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Weekly Recap: Express Checkout Confirmations, Capture App Speed Testing, and a New Lightroom Classic Plugin

Weekly Recap: Express Checkout Confirmations, Capture App Speed Testing, and a New Lightroom Classic Plugin
Hey photo friends! 👋


This week’s updates are all about clearer customer actions, smoother retail performance, and new tools that speed up upload workflows. Plus, a strong round of Capture App polish (iOS & Android OTA) and some important Dashboard + Marketing fixes.

Let’s jump in. ✨

🛍️ Retail: Fewer Mis-clicks, Better Previews, Faster Feel

✅ Express Checkout confirmation (all express checkouts)

All express checkout flows now show a confirmation popup that clearly displays the shipping address selected, with options to place the order or go back. It also includes an invalid address popup.

Previously, people would sometimes purchase without double checking their express-checkout-method's default shipping address. So, this change is designed to reduce address mistakes and improve customer experience!

Confirmation popup now clearly displays shipping address confirmation.

🧠 Better UI + performance improvements

  • Improved local rendering (performance, memory usage, and task handling) — originally aimed to improve the retail experience on low-end devices, but it should make most devices feel faster!

  • Native “leave page” confirmation on supported browsers/devices (desktop + Samsung back button) when navigating away from an event page (refresh/back).

Leave page confirmation

🖼️ Clearer package download expectations + better pickers

  • Personal Gallery Downloads on store sheet and package editor now show “+X Images” in the configurator when there are more than 4 images—so customers don’t think they only get what’s previewed.

Personal Gallery Download "+X Images"

    • Personal Gallery Download products inside packages can now be clicked to preview contents.

    • Desktop product/package image pickers are now two columns (like mobile), allowing larger image preview during selection.

    Larger two column image previews

      • Image Filters landing popup now includes “Browse all photos without a filter” so customers who think they must pick a filter know they can also just browse!

      Image Filters landing popup

      🧩 Retail fixes worth noting

      • Fixed a slashed discount amount showing on week 3 when there is no higher amount.
      • Fixed a GalleryGuard edge case that could close the retail site on some Android devices that support mobile context menus when long-pressing.
      • Fixed a race condition where a Group-by-Face gallery loaded from URL params could show default results instead of the filtered view.
      • Fixed an edge case where manually assigned images marked as group could behave like non-group images on retail.

      📱 Capture App OTA: 5.6.1 & 5.6.2 (iOS & Android)

      🌐 NEW: Network Speed Test (5.6.1)

      A new Network Speed Test button is available in Resources. Tap Run Test to check download speed, upload speed, and latency to NowCandid servers (so results may differ from Google/Ookla). It’s a quick test (downloads 5 MB, uploads 2 MB) and is useful for diagnosing weak or congested service during events.

      Mbps is a standard measurement for connection speeds, and 1 megabit per second (Mbps) is 0.125 Megabytes per second (MB/s). So 8 Mbps is 1 Megabyte per second, max. For example, with images that are 10 Megabytes in size, a speed of 8 Mbps would take a minimum of 10 seconds to upload. When speeds are very slow, image uploads may be impossible due to uploads timing out and restarting. In these cases, open the app when you have a stronger connection and all your images will start going up!

      Network Speed Test

      🎪 Photo Booth + Selfie Check-In Station UI upgrades (5.6.2)

      • Photo Booth landing page updated to be more user-friendly (always-visible scrollbar, updated text, sticky go back/continue buttons, red/green emphasis, and a popup explaining why Continue is greyed out).
      • Selfie Check-In Station landing page updated with red/green Go Back / Begin buttons.
      • New dropdown icon beside Group Photo toggle (when an event has PhotoTags) to better display there are additional options to assign PhotoTags.
      • Fixed edge case cancel/continue behavior on Selfie Check-In Station when no contact info was entered.

      🧩 NEW: Lightroom Classic Plugin (Official)

      We’ve launched an official Lightroom Classic plugin to upload images to NowCandid events directly from Lightroom Classic.

