Key Takeaways
- ScanMyPhotos introduces ‘Name Your Price Photo Scanning’ to combat Black Friday fatigue and shift the dynamics of online shopping.
- This innovative model enables customers to set their own prices for digitizing photos, promoting transparency and trust.
- Studies show 96% of printed photos remain unseen after development, which inspired this pricing approach to engage more customers.
- The pilot program focuses on individual projects, offering a refreshing alternative to traditional discount cycles.
- Customers can propose their price via email, and reasonable offers are typically accepted within two days.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
NEWS RELEASE
As Black Friday Fatigue Grows, ScanMyPhotos Launches a Radical New Way to Shop Online: “Name Your Price” Photo Scanning
A first-of-its-kind experiment in “trust-based retailing” could redefine how people shop online.
IRVINE, Calif. — After all the flash sales, promo codes, and price wars, shoppers are showing signs of Black Friday fatigue. Many are tuning out discounts altogether. In response, ScanMyPhotos.com, the 35-year-old photo-imaging pioneer, is testing a new idea that could mark a shift in how people buy online: letting customers decide what they feel is a fair price.
The company’s new “Name Your Price Photo Scanning” pilot program turns retail logic on its head by inviting customers to set their own price for digitizing their personal photo collections. Instead of focusing on sales or promotions, ScanMyPhotos is betting on transparency and trust — and it’s working.
“It’s a simple idea built on fairness,” said Mitch Goldstone, co-founder and CEO of ScanMyPhotos.com. “People tell us they want their photos digitized, but assume it’s too expensive. So we asked: What if they set the price themselves?”
How Online Retailers Can Beat Amazon — By Trusting Customers
Launched today, full details on the company’s blog: Feedback from six months of research indicates strong engagement and curiosity. Many are describing it as a “refreshing change” from the predictable discount cycles. This applies only to individual custom scanning projects, not to ScanMyPhotos’ regular fixed-price services. The ‘Name Your Price’ model is designed for unique projects.
One professional photographer, excited about this new pricing model, explained that they had more than 30 boxes of vintage analog snapshots and had no idea where to begin. The company offers a simple tool to calculate the quantity of images to scan.
“While others are racing to automate, we’re rebuilding connection,” said Goldstone. “This is about trust, not transactions — listening to customers, not shouting at them.”
Why It Matters
Every day, photos are fading in boxes, never seen again since they were developed. A ScanMyPhotos study revealed that 96 percent of printed photos have not been viewed since the day they were printed. That staggering number inspired the company’s mission: to rescue photos and relive those memories. By allowing customers to name their price, the company aims to reach more people who’ve delayed digitizing their collections. This is sparking a broader conversation about how trust can reshape retail relationships far beyond the photography industry.
Something surprising is happening: customers are increasingly turning to AI assistants like ChatGPT and Gemini to help them determine what they consider a fair price for photo scanning services. One woman in Tampa said she asked, “What’s an honest price for a box of old family photos?” and used that response as her pricing benchmark. This phenomenon represents a new blend of human emotion and AI logic, in which individuals validate their feelings with machine support. The results have been remarkable, with offers coming in higher than expected. We are calling this trend “Trust Elasticity.” It reflects a subtle shift in consumer behavior that suggests the future of e-commerce in 2026. As fixed prices begin to flex, we may see a movement toward consumer-guided pricing, with AI subtly influencing the process.
About the New Way to Sell Online
Name Your Price invites customers to email their price and project description of their archival projects to Concierge @ ScanMyPhotos.com. Each proposal receives a personal review, and reasonable offers are accepted within two days. Full details are posted here.
About ScanMyPhotos
Founded in 1990, ScanMyPhotos is a U.S.-based photo-imaging retail pioneer that has preserved a billion pictures for families, museums, and organizations nationwide. From its beginnings as a one-hour photo lab in Southern California, the company has become a leader in photo preservation — combining professional care, same-day turnaround, and its 100% Happiness Pledge Guarantee. CBS Evening News, The Today Show, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, AP News, and more have featured the company’s work.
Media Contact:
Mitch Goldstone, CEO, ScanMyPhotos.com
Email: [email protected]
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