Sears Portrait Studio

Sears Portrait Studio's website is misleading

customers concerning their prices. Online

advertisements indicate a portrait package as

advertised $9.99 in one pose. Fine print indicates

that the offer cannot be combined. When trying to

order this package, I was told additional sheets were

$19.99. On other advertised prices, Sears Portrait

Studio indicated a regular price of $7.99 sheet as

noted: (Reg. $7.99). The price of the sheets are only

increased after purchasing that package or on reorders

without a coupon. In addition, the "regular" price of

portraits will also ary based on possible purchase of

a "Collection" package. After researching prices on

the web, I was very upset to find out (only after a

one hour photo session with two infants and three

teenagers) that these prices were misrepresented. I

purchased a "Collection" package just to get the

portraits I needed to send immediately with my

Christmas cards.

When I went to pick up the portraits, I was told that

"extras" were included that could be purchased for an

additional 15.98. This would get the four extras.

One of the portraits was a pose that I thought I had

ordered. The sales girl (I don't know the name -

Transaction #6642 on January 8, 2005) told me that I

had not purchased that pose. I bought the additional

set and went home to check my receipt. My receipt

clearly stated I had purchased that portrait. I

called in and talked with Jessica who stated she was

an assistant manager. She told me that she had

checked in the photos and they had sent me 16

portraits instead of the 15 I purchased so she pulled

one out (that I had purchased) to be included in the

extras. I counted my purchased portrait sheets and I

was only sent the 15 I purchased including the pose I

re-bought. She argued with me and told me there was

no problem with their decision to have me purchase a

photo I had already paid for. I talked with Raphael

in customer service (18662924949) who stated the exact

same thing. I am returning the THREE extras - keeping

the portrait I paid for - and getting my money back.

I was very bothered by their lack of concern when I

was charged twice.

I have PDF files of the advertisements which are

misleading on their website. There were more during

their advertised Holiday packages, but I did not go

back on to get copies of those in time. In several

places there were packages with the print (reg.

$7.99). No where else was a "regular" price stated

and I'm not even sure what the regular price is - it

changes with what you are purchasing (Single sheets

vs. Smile Savers vs. additional to a package vs.

additional to a collection vs. reorders, etc.). A

customer would have no idea of what they will pay

until they have taken their photo's and are now

trapped between paying what the studio demands or

walking out the door and wasting the time and energy

of the photo shoot (which is a difficult prospect when

dealing with young children).

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Comment On This

Any idea how hard it is to capture nice pictures of your little kids? Give the workers a little credit, it's hard as hell. And if they got some decent shots, it is a slap in the face to only order the package. We work so hard, and you ppl have to be so cheap its annoying. Why not take the pictures yourself and save everyone time.

Comment On This

I'm offended that one would say that Walmart Studio photographers are less talented than the Sears photographers. I manage a WMPS and provided the best photography in my area with only the most positive feedback. I was Studio Manager of the Year 2009 and didn't get that award for having bad photography. If you work for Sears or Walmart you have identical training, it depends on the individual not the store.

Comment On This

I got my son's pictures done today at sears. I had a coupon for a 36 picture package for $9.99. There was no sitting fee but you could only get one pose. Then if you wanted to purchase additional sheets it would be $19.99 a sheet. The lady working was trying to convince me to use a 20% off coupon, to make the sheets $7.99. Apparently if you don't purchase the cheap package the sheets are $9.99, not $19.99. Well anyways, I just told her I was going to use my coupon for the $9.99 package and order the rest online. She seemed ticked off that I didn't want to purchase additional sheets, and tried to tell me that if I purchased them online I might have to pay an additional $14.99 fee, plus $19.99 a sheet. So I go online, expecting the worst, and see that sheets are actually $9.99 PLUS free enhancements AND a free 10x13 wall photo. I then searched for Sear's online coupon codes and found one (LAS264) that made the sheets $5.99!!!!! I could not believe how this lady tried to mislead me. I am so happy I decided to order additional sheets offline. I wish I could tell everybody about this. I saw a family order a LOT of poses and sheets. What bothered me the most was how the worker reacted when I did not want to purchase what she wanted me to.

Comment On This

TO CLEAR ALL THE CONFUSION ON PRICES!!!

I currently am an employee of Sears Portrait Studio. First lets talk about the coupons: $4.99, $7.99 & $9.99 All three of these have the same rules. You Can NOT combinde any other offers with these coupons. Now, as far as the $19.99 a sheet for extra sheets, Yes this infact is true. I do not know why, I do not make the rules but Its a ONE pose package. You only get one pose each adtl sheet outside of that is $20. Now If you enhance that package lets say to black and white or even add a name it makes the package $29.00. ALSO, there is an adtl fee for multiple subjects because its a one pose/person package. So Say you have 3 kids one child is "free" the other two would be an adtl $5 a person. So You would be looking at $17.99 for 3 kids no enhancements or extra sheets added. The other deal 6 sheets for $7.99 AND each adtl sheet is $2.99. (unless you enhance sheets it will be more) THEN Super Savers (smile savers) Get Bogo Monday-Thursday, Free 8x10 everyday of the week and NO sitting fee. Also currently our sheets are $9.99 Enhancements are $9.99 I advise people to go to www.searsportrait.com and print off coupons like the 20% off it will mark your sheets & enhancements to $7.99 each. I hope this clears some confusion.

