Costco shutting down in-store photo services

My local Costco shut all of that down in March and April during the initial lock down and reopened it in May or June I think.

I've used their photo-printing, passport photo services before and use them to do all my ink refills. I have nothing but good/positive things to say from my experience especially given their price points. I hope their ink refilling services is still running because we're going through a ton of ink these days with WFH and online-schooling.

Winkle wrote: ↑I hope their ink refilling services is still running because we're going through a ton of ink these days with WFH and online-schooling.

The e-mail I got specifically mentions that ink refilling will no longer be available.

Just received an email,

Dear Costco members,

We are writing to inform you about the upcoming closure of the photo department at all Costco locations on Sunday, February 14, 2021.

Since the introduction of camera phones and social media, the need for printing photos has steeply declined, even though the number of pictures taken continues to grow. After careful consideration, we have determined the continued decline of prints no longer requires on-site photo printing.

Digital technologies allow consumers to do more with their photos, including the ability to personalize canvas, metal prints, or create photo books, greeting cards, calendars and other gifts. We will continue to ship these high quality products and prints to your home or business through the Costco Photo Center website, CostcoPhotoCentre.ca.

Costco’s home movie video transfer, passport photo, custom framing & plaquing and ink cartridge refill services will no longer be available.

Costco values your patronage and hopes to continue serving you in the future.

If you have any photo orders at your local Costco location, please pick them up by March 28, 2021.

If you have questions regarding the Photo Centre, the Costco Management Staff at your local Costco location will be able to help you.

Sincerely,
Costco Photo Centre

JHW wrote: ↑ The e-mail I got specifically mentions that ink refilling will no longer be available.

Also this is on the website now.

Link

Too bad.

One less option now.

Their photo quality isn't bad tbh

My go to place for passport photos. Any good alternatives?

JHW wrote: ↑ The e-mail I got specifically mentions that ink refilling will no longer be available.

Well damn, also reading fail for me on your initial post lol.

Any other place to re-ink cartridges?
Specifically , HP cartridges?

I have found that HP is great at paper handling, but they try and make it up by making you spend a lot of money on cartridges.

I’ve used Walmart in the past for passport photos and they were okay.

Sears was always my go-to for passport photos but of course we all know what happened to the retailer...

Costco opened a new location in Ottawa in the fall - second largest in Canada.

We were shocked when we were purchasing photo Christmas cards in November to find out the new Costco didn't have a photo centre.

Now it makes sense...

We went with Walmart photo cards and regretted it. Twice as much money and grainy images with crap colour.

Yup Walmart isn't bad either for photos, surprisingly

I go to print2go for passport/visa photos. cheapest I can find in GTA

For those needing passport photos and that have CAA plus you can get them done free at one of their stores with your membership.

Damn that sucks. Their passport photo service was super convenient.

This move makes sense and I'm surprised Costco didn't shut it down sooner.

Photo services like greeting cards and photo prints are available from countless vendors online. Ink and toner refills? Hardly anybody does that anymore because brand new cloned cartridges for popular models are the same price if not cheaper than refills.

Passport photos however, is a bit of loss. But blame the Government of Canada. Virtually every other G20 country allows for the submission of digital passport photos.

I saw the email yesterday and I was so sad to see it gone from the warehouses. Like OP stated, it was so convenient to get the photos, which are ready in a couple hours, while doing the groceries. The quality and price were good.

I just hope the shipping cost isn't too much because I do a couple of $15-20 orders in a year and if the shipping is as much, well, that'll be lame.

Honestly, only thing I've used them for in the last 5 years were photos for passport and IDPs. The one time I ordered prints, did it online because I didn't want to deal with the hassle of going in store.

Don't blame them for closing shop.

Spinner wrote: ↑ This move makes sense and I'm surprised Costco didn't shut it down sooner.

Photo services like greeting cards and photo prints are available from countless vendors online. Ink and toner refills? Hardly anybody does that anymore because brand new cloned cartridges for popular models are the same price if not cheaper than refills.

Passport photos however, is a bit of loss. But blame the Government of Canada. Virtually every other G20 country allows for the submission of digital passport photos.

passport photos are once every 10 years, so really not a loss. i mean savings of say $15 (costco $7? vs say $21.99 at shopper's or wherever) over 10 years? that's less than a cup of coffee a year. lol

Gin Martini wrote: ↑ I saw the email yesterday and I was so sad to see it gone from the warehouses. Like OP stated, it was so convenient to get the photos, which are ready in a couple hours, while doing the groceries. The quality and price were good.

I just hope the shipping cost isn't too much because I do a couple of $15-20 orders in a year and if the shipping is as much, well, that'll be lame.

I was quoted $10 shipping for a 16 x 20 canvas print. I ended up scheduling it for warehouse pick-up (we're going to need to do a re-supply soon), but the shipping is going to hurt.

StatsGuy wrote: ↑ passport photos are once every 10 years, so really not a loss. i mean savings of say $15 (costco $7? vs say $21.99 at shopper's or wherever) over 10 years? that's less than a cup of coffee a year. lol

Good point. I've been helping with a few PR applications and renewals so it feels like a lot more.