Shutterfly, Inc.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/01/28) */
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation. I'm very sorry Ms. [redacted] had a bad experience with her Shutterfly order.
I didn't realize that the complaint involved an order through the Shutterfly mobile app. Unfortunately I...

don't have access to the tools necessary to investigate and resolve mobile app complaints.
I have reached out to the mobile support team for assistance and should hear back from them within the next day or two. I will update this complaint as soon as I have more information. I apologize for the delay, and hope to have this situation resolved promptly.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
XXX-XXX-XXXX

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/11/04) */
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation. I'm sorry Ms. [redacted] had a poor experience with her book and our reactions to her requests for assistance.
I don't have any insight into where the problem occurred or whether it was...

a problem in our system or an oversight by Ms. [redacted], but the book that was ordered and the corresponding saved project currently in Ms. [redacted]'s account both have soft covers.
In any case, the main issue here is that Ms. [redacted] is dissatisfied with the soft cover version and would prefer a hard cover book. We recently implemented a policy that involves charging a fee when a customer makes what appears to be an avoidable error. I'm sorry if Ms. [redacted] was unhappy with the way this policy was applied to her situation.
Given the fact that Ms. [redacted] was unaware that the book was soft cover, combined with the fact that she has been a long-time loyal customer, it's appropriate for us to waive the both requirement that she return the unsatisfactory product and the processing fee that would normally apply.
If she hasn't returned the book already, there is no need to do so. I will add product credits to Ms. [redacted]'s account so she can order a hard cover version of the project at no charge, including free Economy shipping. We'll absorb any difference in price between the soft and hard cover as part of our apology for the poor experience she had. She will need to go into the saved project and update the cover type accordingly prior to placing her order. The credits in her account are good through January 4, 2016.
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

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/12/30) */
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation. I'm very sorry Ms. [redacted] had a bad experience with her Christmas cards.
The timing on this order was very unfortunate, as it was actually delivered within the original delivery...

window. The original window was 12/18 to 12/23, and the cards were delivered on 12/23. But that was after we had sent Ms. [redacted] a warning that her cards might be late, prompting her to want to cancel them.
Given the circumstances, I think it's appropriate to issue a refund for the cards. I have requested a refund of $69.64 (the card total of $65.70 plus tax) be applied to her credit card. She should see this refund on her next billing statement.
Once again, I'm sorry for the inconvenience. 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 sorry [redacted] had a bad experience with her recent calendar order.
Our system is designed to allow the customer to choose the start month for their calendar, and we periodically update the default settings to help avoid...

situations like the one [redacted] experienced.  We also have warnings to alert customers from ordering prior versions of calendars, although that doesn't seem to be relevant here.
The agents who responded to [redacted] were following our policy covering products ordered in error.  Typically they would offer to help correct the problem and provide a 50% discount for the reorder.  In this case, they provided [redacted] with a free calendar so she could replace the incorrect calendar at no charge.
We don't typically cover the shipping charge in these cases, but I understand [redacted] concerns and frustration and will waive our standard policy.  I have added a $9 gift certificate to [redacted] account to cover the cost of economy shipping on her replacement order.  This gift certificate is ready for use, doesn't expire, and will be automatically applied to any orders placed through [redacted].shutterfly[redacted] until it is used up.  (It won't apply to orders placed for in-store pick-up or through our mobile apps.)
The replacement calendar credit in [redacted] account is good through February 17, 2018.  If [redacted] needs more time, she can feel free to let me know.
Sincerely,[redacted]Senior 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]

I can understand [redacted]'s rejection of the gift certificate, given her feelings about using our services in the future.  That said, I'm going to need some assistance in identifying the items that [redacted] is unhappy with.  She has placed 10 orders for a variety of products and has had a few orders reprinted and re-sent based on her contacts with us.  Unfortunately, I've been unable to come up with a combination of items that totals the $[redacted] amount she is requesting.  If [redacted] can provide the order numbers and items that make up the $[redacted], then I should be able to accommodate her request for a refund.  (Our refund system requires that specific orders and items be itemized - I can't just request a refund of $[redacted] without the details.)
I apologize to [redacted] for the inconvenience.
Sincerely,
Mike
Mike LandrethDirector, Customer ExperienceShutterfly650-610-5256

