ballsiest thing I’ve ever done. ● I “helped” write this book, published in 2012: You Take it From Here, by Pamela Ribon. My name is in the back, and I’m still geeking out about it. ● I recorded a song in a studio in 1994 and it got local radio play for a few months. At least two times I turned on the radio in the car and my song was playing at that moment—very cool. ● I nearly died from a zit in 1986. I am not making this up. ● Victor and I once appeared on The Tonight Show. Really. If you can find a VCR, I’ll show you the tape.

I read some of your posts and I think you might be an alcoholic. I drink way less than I write about drinking. If I ever STOP talking about booze, then it’ll be time for an intervention.

What do you love? Books. Coffee. Fonts. Broadway musicals. San Francisco. Bacon. Rum. Law & Order. Naps. Butter. Home. Crack cocaine. iDevices. Words. Disney vacations. You.

If you could punch anything or anyone in the face, what/who would it be? Cancer. I was diagnosed with lymphoma in November 2009. I kicked its big fat ugly ass and am in remission now. ● Comic Sans. ● People who won’t take responsibility for their problems—the “I didn’t do anything to deserve this!” attitude. Look in the mirror. That’s who to blame. ● Celebrities who are famous for no reason. Y’know, if we stop looking, they’ll go away... ● Bad grammar and spelling and the dummies who use it.

You seem bitter. Did someone piss in your Cheerios? I’m not bitter. I think unicorns-and-rainbows stuff isn’t very interesting to read, so I tend not to write that way. But also, now you’re being kind of a jackhole.

It seems like no one ever comments on your blog posts. Why is that? Most people comment on the Facebook links. I don’t know why.

What if I want to tell you something? Two ways to reach me: leave a comment on a post, or e-mail me at jenniferTAKETHISPARTOUTmanullang at gmail-dot-com.

Apr. 12: ClubPhoto's demise

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