The Company and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
The Company and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	Note 1 - The Company and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Shutterfly, Inc., (the “Company”) was incorporated in the state of Delaware in 1999 and began its services in December 1999. The Company is an Internet-based social expression and personal publishing service that enables customers to share, print and preserve their memories by leveraging a technology-based platform and manufacturing processes. The Company provides customers a full range of products and services to organize and archive digital images; share pictures; order prints and create an assortment of personalized items such as photo books, greeting cards and stationery and calendars. The Company also provides commercial print services: printing and shipping of direct marketing and other variable data print products and formats. The Company is headquartered in Redwood City, California. Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for interim financial information and, accordingly, do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Shutterfly, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting primarily of normal recurring accruals, considered necessary for a fair statement of the Company's results of operations for the interim periods reported and of its financial condition as of the date of the interim balance sheet have been included. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2012, or for any other period. The December 31, 2011 condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes for the year ended December 31, 2011 included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K. Fair Value The Company records its financial assets and liabilities at fair value. The accounting standard for fair value provides a framework for measuring fair value, clarifies the definition of fair value, and expands disclosures regarding fair value measurements. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the reporting date. The accounting standard establishes a three-tier hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in the valuation methodologies in measuring fair value: Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities Level 2 – Inputs other than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. Level 3 – Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. As of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the Company had cash of $85.2 million and $121.2 million, respectively, and cash equivalents of $58.7 million and $58.7 million, respectively, which are classified in the Level 1 hierarchy. Income Taxes The Company uses the liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized by applying the statutory tax rates in effect in the years in which the differences between the financial reporting and tax filing bases of existing assets and liabilities are expected to reverse. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amounts expected to be realized. The Company reports a liability for unrecognized tax benefits resulting from uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The application of income tax law is inherently complex. Laws and regulations in this area are voluminous and are often ambiguous. The Company is required to make subjective assumptions and judgments regarding its income tax exposures. Interpretations and guidance surrounding income tax laws and regulations change over time. As such, changes in the Company's subjective assumptions and judgments can materially affect amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets and statements of operations. The Company's policy is to recognize interest and /or penalties related to all tax positions in income tax expense. To the extent that accrued interest and penalties do not ultimately become payable, amounts accrued will be reduced and reflected as a reduction of the overall income tax provision in the period that such determination is made. No interest and penalties were accrued as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011. The Company is subject to taxation in the United States, California and fifteen other jurisdictions in the United States. At March 31, 2012, the Company had approximately $41.1 million, $55.1 million, and $20.3 million of federal, California and other state jurisdictions net operating loss carryforwards, respectively, to reduce future taxable income, $39.5 million, $29.9 million and $20.3 million of which is associated with windfall tax benefits, respectively, that will be recorded as additional paid-in capital when realized. These carryforwards will expire beginning in the year 2028 and 2013 for federal and California purposes, respectively, and no sooner than 2022 for the portion related to 15 other state jurisdictions, if not utilized. The Company believes these deferred tax assets will be realized and as such, no valuation allowance has been set up. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued new accounting guidance intended to simplify goodwill impairment testing. Entities will be allowed to perform a qualitative assessment on goodwill impairment to determine whether a quantitative assessment is necessary. This guidance is effective for the Company's interim and annual periods beginning January 1, 2012. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Note 1 - The Company and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Shutterfly, Inc., (the “Company”) was incorporated in the state of Delaware in 1999 and began its services in December 1999. The Company is an Internet-based social expression and personal publishing service that enables customers to share, print and preserve their memories by leveraging a technology-based platform and manufacturing processes. The Company provides customers a full range of products and services to organize and archive digital images; share pictures; order prints and create an assortment of personalized items such as photo books, greeting cards and stationery and calendars. The Company also provides commercial print services: printing and shipping of direct marketing and other variable data print products and formats. The Company is headquartered in Redwood City, California.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for interim financial information and, accordingly, do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Shutterfly, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting primarily of normal recurring accruals, considered necessary for a fair statement of the Company's results of operations for the interim periods reported and of its financial condition as of the date of the interim balance sheet have been included. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2012, or for any other period.

The December 31, 2011 condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes for the year ended December 31, 2011 included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Fair Value

The Company records its financial assets and liabilities at fair value. The accounting standard for fair value provides a framework for measuring fair value, clarifies the definition of fair value, and expands disclosures regarding fair value measurements. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the reporting date. The accounting standard establishes a three-tier hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in the valuation methodologies in measuring fair value:

Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities

Level 2 – Inputs other than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

As of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the Company had cash of $85.2 million and $121.2 million, respectively, and cash equivalents of $58.7 million and $58.7 million, respectively, which are classified in the Level 1 hierarchy.

Income Taxes

The Company uses the liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized by applying the statutory tax rates in effect in the years in which the differences between the financial reporting and tax filing bases of existing assets and liabilities are expected to reverse. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amounts expected to be realized.

The Company reports a liability for unrecognized tax benefits resulting from uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The application of income tax law is inherently complex. Laws and regulations in this area are voluminous and are often ambiguous. The Company is required to make subjective assumptions and judgments regarding its income tax exposures. Interpretations and guidance surrounding income tax laws and regulations change over time. As such, changes in the Company's subjective assumptions and judgments can materially affect amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets and statements of operations.

The Company's policy is to recognize interest and /or penalties related to all tax positions in income tax expense. To the extent that accrued interest and penalties do not ultimately become payable, amounts accrued will be reduced and reflected as a reduction of the overall income tax provision in the period that such determination is made. No interest and penalties were accrued as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011.

The Company is subject to taxation in the United States, California and fifteen other jurisdictions in the United States.

At March 31, 2012, the Company had approximately $41.1 million, $55.1 million, and $20.3 million of federal, California and other state jurisdictions net operating loss carryforwards, respectively, to reduce future taxable income, $39.5 million, $29.9 million and $20.3 million of which is associated with windfall tax benefits, respectively, that will be recorded as additional paid-in capital when realized. These carryforwards will expire beginning in the year 2028 and 2013 for federal and California purposes, respectively, and no sooner than 2022 for the portion related to 15 other state jurisdictions, if not utilized. The Company believes these deferred tax assets will be realized and as such, no valuation allowance has been set up.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued new accounting guidance intended to simplify goodwill impairment testing. Entities will be allowed to perform a qualitative assessment on goodwill impairment to determine whether a quantitative assessment is necessary. This guidance is effective for the Company's interim and annual periods beginning January 1, 2012. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.