Yahoo!'s Flickr has added a print option, with at-home mailing or pick-up at Target stores. Responses on the Flickr blog are ecstatic … I never understand why online printing services are popular when home printers are so cheap. But I guess they're not so cheap when you factor in ink and paper, or when you want just occasional printing. Anyway, the option is there now, though you have to call up individual pictures to see it. Better would be check boxes so you could throw multiple photos in the shopping cart at once. Prices range from 20 cents for 4.6 to $2.15 for 8x10. You can exclude or include your photos from availability in other members' print cart, which again brings up the whole home-printing thing. IAnyone with a modern printer can easily grab any picture from any Web page and make a lab-quality print of it. So protecting one's Flickr portfolio seems a little silly.
1. Why has no one mentioned CafePress yet? Zazzle not only does stamps - they also print on clothing. While you could print your photos at home (although it can be a hassle), you certainly couldn't print your own clothes. So not only is this a chance for Flickr to (finally) make some money, but it also puts them up against on-demand printers like Cafepress. More here:
http://mashable.com/2005/10/27/flickr-to-offer-photo-printing/
Posted at 5:45AM on Dec 19th 2005 by PeterCashmore