UPDATE --> Lifetouch has quite a racket going on here.

[Fairy]

Update in Post 55
============

I'm miffed and confused. Lifetouch is the vendor for DS's school pictures. Well, I spend good money on professional portraits once a year, that's already done, and while I do buy a small package of the school pix, it's small, like $20 bucks, tops. Well, yesterday I was down for the count with the flu, and DS comes home with this package of a sheet of magnets and sheet of laminated ... I dunno, tags, the applications for which are limited ... with a note saying if you want them, send $$ by Wednesday, if you don't, send them back.

Now, I'm just confused, here. The two seets of magnets/tags are already made. That means that someone has already expended effort in making them. The materials have been used for my son's set. The resources have already been expended in every way. So, if I don't pay them and give them back, those sheets won't be sellable to anyone else. So, how exactly does that make Lifetouch whole? I make a small stock of jewelry, take them to the store, and they sell them for me. If they don't sell in November, someone may buy them in December. And so on. Not so with these pictures.

I didn't ask for these. I didn't give them permission to make these for me. And if I give them back, they're just going to end up in a dumpster somewhere. My child's photo out there with no controls. I have a problem with this. What are they gonna do if I don't pay?

Anyone else get unsolicited photo product they felt strong-armed into buying? What did you do?

[deborah_r]

Yep, we've discussed this before, but I think it's been a while! It might have been me that asked, because I was shocked when this happened in Kindergarten. And being a total sucker, I bought them. It is a total racket.

I'm more pissed that in the age of digital, I just got my 3rd set in two years (Fall, Spring, Fall) where he is not smiling. Can they not try a little harder to get a smile shot? Really??

[craftysierra]

Our public school does this with the non traditional spring photos and traditional fall photos you pay and pick your package in advance. I am not thrilled with lifetouch either. My kids do the clenched teeth in pain smile....
Sierra

[Green_Tea]

Yes, this is how it's done in many schools now. It seems that you either order upfront, before the picture is even taken, or they send home a package and you can choose to buy them or not. In fact, they did the same thing when I went to Sears to pick up photos I *did* order - in addition to the package I had ordered they had a whole package of prints I *didn't* order ready to to be sold to me. When I declined them, they went right in the trash.

Gives you a sense of the ENORMOUS markup on photos (not referring to private portrait photogs who own their own businesses and need to support themselves, but school picture operations and places like Sears/JC Penney.)

[swissair81]

Lifetouch has been doing this for a while. For sure since my second grader was in 3 year nursery. I hate their pictures. My daughter has maybe 2 pictures from them (in 5 years) that I like. I usually get the smallest package possible & add an 8 x 10 for the heck of it. I also ignore the Spring pictures, unless they actually look nice.

[michellerw]

I am so peeved. They woke up all the babies in the infant room at daycare to take their little portraits. They didn't comb DD's hair. And she looks POed (well, I would too). Also, they are pirates. $65 for the whole package?! REALLY?

[zoestargrove]

what a waste! We have to pre-order from life touch at my son's school. (site unseen)
We do formal pictures on our own and I'm only interested in the class photo, but they only sell the class photo as part of a package. The cheapest package is $20. I've yet to be happy with the picture they actually take.

I'd be livid if they wasted resources by printing out photos and trinkets for every child. I don't understand why they don't provide online access to the photos for a limited time so that you can order what you like.

[inmypjs]

We also have Lifetouch in our schools, and they do the same thing. I just send the stuff back. It annoys me too. Target Portrait Studio and Penneys do the same thing though - when you go to pick up your pictures, they have others printed that you didn't order and they try to get you to buy them.

I have found our local Lifetouch office to be fairly responsive if you have a complaint or concern. I ordered pictures once, didn't like them, and sent them back. I had to call to get the proper procedure for doing that. I called the # on my child's picture envelope - not the # on their web site (they were different for me). I got an office in our state, and the person I talked to seemed interested in my feedback - which was that I didn't like having to place an order without seeing the picture, that their prices were very high compared to other options, and that I didn't like the merchandise being sent home that I never asked for. Who knows if they'll change, but they did listen!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Our public school does this with the non traditional spring photos and traditional fall photos you pay and pick your package in advance. I am not thrilled with lifetouch either. My kids do the clenched teeth in pain smile....
Sierra

Ditto all the way down to the smile.

