Shutterfly, Inc.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/12/26) */
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation. I'm sorry Ms. [redacted] has had such a frustrating experience with her recent order.
Based on the information provided and the details of the order, it seems that the agents involved...

simply mis-diagnosed the problem and provided the wrong set of accommodations.
It appears that Ms. [redacted]'s order was affected by a printing error. It should not be the case that one image file produces drastically different results. I apologize that the agents involved didn't recognize this and react appropriately.
I would be happy to reprint the prints and book at no charge. I believe the previous printing issues were a temporary error (one that should have been caught in QA), and that a reprint should fix the problem.
If Ms. [redacted] prefers a refund to a reprint, I can take care of that as well. She can either reply to this complaint or contact me directly at the number below. I look forward to hearing from her so we can get this situation resolved.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
XXX-XXX-XXXX
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/12/29) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Thank you for the response Mr. [redacted]. Per your suggestion, I tried calling the number you provided however, it seems that it is no longer in service.
In short, I cannot respond until the following is clarified:
If a refund to my credit card is processed for the photos and book, am I responsible (time and money) for shipping the defective ones back?
I would like to add to this complaint file that on 12/21/15 I received another e-mailed response from [redacted] at Shutterfly stating that the first e-mail response from Renuga stands and that is all that Shutterfly can offer.
At this point, I have two Shutterfly representatives stating one thing and another representative (Mr. [redacted]) stating the complete opposite. Quite honestly, I'm not sure who to believe. If I can request a refund without having to lose anymore time on this matter by shipping back defective merchandise at my own cost, then that would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Final Business Response /* (1000, 15, 2016/01/15) */
I'm not sure why this case was marked closed, as we hadn't taken any corrective action.
Also, I noticed I made a typo in my phone number in my initial response. It is XXX-XXX-XXXX. Very sorry about that.
Per Ms. [redacted]'s request, I have issued a full refund for the order. A refund of $87.11 should appear on her next billing statement. She does not need to return the defective items. Once again, I'm sorry for the poor order quality and the subsequent inconvenience and frustration.
If Ms. [redacted] has any further questions or comments, she can feel free to contact me (at the corrected number below).
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
XXX-XXX-XXXX
Final Consumer Response /* (2000, 17, 2016/01/25) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/02/01) */
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation. I'm very sorry Ms. [redacted] had a bad experience with her acrylic print.
I'm a bit confused as to why our agents weren't able to quickly resolve this issue. The manufacturing defect...

is clear, and should have been sufficient cause to replace or refund the item. My assumption is that the agents involved were preoccupied with the comment that the pictures were blurry (which I can understand by looking at the pictures submitted). But the fact remains that the item was defective regardless of the quality of the pictures submitted.
I have requested that the full purchase price of $53.16 be issued ($99.99 less a $50 discount, plus tax). This refund should appear on Ms. [redacted]'s next billing statement. The defective item does not need to be returned to us.
If Ms. [redacted] is interested in getting a replacement, I would be happy to arrange it. She is welcome to select new, crisper pictures and contact me to arrange for the necessary credits.
If Ms. [redacted] would like to discuss this option, or if she has any further questions or comments, she can feel free to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
XXX-XXX-XXXX
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2016/02/03) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation.  I'm very sorry [redacted] had a bad experience with [redacted].
Unfortunately the [redacted] back-end systems and tools are not integrated with Shutterfly, so I've reached out to a member of the [redacted] customer service team for...

assistance.  I'm confident that we'll be able to resolve this situation to [redacted]'s satisfaction.  I will attempt to locate [redacted]'s account using his email address.  If for some reason I am unable to do so, I will follow-up with [redacted] directly.
As [redacted] mentions, we don't offer phone support on [redacted].  That said, [redacted] is welcome to contact me if he has any questions or comments.  And I would be happy to contact him when I have an update.Sincerely,[redacted]Director, Customer ExperienceShutterfly[redacted]

Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Sincerely, [redacted]

