Snapfish Opens API To Spur Growth, Profits

By Greg Tarr On Apr 5 2010 - 4:01am

PALO ALTO, CALIF. — Snapfish by HP said it will open its application programming interface (API) to developers to help evolve the personal publishing service.

The initiative — called Snapfi sh Publisher — will allow designers, developers and printing partners to reach more than 85 million registered users through the worldwide Snapfish network, HP said.

The move is expected to broaden the service with a specialized portfolio of customizable options for a myriad of creative needs and personal preferences.

Snapfish Publisher will officially launch this summer, serving as a platform for individuals and companies to market and sell creative designs, merchandise and services.

HP hopes the initiative will help content contributors and Snapfish capture a greater share of the more than $1 billion U.S. market for online photo ordering, of which more than 60 percent will consist of photo merchandise.

HP said Snapfish Publisher allows designers to tap into the market by accessing the technical specifications needed to upload and submit their creative concepts and to begin developing their own designs for sale via the Snapfish network.

The open platform will roll out in phases and eventually evolve into three primary “store fronts” to meet the unique needs of designers, developers and printing partners.

This summer, a select group of designers will launch new templates for cards, followed by photo books. Later this year an open invitation will be extended for everyone to submit designs for an expanding range of products.

Beginning this fall, developers can monetize their creativity by uploading and merchandising applications for personal publishing products that encourage customization and imagination.

Also this fall, printing partners will be able to submit and sell their own products through the Snapfish network of sites as printable merchandise.

The now 10-year-old Snapfish service also said it has reached a licensed content relationship with Life, enabling consumers to order printable merchandise featuring images from the Life Magazine photo archives.

The Life content will join Snapfish’s portfolio of popular licensed content, including Sony Music, Nickelodeon and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Currently Snapfish offers greeting cards, note cards and notebooks using more than 100 of the world’s most renowned images from the Life archives. It plans to introduce more offerings that combine history’s greatest collective memories with users’ own in the coming months. Prices start at $1.99, and more information is available at www.snapfish.com/lifestore.

HP said Snapfish Publisher allows designers to tap into the market by accessing the technical specifications needed to upload and submit their creative concepts and to begin developing their own designs for sale via the Snapfish network.

The open platform will roll out in phases and eventually evolve into three primary “storefronts” to meet the unique needs of designers, developers and printing partners.