Unsolicited school pictures that you have to pay for or return

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

If that's the way you feel, then please send me your address, because once again, I have a great business idea. I'll just send you a notification first, then if you don't send a reply telling me you don't want the product, you are "going along with my plan" and that makes the products I send you "solicited". So I can send you stuff every week and require you to pay for it or send it back. Woohoo, I'm going to be rich!

and I'll be your 1st stock holder.

 

[mill4023]

It's not like they are requiring you to package the pictures up and drive over to the post office. Just slide them right back in your child's backpack.

I would be the first one to say stand up on principal, but this seems like a lose-lose-lose situation. The photo company loses the money for the pictures they don't get back, the teacher loses out on time and effort trying to track down the pictures or money, and the kid loses because the teacher tries to get the parents to cooperate through the kid. Why make such a big deal over something so small?

How does the photo company lose money for pictures they don't get back?
If I sent them back, they have no value to them and they would be thrown away.

I'm making a big deal about it because I don't like having my children used as pawns in a marketing strategy that is designed to make money for the photography studio by making parents feel guilty about having to tell their kids they don't want to keep the cute pictures they just brought home.

I'm making a big deal about it because I should not have to take ANY action, no matter how small or trivial, to avoid having to pay for something that I did NOT order.

 

[kirstenb1]

Not that it matters, but I'm the father, not the mother.

I'm not sure why you decided to go to name calling when we seemed to be having a pretty civil discussion on the subject, with plenty of differing opinions on both sides.

You're right that was uncool, and I apologize. Please see the bigger issue though: your child is very young with many years of school ahead. There will be really important, hopefully infrequent battles. Once people perceive you as someone who sweat the "small" stuff, it will be hard for you to bring credibility to the larger ones.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

...But what I said is that it was annoying and shady and that parents have no obligation to return the pictures or pay for them. In other words, they are legally allowed to ask, but they have no right to force the issue.

Agreed - in our case, they asked once and dropped it. Is this not typical?

 

[npmommie]

How does the photo company lose money for pictures they don't get back?
If I sent them back, they have no value to them and they would be thrown away.

I'm making a big deal about it because I don't like having my children used as pawns in a marketing strategy that is designed to make money for the photography studio by making parents feel guilty about having to tell their kids they don't want to keep the cute pictures they just brought home.

I'm making a big deal about it because I should not have to take ANY action, no matter how small or trivial, to avoid having to pay for something that I did NOT order.

OP I bet there are other parents who feel the same way you do, but just don't speak up.
wonder if you could find out somehow, start talking and I bet you will find out there are others who feel as you do.

 

[PaulaSue]

OP and others...Our new school does this and I can tell you from being on the PTO that the school gets a kickback from both picture sales (one ordered in the fall and one set home in spring).

 

[disney_mommy]

How does the photo company lose money for pictures they don't get back?
If I sent them back, they have no value to them and they would be thrown away.

I'm making a big deal about it because I don't like having my children used as pawns in a marketing strategy that is designed to make money for the photography studio by making parents feel guilty about having to tell their kids they don't want to keep the cute pictures they just brought home.

I'm making a big deal about it because I should not have to take ANY action, no matter how small or trivial, to avoid having to pay for something that I did NOT order.

They lose the money because they don't know if you kept the pictures or not.

I don't think they're using your kids as a pawn so much as they've come up with a new marketing strategy. And I'm sure it's working for them or they wouldn't keep doing it. If you feel guilty telling your kids no, that's your problem, not the photo people's.

 

[mjkacmom]

I love this idea.

How dare a company come into a school, take a picture of my child and then send it home demanding action (pay or give them back to be shredded) on my part.

What if they start doing this with more items (candy sales, Tupperware, Scentsy Sales, etc). I don’t want things sent home from companies without my consent. Don't use the school data base to sell your overpriced items.

You do realize that the parents, with the school's permission, invite the photographer to the school, and that this has been going on since the invention of photography, right? That's it is a popular fundraiser, bringing in money to buy things for your child's school? That the majority of parents would prefer this (which can cost them nothing in terms of money and time), than selling nuts, candy, and overpriced wrapping paper.

Personally, I never take the pictures out of the backpack - my kids know I'm not going to (they always have a fake background - yuck). I do buy the fall ones (sight unseen when I write my check), because there is no background, but I'd much rather see the photos before committing to buying them!