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/09/09) */
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation. I'm sorry Ms. [redacted] had such a difficult time cancelling her video plan subscription and closing her Shutterfly account.
I have confirmed that her account has been closed and...

her video plan subscription has expired. She should not receive any further communication from Shutterfly regarding her account or her subscription.
I am very sorry for the inconvenience. If Ms. [redacted] has any further questions or concerns she can feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
XXX-XXX-XXXX
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/09/10) */
(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 when attempting to place her recent photo book order.
Our promotion system is designed to apply free or prepaid products, $-off, and %-off promotions, in that order.  While I...

appreciate that [redacted] feels this is misleading, we make no claims or promises about the order in which promotions are applied.  In fact, there are many cases where applying the %-off first would result in the order total dropping below the threshold required for the $-off.
It appears that [redacted] placed the order for her book on June 1, using the %-off and $-off promotions.  I appreciate her willingness to order despite her dissatisfaction with the promotions, and I don't want this experience to leave a bad impression.  I have added a $** credit to her account to make up for the amount in dispute.  (This gift certificate is ready for use, doesn't expire, and will be automatically applied to any orders placed through www.shutterfly.com until it is used up.  It won't apply to orders placed for in-store pick-up or through our mobile apps.)  I hope she accepts this gesture and is willing to continue using our services (with the caveat that we can't alter the way promotions are applied).If [redacted] has any further questions or comments, she can feel free to contact me directly.Sincerely,Mike LandrethDirector, Customer ExperienceShutterfly650-6**-5256

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation.  I'm very sorry [redacted] had a bad experience with her print order.
Given that this was an order for Christmas prints and was unacceptable to [redacted], I have requested a full refund be issued.  This refund should appear on...

[redacted]'s next credit card statement.
As for the problems with her order, I would be happy to work with [redacted] to replace the unacceptable prints.  [redacted] states that she previewed the prints for cropping issues, but I'm guessing the undesirable cropping occurred on the enlargements, as they have a different aspect ratio (or shape) than 4x6 prints.  We recommend previewing and adjusting enlargements at the size ordered to avoid any undesirable cropping.
The curl in the 11x14 prints should disappear - especially if the prints are allowed to lay flat.  We ship the prints rolled because shipping any print over 8x10 in a flat envelope often results in shipping damage.If [redacted] would like to discuss our cropping options, or if she 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 her Shutterfly order.  Actually, I'm quite thankful she pursued this matter, as it was not properly escalated internally, and I am anxious to discuss the situation with...

her.
When orders are placed through our system, we do an authorization for the amount of the order and only charge after the order ships.  Occasionally an error will occur when the authorization is created, requiring the authorization to be retried.  In these cases, our system is designed to cancel the original authorization, and these authorizations eventually expire in any case.  However, I believe there are limitations in this functionality when gift cards are used.  I can see that multiple authorizations occurred for [redacted] order (although I don't see any record of an authorization of $[redacted]).
While I expect the authorizations to eventually expire, I'm not certain about the ultimate impact of these authorizations on her gift card.  In any case, [redacted] request for compensation is reasonable, and I appreciate her willingness to accept a store credit.  I have added a $20 gift certificate to [redacted] Shutterfly account.  This gift certificate is ready for use, doesn't expire, and will be automatically applied to any orders placed through www.shutterfly.com until it is used up.  (It won't apply to orders placed for in-store pick-up or through our mobile apps.)
I would like the opportunity to discuss this issue with [redacted] so I can understand the situation more fully and make sure we handle similar situations correctly in the future.  I encourage her to contact me at the number below at her convenience.Sincerely,Mike LandrethDirector, Customer ExperienceShutterfly650-610-5256

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2016/01/25) */
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation. I'm very sorry Ms. Mills had such a bad experience with her recent orders.
Typically I would point out that the original order of cards was placed using a low resolution image, that...

