Mpix Blog

August 2008 - Posts

• Mpix 2.0 Launches Tomorrow

  We're dotting i's and crossing t's.  Tightening down some bolts, loosening some others.  All said, we are getting ready for a very exciting transition tomorrow! What You Need to Know 1.  Mpix.com will be down tomorrow beginning at 8:00AM Central Time.  Expect a few hours of down time for us to get everything migrated and switched over to the new site. 2.  Please place any orders that are in your cart before 7:00AM Central Time.  Incomplete orders in your cart will not be preserved in the transition.  (All of your uploaded images and albums will of course be available in the new site.) 3.  That's it!  Enjoy your Saturday morning.  Keep up with us on the blog or on Twitter during the transition. We look forward to serving you all through the all new Mpix Web site! Posted Aug 22 2008, 02:22 PM by The Mpix Guys with 12 comment(s) Filed under: Mpix 2.0

• Mpix 2.0 - Coming August 23rd!

  We have been excited about the launch of the new Mpix website for some time, and that excitement has only grown now that our customers are involved.  The feedback, suggestions and comments received in the lead up to this project have been a tremendous help, and without further ado, we are proud to announce Mpix 2.0 will launch Saturday, August 23rd!   Customer Feedback has been our energizing force as we worked to make Mpix 2.0 the best ordering interface available. Here are just a few samples. Jessica I just got an email from Mpix introducing their new 2.0.  As I looked over it, I was really impressed but what I am really excited about is the "paper mix" option.  You will be able to choose metallic and lustre together without submitting two separate orders.  YEAH!!  Way to go Mpix Guys! Shelly This is going to be great !!! I can't wait to try out everything! Big thanks to the Mpix team and the Tech department for making this happen ! I have never seen customer service like this place. Karrie Its so nice to be a part of the MPIX family and KNOW that behind the scenes you are all working so hard to keep us all HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!  THANKS GUYS Questions and Comments All of the changes we are making are a result of listening to our customers over the last few years and we have talked with many of you as we have planned each of them out.   We would love to know what you think! See What's New To check out all of the changes in Mpix 2.0, see our What's New page. Posted Aug 18 2008, 01:30 PM by The Mpix Guys with 12 comment(s) Filed under: The Mpix Guys, Mpix 2.0

• Mpix 2.0 Preview 4: Buying Specialty Products

  This post continues our series in introducing Mpix 2.0.  We have been very excited by the feedback so far and cannot wait to introduce the site in its entirety. But for now we have another glimpse into what’s ahead: the new process for ordering specialty items. Quick access to order any product In our previous post on ordering prints, we introduced the “Buy” navigation bar that will be used throughout the site to give you easy access to ordering prints and products.  We have conveniently grouped these products under the “Specialty” button on this navigation bar.   Selecting your Product We make selecting a product as easy as possible.  Simply click on the product that you want to build and it will immediately take you to the screen to begin the creation process.   Simple to build As soon as you select a product to order, you will be given everything you need to configure that product to your specifications.  The “Design” interface allows you to drag-and-drop images from your albums on to the different image spaces on the product.  Then you can choose from different options that are for to each product, such as color, template, sizes, or additional text.  Everything you need to complete the product before adding it to the cart is right here in one place!   Preview at any time At any time during building your product, you can click on the “Preview” tab to see a live preview of your product as it will be printed.  This will allow you to see all the options you have configured for your product.  Once you are satisfied with what you have built, you can add it to your cart and checkout.   New Specialty Products Don’t forget that we will also be offering two new specialty products when the site launches: Wall Clings and Assembled Albums.  These are two great additions to our specialty product family that offer some fun and elegant options for your photos.  You can read more about these products in our introduction to Mpix 2.0.   Questions and Comments All of the changes we are making are a result of listening to our customers over the last few years and we have talked with many of you as we have planned each of them out.   Please let us know what you think about what you see! See What's New To check out all of the changes in Mpix 2.0, see our What's New page. Posted Aug 14 2008, 01:54 PM by The Mpix Guys with 8 comment(s)