 

[mjkacmom]

my kids are homeschooled so we don't deal with this, but we do deal with sports photos, team photos etc. they always inform when this will occur and ask you to sign off if you don't want your kid included.
then they only give you a proof so you can see the pic then decide if you want it. they don't print it til you pay for it.

which makes way more sense to me.
seems very costly and wasteful the way the school is doing it.

Really? Just so you know, that is very rare. Either you write the check at the time the pictures are taken, or they send the pictures home, and you choose which ones to buy. Never have I ever heard of a school or sports photographer (and my boys are on 4 teams each season, and we've dealt with MANY of them) allowing you to see a proof, and then decide what you are buying - and never heard of it happening elsewhere. I don't think it's the norm.

And the school is not doing it - they're not losing money! The school gets $ for every child photographed - it's up to the photographer how it's done.

 

[npmommie]

Really? Just so you know, that is very rare. Either you write the check at the time the pictures are taken, or they send the pictures home, and you choose which ones to buy. Never have I ever heard of a school or sports photographer (and my boys are on 4 teams each season, and we've dealt with MANY of them) allowing you to see a proof, and then decide what you are buying - and never heard of it happening elsewhere. I don't think it's the norm.

And the school is not doing it - they're not losing money! The school gets $ for every child photographed - it's up to the photographer how it's done.

we actually just did it for gymnastics team and individual photos. I saw the proof then wrote the check for the prints I wanted to buy

 

[lovetoscrap]

What if they start doing this with more items (candy sales, Tupperware, Scentsy Sales, etc). I don’t want things sent home from companies without my consent. Don't use the school data base to sell your overpriced items.

Actually our school PTA did this with their fundraising Entertainment Books! Sent one home with every kid in the school and you either had to pay for it or send it back. It was ridiculous. And I can't even imagine how many of them were damaged in the trip to and from the school.

Really? Just so you know, that is very rare. Either you write the check at the time the pictures are taken, or they send the pictures home, and you choose which ones to buy. Never have I ever heard of a school or sports photographer (and my boys are on 4 teams each season, and we've dealt with MANY of them) allowing you to see a proof, and then decide what you are buying - and never heard of it happening elsewhere. I don't think it's the norm.

.

I had that happen several times with School Photography, sport and group photos, and just in the last few weeks with DD's Band photos. That is how some places do it.

Funny thing is that DD brought home her photo retakes today and told me "The teacher said you can keep all of this because you already paid for it!". LOL, I think they have probably had problems with parents forgetting that we prepaid this year and sending them back like we did with the extra crap they sent home a week or so ago.

In the past we have not prepaid, they take the photo and send a whole bunch home for you to pick out what you want and send the rest back with the check for what you keep. Of course if your child decides on the bus to take out the wallets and cut them apart and hand them out you are stuck with that. Oh, and did I mention they ONLY sell as a "package" not as a sheet.

Opting out of the photo is not available. Every child is photographed because the school gets a photo for the permanent file and in middle and high school for their school ID.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I get the principle "idea" that you are totally against this fund-raiser. I also think that the only person you are hurting is your child. The school is assuming a certain amount of children will lose the pictures, and yet another certain amount of parents will keep the pictures and not pay, totally expected. Actually that is cut and dry.

What isn't cut and dry is Mrs. Smith the teacher who has to announce every day that we are missing pictures still from lets say 3 students. Now the students names are not announced, but hey they are kids, they KNOW who it is. So your child sits there everyday knowing you have that picture and it is wrong. Then on the morning announcements your child hears Congrats to Mr. Smith's class for getting all their pictures back. We are proud of you. Still you child sits there and wonders why the 8x10 can't be sent back. I am sure your child will not feel inconvenienced taking it back, even late. I am sure the child who finds their pictures during desk clean out day is so excited to have found them that the whole class is excited for them.

Bottom line, sometimes the best thing to do is forget the principles and just think about how your child feels.

 

[gina2000]

Schools receive a % for fall pictures and $1/per student for spring photos. We don't badger students to return spring photos nor do we keep track and change the student. We merely request that students return picture packages they do not want. Most do; some don't. Pictures are destroyed (which I think is a huge waste of resources).