we replaced it at no charge, and so on. But I can see that this was very frustrating for Ms. Mills. I will issue the refunds she requested. She should see them reflected in her next billing statement. I hope she accepts them along with my apologies and is willing to use our services again in the future.
In her response, to this complaint, I'd appreciate knowing the dimensions of the 5x7 she received. Our 5x7 art prints should certainly fit in a 5x7 frame, and getting the exact dimensions of the print she received will help me troubleshoot the problem.
If Ms. Mills has any further questions or comments, she can feel free to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
Mike Landreth
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
650-610-5256
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2016/01/27) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Thank you for responding to my concerns. I sent the customer service representative pictures of the art print I received, matched up next to a ruler to show the size error. The print must have been cut incorrectly- the actual dimensions were 5.1 x 7.1. It was slightly too big for the 5x7 frame.
I can send the pictures again if you'd like.
Thank you,
S. Mills
Final Consumer Response /* (3000, 18, 2016/03/01) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Thank you and I appreciate your response, sir.
I received a $5.70 refund but I don't feel that this addresses the original request that I made. I didn't only spend $5.70 on the product. The credit applied towards the purchase was based on a previously damaged item.
If I have a $5 gift card to Target, and I purchase an item for $10, but then I have to return the item because it's damaged, Target would not only refund me the $5 I paid in cash, but the full amount.
I do appreciate your time and I am not trying to be petty. I just know that I spent over $30 between three orders at Shutterfly and have nothing to show for it. There was an issue with each order, the most recent one being that it was 2 centimeters bigger than the 5x7 print I ordered.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 20, 2016/03/15) */
I appreciate Ms. Mills' comments and concerns, but the only other recent order in her account was also fully refunded (a refund of $26.03 was issued on January 26 for order 002042852170-7000062).
The only other outstanding item is a $10 off promotion that was used on the first order and subsequently replaced and used on the last order. Since Ms. Mills hasn't gotten the benefit of that promotion, I have added it back to her account. She now has a $10-off code good through 5/15/2016. This code will apply to any orders of $10 or more in merchandise (before taxes and shipping and after any other applicable discounts have been applied) placed through www.shutterfly.com.
If Ms. Mills has any further questions or comments, she can feel free to contact me directly.
Sincerely,
Mike Landreth
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
650-610-5256

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation.  I'm very sorry [redacted] had a bad experience with her Christmas card order.
According to our records, [redacted] order was completed and mailed by [redacted] 17, which should have allowed time for the cards to arrive prior to...

Christmas.  That said, this was later than originally promised, and I am very sorry for the delay.
To compensate for the delay and the frustration is caused, we issued a full refund of $[redacted] on [redacted] 29.  I hope [redacted] accepts this refund along with our apologies.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, 5, 2015/11/18) */
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation. I'm sorry the blanket did not meet the customer's expectation and our attempt to resolve the situation was unacceptable.
That said, I'm confused about some of the details here, and...

