I decided to log into costcophotocenter.com to see which photos I had uploaded to the site. I was pleasantly surprised to see so many of my photos there - all the way back to 2005. Most were from photo shoots I had prints made, but there were others - Sofia's 1st Christmas, birthday parties, vacations, baby showers, ultrasound images, Sofia's first steps in Niagara Falls, Disney trips, random every day photos of Sofia and Katie - now 15 & 13 years old. Most of these photos have a permanent home in my FOREVER storage account, but some never made it there...but they were here.
I browsed the Costco Photo Center website to see if there was a way to download them (original full resolution preferred of course), but there wasn't. I did see an option to select photos/albums of photos and order a USB to have sent to your local Costco photo center for pickup.
One more thing for the to do list - order the USB before it's no longer an option.
While browsing through the website I ran across the storage policy. Costco allows us to store unlimited photos on their site, but we have to order at least once a year.
The last photos I uploaded were from 2018 - print items for my FOREVER events. I didn't want to take a chance on their policy, so I placed a small print order to extend my time with them...but they could still delete all my data when my Costco membership is cancelled based on their Terms and Conditions of Use (the stuff no one ever reads)
Today Costco photo center clients were sent an email and friends started posting to share the news. I was surprised I didn't receive the email. I'm a Costco member, have a Costco Photo Center account and have uploaded photos to print locally for many years. I've always loved seeing the familiar faces there year after year. I guess I didn't meet the criteria to be sent the email - and yes I checked my junk and spam folders.
They now have a message on their website for all to see...
While discussing the upcoming closure on social media, I asked if anyone had figured out a way to download the photos without ordering the USB. My friend Lisa commented that she called Costco Customer Service and confirmed that USB was the only way to get those photos, so she ordered one to test it out and could pickup at her local Costco Photo Center.
The news is still pretty fresh and many logistics still need to be worked out, but as of today those USBs get delivered to the Costco photo centers and they don't get shipped to homes. Did I mention that Costco Photo Centers are closing 2/14/2021?
There's need to panic if you have photos on the Costco website. There will be online services provided and mailing USBs with all your photos MIGHT be something available after the physical Costco photo centers close, right now it isn't.
Isn't this exhausting? Kodak, MySpace, CM Photo Center, Google Photos...I had photos with all of these sites and sadly in most cases I didn't get notified in time or just didn't have the information to make educated decisions...
So I have to ask, where are YOUR important photos and videos? The ones you want to leave behind for future generations to get to know past generations? Most of mine are in my FOREVER storage account. I paid for it once, and it's mine to fill how I want...and my designated Account Manager to continue to fill after I'm gone and manage for me. Sure something could happen to FOREVER, but they are in the business of photo and memory preservation so they are putting $ into a fund... a FOREVER Guarantee Fund so if the company does find itself out of business...clients have at least TWO years to get their data into a safe place - not just 4 weeks... but of course the goal is to build a FOUNDATION that outlives us all...
I want to reiterate that Costco is NOT deleting your data (unless of course you haven't ordered anything from the print center in the last year). I'm not saying that you can never get your jpgs back... but right now the only option is to order a USB online and have it delivered to your local Costco Photo Center (if it didn't close with the last sweep of closures).
If you'd like help getting your photos off Costco Photo Center before 2/14/2021 or use my local Costco as your designated drop and have me pick it up, I'd be more than happy to put them in a FOREVER storage account for you where they will be safe...forever.
Email storybookcreator@gmail.com
Subject #MemoriesWorthPreserving
Click on this link and learn about FOREVER Storage and STOP worrying about where your important photos and videos are...
One more thing... if you still have those VHS tapes, film reels, camcorder tapes, slides or negatives to digitize, Costco Photo Centers won't be around to take care of that... so be sure to check FOREVER BOX and what we have to offer to digitize your family treasures...and then upload to your paid FOREVER storage and never worry about converting them again!
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