Are you looking to purchase a personalised photobook online?
Struggling to find options where you can create 20+ pages without paying an additional fee per page?
Then Picsme is your answer.
The Search
I have previously created photobooks with other online businesses, unbothered by the limited number of pages included in the price.
I spent hours designing the perfect photobook on my go-to website, eventually producing an 80-page photobook. It was not until checkout that I discovered that only 20 of those pages were free. For a friendship that has spanned 5 years, multiple domestic holidays and one international holiday, I was struggling to fit a lifetime of memories into such a limited number of pages.
Eighty pages may seem excessive, but the photobook was designed to immortalise our memories and inside jokes, something 20 pages could not do. I couldn’t destroy 60 pages, but I also couldn’t justify paying an extra £30.
I attempted to use a different site that I had previously purchased a personalised calendar from. Unfortunately, I came across the same problem. This time, the website informed me when I reached the end of my free pages that adding a page would require an additional fee.
These frustrations led me to ChatGPT, who I desperately asked to provide me with the cheapest options for 80 pages. It took a while, but I finally stumbled across the UK-based business, Picsme.
The Discovery
To tell the truth, I was skeptical of a website that I had not seen any advertisements for.
I always ensure websites are not a scam by searching on Google, “is [business] legit”. The reviews I discovered were stellar for this company, so I decided to try it.
Not only could I add my photos with ease, but they also offered a step-by-step guide on how to use the different icons.
Better yet, a photo was not required on every page, allowing me the freedom to write passages on certain pages.
I was also able to set the font, size and colour for all of the pages or set it for just one page.
This website was simple to navigate and made it easy to import my photos and create descriptions exactly how I wanted. There was an added bonus of flexibility when it came to placing captions on images – either above, below or to the side of an image.
I designed and ordered an A5 hardback photobook that contained 80 pages. The £16.79 total was an accumulation of the £13.29 photobook and the £3.50 shipping fee.
Drawbacks
One thing that the website does not provide is spell-check. When you attempt to add your product to the cart, a warning pops up to ensure that you have manually checked your spelling. I foolishly missed ‘photograhpy’ and ‘skelton’.
The shipping fee was a small add-on but one that I encountered on other websites that create personalised photobooks.
Why is it so much cheaper?
Picsme has developed innovative ways to attempt to keep its costs down, whilst encouraging customers to return and spend more.
The business chooses not to outsource its production, avoiding a redundant supplier relationship. This enables the company to have greater control over the production process and the cost of production.
Cleverly, Picsme avoids outsourcing but produces photo products for other brands. To do this, it uses its existing production equipment and finishing processes. This allows the business to optimise the use of its equipment, whilst providing an opportunity to generate more revenue.
The company also offers 50% off eligible products for life after you spend £50 through Picsme Forever. Encouraging buyers to spend more initially to save in the future is a strategic way to increase customer retention.
UK buyers also receive free delivery on orders £30 or more, incentivising customers to spend more.
The Choice
There are plenty of choices when it comes to designing a personalised photobook.
Picking Picsme would be a budget-friendly option that still prioritises quality.