Not happy with JCPenney Portrait Studio (long rant)

[decker96]

Okay, I always get all my kids' (7, 4 and 1) pictures taken at Sears, I have since my oldest was a baby. I had all their individual pictures done there last month and they all turned out really well as usual.
I got a coupon from JCPenney for a free sitting fee, free 8 x 10 and all other sheets, $3.99. My sister had my niece's 9-month photos taken at the Penney's in her town and they turned out really cute. I wanted to get group shots of them in their Christmas outfits, so since I had the coupon I decided to give them a try.
Big mistake!! We waited for a 1/2 hour after our appointment time before we finally got in there. The woman who was taking them was a real witch!!! (can't say what I really want to call her). She was very short with the kids and really did not try to get them to smile at all. As long as they were all looking at the camera, she snapped the shot. I told her we wanted Christmas props and backgrounds. She kept up a black background the whole time and the only prop she used was a little sleigh that she had DD1 sit in for a couple shots while the other kids sat next to it. They had a Christmas tree, presents and some other stuff, but she never used them.
At one point, I had walked up to wipe some drool off DD1's chin (which she pointed out to me). When I stepped back, she yells, "Watch out for the camera!" (they use hand-held ones). I had bumped it with my heel, not stepped on mind you, just softly bumped it. I apologized and she picked it up and said very snotty "It's only worth 10,000 dollars!" Well, then why did you lay it on the floor where it could get stepped on!
Once we were done, it takes 20 minutes for them to load the pics into the computer (at Sears this takes about 2 minutes) and "enhance" them which basically means they put some borders around some of them and make some black and white. My kids had totally had it by this point, but we had to wait around for another 20 minutes.
Out of the 16 pictures that they loaded in 2 of them were just okay, meaning they're all looking at the camera but they may or may not be smiling. I did tell the girl who was helping me at the computer (not the same one that took the pics) that I really wasn't too happy with them and she apologized, but what can she do, she didn't take them. I did end up ordering some for the grandparents and the aunts and uncles, but only because I didn't want to go through the hassle of getting them all dressed up again and dragging them to the mall.
Needless to say I will NOT be returning to Penney's again!

 

[Beth76]

Sounds more like a problem with the photographer rather than with JCP. You should call the manager and tell what happened (maybe you'll even get some coupons). As far as waiting goes, I would imagine that's kind of how it around around xmas time. I'm sorry you didn't like how your pics turned out.

 

[Disney Princess 6]

.....................

 

[decker96]

I'm sure it was just the photographer we got. Liek I said, my niece's pics from there turned out really cute. I did try to get an earlier appointment, but 11:30 was all they had for today. DD7 was off school for a workshop day, so I really wanted to get in today. That's why I took the appointment.
As far as contacting the manager, unfortunately I think this woman WAS the mananger. She was the only taking pics, the other two were only doing the computer and answering the phone. I don't know for sure, of course, I could check it out when I go in to pick up my order.

 

[KathyTX]

Just an FYI- the photo studios of both Sears and JCPenney are run by third party companies. Sears is CPI, JCPenney is Lifetouch. These are operations that lease space in the stores and contract to use the company name.

I would make a written account of your problems and send it to the store manager (not the photo studio) where the studio is located, and let them take it up with the photo studio management.

The photographers used by all of these operations (as well as the other "mall" photography places) are very rarely actually photographers. They are just people who have been trained to use the equipment. They could just as easily be the people working the drive through window at McDonalds. The quality of your experience, as well as the quality of your photos, will vary tremendously from studio to studio and photographer to photographer.

Sorry you had such a frustrating day.

 

[AmyJ of Ca]

We've been using JCP for pictures for years but the other day when I scheduled an appt for Xmas pics the lady on the phone was acually arguing with me about what I was putting on my kids. I thought that took a lot of nerve. It was almost like my Mom was reicarnated and was trying to tell me what to do again. I just hope she isn't the one who is taking the pictures also!! I might have to deck the lady. (Just kidding, My kids would only use it against me in their next he hit me,she hit me first fight!!)