      Key notes:

      • Lightroom Classic only
      • Same image rules apply (color profile, DPI, etc.)
      • Uses Capture App login
      • Only events within 60 days of event start date show in the selector
      • Image Details → Logs will show “Uploaded from NowCandid Lightroom Plugin”
      • Docs include guide/download/installation: https://app.nowcandid.com/docs/tools-more/lightroom

      Lightroom Classic Plugin

      Upload from NowCandid Lightroom Plugin

      🖥️ Dashboard: Upload & Roster Clarity + Small UX Wins

      • Event roster upload and PhotoRoster upload now warn about every unrecognized column, making it easier to spot misspellings (especially for optional columns).
      • Participant list page download now puts additional contacts into columns instead of rows.
      • Participant list download now puts merged contacts into their own row if they have different first/last names.
      • Image upload naming cleanup:
        • spaces/parentheses now automatically become underscores (e.g., Image (2)Image_2)
        • names ending in z now get a trailing underscore (e.g., ImagezImagez_)
      • Candy got even better at using the new Docs for responses.
      • Password reset now shows a clear “Your link has expired” screen (links expire after 24 hours).
      • Fixed participant filter inside another participant’s manual assign/unassign page not working properly.
      • Participant Details PhotoTag assignment UI: merged participants no longer incorrectly show PhotoTags as assigned.

      Upload Roster now warns about every unrecognized column.

      📣 Marketing Fixes

      • Fixed edge cases where galleries that were only AI-edited images could cause follow-up email marketing issues and show as 0 images on Participant List.
      • Fixed Day0 marketing edge case not starting if gallery is just AI-edited images.
      • SMS gallery links now include “View photos:” before the gallery URL to reduce confusion where some users thought the gallery link was an unsubscribe link.

      That’s the week! 💫

      Between the Lightroom Classic plugin, the Capture App’s new Network Speed Test, and retail improvements that reduce confusion (and improve performance), this week was packed with practical wins you’ll feel right away.

      Keep it sparkly,

      Candy

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      Event Landing Page: NowCandid's New Option for Event Sharing
      Feature Updates
      September 29, 2023

      Event Landing Page: NowCandid's New Option for Event Sharing

      3
       minutes read
      Hello there, photo enthusiasts! It's your gal Candy, always here with the latest scoops from the world of NowCandid.

      Guess what we just finished cooking up? A brand-new feature that can be helpful to how you share your events. It’s a cool new Event Landing Page feature unique to your NowCandid account. Buckle up as I overview this new addition. 🚀

      A Personal Hub for Your Events 🎡

      Ever dreamt of having a central hub where all your Face Matching Events are displayed neatly? Your wish has just been granted! The Event Landing Page acts as a display window for all your Face Matching Events, providing people with the event name and date for each. However, do note that this page doesn't include Positive ID Events, as they are more inherently geared towards privacy and do not have an All Images Gallery to link to in the first place.

      To access it, head to your Account Settings on the web Dashboard. Choose "Event Landing Configuration" to be able to change your password & copy the link to your landing page! That's it!

      Password Protected Paradise 🛡

      Security is our middle name! Well, not literally, but you get the idea! Your Event Landing Page is nestled safely behind a password of your choosing. This ensures that only those you provide the password can access your page.

      Search Made Simple 🔍

      With the handy search bar nestled at the top, finding an event is as easy as pie. Just type in components of the Event Name and voila, the list trims down to match your search text as you type.

      Your Brand, Loud and Clear 📢

      At the helm of the page, your business name features prominently alongside the advertised contact information of your choice. Whether it's a phone number, email address, or website, it’s all about staying connected with your beloved clientele. Check your account settings to review your advertised business info if you haven't previously!

      A Click into the Gallery 🖼

      A simple click on the Event name whisks the visitor straight into the All Images Gallery for that Event, where watermarked images from the Event can be viewed and purchased.

      Keep Privacy in Mind ❤

      While this feature opens up a new avenue of image sharing, it’s crucial to tread with thoughtfully. Always gauge the comfort of your subjects with having their images accessible in this manner. The default password protection is a gentle push to ensure you are maintaining some degree of boundary. Additionally, always consider whether or not there are any privacy regulations you could be in violation of in your region with a feature such as this.

      To Use or Not to Use, It’s Your Call 📞

      While some may enjoy this cool extra feature, others may find NowCandid’s existing setup satisfying enough! It's all up to you, we just want to provide your more options and more possibilities.

      Until next time!

      Keep those shutters clicking and spirits high,

      • Candy
      QuicPics: Lowering Fees & Trying Something New
      QuicPics
      September 21, 2023

      QuicPics: Lowering Fees & Trying Something New

      7
       minutes read
      Change is in the air at NowCandid!

      It's all about creating more value for you the photographer and enhancing the customer experience! Here's a detailed look at the latest changes we're rolling out for QuicPics and what they mean for you.

      1. More Room to Click with Reduced Fees:

      The upload fee for each image on QuicPics is getting a significant trim, dropping from $0.31 to just $0.20. Our aim? To offer photographers greater flexibility, letting you focus on capturing plenty of shots without being overly conscious about the associated costs.

