London Drugs vs. Staples vs. a Local Service: Where to Digitize Your Photos and VHS Tapes

You've found the box of old photos, or the shoebox of VHS tapes, and you're ready to get them digitized. The first names that come to mind are usually the big ones: London Drugs, Staples, maybe Costco. They're familiar, there's probably one near you, and it feels like the safe choice.

For a simple job, like a few hundred standard-size prints in good shape, a big-box scanning service can be a perfectly reasonable, budget-friendly option. For anything irreplaceable, fragile, unusual or large, like home movies, slides, albums, damaged photos or tapes you can't afford to lose, a local specialist usually gives you more control, more care and fewer surprises. The right answer depends on what you have and what you need back.

We're a local digitization service in Summerland, so we're obviously not neutral. We'll stick to what the big stores publish about their own services, tell you where they're a good fit, and give you the questions to ask no matter who you choose.

What Staples photo scanning offers

Staples Canada runs a photo scanning service through its Copy & Print counters. According to Staples' own photo scanning page:

• Box service: up to 300 photos for $99, scanned at 600 DPI, front and back, with colour correction and red-eye removal.
• Turnaround: 7 to 10 business days, returned on an included 8 GB USB stick.
• Same-day option: up to 99 photos at 79 cents each, depending on store availability.
• Size limits: prints from 3"x5" up to 8"x10".

The fine print matters. Staples says photos that don't meet its guidelines won't be scanned, and that includes photos that are curled, folded or torn, photos with tape, glue or stickers on them, Polaroids and thermal prints, photos still in albums or sleeves, and scrapbook pages.

Where it fits: a tidy stack of loose 4x6 prints in good condition, when you mainly want a quick digital copy at a clear, fixed price.

Where it doesn't: albums you don't want taken apart, curled or damaged prints, Polaroids, slides and negatives, and anything on video or film. Staples' photo scanning page doesn't list VHS or home movie transfers.

What London Drugs offers

London Drugs has offered photo and video services through its Photolab for years. Its Photolab services include a photo scanning box service, a slide scanning box service and film and video transfer.

• Photo Scanning Box: London Drugs describes picking up a box, filling it with up to 800 photos and documents (up to 8.5"x11"), and getting digital copies back on a USB drive, according to its Photolab blog. Current pricing isn't listed on that page, so check with your local Photolab.
• VHS and home movie transfer: London Drugs has transferred VHS, camcorder tapes and film for more than a decade. When it launched online video transfers in 2014, it did so in partnership with YesVideo, a large home movie transfer company, according to Business in Vancouver. We couldn't confirm who processes tapes today, so it's worth asking at the counter.

Where it fits: you have a London Drugs nearby, a manageable number of standard items and a flexible timeline.

What to ask: where your tapes or photos are actually processed, whether they leave the store (or the province, or the country), how long you'll be without them, and what format the files come back in.

What a local digitization service does differently

A local specialist, like us here in Summerland, isn't trying to beat a big-box store on a flat price for a stack of 4x6 prints. The difference shows up in everything around the scan.

• Your originals stay local. You know who is handling your tapes and photos and where they are while the work is happening.
• We take the awkward stuff. Photo albums, curled or damaged prints, Polaroids, slides, negatives, VHS, camcorder tapes, 8mm film, cassettes and more. If you're not sure what something is, we'll help you figure it out.
• You talk to the people doing the work. We look at your collection, explain what's realistic, and give you an estimate and turnaround before we start. If a tape is damaged, we tell you what that means and what it might cost before going further.
• You choose how the files come back. USB drive, digital download, or an organized external-drive archive for bigger collections, plus a private online account where you can view and download your files.
• Help with what comes next. Tribute videos, memorial slideshows, organizing a family archive, and making copies for everyone in the family.

The trade-off is honest: for a small, simple job, a big store's fixed price can come in lower. The more irreplaceable, fragile or varied your collection is, the more the extra care is worth.

Which option fits your collection?

• A few hundred loose 4x6 prints in good shape: a big-box store or a local specialist will both do the job.
• Photos still in albums or scrapbooks: often not accepted as-is at big-box stores. A local specialist can work with them.
• Curled, torn or taped photos, or Polaroids: often turned away by big-box programs. A local specialist is the better fit.
• Slides and negatives: some stores offer it, so ask. A local specialist handles them routinely.
• VHS, camcorder tapes and 8mm film: varies by store and may be sent out. A local specialist keeps them close to home.
• Damaged or moldy tapes: ask any store first. A local specialist assesses them before work starts.
• A tight deadline, like a memorial: depends on the store's turnaround. With a local specialist, tell them the date and they can plan around it.

Questions to ask before you hand over your memories

Whoever you choose, these questions will tell you a lot:

1. Where will my originals go? Are they processed in store, at a regional lab, or shipped out of the province or country?
2. How long will I be without them? Get a turnaround in writing, especially if there's a deadline.
3. What resolution and file formats will I get back? For photos, ask about DPI. For video, ask whether you get MP4 files you can edit and share, or only a DVD.
4. What won't you accept? Albums, damaged prints, Polaroids and odd tape formats are common exclusions.
5. What happens if something is damaged? Ask how they handle broken tapes, mold or brittle film, and whether they'll check with you before doing extra work.
6. How do I get my files? USB, download, cloud account, and how long it stays available.

The bottom line

If you have a neat stack of everyday prints and want the simplest, cheapest route, Staples or London Drugs can do the job. If your collection includes home movies, albums, slides, damaged photos or anything you'd be heartbroken to lose, it's worth talking to a local specialist first.

If you're in the Okanagan, we'd love to help. Take a look at our tape and film transfers and photo and slide scanning, or start an order and tell us what you have. Not local? We also take mail-in orders from across Canada.

Still deciding what to do with those tapes? Read what to do with old VHS tapes in Canada first.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Staples charge to scan photos?

Staples Canada lists a box service of up to 300 photos for $99, scanned at 600 DPI with a USB stick included, and a same-day option at 79 cents per photo for up to 99 photos. Prices can change, so confirm with your local store.

Does London Drugs still transfer VHS to digital?

London Drugs lists film and video transfer among its Photolab services. Ask your local Photolab about current pricing, where tapes are processed and how long it takes.

Can Staples scan photos that are still in an album?

According to Staples' guidelines, photos need to be removed from albums and sleeves, and scrapbook pages aren't accepted. A local service can often scan album pages without taking them apart.

Is it safe to mail my photos or tapes for digitizing?

Many services ship originals, including some big-box programs. If you'd rather keep them local, choose a service near you, or ask exactly where they'll be processed before you hand them over.