I hate Lifetouch. We have been lobbying for a change and no one has listened to us. The admin. said that they use them b/c they offer the cheapest packages, which low income families need. I am not sure I buy that.

Beth

[ett]

Lifetouch also does DS1's school pictures and you always have to order and pay for the package before they take the pictures, so I always just order the smallest package that includes a 5x7. They don't do the magnets; what a waste!

DS2's preschool pictures was done by a local photography studio, and we still had to choose and pay in advance.

[TwoBees]

DD day care photos were awful, and the package prices were ridiculous. So we didn't buy any for wither reason. Fortunately they just sent home a brochure. I don't know what company does the photos, but I'll be on the lookout for this, thanks for the warning. If that happened to me, I'd probably march to their local office and insist that they shred the photo package in front of me. And I'll stick with my own digicam and photo printer. I get waaay better candids anyway.

[babychi]

Same thing here...DD's daycare had portraits done by Lifetouch and they sent a huge packet home with us. In the fine print (of course), it specified you had to return the packet if you did not want to be charged. No wallets for us! We had just done professional photos a few weeks before that with quality 500% better than theirs, so we had no need for them.

[Fairy]

I'm not paying.

I'm also not sending them back.

I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm dead freakin' serious.

[LD92599]

Ditto all the way down to the smile.

I hate Lifetouch. We have been lobbying for a change and no one has listened to us. The admin. said that they use them b/c they offer the cheapest packages, which low income families need. I am not sure I buy that.

Beth

Turns out in our town it must be up to the school/pto who they use because our school uses lifetouch and at least one of the others use davis. Turns out Davis is about 1/2 toHe cost of lifetouch, such a difference that i think our school is looking at changing.

[Thatchermom]

It is also up to your school what Lifetouch program they use and how things work (pre-pay, extra printed materials, etc.) Living in a seriously low-income area like I do, they would never send stuff like magnets and such home not paid for, and the most expensive package we had available was around $20. Class pictures were also available individually. We are at public school for the first time this year and were actually pretty pleased with both the process and the results - more so than the professional photographer at DS's private school the last few years!

OP might want to find out who makes the contracts with Lifetouch in their school/district and give them some feedback as well.

[AnnieW625]

Yes, this is how it's done in many schools now. It seems that you either order upfront, before the picture is even taken, or they send home a package and you can choose to buy them or not. In fact, they did the same thing when I went to Sears to pick up photos I *did* order - in addition to the package I had ordered they had a whole package of prints I *didn't* order ready to to be sold to me. When I declined them, they went right in the trash.

Gives you a sense of the ENORMOUS markup on photos (not referring to private portrait photogs who own their own businesses and need to support themselves, but school picture operations and places like Sears/JC Penney.)

Sears, JC Penney, and Target are all owned by Lifetouch. At least at those places you can get a photographer who actually makes your child laugh. I have had decent luck with Target, and Kiddie Kandids, and at least you can see them before you order. I believe when I was in school and we had Lifetouch photos you paid for them before you got them.

[infomama]

We have not used Sears for many years but they did the same thing. I thought it was terrible

[twowhat?]

Our public school does this with the non traditional spring photos and traditional fall photos you pay and pick your package in advance. I am not thrilled with lifetouch either. My kids do the clenched teeth in pain smile....Sierra

THIS!!! I hate Lifetouch- SO expensive. I thought I'd just buy the CD and print myself but the CD - OF ONE FREAKIN' PHOTO - costs $25!!! Not including shipping! Argh!

They just know parents HAVE to shell out some money for these things.

[codex57]

Yeah, we're not big fans either, but at least DS' preschool only sends home packages of pics. No magnets or anything like that. Still, I can't remember the exact price but the whole package was like $70 or $90. Some serious cash for not all that many pics. I mean, seriously, it shouldn't cost $8 for a 5x7. Shoot, if you only get 1 sheet, it's like $20 for that sheet. It only gets more reasonable if you shell out that whole $70 or whatever.

