HP rolls out 'Prints in Minutes' service at Walmart stores

PALO ALTO, Calif. The largest retailer in the United States is revitalizing its photo departments with the installation of a new photo print service.

Walmart inked a deal with HP last week to install the technology company's retail publishing service, “Prints in Minutes,” across 3,600 stores in the United States by the end of the summer. Customers will be able to take advantage of a fast, high-quality photo print service as well as a broad array of personalized printed merchandise, including calendars and greetings cards and access to images from such brands as Nickelodeon, Warner Bros. and Live Nation.

The “Prints in Minutes” service features the HP Instant Print Solution, a self-serve, front-of-counter system that lets consumers pick up orders for prints and creative products within minutes of ordering or at a later time by using a secure order storage and release feature. The unattended system allows retailers like Walmart to increase photo center traffic and revenue from high-margin products without dedicated labor. The system is powered by the compact and efficient HP Photosmart PM2000e Microlab printer for lab-quality photo output.

Walmart used HP's “Prints in Minutes” service in a pilot testing, HP said.

“Our agreement with Walmart is another milestone in HP’s drive to help retailers transition from traditional photo services to dynamic publishing centers,” said Vyomesh Joshi, EVP imaging and printing group at HP. “With new customer agreements with many major global retailers, including Tesco, Kmart Australia and now Walmart, we’re bringing consumers new opportunities to conveniently print both personal and branded digital content that is meaningful to them.”