In the past I mentioned here how much I love dotphoto, right? (here, I really did!).
and I do love dotphoto…
I’ve been using their printing services for a few years now and I was always happy with their printing quality and even with their fast and reliable customer services.
Until a couple of days ago when I tried to order a few of metallic prints from them.
So I went for the obvious; choosing the photos I want to print and selecting the metallic prints option… and nothing. I’m still on the same page. Ok, lets try something else. I start from the metallic prints page. Oh good, there’s a “choose photos” button on the page. It takes me to my albums. At the top it says “select photos and then go to cart” . I do just that, and guess what? You won’t believe it; my cart is empty. Ah? Now what? OK, I really want these metallic prints now so I go to the Help page and I put the “metallic prints” term in the search box.
In the search results page there’s a short explanation what metallic prints are, but nothing about how to order them… hmmmm… Ok, I admit this is a low point in my internet life and I begin doubting myself and my abilities to figure out a simple ordering process.

But I’m also upset and tired so I email dotphoto’s support:

Just letting you know your system for ordering prints is very confusing.
I’ve been trying to order metallic prints for about 15 minutes and it just doesn’t let me place the order.
I’ve tried a few different ways.
…

so I gave up. Just letting you know.
Nitsa

Aurora from dotphoto writes back:

Hello,
The problem you are most likely running into is that you are trying to order more than one at a time. With metallic prints, posters or gifts, these images go through our gift wizard so you can fine tune how your image will look. Please select one image and then click on metallic prints. This will take you to our gift wizard and allow you to order.
Aurora

Elementary! And oh so brilliant! You can’t order more than one photo at a time.
Would be nice if they mentioned it somewhere on the site.
I wish it wasn’t so, but sadly I don’t posses any psychic powers.

So I email Aurora:
true, I was trying to order more than one photo at a time.
However, no where on your site it is clear that I should order only one print at a time.
in fact when going to order metallic prints it says “Choose photoS” and not choose photo.
I’m just saying in case you want to improve your service.

Nitsa

But Aurora is determined to prove me an idiot or at least an unreasonable customer:

“Hello,
I apologize. This is stated in the gift wizard faq.
Aurora”

Ah. Yes. Obviously. The gift wizard faq. Dah!
It’s probably unnecessary to mention I couldn’t find the gift wizard faq, though I don’t doubt it exist somewhere on the site.

So finally I order metallic prints from another online printing service.
I can’t wait to see what they look like.

Meanwhile, here is my version of metallic prints 
(an image transferred to aluminum foil)

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