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation.  I'm very sorry [redacted] had a bad experience with her pillow order.
Our system is extremely automated, and unfortunately we are unable to make changes to orders once they are placed.  I realize it seems silly that we would...

potentially print a pillow with no pictures, but we rely on customers using our website to customize their products prior to ordering.
According to our records, [redacted] contacted us on [redacted] 14, and we were able to successfully cancel her order.  Her order was not processed and she was not charged for it.
If [redacted] would like to receive the pillow, the best course of action is for her to sign in to her Shutterfly account, create the pillow using our online tools, and place her order.  She will have a chance to preview the pillow online prior to ordering to make sure the pictures are as she desires.
It sounds like the source of confusion here is the fact that our site allows you to add pictures to your project in one step, and place the pictures on the product in another step.  This allows you to experiment with different combinations and placements of pictures.  So when [redacted] goes into our pillow creation path, she will select the pictures she wants to use, and then drag and drop each picture in the desired location on the pillow.If [redacted] has any further questions or comments or needs assistance placing her order, she can contact our Customer Care department at 888-225-7159, or contact me directly at the number below.Sincerely,Mike LandrethDirector, Customer ExperienceShutterfly650-610-5256

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/07/16) */
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation.
While I'm sorry Ms. [redacted] experienced an overdraft on her account, I am unable to compensate her for it.
Ms. [redacted] placed her order on June 18. The order was placed on hold...

after the credit card failed to authorize. After 3 unsuccessful re-tries, the order was successfully authorized on June 19. At that time, the necessary funds were available in Ms. [redacted]'s account and a hold was placed on them pending the eventual completion of the order.
The order completed on June 24 and Ms. [redacted]'s card was successfully charged. All of the information available to us indicates that this transaction was processed and completed on June 24.
Unfortunately we have no control over the time required by the intermediary credit card processors and/or Ms. [redacted]'s bank for the transaction to actually affect her account balance. Nor is it our responsibility to safeguard against any additional use of the card by Ms. [redacted], beyond obtaining the authorization.
It seems to me that the process of obtaining an authorization and holding it until the transaction is complete should protect Ms. [redacted] against such overdrafts. She may wish to check with her bank regarding the details of how this situation occurred.
If Ms. [redacted] has any further questions or concerns, she can feel free to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
XXX-XXX-XXXX

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:
The company accepted an undeliverable method THREE times. Three times proves the company is playing on the edge of fraudulent business. I am still waiting for the pillow, delivered to my address.
 
Sincerely,[redacted]

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation.  I'm very sorry [redacted] had a bad experience with his recent 8x10 order.
According to our records, [redacted] order was reprinted and reshipped twice.  I believe the first reprint was the one that arrived...

damaged.  Hopefully the second reprint arrived in acceptable condition.
While I hope that the second reprint resolved the issue, it's apparent that this was a bad experience for [redacted], so I have issued a refund of the original order ($4.08) as a small token of our apologies for the inconvenience.  I hope [redacted] accepts our apologies and is willing to use our services again in the future.If [redacted] has any further questions or comments, he can feel free to contact me directly.Sincerely,Mike LandrethDirector, Customer ExperienceShutterfly650-610-5256

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation.  I'm very sorry [redacted] had a bad experience with her reusable bag order.
The domestic shipping prices we charge are based on a variety of factors, and include a handling component.  We try very hard to price our shipping...

fairly and competitively, and we don't vary our shipping prices depending upon whether items are free.  That said, we do review our shipping pricing from time to time, as conditions, costs, and fulfillment practices change.  We will be reviewing a variety of shipping prices later this year, and I will make sure our shopping bag prices are part of the review.
Unfortunately, I am unable to issue the requested refund.  The order was placed more than 18 months ago, which is beyond the time frame where we can issue a refund.  [redacted] agreed to the charges at the time she placed the order and didn't express any subsequent concerns over the quality or value of the product itself.
If [redacted] has any further questions or comments, she can feel free to contact me directly.Sincerely,Mike LandrethDirector, Customer ExperienceShutterfly650-610-5256

