• Shutterfly

Shutterfly

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Overview

Shutterfly has a rating of 1.4 stars from 975 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Shutterfly most frequently mention customer service, christmas cards, and photo book problems. Shutterfly ranks 143rd among Photo Printing sites.

  • Service
    284
  • Value
    264
  • Shipping
    271
  • Returns
    162
  • Quality
    236

This company does not typically respond to reviews

Positive reviews (last 12 months): 8.9%
Positive
7
Neutral
0
Negative
72
160
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How would you rate Shutterfly?
Top Positive Review

“Beautiful Books and Cards”

Wanda K.
2/15/24

I've created 27 projects over the past 15 years on Shutterfly. This includes 15 different photo books. Each and every time, I've always received excellent, professional customer service and beautiful books. I custom design all my books. There may have been a couple of times over the years that I needed Shutterfly to help with a mistake. However, they stand behind there products 100%. If you aren't an experienced design person then ask for help. Use high quality photos! Remember Shutterfly didn't take the pictures. The photo quality of books and cards depend on what you upload. Low quality photos will create poor quality projects; so don't blame Shutterfly for your photos. They will make what you approve. Start your project early enough to allow for help and receive book in ample time in case the book or cards need to be possibly replaced if it's the direct fault of Shutterfly.

Top Critical Review

“Poor performance”

Beth T.
8/23/24

I ordered three photo books. The order was processed, they gave me a delivery date and then only one book came in the mail. No explanation- I figured it was an error and called customer service. I was told that it would come in two shipments---Why? This makes no sense and was a huge inconvenience. Now I see all the complaints I understand this is not a one off. I will not use them again. Way too expensive for such poor service!

Reviews (975)

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Reviews that mention popular keywords

christmas cards (114) photo book (92) delivery date (44) customer service (366) photo books (92)
Thumbnail of user christinal3
California
6 reviews
14 helpful votes
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February 25th, 2012

Shutterfly has the most intuitive, user-friendly photobook making program.

More importantly, they really stand behind their program and products. After my wedding, I made photobooks for my family for Christmas. When I switched the size for some photobooks from 5x7 to a 8x8, it shifted the border on the covers. The shifted border wasn't visible on the preview page, so I didn't discover the error until I received the books in the mail.

I immediately contacted Shutterfly, and without me even asking, the lady told me how to fix the photobooks, and gave me enough credit to rebuy the photobooks with the error and credit for overnight shipping, so I'd still have them in time for Christmas!

Thumbnail of user cheryls299
Idaho
1 review
2 helpful votes
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August 24th, 2018

My how I wish I would have checked the reviews for Shutterfly before I spent a tremendous amount of time on their website building a photo book for my granddaughter's 10th birthday. I placed my order and paid for "Express Deliver" (what a joke!). It was noted that "Express Delivery" was "guaranteed" for the a specific date. I felt comfortable with this, thinking if they are "guaranteeing" the delivery date, they must mean it. After 4 days of no notice of shipping, I called CS and was told my project would be completed that day and shipped over night. Still no notification this morning (day of "guaranteed" delivery) The status on the website still shows "in production" and my "guaranteed" delivery date has disappeared. There is now no delivery date shown. Called CS again this morning and all they can say is it MIGHT be here Monday, two days after my granddaughter's birthday. I will NEVER use Shutterfly again. Don't advertise "guaranteed" delivery if you can't back it up. After reading other reviews, I'm now also concerned about the product quality.

Thumbnail of user zahrap3
Texas
1 review
2 helpful votes
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February 13th, 2018

I ordered tow pictures print, oh my god never expected such bad bad quality not only print is so cheap, bad color, they are even cut my picture, i have half body and full ceiling

Thumbnail of user unhappyc724
Pennsylvania
1 review
0 helpful votes
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December 12th, 2022

I decided to upload all 1500+ photos off my camera to make photo books. I never received them. Customer service for this company is HORRIBLE. After being disconnected 2X on chat I called. That person was able to reorder my prints for free...WAIT!?! I ALREADY PAID FOR THEM. Everyone acted like they were doing me a favor by sending the prints that I never received for "free". I was ALREADY charged for them. They did give me a $30 gift card on a $317 order though! What a JOKE! This company is totally laughable. My order using my $30 gift card will be my last.

