Ordering Software and Sites
Our proprietary PhotoReflect Studio software provides professional photographers the ability to create, package, and transmit a print order to any partner lab. In addition, PhotoReflect Studio software allows the photographer to confirm lab capabilities such as available print sizes, enhancements, and premium services. PhotoReflect Studio software communicates with the PhotoReflect gateway to price the order, and a pre-payment transaction occurs via credit card or account. Once payment has been confirmed, the order can be transmitted to the lab directly over the Internet. The packaged order file contains the high-resolution digital negatives, high-resolution image files (borders, etc.), and a Labtricity Order Format (LOF) file containing the instruction set to complete the order at the partner lab.
Online Lab Storefront
As part of the software license, the partner lab is provided an Internet Lab Storefront that houses the information necessary to communicate, market and sell to digital photographers 24/7. The Lab Storefront offers a customer facing website detailing:
- Retail print pricing
- Available products and prints
- Available premium services
- Full color logo
- Contact information (address, phone, fax, e-mail, etc.)
- Marketing information (advertising, specials, etc.)
- Link to the lab’s main website
Fulfillment Server Software
Our fulfillment server software, Labtricity, is responsible for receiving, proofing and printing the lab order received from the PhotoReflect Studio software. Each order is received, processed and sent to a print queue and awaits fulfillment by a supported digital printing device. Labtricity consists of three distinct functions as follows:
- Order Receipt
- Order Proof & Edit
- Order Fulfill
Order Receipt
Order information is received within seconds of the photographer submitting a completed order. For Internet orders, the high-resolution images and supporting files are transmitted to the server prior to receiving the order so that upon receipt of the order everything needed for fulfillment is available.
Order Proof & Edit
Once the order has been verified and unlocked, it can be judge proofed via the fulfillment software allowing the lab to visually proof the individual items contained in the order that is being prepared for printing. The photos will appear on screen, as they will print, including photographer-identified cropping, color adjustment, overlay borders, effects, personalized text, etc. The lab operator can scroll through the thumbnail versions of the order file or double-click to enlarge an individual item for a more detailed review. If any necessary corrections need to be performed, the operator can make the appropriate adjustments via an edit mode built into the judge proof function. The edit mode allows the operator to adjust the cropping, color balance, personalized text, effects, and borders to ensure accurate and high-quality order fulfillment. Once order proofing and any necessary editing have been completed, the order is ready for fulfillment into a supported digital printing device or compatible lab system software such as Kodak’s DP2 or Fuji’s Pic Pro. This step may be bypassed when studio-side proofing is performed.
Order Fulfill
Once the order has been processed, it can be printed and fulfilled. The lab operator simply clicks on a received order, and the order is automatically sent to the connected digital printer for processing. Once sent, the order is rasterized to the appropriate size, overlay graphics are applied at the appropriate resolution along with color profiles, personalized text, and effects. The finished rasterized file is then sent to print, and packages are positioned to minimize waste from the digital printer. Each supported printer has different features and functionality. However, the server software provides a simple and easy-to-use interface to eliminate any unnecessary steps providing seamless integration for the lab. Auto printing, which will print orders that do not need proofing without user interaction, is also supported.
Once the order has been printed and shipped to the photographer, the operator marks the order “shipped”. This updates the gateway, allowing the photographer to monitor the order status. In addition, once the order is marked shipped by the lab, it becomes eligible for payment on the next scheduled check run. The lab can also specify that orders be automatically marked shipped after a specific time period.
Color Management
One of the most difficult processes in analog fulfillment is color management. Labs and photographers struggle daily on how to make color management easier, more accurate, and more automated. Digital technology must be able to simplify this manual process and automate its ability to provide consistent results, and make it a non-issue for both the labs and the photographers. Labtricity takes the first steps in solving the color management dilemma by automating the process and easily sharing the burden of responsibility between the photographer and the lab.
The Labtricity network contains the ICC color profiles for all of the supported input and output devices as supplied by the manufacturers. In addition, either the lab or the photographer can insert their own ICC color profile to better match their environment. This profile can be generated from an electronic device or provided by a consultant or manufacturer dealer representative. Along with the supplied ICC color profiles, Labtricity provides the lab with the ability to establish photographer-specific ICC color profiles to better match a studio’s color preference. These individual profiles can be provided to a variety of types of photography such as weddings, portraits, sports, etc. Each time the photographer transmits an order to the partner lab, the photographer’s specific color preference will be applied throughout the fulfillment process. Labtricity is being delivered to the photographer and lab in two distinct ways to match how the industry currently transacts business.
Labtricity Open Network
This Open Network option provides the professional photographer the ability to create, price, transact and transmit an order using PhotoReflect Studio or Darkroom software to the partner lab of their choice. The order is created locally by the photographer, and then, through connectivity to the PhotoReflect gateway, the order is checked against lab capabilities. The order is priced (published wholesale prices + 10% convenience fee + a 3% credit card fee), and transmitted via the Internet to the partner lab.
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Wholesale Lab Price + 13% Labtricity/Credit Card Fee = Photographer Cost
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$150 wholesale order + $19.50 fee ($150 x 13%) = $169.50 order cost
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Labtricity Private Network
The Private Network is designed for partner labs that have existing relationships with high volume and VIP customers that they are looking to enhance and protect. A Labtricity Private Network allows the partner lab to offer PhotoReflect Studio software to customers that will only allow connectivity to them. This enables the lab to provide value added services to their top customers, ensures that Private Network photographers can only send orders to the Private Network lab and to provide a more efficient and profitable means of receiving and fulfilling orders.