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation.  I'm very sorry [redacted] had a bad experience with the delivery of her Shutterfly order.
While I understand [redacted]'s concerns about the whereabouts of her missing shipment, the tracking options available for her shipment are very...

limited.  Unlike shipments handled entirely within the [redacted] network, shipments that are transferred from [redacted] to the [redacted] for delivery do not necessarily have door-to-door tracking.  The information available through [redacted] for this shipment stops at the point that they confirmed hand-off to the [redacted], and unfortunately there is no further tracking available.  The option to initiate a tracer asking [redacted] to investigate the delivery of a shipment simply does not exist in this case, and there was no tracking number associated with the shipment as far as the [redacted] is concerned.
Shutterfly provides a variety of shipping options, but the Economy shipping option [redacted] selected does not always include door-to-door tracking.  The methods that always offer door-to-door tracking are the ones with guaranteed delivery dates, such as Expedited, Rush, and Super Rush.  I'm sorry if this was not clear to [redacted] at the time she placed her order.
I am double-checking with our shipping department and [redacted] to make sure we have exhausted our options for getting more information about this shipment.  If I find any further information about this shipment, I will provide it to [redacted].
By the way, it appears that the replacement shipment was sent to a different mailing address.  I'm curious if the original shipment was deliverable as addressed, as this may have played a part in the shipment not getting delivered as expected.
If [redacted] has any further questions or comments, she can feel free to contact me directly.Sincerely,Mike LandrethDirector, Customer ExperienceShutterfly650-610-5256

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2015/10/05) */
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation. I'm sorry the offer Ms. [redacted] received with her order was unclear.
I think there are two problems here, involving timing and our promotional terms and conditions.
First, the...

timing issue. The offer Ms. [redacted] received can be combined with many of the offers we typically run on our website. Any offer that doesn't require a promo code can be combined with the 30% off promotion she received. Traditionally, the majority of discounts on our website have not required a code, but this has been changing. We are starting to offer more code-based discounts like the 50% off offer Ms. [redacted] mentioned. Unfortunately our system doesn't allow more than one code-based percent-off discount to be applied. This means there are times when the "extra" promotion won't work.
That leads to the terms and conditions problem. The T&Cs used on the "extra" promotion shouldn't state that they can't be combined. They need to state that they can't be combined with other code-based percent-off discounts. I will talk to our promotion department about making this change, as it is confusing.
Unfortunately I don't have a way to allow more than one code-based percent-off promo to be used, but I can add a 30% off promotion to Ms. [redacted]'s account. It can be combined with any promotion that doesn't require a code. I set the expiration date to 12/31/15 to give her plenty of time to redeem it.
Once again, I'm sorry for any confusion this caused. If Ms. [redacted] has any other questions or comments, she can feel free to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
XXX-XXX-XXXX
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 9, 2015/10/07) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I wish there was an option for partial acceptance. There were three different issues in the complaint I submitted, but only one of them was addressed. Perhaps Shutterfly only received the first item and not the other two?
Shutterfly's explanation regarding the first issue is both helpful and appreciated. I accept it.
But there are still two other issues that have not been addressed. One of the outstanding issues is time-sensitive, and couple of weeks have already passed. In the interest of time, I will write a letter directly to Shutterfly management today regarding the other two problems.
Thank you for your assistance. Please close this complaint.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2015/10/13) */
I'm sorry about the lack of response regarding the sales tax and photo book issues. This was my oversight, as I didn't notice that the complaint had been updated after its original filing.
I'm happy to assist with both issues if Ms. [redacted] wishes to reach out to me.
As for the sales tax issue, we use a third-party service to keep track of tax rates across the country. There are times when this service is not available and our system fails over to a simpler system, but we don't typically see discrepancies like Ms. [redacted] describes (9% vs. 7.5%). I will look into this issue and see if I can find the source of the discrepancy.
In the meantime, there is one thing Ms. [redacted] can try. Tax zones are actually more granular than zip codes: I've seen cases where tax rates vary within a given zip code. So prior to her next order, Ms. [redacted] might try adding the zip+4 to her shipping address, rather than just the 5-digit zip. That might trigger a different tax rate if one applies in her area.
I can help investigate the photo book as well. I noticed that many of the pictures in the book were scanned, and I'm curious if it was mostly the scanned pictures that were unacceptable. Scanned pictures can be tricky, as they often have sufficient resolution but are dependent upon the quality of the scanner, the scanner settings, and the quality of the original photograph (which we have no warnings for).
In any case, Ms. [redacted] should feel free to reach out to me if she'd like to discuss either of these issues.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
XXX-XXX-XXXX
Final Consumer Response /* (2000, 13, 2015/10/14) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
I appreciate this very helpful response. I will also contact Mr. [redacted] directly regarding his offer of assistance with the photo book.
Please close this complaint. I am very pleased with Shutterfly's response and thank all involved for their assistance.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation.  I'm very sorry [redacted] is having trouble downloading his videos.
As our responses have indicated, we have been making substantial changes to our video plans, and apologize that these changes have negatively impacted [redacted]...