concerned that the customer might not have an accurate expectation regarding our woven blankets. The complaint mentions that the blanket wasn't white as expected and had poor print quality.
I'm curious if the blanket received by the customer looks significantly different than the preview we show on our website. The preview shows a grey or beige background, as the nature of our woven blankets prevents a pure white background. Also, the weaving process tends to obscure sharp details, which is also reflected in our online preview.
Based on a quick look at the notes in the account, it sounds like the replacement blankets were also unsatisfactory. If that's the case, I would suggest the customer consider returning the blankets for a refund rather than continuing to receive free blanket credits to order replacements.
If the customer would like to provide a photo of the original blanket, it would help me evaluate whether there was a production defect or whether the blanket printed as previewed.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/11/20) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
This is simply a delay tactic. If my account and chat would have been read, she would have seen that there were pictures attached. And I wasn't only complaining about the colors - although nowhere on their site did it say white wouldn't print as white - but the actual quality was poor. It looks like it could be a dollar store purchase. And that is correct, I contacted customer service again, because the blanket I made with the credit - and an additional blanket I tried were also faulty. Not only were the colors incorrect, but the optional backings of tartan and purple were missing from both blankets. And you know there's nowhere on here to attach photos. The first man I spoke with, [redacted] said I could keep them. Also, the supervisor who called back from Ft Mill, [redacted], didn't ask for them back. I was going to donate them to a shelter, but if you want them back, send me a shipping label. I don't even know what's happening with the last 2 blankets, as [redacted] didn't even see fit to return the call. Astonishingly poor customer service, simply mind boggling. I want my money back for both orders, it's not worth the aggravation any longer.
Final Consumer Response /* (3000, 19, 2016/01/11) */
It's been 3+ weeks since my order was sent back and received and I still have not received the credits as promised!!!!
From UPS:
Dear Customer,
This notice serves as proof of delivery for the shipment listed below.
Tracking Number: 1Z4FXXXXXXXXXXXXXXService:UPS GroundWeight:8.00 lbsDelivered On: 12/21/2015 1:12 P.M. Delivered To: REDWOOD CITY, CA, US Signed By:GAMBLELeft At:Receiver
Thank you for giving us this opportunity to serve you.
Sincerely,
UPS
Tracking results provided by UPS: 01/09/XXXX XX:XX P.M. ET
Final Business Response /* (4000, 21, 2016/01/26) */
I'm sorry for the delay on the refund and credit. The items were received as stated, but the mailroom at our headquarters didn't direct them properly due to a problem with the mailing label. I apologize that the customer had to contact us again to get this resolved.
The customer supplied the tracking confirmation and a refund of $30.19 and a gift certificate of $35 were applied to the account on January 12.
Regards,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
XXX-XXX-XXXX

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation.  I'm very sorry [redacted] had a bad experience with her recent order of photo prints.
It appears that the orders in question were placed through our mobile app.  While this is not a problem, I don't have as much visibility into...

those orders.  I will work with the team that provides mobile app support to get this resolved.
It's unfortunate that [redacted] was told her images were poor quality.  It could have been the case that there was an upload or printing error on our part that resulted in the unsatisfactory prints.  Our support team should have investigated this, especially after [redacted] explained that prints of the same images from another provider were satisfactory.
We've already sent a return label and offered a [redacted] refund (based on our policy of splitting the cost of an order if a customer makes an error), but I'm not sure that's appropriate.
Rather than forcing [redacted] to return the prints, I would like to offer a few other options:
-If she wants a refund for the order, I can coordinate having one issued without requiring the prints to be returned.  Since I have to work with a separate team, it might take a bit longer than usual, but it certainly won't be a significant delay.
-If she's willing to accept a Shutterfly gift certificate (for use on our website), I can take care of that right away.
-Lastly, if she prefers a replacement order, I'd be happy to work with her to better understand the problem and get her the prints she's expecting.  (I will be investigating further regardless, but it would be easier with her assistance.)
I look forward to hearing from [redacted] so we can resolve this issue.  She can either reply through the Revdex.com or contact me directly.  (Note that I will be out of the office through [redacted], but will be checking email/voicemail periodically and can reply as necessary, although likely a bit slower than I normally would.)Sincerely,[redacted]Director, Customer ExperienceShutterfly[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2015/11/16) */
Please accept my apologies for the delay in my response and any inconvenience it caused.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation. I'm sorry Ms. [redacted] was not happy with the 2-page spreads in her book. Our system is...

