Walmart Photolabs Being Phased Out In USA and Canada?

[braxus]

I have heard that some Walmart photolabs in the USA have been phased out- basically being shut down. What is the status for this in the rest of the States, and have any labs in Canada Walmarts suffered the same fate? Im wondering since photolabs in general are very slow these days, that we could lose our lab here in town. Walmart here is one of the last labs to still do C-41 processing. As a side note I live in Western Canada, so I'd like to hear from others nearby.

 

[Dennis S]

No loss...They did in a roll of Kodak Ektar for me with shots of our Mayor on it (Vancouver) Fortunately I had enough of my B & W negatives to cover my choice. ...... NEVER Again
A lot of places do the mail order or express delivery

 

[sly]

I've never used them myself, but it seems so. I made a suggestion that a small portion of the program for next year's local photo club be devoted to analog work, and I got mostly negative feedback. One vociferous reply included a statement that Walmart and Costco no longer did film developing, so there would be no one interested, except me (the only club member with a darkroom.)

The only reason I was a member this past year was because I wanted to remind them every now and then that film still existed, but obviously I've made no headway. But then, I usually decided my time was better spent in that darkroom than at a meeting listening to yet another discussion of a whizz-bang digi-effect.

 

[Rick A]

I was at our local Waldos and saw their processing machinery in the "photo" department, asked about services, and hit a wall head on. They dont develope c-41 or E-6 in house. What about enlargments---no, we send out. What about anything---we have the digital thingie that you plug your chip or disc in and get prints yourself. Why then do they have the Fuji/Frontier machines if they dont use them?
I think I'll ask if they will give them to me, at least I'll use the stuff.
And my wifey wonders why I despise that store chain, never can get one dad-burned thing I want from them. They chase out all the local businesses then stop providing for needs, and replace with what we dont want but have to get, because thats all there is. Aw crap, now I'm on a friggin rant....

 

[removed account4]

we don't do wally's in house
but they send out to fuji for us.
my 10year old just picked up
2 rolls worth of prints yesterday.
sam's stopped their send out service to fuji
which was dirt cheap.
i didn't realize wally's was no bargain, nearly 4x as expensive through the same lab!
i think we are going to our local mini lab operator for the next rolls.
she does better work for the same money.

 

[fotch]

They all changed to send out only in my area. Really not that good anyway unless you want your negatives to look like roadkill.

 

[domaz]

Good. Give your business to local or at least regional pro lab instead. Better quality negatives and you are supporting the little (or at least smaller guy).

 

[MattKing]

The Walmart that I use from time to time have recently posted a sign that says that their film processing services will only be available from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. This is a reduction from their usual 14 hour day availability.

 

[Sirius Glass]

One vociferous reply included a statement that Walmart and Costco no longer did film developing, so there would be no one interested, except me (the only club member with a darkroom.)

35mm film processing is still alive and well at Costco.
120 film processing is not one of their choices.

Steve

 

[Rick A]

I can get C-41 processed 1 hour at the local Rite Aid in town, they send out E-6 to Fuji (thank God) and its great service(albeit slow) reasonable prices.

 

[Changeling1]

Oh yes we can! (say Walmart SUCKS!)

Walmart sucks most especially because they exploit children around the world to make cheap products that effectively put Americans out of work. Walmart is owned and operated by pigs of the most disgusting variety. Do your karma a favor and shop elsewhere.

 

[Rick A]

AMEN!!

 

[Sirius Glass]

Walmart sucks most especially because they exploit children around the world to make cheap products that effectively put Americans out of work. Walmart is owned and operated by pigs of the most disgusting variety. Do your karma a favor and shop elsewhere.

You really need to stop holding back and start telling people what you think! Don't be shy!

 

[Eric Rose]

It would have to be a pretty frosty day in hell before I step into a Wal Mart.

 

[TSSPro]

They stopped all but the send out service to Fuji in South Carolina. The little bit of e-6 that I shoot goes to Fuji, but only because its cheaper and I cant get e-6 local any more.