• Mpix 2.0 Preview 3: New Sharing Capabilities

  We are getting closer to the launch of our newly designed Mpix site.  If you have missed our previous posts on the upcoming launch, then feel free to read our introduction to Mpix 2.0, our preview of the new print ordering process, or our sneak peek of the new frame options that will be available. In this post we will be showing you some of the new features available for sharing on the site.  Our goal is to make it as simple as possible for you to let your friends, family, and contacts view and buy photos that you have uploaded to Mpix.  We hope you enjoy what we have in store! Sharing in the new navigation In the previous post, we highlighted the “Buy Prints” tab in the new main navigation.  We are excited to announce that “Sharing” too has landed a prominent place in this navigation bar.  We think that the new Sharing features will be a great addition to Mpix and we look forward to enhancing it even more in the future. Sharing an Album Sharing an album is now only a couple of clicks away.  Once you go to the new community section of Mpix, you will be able to select from all of your albums to easily share one or more albums at a time:  Once you have selected your albums, you can then send an e-mail invitation to people with whom you want to share them.  It’s as easy as entering an e-mail address or selecting from contacts that you already have shared with in the past.  Adding a list of manageable contacts is just one way we are working to make sharing easier and more fun.       View albums shared with you In addition to sharing albums, you can also access albums that have been shared with you by others.  This means no more going through old e-mails to find the link to the album that was shared with you.  If the person you shared with already has an Mpix account, then the albums are automatically available the next time they log in!     Everything you need to order photos from albums that have been shared with you is now in one place.  Or if you are looking for a fun way to browse the photos in each gallery, then you’ll like our new slideshow feature too:   Questions or Comments? We are excited about this new addition to the Mpix Community and we hope you like it too!  We hope that you will let us know what you think about the new sharing options that will be available in Mpix.  Please feel free to leave a comment below!    See What's New To check out all of the changes in Mpix 2.0, see our What's New page. Posted Aug 13 2008, 09:51 AM by The Mpix Guys with 6 comment(s)

• Mpix 2.0 Preview 2: New Frames and Mats

  This is the second post in our Mpix 2.0 preview series where we are giving a glimpse of what is to come in our upcoming release.  In our first post we introduced our new interface for ordering prints from your images.  In this post we will be giving you a taste of our new frame offerings and the great new interface for selecting frame and mat options. 12 New Frames We have added to our frame selection by adding 12 new beautiful frame designs.  Each frame is custom built and professionally assembled on your print so it comes ready to hang when it arrives at your door.  Here is a preview of our upcoming selection: New Mat and Glass options In addition to the new frame options, you can now also add a mat around the image and select from regular or non-glare glass.  The mats come in black or white and will add a 2” border around your print.  Your final product will arrive fully assembled with the mat and glass in place so all you have to do is decide where to hang it! Visually Build your Framed Prints Not only have we increased our options for frames, but we have made it fun to build each one and test out how each one looks before you make your purchase.  You can fully preview each image inside any frame with or without a mat.   Here’s a peek:     Summary of New Frame Options  12 new frames Glass and non-glare glass available On-screen preview Simple to build Black or white mat (or no mat) 24-hour turnaround Arrive fully-assembled and ready to hang! Questions or Comments? We hope that you will let us know what you think about the new frame options that will be available in Mpix.  Please feel free to leave a comment below!  See What's New To check out all of the changes in Mpix 2.0, see our What's New page.   Posted Aug 12 2008, 12:03 PM by The Mpix Guys with 20 comment(s)

• Mpix 2.0 Preview 1: Buying Prints

  Sunday we announced our forthcoming release of Mpix 2.0.  Today’s post is the first of a series of preview posts that will show you a glimpse of what to expect when we release this new version of Mpix.  We are very excited about the benefits this new release will bring our customers and we hope that you let us know what you think! New navigation for buying prints Before we get started with the nuts and bolts of buying prints, we would first like to introduce you to the new navigation that makes buying prints even more accessible throughout the site. The “Buy Prints” tab -  Our new main navigation includes a “Buy Prints” tab that allows you one-click access to buying prints from anywhere in the site. The Buy Bar -  Throughout the site, there will be a quick-jump menu underneath the main navigation that is available for you to start ordering different products at any time.   Simplified Print Ordering When you click on the new Buy Prints tab, you will immediately see everything you need for quickly ordering small and large numbers of prints.  Instead of selecting just one image at a time, you can now select as many images from an album as you like, enter how many of each size you would like, and then add them to the cart.   Customize Your Order in the Cart Once you have added prints to your cart, you will be able to add options and customize each print you have ordered.  Here is an example of what a print might look like in your cart:  The cart options will allow you to:  Edit the crop of each photo for each print size Convert the color to black and white or sepia Select E-surface, Metallic, or True Digital Black & White paper types for each print. Add Retouching options such as glass glare removal, facial retouching, and more! Add a mount, frame, or Lustre coating to the print. Add more options, which we’ll be announcing soon! Our Goal: Simple and Flexible This is just one of the many new ways that we are simplifying the process of print ordering.   Our goal is to make the process fun and easy whether you are just ordering one print or ordering prints of 300 photos you shot at a wedding last week.   The end result is that the control and flexibility are in your hands! Questions and Comments We are very interested in what you think about the changes we are making.  All of the changes we are making are a result of listening to our customers over the last few years and we have talked with many of you as we have planned each of them out.   Please let us know what you think about what you see! See What's New To check out all of the changes in Mpix 2.0, see our What's New page. Posted Aug 11 2008, 09:13 AM by The Mpix Guys with 23 comment(s)

