-By Joseph Tarnowski

Rite Aid Corp. and Fujifilm USA have teamed up to offer the drug chain's shoppers a range of photography solutions, including online and in-store photofinishing services, and consumer photo products.

Starting this summer, Rite Aid Photo centers will operate using Fujifilm GetPix kiosk instant print solutions and Fujifilm Frontier Dry Lab solutions. Fujifilm will also be the exclusive supplier to Rite Aid for color film, including a selection of one-time-use cameras, Fujicolor Crystal Archive paper, and chemical supplies.

"Our agreement sets the stage for creating a best-in-class photo solution for our more than 5,000 Rite Aid stores nationwide," says John Pollock, Rite Aid v.p. category management. "Fujifilm will be our partner and the end-to-end solution provider as we relaunch our photo products business."

Valhalla, N.Y.-based Fujifilm will also provide send-out photofinishing services by Fujicolor Processing, including prints, photo books, greeting cards, enlargements, and a wide range of new heirloom-quality photo gift products such as blankets, ties, and other items customized with images.

Rite Aid customers will also have access to a Web site that will allow them delivery of their purchases to any Rite Aid store, including the ability to have photos picked up by someone else in another part of the country at the second party’s local Rite Aid.

At the store, shoppers will be able to use a kiosk display similar in design to the Web experience, but with the convenience of having their prints made in minutes, on the same day or in a few days in most stores, depending on the customer's choice.

Camp Hill, Pa.-based Rite Aid operates more than 5,000 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia, with fiscal 2008 annual sales of more than $24.3 billion.

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The nuts and bolts: Fujifilm's GetPix Kiosks

Fujifilm says it designed the Fujifilm GetPix Kiosks for speed and quality. The units use dye-sublimation printers, which, according to the company, produce prints quickly and require minimal staff maintenance.

In addition, the photo kiosks are upgradeable, to extend the life of a retailer's investment. The systems' Intelligent Media Inserts were developed to accommodate new media, and options are available for mobile devices.

GetPix Kiosk features include:

-- A high-speed Intel Pentium processor with Gigabit Ethernet connection, for fast order processing time.

--Retailer replaceable media inserts and parts that can be upgraded by retailer.

-- High-capacity printers that require minimal staffing.