[Fairy]

I just sent a very strongly-worded email to the principle. Here's the last paragraph:

How can you, <Mr. Principal>, allow this? What do you plan to do to address my concerns? I am quite sure you will not be telling me to contact Lifetouch, as this is a service that your school/district has provided, regardless of the vendor. I will not be purchasing this package, and I have no plans to send them back unless and until my security concerns are completely allayed. I await your reply.

While the rest of the email was straight-forward and business-like, this final paragraph was very strong, I acknowledge. Not sure what will happen when push comes to shove. But I'm just more and more ticked as the day progresses.

[mamicka]

I just sent a very strongly-worded email to the principle. Here's the last paragraph:

How can you, <Mr. Principal>, allow this? What do you plan to do to address my concerns? I am quite sure you will not be telling me to contact Lifetouch, as this is a service that your school/district has provided, regardless of the vendor. I will not be purchasing this package, and I have no plans to send them back unless and until my security concerns are completely allayed. I await your reply.

While the rest of the email was straight-forward and business-like, this final paragraph was very strong, I acknowledge. Not sure what will happen when push comes to shove. But I'm just more and more ticked as the day progresses.

I applaud you - I'd feel the same way about it. Please do keep us posted.

[wendibird22]

The district DH works for and our DDs daycare use Lifetouch. This was our first experience with them and the racket of sending home pictures. We had 3 large packages of pics one for each girl and then one of them together. Ever single picture was horrible. Clearly they must not pay staff well and must get enough suckers to purchase the pics to still make a profit despite all the waste.

DH said that a ton of families in his school never pay for or return the pictures and nothing is done about it by the school or Lifetouch.

[alexsmommy]

It is important that parents do this. I complained about this practice on here last year. I also made it very clear I was not. happy. with this ploy... "Mom LOOK! There's a keychain with my picture and we can keep it if you pay!"
I noticed they did not do it this year so I'm guessing I was not the only unhappy parent. You have to let them know that we do not send our children to school to learn about high pressure sales tactics and will not tolerate it. I think your note is completely appropriate.

[Globetrotter]

I hate it when they do that. Like OP said, what a WASTE! I just send them back, though, except for the one I want. I used to buy more, but we have so many portraits!

I think it's done to increase sales as it's harder to say no to pictures that have already been printed!
A lot of studios do this.

[lablover]

We have Lifetouch also and received the junk last year in K. Funny, just today our principal sent home a form saying that they will be sending home magnets and laminated sheets home next week but we can opt out of the program by signing the form and returning it this week. Our form is signed and ready to be sent back tomorrow! I guess enough people complained!

[TwinFoxes]

I think there are laws in some states saying you don't have to pay or return unsolicited merchandise. (I so dont have a law degree, btw, don't quote me!)

http://law.justia.com/illinois/codes/2005/chapter67/2353.html

[buddyleebaby]

My DD's school used lifetouch...we had to pay in advance, and the "retake" day was scheduled for 3 days after the first photo day...and a month before we actually got our photos. :shrug:

When they finally came in...they were not good. DD was grimacing and her head was at a weird angle. It was OBVIOUSLY not a good photo even if you didn't know her, kwim? I was not even half-tempted to keep them.

The class photo, she looked really cute in.

Anyway, I didn't feel any pressure, even though I had already paid. I paid for a service, and IMO, they didn't deliver. I called and they offered me a refund minus the class photo (7 dollars), which I told them I wanted to keep. I mailed the ones I was returning (and the CD) back to them in the envelope they came home in.

I guess I don't see it much differently from what they do at picture people...ask you to hold on and then bring out a big frame with pics of your kids.

[Green_Tea]

Sears, JC Penney, and Target are all owned by Lifetouch. At least at those places you can get a photographer who actually makes your child laugh. I have had decent luck with Target, and Kiddie Kandids, and at least you can see them before you order. I believe when I was in school and we had Lifetouch photos you paid for them before you got them.