      2. Unique Price Levels Tailored for QuicPics:

      QuicPics is donning a fresh identity with its Price Levels. No longer a reflection of PartyPics Now, these new levels are designed to specifically enhance the QuicPics experience. There's now an expansive range of specialty products, including blankets, canvas wraps, metal prints, and much more. We've created fun themed packages, set very reasonable prices on premium items, and provided enticing discounts on the full-resolution digital downloads & packages. And here's the cherry on top - to the end consumer, all products come with free shipping!

      + Click here to check out the new Price Levels. +

      3. Lowered Margin:

      With QuicPics' new pricing strategy, photographers can anticipate margins ranging between 10% to 30%. While this is much lower than our other programs, our goal is to bolster the overall volume of sales through reasonable pricing on specialty items. QuicPics sales have been almost non-existent thus far, given you're providing "free" social media size image files of all images to all participants. We think these changes will help bolster the sales of QuicPics Events a bit. And remember, a smaller percentage of a bigger pie can often be more substantial than a larger slice of a smaller pie.

      4. Continuing to Market with a Gentle Touch:

      While we're working hard to boost sales, we're committed to keeping our marketing approach gentle and unobtrusive. With the new QuicPics Price Levels, the removal of weekly price hikes reflects this ethos, ensuring there's zero undue pressure on the end consumer to make a purchase.

      5. The Bigger Picture:

      Our new strategy aims to strike a balance. By nurturing a growth in QuicPics Event sales while ensuring a reasonable margin for NowCandid, we have been able to justify the reduced upload fee. Furthermore, if sales surpass our conservative estimates, we are planning even more substantial fee reductions in the future!

      Some Parting Thoughts:

      While the average sales from QuicPics Events have traditionally been on the modest side, our revamped approach aims to change that narrative. Higher sales volumes, even with the revised margins, should translate to improved profits for our photographers. Reducing the fee per image upload will allow you to both save money and take more images, and more images could result in slightly higher sales as well. We'd like to lower the image per upload fee as low as possible, but need a way to cover costs in the meantime, all while trying to provide a good experience to the end consumer. We hope this new direction can result in a win-win-win for all parties involved. More pictures taken of end consumers and more fun product options, less fees for the photographer, same revenue for NowCandid.

      We're excited!

      We like these changes and truly believe they reflect a balanced mix of value, quality, and profit. Your feedback matters, so if you have thoughts, queries, or concerns, don't hesitate to get in touch.

      Here's to a brighter, more lucrative future with QuicPics!

      New and Improved SportsPics Now Price Levels!
      SportPics
      September 21, 2023

      New and Improved SportsPics Now Price Levels!

      4
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      Hey there, it's Candy! 🍭

      I'm super thrilled to share that we're taking our SportsPics Now Price Levels up a notch!

      Double the Levels, Double the Fun!

      We used to have 5 Price Levels, but guess what? We’ve now expanded to 10! And the cherry on top? The middlemost Price Levels have been adjusted to very closely match the most common & successful prices Volume Sports Photographers tend to charge. Whether you're an experienced Volume Sports Photographer or someone just getting into it, these 10 Price Levels should be able to meet most of your needs!

      New Products

      Hold onto your hats because this is the part that I'm most excited about! We're introducing a plethora of new products for your end consumers to purchase. Want to give your walls a makeover? Our wall clings and cloth banners are perfect for that. Looking to bring photos to life? Dive into our video animations. And that's just scratching the surface! We also have larger statuettes, shimmering metal prints, fun spirit noggins, acrylic cutout magnets, and so much more.

      More Desirable Packages

      Wait, there’s more! Our new and improved packages are curated with your end customers in mind. Each bundle has been thoughtfully put together to offer a mix of products that are most likely to be purchased together, ensuring that more customers can find the package that they are looking for.

      Sample Graphic Improvements

      Our graphics team has made some improvements, and I’m excited to present our new & improved sample graphics on the retail site. Designed to capture attention, they're set to give your sales that extra oomph!

      To sum it all up, SportsPics Now is not just offering more Price Levels, but an entire overhaul!

      As always, if you have any questions or need recommendations, I'm here to help.

      Don't forget to review other blog posts for all the latest updates and offerings. And remember, with NowCandid, every click counts!

      Candy, signing off! 💖🍬📸

      Let’s get in touch

      If you’re a photographer looking to add NowCandid services to your wheelhouse – set up a call by clicking the button below.

      How to customize formatting for each rich text

      How to customize formatting for each rich text

      How to customize formatting for each rich text

      How to customize formatting for each rich text

      How to customize formatting for each rich text
      How to customize formatting for each rich text

      What’s a Rich Text element?

      The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

      A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

      Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

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