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Photo Books From MyPublisher

User-Friendly Design Draws in First-Time Designers

About.com Rating 4 Star Rating
User Rating 1 Star Rating (2 Reviews) write a review

By , About.com Guide

Grandchildren will love their MyPublisher photo books. Grandparents will like the ease of creation.

Grandchildren love getting photo books from MyPublisher. Grandparents love the ease of use.

Photo © MyPublisher
Designing a first photo book is fun but a little nerve-wracking, especially for grandparents who aren't exactly technologically adept. You realize that you are creating something that might be around for years, at a cost that can be substantial, and that you could go wrong with just a click of the mouse. For newbies and those with some misgivings about the process, MyPublisher is an excellent choice. Its designs are simple and clean but effective, and yet you don't have to choose between dozens of options. For creating "brag books" or books for your grandchildren, MyPublisher gives you quality that you can brag about.

Just the Facts

Here's the MyPublisher blueprint:

  • Downloadable software
  • Two design methods available, Simple Publisher and Custom Publisher
  • A small selection of page styles and embellishments
  • Help available by email, phone or live chat
  • Enhancement of photos possible within program

MyPublisher claims credit for the idea of photo books as replacements for photo albums. They've been offering photo books for consumers since 1995. MyPublisher is not a full service photo site like Shutterfly and Snapfish. They offer only photo books, calendars and cards. Some would say that they haven't changed enough with the times, but just check out some of the books on their "just published" pages. Clearly they have the right stuff to create beautiful photo books if you have good photos to work with.

MyPublisher Pluses

Here's what I loved about MyPublisher:
  • Super simple design pane with progress bar at the bottom
  • Frequent deals on prices that are already in line with the competition
  • A "check price" option at the bottom of the page that allows you to see how much your book will cost
  • The ability to make ten photo edits, such as eliminating red eyes, within the program
  • An "auto enhance" button that really works
  • High quality photo reproduction
  • Ability to create a dust jacket for your book
  • Quick turn-around and shipping
  • Options like lay-flat pages and high-gloss paper
Like most photo book programs, MyPublisher takes a little getting used to. Once you have learned the program, you will be able to navigate it quickly. It offers significantly fewer design elements than Shutterfly and Picabo, but if you like a clean, classic look with the emphasis on the photographs, you won't miss all those embellishments.

MyPublisher's advertised production and delivery times are about the same as the competition's. The difference is that MyPublisher books are frequently delivered ahead of schedule.

MyPublisher Minuses

Here's what didn't win my heart:

  • Limited help page with no search box option, although the presence of live chat makes up for it somewhat
  • Occasional "hangs" or freezes, along with long load times
  • Cumbersome sharing process
  • High shipping charges
Most downloadable programs for creating photo books are more subject to hangs than programs that allow you to design online. Although the MyPublisher program is simpler and therefore less bulky than some downloads, it may still cause computer hangs. Be sure to save often.

At $10.99 for a 12X12 book, shipping seems exorbitant, but it is in line with other premium photo book companies.

Sharing can be done during the creation of the photo book, but some design elements, such as background colors, will not show up, making collaboration on a book difficult.

The Bottom Line on MyPublisher

If you take great photos and don't want a lot of fancy layouts, fonts and embellishments, MyPublisher would be a good choice for you. Although I've been talking about books created with MyPublisher as special gifts for grandchildren, photo books are probably high on the list of most-desired gifts for grandparents as well. Drop a well-placed hint, and maybe you will get the fun of receiving a photo book, as well as the joy of creating one.

User Reviews

 1 out of 5
Multiple Transactions without notice..., Member emunoz11

I began to create a photo book and went through the last steps of purchasing. The software was having issues processing my book and I was told multiple times, via My Publisher Chat, that I would not be charged until the book had shipped. Meanwhile I decide not to purchase my book due to the hassle of the program and transactions were not verified nor did I get an email saying I bought the book. A day later I check my bank statement and I see that My Publisher charged me 3 times! I called and expressed my thoughts to a customer ""support"" agent named Kamaldeep K. After explaining my concerns about the security of my billing information he literally laughed and treated my situation like it wasn't a big deal. After 30 minutes of convincing him why I needed a refund, he finally did so. I then decided that once I got my refund, I would let the problem go.... until I saw my bank statement a week later. Yet ANOTHER transaction to My Publisher and again, NO EMAIL verifying the transaction. I just got off the phone with another agent and she claims to have my money returned. My Publisher is not a trustworthy company. End of story.

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