Oh, interesting. Didn't know that. We had decent experiences at Target when DD1 was a baby, but the pics we had done last month at Sears were laughably bad, so bad that I came home and took my own pics in the backyard that look more professional. Never again.

[Fairy]

I think there are laws in some states saying you don't have to pay or return unsolicited merchandise. (I so dont have a law degree, btw, don't quote me!)

http://law.justia.com/illinois/codes/2005/chapter67/2353.html

Twin, THANK YOU for this. Any attys wanna jump in here? This looks pretty good to me. Thoughts?

[Fairy]

I guess I don't see it much differently from what they do at picture people...ask you to hold on and then bring out a big frame with pics of your kids.

Which is also unsolicited product, not to mention a strong-arm tactic, insecure, and unethical, AFAIC.

[wildfire]

At our daycare they used Lifetouch and we were told that if we did not return the photos and did not pay online or via check, the amount would be added to our weekly tuition.

[Naranjadia]

I think there are laws in some states saying you don't have to pay or return unsolicited merchandise. (I so dont have a law degree, btw, don't quote me!)

http://law.justia.com/illinois/codes/2005/chapter67/2353.html

Fairy - good for you for taking this on. School pics are such a rip, anyway - even in preschool.

I am not a lawyer, but I know that you don't have to pay for unsolicited merchandise via USPS. I don't know if that is a postal regulation or something pertaining to all unsolicited merchandise.

[Fairy]

Fairy - good for you for taking this on. School pics are such a rip, anyway - even in preschool.

I am not a lawyer, but I know that you don't have to pay for unsolicited merchandise via USPS. I don't know if that is a postal regulation or something pertaining to all unsolicited merchandise.

It was thru the backpacks. USBPM: US Back Pack Mail. Heh. Hoping it applies. Luckily this is public school, and they don't have my credit card on file

[ahisma]

DD's school uses them, but they don't send the packets home anymore.

DH is a teacher and his school uses them too. A few years back they sent the packet home with him to order, complete with keychains. Because, you know, I need a keychain with DH's staff ID photo. They may still do it for all I know, he hasn't brought another one home though.

[srhs]

Just going to tiptoe in because I don't think it's been mentioned, but many schools choose Lifetouch as a dual purpose...as a fundraiser too. I quickly tried to find something on the site to verify just so ya'll didn't think I was making stuff up:

"In many cases, a portion of the portrait purchase price may be returned to the school or sponsoring organization as part of its fund-raising activities."
Last sentence here (http://schoolportraits.lifetouch.com/portraitday/commonquestions/index.aspx#Q14).

Just wanted to mention this angle.

[Sillygirl]

I was wondering about the unsolicited merchandise angle also. Go Fairy! Don't send them back and don't pay for them. We went once to JC Penney and they came out with our order plus a whole bunch of other printed photos to try to get us to buy more. I was so turned off we never went back.

[pharmjenn]

How about shredding the photos and sending them back? Might give you some satisfaction, and you would know the photos weren't lying around with your childs photo. People do it with credit cards, so why not photos

[octmom]

Our public school does this with the non traditional spring photos and traditional fall photos you pay and pick your package in advance. I am not thrilled with lifetouch either. My kids do the clenched teeth in pain smile....
Sierra

DS's school used LifeTouch too and his photos have been baaaaad. Last year's (K) was just dopey with his shoulders all hunched up. This year's was awful, with a really awkward, clenched teeth smile. We decided he should do the re-take and it might be even worse. He looks like he is having an anxiety attack or something. There is no other re-take opportunity and this will go in the school yearbook. Lovely. They do individual shots in the fall (order package in advance of seeing pix) and class photos in the spring (also order in advance). I really don't think that LifeTouch does a god job at all, Everything is digital. They KNOW if a photo is awful. Delete it and snap another for crying out loud!

[TwinFoxes]

How about shredding the photos and sending them back? Might give you some satisfaction, and you would know the photos weren't lying around with your childs photo. People do it with credit cards, so why not photos

Ooh, I like this one.

[Fairy]

How about shredding the photos and sending them back? Might give you some satisfaction, and you would know the photos weren't lying around with your childs photo. People do it with credit cards, so why not photos

Not bad. Will keep this in my back pocket.