 

[Darkroom317]

Walmart sucks most especially because they exploit children around the world to make cheap products that effectively put Americans out of work. Walmart is owned and operated by pigs of the most disgusting variety. Do your karma a favor and shop elsewhere.

I live in the Bentonville-Rogers, AR area, and you're not wrong. They took the photo-lab from the one across from the home office last year.

 

[nickrapak]

Why must every thread about Walmart turn into a political, moral, economic, etc. discussion? The question was whether it seemed like Walmart was phasing out photo labs. I have a feeling the OP doesn't care about how "evil" they are or how others don't like it. If you want to rant on about Walmart and how bad or good it is, The Lounge is open for business. Otherwise, keep your opinions about their business practices to yourself and stick to the facts regarding availability and quality of service.

 

[removed-user-1]

Wally's will make a business decision - it's a strict cost-benefit analysis. If they aren't making money doing film, they'll stop doing film. I'm not that bothered by any move they make in this regard, since 1) I don't take my film there anymore and haven't in a very long time, and 2) it enhances the "mystique" of film processing and printing as a professional product, and a craft instead of just a mechanistic process.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

Here in Richmond Va. they have been phased out. I still use Costco or Target or the local camera shop for C-41.

Jeff

 

[arealitystudios]

If they are phasing it out it's no big loss in my opinion. The quality was always terrible, bad csutomer service, and quite frankly the prices weren't that great either.

There are tons of good quality labs that you can send your film to if you don't want to do it at home or there isn't a local alternative. The turn around time is quick and the prices can be more than reasonable.

 

[bblhed]

I live in Connecticut and at least my nearest Walmart no longer processes in house, it all goes to Fuji NY. I have tried the Walmart photo finishing of 120 using Fuji NY, and I was not even unimpressed, I was downright angry.

I asked Walmart for "Process and scan to CD, no prints", I got process and print, no CD. I thought of it this way, at least I have my prints low res as they may be, I can still scan them, but then came the next insult as the clerk at the counter tried to charge me for the CD that I ordered but did not receive. It was my first roll of 120 ever, and almost my last, I'm glad it didn't let it get me down.

From what I have been told, Walmart used to do a great job in house, better than a lot of 1 hour places, and other parts of the country report good things about their Fuji processing center, as for me when it comes to Walmart and Fuji processing centers, I might try them again some day, but they will get a roll or two of test film before I trust them with anything I might care about.

 

[MattKing]

Walmart has a lot of people go through their stores. If a reasonable portion of those people know that film processing is available and take advantage of their services than it means that a significantly large number of people will continue to use film, and have it processed locally.

How is that bad?

In my area, Walmart uses Kodak paper (and may use Kodak chemistry). The processing and printing is done by people who live and work locally.

How is that bad?

Walmark buys their photofinishing equipment from who knows where, but it is maintained locally.

How is that bad?

I agree that their quality is middling, but we need more busy photo-finishers that offer middling quality and make money, so that the market for higher quality photo-finishers can be healthy too.

As far as I see it, Walmart would be better if it had more business like it's photo-finishing business.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Following what Matt said. The twentith century provided money to do research and development on film and processing by many people taking crappy snapshots. If Walmart or any other company can keep reminding people that film and processing is still available, then that is better for us.

Steve

 

[Dennis S]

I really don't see how shoddy workman ship and incompetent workers can help out the film business. They get so many things happening they can't be good at everything . Do you really think that they are concerned about how well your prints turn out or just how much you are willing to spend ? You screw me around once shame on you. Do it twice and shame on me !!!!

 

[magkelly]

Actually the Walmart where I live does a better job than the only 2 drug stores here that still offer film processing and they're a bit less expensive too. I will miss their film developing service if it goes. With them I can get my film back in a couple of days. The drug stores take a week. There isn't any 1 hour processing here. If they go and the drug stores go I'll have a hard time getting rolls developed at all. I'll have to go online for processing. Better Walmart than no film labs at all.