Tip for consumers:
Skip this site.

Products used:
Metal prints and 4X6 prints

Service
Value
Shipping
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Thumbnail of user ameliav18
Texas
1 review
0 helpful votes
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July 31st, 2020

Terrible. Never will use again. Made two orders one for over $60 and they never were delivered. Second order was ‘lost' and never provided a tracking number.

Thumbnail of user susanm169
Texas
1 review
2 helpful votes
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December 24th, 2015

I was repeatedly lied to about delivery dates and now my niece won't have a Christmas present. Paid TWICE for rush to get guaranteed delivery so they are also thieves!

Thumbnail of user danielh2408
Michigan
1 review
0 helpful votes
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September 10th, 2022

I was a loyal customer of Shutterfly for over 10 years with hundreds of gift projects – but NO MORE. They have always had the most difficult website to operate, but I struggled and fought through it for the products - but NO MORE. Now they LIE about their advertising. I placed an order with 10 magnets for $ 1 each but they charged me full price for each. I reached out to customer service many times and never had any response. I later created an order of about $ 80, and the processing message said to order over $ 100 and get free shipping, so I increased it to over $ 100, and when I checked out they still charged me full shipping. I reached out to customer service many times and finally someone responded and said I had to have the advertising offer code for the order but it was just a processing message when ordering. I asked for refund for over-charges on both orders – but no response. I give up. I have switched to Mpix – a much easier to operate website, more product choices, a customer service that has already responded to me and corrected a problem with a refund, and better prices. Sorry Shutterfly.

Products used:
lots of pictures

Service
Value
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Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user donaldl633
New York
1 review
0 helpful votes
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June 2nd, 2022

Very bad service. They gave me an invalid tracking number for USPS, when I complained it was not a USPS NUMBER they said it was a UPS number. It was also a invalid UPS number. They kept insisting the tracking number was valid even as both UPS AND USPS said it was not their number. No order arrived and no way to track it. I will never use them again.

Tip for consumers:
Do not buy from them

Products used:
Photos

Service
Shipping
Thumbnail of user jennieh14
Florida
1 review
1 helpful vote
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December 15th, 2016

I ordered Christmas Cards on Dec. 6th. They didn't even ship until the 14th and ate not expected to arrive until Dec 21st! I won't be ordering from them again! Regardless of the "sale" prices!

Thumbnail of user nenam5
Illinois
1 review
3 helpful votes
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May 25th, 2018

I made an account on shutterfly to be able to send a loved one who lives far away pictures. I sent a few, as a test to see how long it would take for them to get there. It originally showed me a date, which was 2-3 days after I sent them. I was like wow, okay that's great. Finally a week went by, no email confirming delivery. So I went to their site to check, it still said it was sitting at a post office. I checked again a few days later, no update. I sent them an email, according to them it was "lost in transit" and they sent me the pictures to my house. When I got them, they weren't at all what I wanted printed. The prints were garbage, and 2 were cut. Now i'm having issues with my account, and all the customer service chat keeps telling me is to reset my password. I was asked to identify myself as the actual "owner" of the account, which I did immediately. Still no answers, no emails. Nothing. A word of advice, you're better off getting your prints at a local drugstore or something.

Thumbnail of user devonh69
Massachusetts
1 review
0 helpful votes
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December 16th, 2020

I recently ordered Christmas (December 3rd) cards and paid for expedited shipping (said December 10th) I gave it a few days past the 10th and contacted shutterfly as the tracking hadn't changed in days. They said they would refund my shipping cost. Fast forward 4 days later still no cards and the tracking still says delayed. I contacted the post office and they said they arent sure when they will arrive and they have no further information. Shutterfly is refusing to refund my money. Because "i can still get them before Christmas... yes I could still get them but the people who I would send them to will not... useless) I wouldn't do business with them again.