[Corie]

Picture People *used* to do this too! Now they gone digital.

But I remember back when I would get my kids pictures done there,
they would come out with sheets and sheets of pictures already printed.

And then I'd only buy ONE sheet with my coupon. So all the other
500 sheets of pictures were dumped.

[wendibird22]

Just going to tiptoe in because I don't think it's been mentioned, but many schools choose Lifetouch as a dual purpose...as a fundraiser too. I quickly tried to find something on the site to verify just so ya'll didn't think I was making stuff up:

"In many cases, a portion of the portrait purchase price may be returned to the school or sponsoring organization as part of its fund-raising activities."
Last sentence here (http://schoolportraits.lifetouch.com/portraitday/commonquestions/index.aspx#Q14).

Just wanted to mention this angle.

Yes, DH says it is fundraising for his school because I bit$hed when daycare did Lifetouch one week and Clix the following week and I was like WTH is up with school pics 2 weeks in a row. Well, Clix gives you a proof sheet the same day and takes WAY better pictures. The only thing I don't like about them is you can't combine pics from different sittings in one package so I'd have to order 3 separate packages to get pics of DD1, DD2 and DDs together.

[ett]

Picture People *used* to do this too! Now they gone digital.

But I remember back when I would get my kids pictures done there,
they would come out with sheets and sheets of pictures already printed.

And then I'd only buy ONE sheet with my coupon. So all the other
500 sheets of pictures were dumped.

I remember that too. That really turned me off.

[egoldber]

I HATE school photos with a passion. My younger DD generally takes a cute picture, but older DD totally does the grimace smile and hers are always terrible. They don't send home a big packet that you have to return though. I suspect this may not be as popular in large public districts because most parents probably would not bother to send them back.

And how do you explain to your kid that you don't want their school photo because it is a terrible picture of them???

[buddyleebaby]

Picture People *used* to do this too! Now they gone digital.

But I remember back when I would get my kids pictures done there,
they would come out with sheets and sheets of pictures already printed.

And then I'd only buy ONE sheet with my coupon. So all the other
500 sheets of pictures were dumped.

Mine lets you view all the photos digitally...but comes out with a huge frame full of printed ones at the same time.
Does yours not do that anymore? That's great!

[noodle]

I kept the packet last year.
And I didn't pay for it.
I asked the office manager if the school was charged for unreturned keychain/bookmark packages (I asked this question in earnest, because I work pt in one of the k classrooms, and, seriously, having seen these children pack their backpacks, it's a wonder anything makes it home -- the USBPM indeed). Once she assured me the school wouldn't be penalized, I neglected :innocent: to return DS's packet.
I lodged complaints with the principal and lifetouch as well, because I HATE the idea of parents having to explain to their children that they -- for whatever reason -- don't want these pictures of them. And the waste! Ugh.
Just wanted to let you know you're not the only (potential) school photo scofflaw.;)

[Fairy]

Picture People *used* to do this too! Now they gone digital.

But I remember back when I would get my kids pictures done there,
they would come out with sheets and sheets of pictures already printed.

And then I'd only buy ONE sheet with my coupon. So all the other
500 sheets of pictures were dumped.

I believe once they're dumped they are public domain. So, you can go in and get them. Any lawyers know the answer to that? I mean, not that I'd be crawling in a dumpster ...

[Fairy]

I kept the packet last year.
And I didn't pay for it.
I asked the office manager if the school was charged for unreturned keychain/bookmark packages (I asked this question in earnest, because I work pt in one of the k classrooms, and, seriously, having seen these children pack their backpacks, it's a wonder anything makes it home -- the USBPM indeed). Once she assured me the school wouldn't be penalized, I neglected :innocent: to return DS's packet.
I lodged complaints with the principal and lifetouch as well, because I HATE the idea of parents having to explain to their children that they -- for whatever reason -- don't want these pictures of them. And the waste! Ugh.
Just wanted to let you know you're not the only (potential) school photo scofflaw.;)

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[Corie]

I believe once they're dumped they are public domain. So, you can go in and get them. Any lawyers know the answer to that? I mean, not that I'd be crawling in a dumpster ...