Comment On This

I'm A Sears Portrait Customer, I do Know They are quite expensive, but they have offered me great photography with my portrait sessions... I do know Their sheets are 9.99 natural and 19.99 enhance. That's if you purchase their sheets lacarte, if you do so you are allowed to combine any coupon such as a free collage, free 10x13, or 20% off (only one coupon can be combine) Now, If you purchase the $7.99 package or $9.99 which is a one pose deal any additional sheets are $19.99 natural and $29.99 enhance (It actually explains this where the small description is) That's why they have like other special (that i have personaly gone by) for example their collections those are good deals you get like 15 sheets 10x13's and collages not to mention the CD for like 150 or so i dont quite remember.. they also have the buy one get one free if you're a member like I am... plus they have the buy 6 sheets at regular price 9.99natural or 19.99enhance and the rest are for like 3.99natural and 13.99enhance... im not sure if the prices are accurate but i'm close.. I've taken my cousin's pictures since she was a new born she is now 2 so thats two years i've been a loyal customer and i really can't complain they've given me great customer service.

Comment On This

I completely agree with you . I had PREVIOUSLY been a faithful sears portrait member since my son was first born (really before that when i took my pregnancy pictures), but this past halloween I went in with a coupon that said just that $7.99 a sheet and after i purchased 6 at that price they were dropped to $2.99 a sheet. When i went to get this offer the sales associated told me that all sheets where $20.00 -A SHEET!!! so that meant that if i wanted 4-5 sheets thats would be $100 right there. I was astonished and in disbelief. That automatically put a bad taste in my mouth for the company. Furthermore, a few weeks later I got a coupon in the mail saying the prices a sheet were $7.99!!!! I'm like wait a minute thats not what i was told. I felt it was FALSE advertising at its finest.... I received a call from a sales associate a few weeks after that and I asked them are the sheets still $20.00 and she replied yes and I said that they would never get any more business from me and they have lost a very valued customer....I have nothing but HORRIBLE things to say about them now....Sears used to be a low-moderate priced place to take family photos....now i cant even stand to look in their direction.....sadly im sure they had lost alot of business behind this....because the place was empty. Even when i wa there and they told me about the $20 a sheet price there was an additional family there complaining about the same thing.....sears loss on great and loyal customers....i hope they recognize this is not helping them or there name.

Comment On This

There is nothing misleading about that 4.99, 7.99, or 9.99 coupons for the one pose package. Im currently an assistant manager at sears portrait. First of all, yeah, sheets are 9.99 (used to be 7.99) per sheet. With the one pose package, you are getting 5 sheets at an extremely discounted price. Thats 5 sheets for 5,8,or 10 dollars! As a company and buisness, they will not let you get extra sheets using that package coupon for 9.99. So they charge you 19.99 per sheet. Those package coupons are only good if you really did just get one really good pose...or you just needed one pose.

And on the coupon, it tells you that additional sheets are 19.99. So there is nothing misleading about Sears Portrait Studio. And i definitly dont mislead my customers. im very up front and honest....as i would expect them to be if i went into their place of buisness....im sorry you felt you were misleaded though.

Comment On This

I use to work for a Sears Portrait studio (sorry i speak french, not english)

The fact is that the regular price of sheets is really $19.99

You can order other sheets for 6 months after the shooting at this price.

When you do the photo shoot, the price is 9.99$ because you pay for the session and it's like a special price. I think that since a couple of months the price is $7.99.

When you use a coupon for 35 photos at 19.99 or 9.99, you can't pay the special price for the rest of your photos, and it was written on the coupon !!!

When i worked there, i told people that if they want more than one photo(pose), it's less expensive to buy sheets at 9.99 each instead of use the 19.99$ coupon !

You can't use more than 1 coupon by shooting. It's a business and they have to make their money !

Let's think about that

Eitherway ... if you want to go to wal mart to save money ... let's do that, but you have to know that the studio is own by the same companie ahah

It's not that less expensive and photographer are not real photographs like Sears

You have more quality and more choices at Sears

And last thing ... you believe that it is hard and difficult for you as a parent to go there and dealing with young children ... but think of how hard it is for the photographer when kids don'T cooperate and yell all the time !

We have to pass sometimes like 50 groups of kids a day ...

Comment On This

THis is the exactly what i went through at sears. i have five kids, that i got dressed and wasted my time to take pictures at sears.

I used a coupon for $4.99 package. and wanted to purchase additional poses. But i was told that the sheets are $19.99 ea,

But on another coupon it had said that the sheets were $2.99 after purchasing 6 or more sheets at the regular price of $7.99. So, i assumed that the regular price of the sheets were $7.99. That is around the price or $9.99 at any other studio, which i didnt mind paying.

Plus The photographer was not nice at all when explaining. You would think she owned the studio. She and i have a big argument in the store.

I spoke with the District manager, who was very nice. and gave me a free 8 x10. But that didnt solve the fact that the coupon had a different price and i didnt get to buy extra pictures.

I am very upset, that now i have to redress my kids and take them elsewher.

I will never go back there ever again.

this was the first and last time.

I still have to pick up my pictures, which i havent yet. Then i will see what prices i would pay for the extras.