ability to download the videos he previously uploaded, and that we haven't been able to provide a better solution in a timely manner.
I believe there is a workaround that will allow [redacted] to download his videos successfully.  He mentioned that he loaded the videos to a share site.  If he goes to the share site and clicks on a video (or goes to the Pictures and Videos page in the share site and clicks on the video filename) he should be taken to a page that allows the video to be played.  This page includes a "Download this video" link (just to the right of the video playback area).  Clicking this link will download the video to [redacted] computer.
If [redacted] has any problems with this procedure or has any other questions or comments, he can feel free to contact me directly.  Once again, I'm sorry for the inconvenience and delay in getting this resolved.Sincerely,Mike LandrethDirector, Customer ExperienceShutterfly650-610-5256

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/12/23) */
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation. I'm very sorry Ms. [redacted]'s envelope was damaged in transit.
According to our records, we shipped a replacement envelope to Ms. [redacted] that arrived on Monday, December 14. Hopefully...

this arrived in time to be useful, although it sounds like Ms. [redacted] was planning to make other arrangements.
Given the situation, I have requested a refund of the order total of $4.24. This refund should appear within the next billing cycle. I hope Ms. [redacted] accepts this refund along with our apologies.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/12/28) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/01/07) */
Unfortunately I am unable to comment on this complaint because I could not locate the order in question. The email address provided is associated with an account that has never ordered from us. I couldn't find any record of contact from this...

address, and there are too many customers named [redacted] for me to find the order searching by name.
If Ms. [redacted] can please provide the order number or the email address associated with the account, then I can investigate further.
There are situations where only partial refunds are provided. These typically involve cases where the customer makes an error and chooses to return the product. Once I have more details I can comment appropriately.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
XXX-XXX-XXXX
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2016/01/11) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The email associated with my account is [redacted]@hotmail.com.I was finally refunded 50% of my total order but I think I should of received 100% as the product was not acceptable
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2016/01/26) */
Thank you for supplying the email address. I was able to locate the orders in question.
The reason a 50% refund was issued is because it is our policy to split the cost of orders that are unacceptable due to customer error. In this case, the photos used on the blankets were blurry.
Our policy allows for exceptions if the customer could not reasonably have been aware of the problem. I will make an exception in this case, as Ms. [redacted] clearly expected to get better results despite the low quality of the photos selected. She placed the orders in good faith, and returned the unsatisfactory product.
Two additional refunds of $42.39 will appear on Ms. [redacted]'s next billing statement, thus refunding both orders in full.
If Ms. [redacted] has any further questions or comments, she can feel free to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
XXX-XXX-XXXX
Final Consumer Response /* (2000, 11, 2016/01/27) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/12/22) */
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this complaint. I'm sorry Ms. [redacted] was frustrated by the promotion she received and the lack of an option to delete her account.
Unfortunately our system was designed to protect and preserve...