designed to adjust the images and avoid the "disappearance" of details in the binding area, but it sounds like this didn't work in this case.
If Ms. [redacted] is willing, I would love to get a sample picture or two depicting the problem so I can compare it to the online preview. This would help me troubleshoot the problem and recommend the necessary adjustments.
As for the resolution we offered, I'm sorry the agent Ms. [redacted] spoke to didn't offer more options. Given the situation, I would be happy to apply the cost of the book Ms. [redacted] received toward a layflat book.
I checked the order, and Ms. [redacted] paid $94.60 less a discount of $22.49 from a Kohl's photo book promotion, for a total of $72.11 plus tax. To credit her for this, and as a gesture of our apologies, I have added a $100 gift certificate to Ms. [redacted]'s Shutterfly account.
This gift certificate is ready for use, doesn't expire, and will be automatically applied to any orders placed through www.shutterfly.com until it is used up. (It won't apply to orders placed for in-store pick-up or through our mobile apps.)
I have also added a 50% off list price promotion, which can be applied if Ms. [redacted] is unable to order the replacement book during a 50% off sale. (This promotion is good through 12/31/15.)
If Ms. [redacted] has any questions or comments, or doesn't mind sending a few pictures of the problem, she can feel free to contact me at the number below.
Once again, I'm sorry the book didn't turn out to her liking and for the inconvenience she experienced when trying to resolve the situation.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Director, Customer Experience
Shutterfly
XXX-XXX-XXXX
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (2000, 9, 2015/11/18) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
With the $100 credit and 50% off discount I will be able to replace my photo book.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/10/05) */
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation. I'm very sorry we were unable to deliver Ms. [redacted]'s order by the date we promised.
Ms. [redacted]'s book was impacted by a delay in our production facility. I don't have an...

excuse for this, as we had promised that the book would be delivered by 9/16, and it wasn't delivered until 9/29, after numerous calls by Ms. [redacted] to inquire about its status.
According to our records, a full refund of $72.10 was issued on 9/28 and should have appeared in Ms. [redacted]'s account soon after.
I am very sorry for the delay and the inconvenience it caused Ms. [redacted] and her client. 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, 2015/10/06) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
I would just like to recommend that an explanation of why a product is not delivered is better than a simple apology. This allows the customer to understand and makes them feel like they are being treated as an intelligent person. In my case, it would make it easier for me to tell the recipient why it did not arrive.

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: The business is still defending what was bad customer service. Being the person who directly delt with the customer service represenative I can say she was both rude and disrespectful. Although I understand that I may not have responded right away, I did very clearly communicate to the agent that I would be a few minuets and that they needed to wait for me. After having gone over this situation with many people, including my grandmother, we are in joint agreement that the customer service provided was unacceptable and that the business continuing to defend the poor customer service, as agreed by multiple individuals, is also unacceptable. Until the compalny is willing to both admit and address the poor customer service they provided I will not be willing to accept the resolution. 
Sincerely,[redacted]

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation.  I'm very sorry [redacted] had a bad experience with her recent orders.
I checked our records for the print order, and I can see that some of the images may have been cropped.  Some of the pictures have details very close to the...

edge, and at least one picture was square, which will result in cropping when printed at 4x6.  These prints were ordered through our mobile app, and we do offer previews and cropping tools to avoid undesirable cropping.  I would be happy to provide [redacted] with instructions on how to avoid such cropping in the future if she is interested.
We already added free 4x6 print credits to [redacted] account to enable her to reorder the prints, but given [redacted] dissatisfaction, I am requesting a refund be issued for the print order.  She should see a refund of $[redacted] on her next credit card statement.
As for the mug order, I don't see any obvious problems.  The order should have printed as previewed, and based on the preview I can see, the main details of the pictures would have printed on the mugs.  If this is not the case, or if [redacted] has any further questions or comments, she can feel free to contact me directly.Sincerely,Mike LandrethDirector, Customer ExperienceShutterfly650-610-5256

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:This is an unacceptable answer. You used false advertisement on your website. Why would I pay**$ to have an item shipped to me at a standard business date. Sincerely,[redacted]

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this situation.  I'm very sorry [redacted] had a bad experience when trying to place his order.
Unfortunately it's very difficult to diagnose and troubleshoot such errors without additional details.  I checked [redacted] account and contact...

record, and I can find no contacts or notes about any past problems, nor any error logs that would help identify the problem.  We successfully process millions of orders, and I'm not aware of any problems that would result in the described behavior.
If [redacted] is willing, I would ask him to give me a call at his convenience so we can review the details and diagnose the problem.  Unfortunately my schedule results in me frequently being away from my desk, but if he leaves a message with his contact info and a convenient time to reach him I will call him back as soon as possible.
I look forward to speaking with him so we can get this problem resolved.Sincerely,Mike LandrethDirector, Customer ExperienceShutterfly650-610-5256