• Introducing Mpix 2.0

  The time has come.  We are beginning to unveil the new and improved Mpix Web site, which we are affectionately calling Mpix 2.0.       What’s in a name?                                                              There are so many great changes and enhancements in this new release that we thought we should reflect this in the name.   Although the current Mpix Web site has served us well over the last five years, we are happy to say that (thanks to our wonderful customers!) we have outgrown what our original site can provide.  Mpix 2.0 will have all the same professional quality products you have grown to love, but will now also have much, much more.   What can you expect?                  Mpix 2.0 has been built with everything that we have learned over the past five years of serving professional and advanced amateur photographers.  We have listened, we have learned, and we are responding.  We have improved everything from the ordering interfaces to streamline your experience to the backend technical operations to improve overall performance.  Mpix 2.0 is a departure from the current site, for sure, but we think you will find it is a welcome change.      The Schedule       Over the next  couple weeks we will be showing previews of the site, talking about new products that will be available, and discussing the direction that we are going with the new site.  We are adding some polish to the site right now and look forward to launching it in the next few weeks.   Product Sneak Peak          Along with the release of the new site comes the release of some exciting new products.  Here are three new products that will be available immediately upon launch of Mpix 2.0: New Frames, Mats, and Glass Now we already have frames on Mpix, but we are adding 12 new incredible frames to choose from.  New options with your frame include your choice of white or black mat as well as your choice between regular or non-glare glass.  Finally, all of your framing needs are covered in one place.   Wall Clings Are you familiar with the life-sized Fat Heads of NFL players?  With Wall Clings, you will be able to create your own life-sized print to stick on the wall…just like the pros. The Wall Cling can be applied and removed from the wall as often as you like, and leaves no residual material.   Assembled Albums Our black hand-crafted, leather albums are a model of elegance and simplicity.  We will offer six different sizes, variable numbers of pages, and other options to let you customize each album to your liking.  This is an exciting new product that will give another option for vibrantly presenting and preserving your most precious memories. Stay tuned for our upcoming preview posts and get ready for a great new experience on Mpix! See What's New To check out all of the changes in Mpix 2.0, see our What's New page. Posted Aug 10 2008, 12:17 AM by The Mpix Guys with 24 comment(s)

• We've Got A Winner!

  Our very first prize winner from the Mpix Forum Assignments was announced Monday. Forum member Jeannie took home the gold with her image, titled "Emergency Fort Exit", in Assignment # 357.   Congratulations to Jeannie, who should be receiving her prize Wednesday. Good luck to all future entries! If you hurry, you can still submit your images for Assignment # 358: Aged to Perfection.   Matt Posted Aug 04 2008, 09:46 PM by The Mpix Guys with 2 comment(s)

• Home Runs and Hot Dogs

  When we think of summer in the Midwest certain images come to mind. For me, it has always been baseball and hot dogs. While the summer months are fading, Mpix was lucky to be a sponsor for our local 7-8 year old machine-pitch baseball team this year.   Coach Jerry Knowles has been with Miller's for 23 years, currently as a printer in the Mpix department. Jerry is the one making sure your prints come off without any damage and are properly calibrated. He also does printer maintenance and keeps things running smoothly. Mpix.com was the team's chief sponsor, providing jerseys for the kids to wear. The season is over now, the team finished with a record of 7-4, and we cannot wait until next season!   Matt Posted Aug 04 2008, 09:21 AM by The Mpix Guys with 5 comment(s)