customer information, so we don't offer an option to delete accounts. Customers do have options to delete their billing information and their pictures, and they can control whether we market to them or share their information with partners through our website.
I was unable to find an account under Ms. [redacted]'s email address, so it appears that her account has been deactivated.
As for the problem with the Petco promotion, it appears that when Ms. [redacted] first created her order, the $20-off promotion applied as expected. When she returned to place her order, the pet bowl was 40% off, which brought the total to under $20 and prevented the promotion from applying. I'm sure we could have provided some guidance on this issue if Ms. [redacted] hadn't gotten frustrated and asked to close her account.
Once again, I'm sorry this experience was frustrating for Ms. [redacted].
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
Complaint Response Date bumped because: Holiday
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/12/24) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I did call and try to have this addressed and was adamantly told that this was the final price with a higher-than-expected purchase price and shipping cost. I'm still confused as to the wording of the $20 versus 40% off and what the pre-40% price was etc. Not a good promotional offer and should be changed.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2016/01/11) */
Depending upon the options selected, the regular price of the pet bowls is between $20 and $30. As long as the merchandise is over $20, then the $20 off promotion will apply. Once the pet bowls went on sale, the price dropped below $20 and the $20-off promotion no longer applied. (The merchandise amount needs to be above the discount amount in order for $-off promotions to apply.) As I mentioned before, I'm sorry this was confusing and the agents weren't able to explain it properly.
If Ms. [redacted] has any further questions or concerns, she can reply to this complaint or contact me directly. Otherwise I ask that the Revdex.com consider this case closed.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
XXX-XXX-XXXX

Revdex.com: I am not happy with the level of contact here, but I have decided I will no longer be doing business with Shutterfly.  It's not worth the hassle.  And I am happy to see at least the proper punishment will be handled out.
 Sincerely, [redacted]

Hi [redacted]
 
We are very sorry to hear that you were not happy with your prints and apologize for this sub par experience with us.  Please note that we have processed a refund in full for the order.  One thing I wanted to mention is that we do not crop the photos for the...

prints.  When the orders are received on our end, we print them and cut according to how they were submitted by the customer.  Between the level of automation used in the production process and any photos that were not completely cropped I am confident that is why you ended up with a product you are unhappy with.  Again we apologize.  Please know that we truly value you as a customer and appreciate you using Shutterfly.  If you have any further questions or need assistance please feel free to let me know.
 
Kind Regards,
Levi
[email protected]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/01/04) */
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation. I'm very sorry Ms. [redacted] had such a bad experience with her Christmas card order.
According to our records, Ms. [redacted]'s card order was excessively delayed in our system. And...

unfortunately the delay was out of the control of the agents she spoke to, so their efforts had little effect. I'm asking our production team to investigate this delay and take steps to ensure it doesn't affect orders in the future.
Ultimately the order was shipped via overnight delivery and arrived on 12/21 as Ms. [redacted] requested in this complaint, but that was days after the original latest-by day of 12/18 and also after significant frustration had been caused. Given the delay, we refunded the shipping charges on 12/18.
Once again, I'm very sorry for the delay and the inconvenience it caused. If Ms. [redacted] has any further questions or comments, she can feel free to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
XXX-XXX-XXXX

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation.  I'm very sorry Mrs. Aponte had a bad experience with the delivery of her photo book.
According to our records, we issued a full refund for the delayed book of $19.08 on February 6, and subsequently had a new book sent at no charge on...

February 7.  That book was delivered on February 13.  I am very sorry if this was too late for the occasion Mrs. Aponte had planned for.If Mrs. Aponte has any further questions or comments, she can feel free to contact me directly.Sincerely,Mike[redacted]Senior Director, Customer ExperienceShutterfly[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: it does not address the primary concern I submitted which was the horrible customer service I was given. Not only was I hung up on, after I informed the person I would be a couple of min. the person was rude the entire time and never even asked a single question of mine. She refused to help me any time and the is the biggest part of this issue was the horrid customer service that I got when I contacted the business for help. After that display of poor customer service I do not want to purchase anything from the company. A company that disrespect and hangs up on a customer doesn't deserve service. I won't be satisfied with the business until the primary issue, which was the poor customer service, is addressed.  Sincerely,[redacted]