Lab for professional photographers - magnets, key rings, etc. (Kodak, process, prices)

[Sweden]

I'm looking to expand the kind of products that my company offer our clients at the moment. Right now, "all" that I am able to offer is paper prints (wallet size to 40X60 in) - along with digital copies, of course - and as of last month, canvas.

However, I would like to be able to offer more interesting and personal products, such as key rings, magnets, photo books, metal prints (i.e. not the metallic paper offered by e.g. Kodak but harder), photo blankets, etc.
I used to work for a local TSS Photography, and they offer all sorts of creative products. Unfortunately though (for me), TSS is it's own lab.

I have received quite a lot of commercial from Nation's Photo Lab, but their prices are way to high since I have to be able to add some to my costs to be able to make any money from my clients.
I have also been looking into e.g. WHCC and some others, but since I don't have money to try them all, I am a little but hesitant to find out on my own which one fits my needs the best.

Does anyone use any bigger photo lab for more creative products (other than prints) and what are you experiences regarding e.g. turn-around-time; price; quality; line of products; etc. ?


Thank you for your time!

[Ms_Christina]

Millers has some products. Also Collages.net. You can also check out Colorado Timberline. They offer 4 color process products and you can order as little as 1 piece for almost anything.

You won't be able to compete in a price war with TSS or Lifetouch but you can win by offering superior photography. The big guys really are about quantity and not quality so everything is pretty boring as far as lighting and posing.

What's going to throw you is the shipping to AK. Have you looked into local companies in the larger cities?

[mikel1291979]

Mpix.com has everything you want. Mpixpro will give you better pricing, if you are confident in your color profiles and corrections you should go with mpixpro. They offer no color corrections so if you do not have your monitor calibrated the pictures may turn out a bit different than you wanted.

I personally use millers for all of my work. The quality is superior, but the price is higher.

[VeeBee66]

I use Miller's for the printing of all my customer's work. Love the free over night shipping for order over $10.