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Archive 2013 · Graphi Albums

  
 
garypo
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Graphi Albums


Hi,
I was drawn in with the hype on Creative Live where some of the top wedding photographers are supporting GraphiStudio albums, Yervent, Garner….. But just did a search and there’s many bad review from all the way back from 2008.
Just wondering if anyone is now using GraphiStudio albums and have they improved their product line. Also, what's their customer service like, I sent them an email a week ago an only recieved an answer today?
Gary



Oct 03, 2013 at 05:46 PM
heikoM
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Graphi Albums


hm, I searched the web and only came up with their own advertising stuff.
We tried it now and went with their 50% off promotion.

Let you know when the album comes back. Their software were quite OK. But when ordering all the options you get no idea what the prices are. Not even when they charge do you get the sum. Very weird, that.

heiko



Oct 03, 2013 at 07:11 PM
garypo
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Graphi Albums


Thanks heiko,
I'll be interested to hear your feedback and the turn around time. There's not a lot of positive feedback on FM over the years but with the big names backing them I'm hoping they have improved. Their parent album prices are reasonable which is a plus.

Our packages are based on 30 sides than up sell extra sides at viewing time. It looks to me that Graphi only have standard sides i.e. 20 30 40... this could be a bit restrictive to the way we sell albums.

I took a look at their software and it does look easy to use and the way it outputs all the different sizes is a time saver.

Gary



Oct 04, 2013 at 01:06 AM
TTLKurtis
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Graphi Albums


Their books are basically the cheapest that's why they are popular. The Italian Leather angle is a gimmick, I think their books are garbage personally. The art paper is decent, but I'm not a fan of their weird covers etc at all and not impressed with all the reviews I've heard.


Oct 04, 2013 at 01:58 AM
leethecam
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Graphi Albums


I started using them and certainly the actual print quality is excellent.

Alas their customer service was awful and although you think your order may receive careful attention by a "production" dept, in reality you are processed by an office who seem to have little connection with the production area.

The last time I used them had I think between 5 and 7 returns / faults. Each time I had to send the album back, only to find the replacement would have scuffed edges or dirty marks etc...

I've had them ignore instructions as to where I would like lettering embossed, I've had broken promises on cover material supply.

When I speak to Italy I get a friendly voice, but no actual action to ensure mistakes aren't repeated. When a delivery became months overdue I received no compensation (although I had to compensate my client,) and their attitude was as long as they got it right in the end, then no harm done.

Their quality control used to be good, but it fell apart from my experience some years ago.

Unbelievably, when I said that their was a wash of unhappy photographers out there, the response was "we're so big we just ignore all that." I wish I'd been recording it as proof...!

I've found on more than one occasion that the pages are not flat, and I've had to keep them under a heavy weight for several days before handing off to a client. I believe this is due to the thin page type that they use.

I like some of their cover designs but hate the fact that the albums come supplied in a cheap white box - not good for presentation. They do have some nice cases, but these are only for books of a certain size.

Their small pocket books are very cheap as add-ons, but the quality of these has fallen to the point I fear pages will simply fall out. The print quality of the guest books are different to the usual albums and is far below my quality threshold - given their cost.

So for me - NEVER AGAIN...! They have big names backing them, because those big names will be handsomely rewarded. They spend on marketing and initially I was taken in by the gloss and scale of their operation.

I'm Uk based and now use GF Smith exclusively. They treat you personally, have thicker pages so they stay flat, will happily custom build something special within reason and their print quality is sublime. Books arrive in a lovely black box and posh bag.

Their small guest books are amazing and replicate the album quality. They are not particularly expensive, but look so good that I can make an effective margin on them.

If something ever does go a little wrong (no one is perfect,) then they do everything possible to rectify the issue.

For me, I would advise against Graphi... unless you have the patience of a saint and long lead times. There are better and more reliable suppliers out there.



Oct 04, 2013 at 03:43 AM
garypo
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Graphi Albums


Thanks,
This has been enlightening and time saving. Leethercam, one of my weaknesses is lack of patience especially when it comes to customer service. I agree that everyone makes mistakes but if it’s a norm to be unreliable it won’t be worth the saving to change companies.

Thanks again, Gary!



Oct 04, 2013 at 04:29 AM
mineymole
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Graphi Albums


I am going to guess that some of these *top* wedding photographers don't pay for their wedding albums as long as they say they use Graphi.


Oct 04, 2013 at 07:03 AM
jmraso
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Graphi Albums


mineymole wrote:
I am going to guess that some of these *top* wedding photographers don't pay for their wedding albums as long as they say they use Graphi.



What a good guess !!!



Oct 04, 2013 at 07:11 AM
jmraso
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Graphi Albums


Dont they still have that free sample with no obligation at all I got a 40x40 (whatever in inchs.) free sample a couple a years ago, I havent used them and probably wont !!!

Jaime



Oct 04, 2013 at 07:14 AM
TheGE
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Graphi Albums


I had signed up a couple of years ago, got the sample and wasn't that impressed with the quality or the selection. I also heard of some who were hit with custom duties importing these albums. Then I was getting emails from them almost every day and I asked about slowing that down and was told it's either all or nothing - what an attitude! So I got out.


Oct 04, 2013 at 10:55 AM
mjoshi
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Graphi Albums


I'm just going to tag this to see where this one goes. I've signed up for free samples during Joe Buissnick class and never got them when I actually was ready to order. Looks like I didn't miss out much


Oct 04, 2013 at 02:33 PM
garypo
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Graphi Albums


I'm just going to tag this to see where this one goes. I've signed up for free samples during Joe Buissnick class and never got them when I actually was ready to order. Looks like I didn't miss out much


I too signed up to receive the sample a month or so back but never arrived. I'll be interested to hear from heiko when his sample albums arrive.



Oct 04, 2013 at 06:47 PM
a2rob
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Graphi Albums


garypo wrote:
I'm just going to tag this to see where this one goes. I've signed up for free samples during Joe Buissnick class and never got them when I actually was ready to order. Looks like I didn't miss out much


I too signed up to receive the sample a month or so back but never arrived. I'll be interested to hear from heiko when his sample albums arrive.



They are probably still processing the album, They are VERY slow and the CS here in the states is awful and they have to contact Italy for everything which tacks on another 24 to 48 hours of emails to receive an reply...



Oct 05, 2013 at 06:53 AM
paparazzinick
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Graphi Albums


I used them back in 2008 and stopped after 3 albums. It took months to get albums from them. WhenI did get them, there were issues and it took another moth or more to get a replacement. Horrible company.



Oct 05, 2013 at 02:02 PM





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