I saw her put them all in the Picture People trashcan behind the counter.

That would have been hysterical if I walked behind the counter and took
them out of the trash! Not sure if I'm *that* ballsy!

[Corie]

Mine lets you view all the photos digitally...but comes out with a huge frame full of printed ones at the same time.
Does yours not do that anymore? That's great!


I have not been to a Picture People in years!! But we just went
there over Thanksgiving to get a picture of all the cousins together
with Papa & Nana. Everything was done digitally. There were no
printed pictures for us to view.

[Fairy]

I have not been to a Picture People in years!! But we just went
there over Thanksgiving to get a picture of all the cousins together
with Papa & Nana. Everything was done digitally. There were no
printed pictures for us to view.

I will say, the one and only time we did the Picture People, it was about 12 years ago, and I recall it all being one sheet of proofs that my SIL picked one shot from, and then they printed her package; this was before digital and a really long time ago.

Now, I went to one of those costumy places on the begging of my mother -- I forget the name, some cutesy name -- and I hated it. That was all digital, and I do seem to remember them making all kinds of extra prints that I didn't ask for. This was a good 5 years ago now, but I am pretty sure.

[Roni]

Our public school does this with the non traditional spring photos and traditional fall photos you pay and pick your package in advance. I am not thrilled with lifetouch either. My kids do the clenched teeth in pain smile....
Sierra

Our schools do that, too. Grrr. I only bought a couple of the Spring pics last year, though.

I do have to say that DD2 had a terrible smile this year, so we did retakes. The second picture came out awesome. DD sid they took two and let her see them. Obviously they wanted their money, but I was happy they took the time.

[dcmom2b3]

It is also up to your school what Lifetouch program they use and how things work (pre-pay, extra printed materials, etc.) Living in a seriously low-income area like I do, they would never send stuff like magnets and such home not paid for, and the most expensive package we had available was around $20. Class pictures were also available individually. We are at public school for the first time this year and were actually pretty pleased with both the process and the results - more so than the professional photographer at DS's private school the last few years!

OP might want to find out who makes the contracts with Lifetouch in their school/district and give them some feedback as well.

:yeahthat:

DS's nursery school used Lifetouch and we didn't a pre payment requirement, nor did we have magnets and tags sent home w/o ordering. Rather, it was the full-freight $65 package. Take and pay for what you want, return the rest. Order more if you like. Not optimal, but still okay by me.

In fact, much, much better than the fly-by-night-pay-up-front-in-exact-change-cash-or-money-order photographer that DDs public school has chosen to use for the latest round of photos. With package options that were just silly -- no more than 4 wallets available, tying key chains to packages with more than one 4x6 . . . Impossible to accommodate all grandparents without ordering key chains . . . Gah.

I'd rather deal with Lifetouch. Hello greener grass . . .

[WolfpackMom]

Fairy-
Did the principal email you back today?

[Fairy]

Well, this was a very good result, lemme tell ya. The principal called me the very next day and we had a long talk. He said they weren't sure about this approach to begin with and thought they'd give it a try (they do get some $$ at the school-level, but less then four figures). He said that he appreciated my email, agreed with all my points, and that he had a few other pieces of feedback to this effect. As a result, they're:

a) Not going to do this again.
b) Not going to do this approach as planned in the Spring but will do it the regular way as in the fall.
c) Not require anyone to retun the product; this is before I mentioned the Illinois law TwinFoxes found.
d) Asked me to forward him the Illinois Law, which I did, and he replied with thanks.

This principal has a not great reputation; people think he's a doof. I have no experience with him (other than this, now), but he seemed ok to me. Still, I was floored that he agreed with all of my points and took this kind of positive action without a fight. I was thrilled. I thanked him profusely and said I'd destroy the product in good faith, and he agreed. Which I will as soon as we all stop puking around here.

I don't know if I'm lucky to have a responsive school, if this particular issue is tenuous beyond my "customer-facing" view and so the kibosh was in the offing anyway, or if I'm just plain lucky. But so far so good!

It pays to speak up!