How does Shutterfly offer unlimited "free" prints?

As a former business owner, I just dont understand how they make money offering free unlimited 4x6 prints. Sure, maybe someone will purchase something else but I would guess a lot of people are like me and just take advantage of the free prints..... of course plus shipping.

I found links to that offer from last year, but nothing recent. Are they still doing it?

One blogger described the process: limit of 250 prints per order, 9 prints per image, and shipping was ridiculously high. For a maximum order of 250 prints, it worked out to 9 cents each, which they could match at local stores when there was a sale.

No... on the app it is unlimited prints.
The last time I did it, I did the free 250 prints and it was around $8 shipping.

Now I have the app and it says unlimited.

"In my head".... gotta pay someone to load digital files into machine, watch so they print correctly, sort them, box them, ship them. Even if it was $20 shipping, I feel like they are losing all the way around.
There's gotta be a plus side to this or they wouldn't do it

Pretty sure the process is something like: customer uploads images to system, which cross loads them to the printing machine. This runs most of the day with the only need for someone to occasionally add more paper and maybe chemicals. I would think that the output side will also be pretty near if not fully automated too. Run each print through a scanner and compare to original file and you even have a very good QC system. Probably the only bit that is done by hand is removing the ready to post packages from the machines and taking them to dispatch.

Alan

People like my niece also buy about a dozen coffee mugs at $20/each.