Thread: Walmart portrait studio

I took my three kids to the Walmart Portrait Studio on the 19th of December which is the day after you can get your portraits back for christmas in time. My thinking they wouldn't be that crowded. There was a couple already getting pics of there two small children done. No one else was waiting and there was only one lady working there but I though it wouldn't be to bad since the other people had already started there session. We waited 30 minutes for her to finish with these two kids then help them select the pictures they wanted. She told us to go ahead and go back and she would be right with us. About 25 minutes later she finally starts taking the pictures for my kids after having helped several people who kept coming up to get there portraits and checking them out. All throughout our session she kept stopping to check other people out who just came to get their pics. She never said sorry for the delay until I mentioned it to her. By the time we were finished we had been there for two hours. My kids were sooo done with being there. If they had had two people working there we would most likely have been done in less than an hour.

The only reason I had gone there was because the year before we had gone as a family and they had screwed our portraits up by having a big waterspot right on my daughters bangs. It was very noticable and on every single print of the family picture. They issued us a credit for $38.99 so I needed to use it up.

I went to pick the pictures up on the 27th (they were supposed to be back by the 26th) and they couldn't find them. They said they would search and call me. Yesterday I called them and they said the place that prints the pictures was looking to find out what happened to them and they would call back when they knew. That was yesterday, early afternoon. I've just called them again and left a message on the answering machine asking for them to call back with info. I personaaly don't think they're going to find the pictures because all the other pictures from the roll of film did come back to the studio.

I want a refund if they can't find the pics even though it was a credit. I paid the year before for crappy pictures and now after an awful two hour experience they've lost the new pics.

I am just so mad.

Sorry this was so long guys.

when my oldest ds was just a tiny little baby we went to get pics done at wal-mart and he was sitting there on the little stand they have and the lady just walked away, Never said anything like put your hand behind to hold him up or anything. I had told her a few times he cant sit up on his own. what happened next?? yup you guessed it, he started falling head first off the stand. If I were any father away I would not have been able to catch him. She never said anything about it, never offered to give a discount or anything, and yes she seen it happen also.

I dont like wal-mart pictures, but it is the cheapest place. I just make sure I am really close to the stand now, they may look at me strange but I dont care.

We have a new Sears Grand that has a portrait studio. I am going to pay $30 for the smilesavers plan which is unlimited sitting fees for two years. We used to go to sears but the Walmart opened less than a mile from us and I just thought it was more convienent. Oh well for that thought. The new Sears is in the same shopping compex now though. Thank goodness. If Walmart won't refund me though I'm going to have to wait at least a month to save the money for the smilesavers plan. My son tuned 2 on Dec 20th and part of the pictures were his birthday pictures.

Patchouli you are so lucky you had a good experience. I guess this is one of those cases where you get what you pay for.

double post! sorry!

Originally posted by ttistin
when my oldest ds was just a tiny little baby we went to get pics done at wal-mart and he was sitting there on the little stand they have and the lady just walked away, Never said anything like put your hand behind to hold him up or anything. I had told her a few times he cant sit up on his own. what happened next?? yup you guessed it, he started falling head first off the stand. If I were any father away I would not have been able to catch him. She never said anything about it, never offered to give a discount or anything, and yes she seen it happen also.

This is just a comment, but, why would anyone walk away from their child, leaving them sitting on a table? I'll never understand it. I've had parents try that at my studio many times, and it just drives me insane. One of my girls just recently had a daddy hand supporting his 4 month old, and when she took her first shot, he just let go and got up and headed to the monitor to see the pictures, the baby fell face first off the table. I mean honestly, would you set your baby on your kitchen table and walk off,,,I think not. If he wasn't sitting up on his own,,,you knew it for sure, why weren't you holding him up? Granted, if she saw it happen she should have in some way commented about it, but why should she have given a discount for you not 'supporting' your child in sitting up.

Just to add, she shouldn't be looking at you strange when you're by your child during your portrait session,,,she should be insisting on it.

I'm really, honestly and truely not snapping, but, our children's safety is OUR responsibility.

As for the OP, DEMAND your money back and head over to Sears,,,

oops

I've gone to them since DS (8)was born pretty much (after paying too much at other places..and this is always MIL's gift to us), and was happy until this year..
They did the pics (they took forever too, DD, 22 months old got to the had enough & crying point), while they're trying to upsell 20 different packages I asked flat out if I could order more prints when I picked up my package ($12.95, I couldn't use my coupon I was sent because they took WEEKS to return calls for an appt...irk #1), they said yes, but I only had a few weeks to do so, I told them no problem I'd know for sure when I got my pics (with my hours being cut & Christmas I didn't want to go all out, and did NOT want MIL to pay for extras, but I have few pics of the kids together and ESP. since we skipped school pics of DS this year), so I decide to pay the $10 for the picture disk (that looks horrible, they said it'd be emailable, the pics are super grainy), get DH to help pick for the cheapest package ($40), go to pick up my pics, they tell me the proofs that I was told were still free (and used to be free) were now $20(irk #2), AND I couldn't order reprints for a few more weeks, but before 6 weeks (irk #3)UGH so all total 42.95 from a 12.95 "deal" and I may not get the other pics..too bad DH was there to keep me from going off ..I'm not planning on going back..
They used to be so much better..