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Polaroid wants to print your Instagrams

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Re: Polaroid wants to print your Instagrams

#3
post #2

There are already plenty of sites that do this exclusively online for the same/cheaper price point. It'll be interesting to see if a store-front will be a good investment considering the high overhead cost.

Haven't compared the price points, but if you want to support a YC alum, check out Picplum's Instagram integration: https://www.picplum.com/instagram

Re: Polaroid wants to print your Instagrams

#4
post #2

There are already plenty of sites that do this exclusively online for the same/cheaper price point. It'll be interesting to see if a store-front will be a good investment considering the high overhead cost.

I imagine they hope people will go to these stores for the same reason they go to Apple's retail stores instead of just shopping for Apple products online:

1) Immediate gratification. Sure it takes less time to order prints (or Apple computers) online and then get them out of the mailbox, but if you want a print (or computer) fast without waiting for shipping you can just drive to your local store and 5-10 mins later walk out with a purchase. There is a lot of value to that. 2) "Genius bar" The article states that there will be people who can provide photo editing help and advice in the store. 3) The "cool effect". If you post on Path, or FourSquare, or Facebook that you are at an Apple store you get a lot of "likes". (At least in my peer group) It's a status symbol to go to an Apple store (and Starbucks is the same way) If Polaroid can pull off this same image with their stores which will have a similar clientele they have a guaranteed money fountain.

Re: Polaroid wants to print your Instagrams

#6
post #4
post #2

There are already plenty of sites that do this exclusively online for the same/cheaper price point. It'll be interesting to see if a store-front will be a good investment considering the high overhead cost.

I imagine they hope people will go to these stores for the same reason they go to Apple's retail stores instead of just shopping for Apple products online: 1) Immediate gratification. Sure it takes less time to order prints (or Apple computers) online and then get them out of the mailbox, but if you want a print (or computer) fast without waiting for shipping you can just drive to your local store and 5-10 mins later…

Status symbol: what do you do to show that you're at the Polaroid store? Take a picture of the printed picture and post it on Facebook.
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