Pros: Low per print price, Good Quality Prints, Decent Delivery Times, Flickr and Picasa Integration, Telephone Support Available, Shipment Tracking

Cons: Not so user friendly order process, Payment Details page a bit confusing

Recommended: YES

I decided to ask a few pre-order questions. PicSquare responded to my emails and cleared all my queries. PicSqaure allows you to order prints as well as photo gifts. I’ve only tested the Prints that too the 4×6 ones.

You are allowed 10 Free trial prints and 10 prints for every friend who signs up with them using your reference.

The interface of the website is okay not that user friendly but, also not bad either.

UPLOADING

There are 3 ways in which you can upload photos to PicSquare:

  • Single Upload: The usual way where you browse for the photos and then click Upload Photos. You can specify a maximum of 6 photos to be uploaded at once.

  • Flash Multiple Uploader: Under multiple uploads you have the option to upload the photos via their Flash Upload Applet which shows you the progress of individual file unlike the Single Upload Method.

  • Java Multiple Uploader: This is a Java Applet which you can use to upload photos to PicSquare. I don’t whether it was a problem with my browser (FireFox 2.0.0.9) but, after I allowed installation of the Java Applet, a blank grey Java Applet area would appear at the bottom right of the browser and it would cause FireFox to freeze. However, the Java Applet loads fine in Internet Explorer and it’s functionality is similar to the Flash File Uploader.

You require atleast Flash 8 to run the Flash Applet. However, no minimum Java JRE requirement is stated for the Java Applet to run. It ran on a 1.4 as well as 1.6 JRE version.

PicSquare has also another option to put in photos to yor PicSquare account. It is called Mail your CD. You can burn your photos on a Compact Disk and mail it to them. This is a good option for people who don’t have a good internet connection and this scenario is pretty common in India still.

EDITING

Unfortunately, editing/fixing of the photos is not yet possible after uploading the photos to PicSquare. You have to edit/fix them before uploading the photos.

SHARING

PicSquare allows you to share your photos with your friends and family. Though I’ve not tried that option so won’t be able to comment on the same.

IMPORTING

PicSquare allows you to import your already uploaded photos for Flickr and Picasa. Importing from Flickr was very easy. When you click on Print Photos from Flickr, it takes you to the Flickr login page and asks your Flickr credentials. After entering that Flickr asks your permission to give access to PicSquare to import the photos. After that, your photos get immediately imported into PicSquare. I don’t use Picasa so couldn’t test importing from it but, it must be working in a similar manner.

ORDER PROCESS

The order process is relative straight forward. You just have to select the photos and then select what type of product you want to order from the drop down box and click OK. In my case I ordered Digital Prints. After doing that the photo items get added to the Shopping Cart. You’ll find your Digital Prints under Photos in the Shopping Bag (as they call it). When you click on the Shopping Bag link they take you to the detailed order page where you select the type of Prints (Glossy/Matt) and the sizes of the prints. A sad smiley like :( is shown if the resolution of the uploaded file is not good enough for printing. It didn’t show any for my pics because all were 7.1 mega pixels snaps. When you continue it shows you the total payment you owe and has a discount column where it allows you to select the type of discount (Coupon/Credit). Here you have to manually apply the discount or you get charged for the whole amount.

You then have to add Shipping Details either new or existing from the Address Book.

When you click Pay Now you are taken to the CCAvenue Portal where you enter the Payment details. I found this interface a bit confusing but, it was still OK. You have to option to pay by Credit Cards, Internet Banking, Paymate (Mobile Payment) and ITZ Cash Cards. A good this is that they don’t store your CC information unlike SnapFish.

 

DELIVERY

OK - Let me admit. This review has come out a lot late that I had intended for various reasons - lack of time being the main. I had ordered the prints here immediately after SnapFish. However, I can assure you that I got the prints within 4 days from ordering. There was a Sunday and Public Holiday in between otherwise I would have received the same within 2 days.

There Tracking System is somewhat lacking. I had to shoot a few emails to Support for that. All of my queries were however answered in reasonable time. The prints were delivered by DTDC Courier which I feel is quite known to all of us. The packing was neet in a Green envelope with the threads inside. I didn’t get the free album as I had ordered only 10 prints.

PRINT QUALITY

As informed by the Support the photos were printed on Fuji Crystal Archive Paper. The prints were very good indeed. They were vivid and crisp. I infact noticed that they were much better than the ones from SnapFish. I also feel that this paper is far more superior than the HP Paper used by SnapFish. All I can say about the quality was that PicSquare delivered what they promised.

CONCLUSION

Well we can say that PicSquare is definately a good photo printing website. Apart from a bit confusing ordering process I can say that they definately delivered what they promised. One thing I liked about them was that they didn’t save your CC information. There needs to be some sort of utility like SnapFish’s QuickUpload. Overall I had a good experience with them and would definately use them again.

Thanks. Do let me know your views as well via comments.