Thumbnail of user marnah4
Connecticut
1 review
0 helpful votes
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December 18th, 2021

I order my holiday cards in November and they do not arrive until Christmas.
Three years in a row, despite my friends telling me to go elsewhere. I will not order from Shutterfly again

Tip for consumers:
Do not use this site for large Holiday card orders

Products used:
holiday cards

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user piperj13
Arizona
1 review
0 helpful votes
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November 27th, 2022

I created a wedding photo album for my daughter, but the price was $489 when I was finished so I did not order it but went back several times looking at their sales over the last 7 months. NOW... they are offering a 50% DISCOUNT of now a cost of $535! If it was a 50% discount, the cost should be $244.50! I understand some price increase but thats over 100%. WHAT YOU are really doing is scamming your customers by upping the price to think they are getting a deal. SHAME SHAME ON YOU SHUTTERFLY.

Value
Thumbnail of user marthac59
California
1 review
1 helpful vote
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January 13th, 2017

I ordered New Year's cards from Shutterly. In fact, I spent some time choosing a design, etc. - only to find that they came with a bunch of numbers and "ordered at Shutterfly (shutterfly.com)" printed across the middle of the back of the the card where I had planned to write messages to friends. NOWHERE ON THE WEBSITE DID IT INFORM ME AS A CONSUMER (OR SHOW ME IN PREVIEW MODE) THAT THIS WOULD BE THE CASE - THAT PART OF ORDERING FROM SHUTTERFLY IS ADVERTISING FOR THEM. When I called to protest, I was told I could send them back and get the charge removed, but they refused to agree to pay for shipping them back... not to mention the headache of getting to the P. O. and to designing a new card. I PLAN TO FIND A DIFFERENT VENDOR TO DO BUSINESS WITH NEXT TIME AND URGE YOU TO DO THE SAME.

Thumbnail of user christopherm91
Maryland
1 review
3 helpful votes
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May 28th, 2016

Your site totally SUCKS $#*!! Total WASTE of time.
Impossible to get a selected photo. They want my entire photo library. Nothing has changed in years to make any part of this site better.

Thumbnail of user paiges33
Ohio
1 review
0 helpful votes
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January 20th, 2018

Once I messed up my order they fixed it free of charge and helped me upload my picture within their guidelines before i order a new blanket.

Recommending this site to everyone I know!

Thumbnail of user anns163
Arizona
1 review
1 helpful vote
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December 11th, 2017

I ordered some photo sympathy cards I created... opened the package when it arrived and it was some else's order! Couldn't use chat to rectify problem- not available. Couldn't find phone number on Shutterly website. Finally tracked it down. Spent 20 minutes on the phone talking to the woman to rectify the problem- could not understand her. When finally, hopefully got everything straightned out, asked her where she was calling from... Guatamala! I feel bad for the lady whose order I received. I wanted to contact her and the woman from Shutterfly told me to throw the cards away and they would wait for HER to contact THEM... I'm sure she is waiting for her cards. I hope they weren't a Christmas present! Never again, Shutterfly!

Thumbnail of user emmanuelf9
New York
1 review
3 helpful votes
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September 12th, 2019

Got free book offer, when you sign it disappear, doesnt tell you how many pictures u can upload for that offer, at the end, books ends up being $78. Terrible customer service as well.

Thumbnail of user hannahi23
Missouri
1 review
0 helpful votes
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May 12th, 2020

I ordered graduation announcements for my brother. When I got the announcements there were NO PICTURES! The words were on the card but no pictures. I work a full time job so I gave my dad the account information and the conformation email. When he called they made him wait for almost an HOUR. Then would not let him do anything with a reorder because I was not there. I get off work at 7pm and he told them that. They lady assumed him that they would have someone to help at 7 if I called. I called at 7 and they were closed! Now I have $35+ dollars down the drain because these people are liars! WOST CUSTOMER SERVICE I HAVE EVER RECEIVED! I will NEVER shop here again! Mistakes happen but what you do about them says a lot about your company.

Thumbnail of user allisoni32
California
1 review
2 helpful votes
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December 14th, 2020

Another Christmas card order that will never arrived. Tracking has not updated in over a week, it is past the expected arrival date, and the company doesn't give a rats butt. Then you wait 20 minutes to speak to a representative (online chat) who types like molasses and take another 30 minutes to say "sorry can't help you (insert some lame excuse about covid) try again in a few days." And repeat that response when you wait another 20 minutes a few days later. They are just trying to ignore customers' problems long enough for them to go away.

