Irritating Thing About the Picture People

[C99]

I took Nate to have his 6-weeks photos taken at The Picture People, but even though I signed up for the Photo club, I will never go there again. They failed to mention their policies on reprints, etc., to me when I had the photos taken: they log negatives for 60 days and will ONLY let you buy them after that. This, combined with their slimy tactics to get me to buy more photos, will keep me away for good. I am so pissed off because it's 1 month after I had photos taken and am perfectly willing to pay for the negative for a photo to use it as my announcement photo, but they will not budge. I suppose I could wait another 30 days until they are willing to release the photos, but it's easier to let it go, use a different photo, and find a reputable photographer for the next time instead.

[nigele]

I can't stand the Picture People!! Maybe they will give you a refund on their Photo Club? I know Sears will offer a refund on their club anytime before it expires if you are unhappy, even if you've used it.

[August Mom]

I had DS's first "professional" photo taken at Picture People and we had a very bad experience too. We won't go back. However, I got a different story about the negatives. I was told that they only hold the negatives for 60 days and you can't order them after that unless you belong to the club, in which case they hold the negatives for longer (I thought I was told 6 months, but I could be off on that). I think I would fire off a letter/e-mail to Hallmark (who owns Picture People) and go as high up the chain of supervisors at Picture People as you can and at least try to get the club fee refunded. That is so unfair. BTW, we took our own photo for the announcement and it turned out great. You might be able to do better than Picture People.

[lvp49]

You can try the e-mail, letter thing, but I will tell you that I did that last year after a terrible Christmas picture experience - good pictures, terrible customer service, endless wait. I NEVER heard from them. No acknowledgement of my complaint, no response whatsoever. I've stopped looking for one. (this was Christmas 2001 BTW). This surprised me because I figured that certainly Hallmark would make it right, or at least RESPOND! ( simply send a card !!! LOL) Shame on me, but I have been back, twice I think, but I make sure I am not going when it will be crowded. I just like their picture style. I will NEVER go at Christmas time again. I also never joined their club, and rely on free sitting coupons. I will not pay or sittings anywhere.

I have had great luck with Wal-mart, you can't beat that 4.98 special, only one shot, but for 4.98 who cares, and Sears (did join club there, got suckered in when dd was infant and I wasn't wise to coupons) Sears is doing the solid background and prop thing that is so popular with the PP. K-mart I found to be not so great, but I think it was the 17 year old photographer. My sister goes there almost exclusively ,and gets great results. I've still to try JCPenney, and Target is my next stop I think.

[MartiesMom2B]

Oooh let us know how JCPenney and Target are. I had a horrible experience with the Picture People for my engagement photo (1999). I was thinking of going back to give them one more try with coupon on hand, but after reading that I'm not going to make the effort.

Sonia
Proud Mommy to Martie 4/6/03

[colleenfs]

We've had several good experiences at Target. If you join their photo club, you get $1 off the coupon rate for each sheet. (I got 3 sheets for @ $15 and a free 8x10.) They give you a black and white printout of the proof sheet, but you have to wait about 3 weeks for pick-up. A lot depends on the photographer, but we've seen 2 different people, both were good, and they even got my cranky pants to smile.

Colleen
Mama to Julia 1-10-02

[mspacman2]

Wow, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought Picture People was the pits. Their employees were rude and they don't care if you have an appointment or not, you wait behind whoever else dropped in regardless. We waited nearly 2 hours and it wasn't even a holiday season!

Last Christmas, I decided to just take my own "portraits" at home. I covered a big old cardboard box with wrapping paper and ribbon, put it under the tree and posed my daughter inside. I used my digital camera and the photo turned out great, just like a studio picture. No crowds, no waiting, no rudeness and it cost only pennies!

[August Mom]

After my horrible holiday photo experience with Picture People, I did something similar. I draped a fleece blanket over the back side of a love seat and sat DS in a holiday outfit next to a snowman decoration. I used my digital camera and then uploaded the photo to one of the on-line photo sites and we had our Christmas photo cards without the hassle of Picture People. We got so many compliments on the card and nobody could believe we took our own photo. On the downside, I took LOTS of photos to get the "perfect" one. My poor DS had to wear that outfit every morning for a week for his holiday photo shoot. LOL