The Private Network functions exactly like the Open Network with the exception of billing and payment. Since the partner labs already have established relationship with the photographer or studio, the labs are set up to bill the photographer or studio on a regular basis using their existing account information. Therefore, the Private Network will produce a per order summary report identifying that the order was processed and fulfilled, which can then be used to bill the customer per the lab’s regular billing cycle.
Partner labs utilizing the Private Network are assessed a Usage Fee on a monthly basis. The Usage Fee is a based on a points system. The Usage Fee is directly related to the amount of volume produced by the Private Network lab. One point is equivalent to one 8x10 unit and the other sizes vary in relationship to that unit. The formula to calculate points is to divide the area of the print by the area of an 8x10. So a 16x20 = 320 square inches divided by 80 square inches for and 8x10, resulting in 4 points. A 5x7 print = 35in²/80in² = 7/16 (or 0.4375) of a point. More examples are as follows:
Print Size
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Point Value
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3½ x 5
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0.21875
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4 x 5
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0.25
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4 x 6
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0.3
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4 x 8 Tab Greeting Card
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0.4
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5 x 7
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0.4375
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8 x 10
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1.0
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Any 8x10 sheet combo
Any combination printed on an 8x10 sheet
(i.e. 1-8x10, 2-5x7s, 4-4x5s, 4 3.5x5s, 8 wallets etc.)
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1.0
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11 x 14
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1.925
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16 x 20
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4.0
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24 x 36
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10.8
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Wallet
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0.109375
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So an order with an 8x10, two 4x6s, and 11x14 would be 3.525 points
For each Private Network order printed by the lab, the total number of points is deducted from the account of points pre-purchased by the Labtricity lab. Private Network Labtricity labs pre-purchase points in amounts necessary to satisfy on going print volume for their participating photographers.
Private Network points may be purchased in the increments listed below:
Point Volume
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Pricing per Point
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5,000
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$0.10
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10,000
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$0.07
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25,000
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$0.04
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100,000
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$0.02
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1,000,000
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$0.01
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PhotoReflect Internet Storefronts
PhotoReflect® Storefronts enable labs to open more channels to receive orders from customers. Providing photographer’s a 24/7 platform to market and sell their images with the corresponding partnered lab’s products. PhotoReflect is the most efficient way for consumers to order re-prints of those special memories. Whether your customers are portrait, wedding, school, sports or event photographers, a PhotoReflect® Storefront is the perfect way for labs and photographers to grow their business simultaneously.
Photographer Sign-up Page
Photographers will go through the lab’s own web page to learn about the PhotoReflect Internet storefront service the lab is offering. When the photographer clicks “Sign-Up Now” they will be transferred to that lab’s co-branded sign-up page on PhotoReflect’s servers. The sign-up page is designed to match the lab’s own website, with matching color scheme and logos.
PhotoReflect Studio Software
Upon completing the sign-up, the photographer will be asked to download the PhotoReflect Studio software at no charge. The real power behind PhotoReflect is the Studio software; a PC based application designed to automate all aspects of using the Internet to sell images 24/7. PhotoReflect Studio software features include:
- Manage & Control Storefront
- Create custom packages based upon prints sizes offered by lab
- Set shipping methods and pricing
- Publish and preview borders and templates with packages
- Orders are forwarded to the lab – print ready via Labtricity
Costs to the Photographer
PhotoReflect storefronts require a $9 monthly fee. In addition, PhotoReflect will collect a 15% transaction fee and 3% payment processing fee on all orders received through the storefront. PhotoReflect remits the remaining funds back to the photographer on a bi-monthly basis once the order has been marked shipped by the lab’s operator. Just like a true partnership, PhotoReflect and the lab don’t make money unless the photographer makes money. Fees and limitations that are not included in our e-commerce solution:
- No upload fees
- No storage fees
- No upload limits
- No contract, cancel anytime
PhotoReflect Storefronts will empower labs to provide their photographers with the latest technology solutions and grow their business. Labs will strengthen their relationships with their customers by providing an easy-to-use, standardized and automated platform on which to communicate and conduct business with the lab.
By providing turnkey solutions to their photographers, labs will not only protect their current revenue streams, but will also help photographers grow their business while driving more prints back to the lab.
Get Started
Labtricity comes as a complete package containing everything your lab needs to make your digital business a success. Just add hardware and you are ready to become the fulfillment partner digital photographers are looking for.
Pricing: $2,495
Includes:
- Labtricity Server Software
- Membership to Open and/or Private Network
- 5,000 Private Network Points
- Installation Support
For More Information
For more information on Labtricity or to find out how to get started accepting orders from your digital photographers, please contact sales@photoreflect.com or visit our website at www.photoreflect.com.
Appendix - Printers Supported
Agfa
Canon
Ciaat
DNP
- DS40
- DS80
- DS620
- DS820
- DSRX1
- DSRX1HS
Durst
- Lambda
- Theta 50151
- Theta 76
- Zeta Plus
- Theta 76 Autospool
Epson
- Stylus Pro
- 3800
- 4800
- 4880
- 7800
- 7880
- 9800
- 9880
Fuji
- Frontier DX-100
- ASK-2000
- ASK-4000
- DL400
- DL410
- DL430
- DL600
- DL650
- LP7000
- Frontier Pic
- Frontier PicPro
- LP5700
- FujiFilm MS01
Fujimoto
Gretag
Kodak
Konica-Minolta
- QD1-21
- QD1 (DPOF)
- R1 Super
- R2 Super
- R3 Super
Mitsubishi
- CP-9800DW
- CP-3800DW
- CP-9550DW
- CP-9000DW
CP-9500DW