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Walgreens Now Offering Same-Day Service for Personalized Photo Gifts

Walgreens photo technicians now can prepare an array of photo gifts on the same day customers place an order. (Photo: Business Wire)

Walgreens new photo technology and printing systems produces high-resolution, color-rich prints at speeds that allow photo technicians to produce some photo gifts in as little as an hour.

"With most online photo sites, people often have to wait a week or more to get custom photo gifts delivered to their homes," said Jasbir Patel, Walgreens senior director and general merchandise manager of photo and e-commerce. "Our new service allows customers to pick up these products in their neighborhood store the same day. For time-crunched holiday shoppers, this will be a valuable service."

Customers can create their gifts by utilizing Walgreens touch-screen photo kiosks in stores, or from home at Walgreens.com/photo, and pick them up within the same day at their local drugstore. This service also separates Walgreens from other online photo-gift retailers by allowing customers to avoid costly shipping costs.

Products now available with same day store pickup include:

• Classic Photo books with black linen cover or black leather cover
• Wall calendars
• Folded cards*
• Posters, collage calendar posters, board prints
• Banners and
• Greeting cards.*

* Includes items that can be available in as little as an hour.

Prices range from $1.99 each for folded cards to $19.99 and more for photo books. To find the nearest Walgreens with same-day pick up for photo gifts and to find special offers and deals, visit walgreens.com/photo.

Walgreens will continue to offer hundreds of other photo gift options, such as coffee mugs, Christmas ornaments and mousepads, at stores and online that can be available within days of being ordered.

According to an August 2010 study by InfoTrends, Inc., photo gifts are expected to increase in sales by nearly 20 percent through 2014.

"Photos are making it beyond social media and smart phones as people seek more creative ways to share special moments with friends and family," Patel said. "We believe greater convenience and a wide array of options for using photos, like we're providing through our same-day pickup service, will help encourage people to use more images in unique, memorable ways."

A new photo enhancement within Walgreens iPad application allows customers to create and order 5-by-7 holiday cards featuring a variety of designs and themes. The cards are available in packs of 20 and can be picked up in stores in as little as an hour. iPad users may visit the iPad application store to download the newest Walgreens.com application for free.

To find ideas for creating photo gifts for loved ones this holiday season from professional photographers and real Walgreens photo customers, visit Walgreens new photo blog at www.snapsbywalgreens.com.

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2011 sales of $72 billion. The company operates 7,786 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each day, Walgreens provides nearly 6 million customers the most convenient, multi-channel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50082226&lang=en

Walgreens
Robert Elfinger, (847) 315-2962
http://news.walgreens.com