I looked at my order history and saw that I have spent close to $600 with this company over the past few years but this is the last they will get from me. They blame covid and shipping for these issues but every other package from every other retailer I have dealt with this Christmas has come through just fine. The truth is they are cheap and use the lowest priority, crappy shipping they can to save a buck while charging you $10 to ship a few pictures. Furthermore, their promotions are always glammed up until checkout when you see that most things don't combine or one sale cancels out another. So by the time you go through the trouble of choosing pictures, possibly formatting them, choosing sizes etc etc etc you get to checkout and just accept the higher cost than expected. Garbage company, garbage policies, garbage customer service.

0/10 do not recommend

Thumbnail of user susanc138
Maine
2 reviews
6 helpful votes
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November 19th, 2015

Wish I had read ALL of the bad, horrible reviews BEFORE I had ordered my photo book for my father's 80th birthday. I ordered well in advance, paid for fast shipping, kept checking on my order which continued to say "In Production". I called, they told me there was a problem and they messed up the order. They would remake it and send it as soon as they could. Customer service is AWFUL. Company is AWFUL. So disappointed, so angry and NO ONE cares at Shutterfly. After the hours I have spent making the book I have no book, no answers... COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE!

Thumbnail of user angiel95
Washington
1 review
4 helpful votes
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December 18th, 2018

NEVER AGAIN. I've used other photo book places (Snap Fish, Andoramapix) and have never gotten such a poor quality product as with Shutterfly. I'm a former graphic designer with photography experience, so I know my way around photo quality and retouching. After spending hours retouching photos and creating my photo book for a gift for four people, I was so appalled and disappointed by the print quality I could have cried. Photos were dark and looked like them came from some crappy disposable camera rather than high-resolution photos from a high-end camera.

The paper quality was horrible, too. Rough and drab. I spent $200 dollars on something that looks like it came out of a high school print shop. From the 90s.

But good luck actually being to file a complaint or to chat with a customer service rep. The chat constantly says they're busy and to "try again later." Really?

Andoramapix is a little pricey, but well worth it if you truly want high-quality photo books. What a freaking SHAM this place is. I'm so angry over the horrible quality!

Thumbnail of user photosbykeith
Ohio
2 reviews
18 helpful votes
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June 6th, 2009

Shutterfly the one and only cheap place to get high quality prints... Have them mailed too your home or just pick them up at your local Target store... For high-quality prints of your favorite digital pictures, choose Shutterfly. For special celebrations or everyday moments, we offer digital photo prints in all standard sizes (wallet, 4x6,5x7 and 8x10) as well as large format prints (11x14,16x20 and 20x30). Create a scrapbook one page at a time with our 12x12 and 8x8 square prints. Arrange up to 30 photos onto one large print with collage posters. Choose from one of our high value print savings plans to enjoy great prices when you order your digital photos from Shutterfly. 20x30's are only $22.99 nobody can beat that price...

Thumbnail of user johnb8297
Michigan
2 reviews
3 helpful votes
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March 2nd, 2023

Our fourth time ordering. This time around we purchased two 4x6 and one 5x7. Fourteen days later and still no pictures. The tracking number they gave us is not valid.

Shipping
Thumbnail of user debbies766
California
1 review
0 helpful votes
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January 4th, 2021

I have used this company for ten years without an issue but recently - maybe since covid - it seems perhaps they had some layoffs or new management or something but the customer service went from a B+ to a solid F. My cards took over a month to deliver and still have not arrived. When i ordered it promised them in 9 days. When I attempted to call to find out the issue, the hold time was 200 minutes. I spent 3 different times on the chat waiting for 20-40 minutes only to be told to first wait until after Christmas to complain - never mind my cards were due the 9th. And then when they still had not arrived by new years I was told I'd get a refund. Never received it or any confirmation. The agents seem like they could be bots I can't tell honestly. They kept repeating the same thing but I never got any real info or evidence of a refund or the refund at all. This company is honestly heading to the better business bureau if they don't make some serious improvements in their customer service. They have lost me forever as a customer and management ought to be ashamed of themselves for letting it get so bad.

Tip for consumers:
don't use it.

Products used:
cards

Service
Shipping
Returns

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Create photo books, personalize photo cards & stationery, and share photos with family and friends at Shutterfly.com.

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Levi H.
Typically does not respond to reviews

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