Sure this is marketing. Sure this is unsolicited (though our photography company does send home a "Remember the Date" reminder). But the money raised goes directly back to the students and I support the endeavor for that reason alone. I get stuck managing both picture days and let me tell you, it's no picnic. I do it for the extras the money supports at my school.

It takes very little time and/or energy to buy or return photos. It's a very easy way to support schools.

I don't take a stand against situations where direct benefits are measureable even if it is a PITA for me. I know when I'm being taken advantage of - it's in situations that I have no control over the outcome. This isn't one of them.

 

[ugadog99]

Yes, the pictures are destroyed. The company makes their money off the fall pictures. We don't badger them for the pictures or the money. It's just silly.

 

[RUDisney]

It's not like they are requiring you to package the pictures up and drive over to the post office. Just slide them right back in your child's backpack.

I would be the first one to say stand up on principal, but this seems like a lose-lose-lose situation. The photo company loses the money for the pictures they don't get back, the teacher loses out on time and effort trying to track down the pictures or money, and the kid loses because the teacher tries to get the parents to cooperate through the kid. Why make such a big deal over something so small?

I have to agree with what I've bolded. In the big picture of life, this is so small and irrelevent.

OP, if you are this concerned about how pictures are handled at your school, go to a PTA meeting and ask that the procedure be changed. Just because a photographer has been doing this for the school for a number of years, doesn't mean that it has to remain this way. It doesn't mean that the PTA can't solicit other photographers either.

In our district, most of the parents look forward to picture day. I can't tell you how many calls and emails I get from parents asking when that day will be when the school year starts.

The photographer sends three proofs from which you can choose and if you don't like these photos, a retake day is scheduled. It is done by a local photographer, not a national chain like Lifetouch. His prices are very reasonable and in all, our PTA gets around a $300 donation from him each year.

Complaining on a message board isn't going to change the way a school does something. Taking action by participating on the PTA can.

 

[Minnie*J*]

Huh, I like how that works. My son's school does both. I hate that in the fall I need to order the pictures in advance and they come out crappy but im stuck with them. I dont even order them anymore, just wait for the random ones so I can see them before I buy them. Those are the ones I usually get.

Me too!

 

[couponclary]

your child's teacher is going to think you are a nut!

Former teacher here who HATES this fundraiser too because I had to spend my time trying to track down missing pictures. Some parents love getting them and making the decision on whether or not to buy after seeing the pictures, some parents complain about having to pay before picture day. You certainly can't please everyone, so our school did both. I've never understood why it was so difficult to look at the pictures and (1) keep them & pay, or (2) return them with no obligation.

 

[MM27]

My school does pictures in the fall and then again in the spring. In the fall they send home the order forms and although everyone gets their picture taken for the yearbook, they only do actual pictures for the people that have prepaid.

The spring pictures are not paid for in advance. They do notify parents in advance though because our students wear uniforms and for this picture day they are allowed to change into regular clothing.

When the pictures come back, they send a letter home stating that if you would like to see the pictures, sign and return the form, which then makes you responsible for either the pictures or the cost. If they are not returned, students don't get their final report card, same as other fines owed.

 

[smb6]

My kids schools use to do this and they would send home notes saying you could not get your child's report cards unless the pictures were returned or paid for.
Apparently a lot of people either complained or kept pics without paying because they have stopped doing this and now you have to preorder pics to have them taken.
I actually didn't mind the kids bringing them home. I sent them back most of the time and never ordered the whole package; but actually liked being able to see the pics before I committed to buy them......

 

[TeachGeekLove]

Hi everyone. I realize this is a very old thread, but since companies like LifeTouch are still doing this, I wanted to post. My son received a large package of pics with a demand to pay or return and I'm not comfortable with either option, 1 paying for pics I didn't order or, 2 sending pictures of my child to a company. Did you know that even if they shred the pics (and honestly, what guarantees that's what happens?), photos can't be recycled due to the photo ink used. Frankly, I don't like pics of my child floating around because I *have* had people take them and claim them as their own. Anyway!

I am the chairperson that handles picture day at my son's school, but the PTA has nothing to do with anything other than scheduling and setting up volunteers. It is ALL the school on the business side. They decide what company and all that.

Now, that said, do you have to return them? No. Apparently, according to the FTC and USPS, by law you do not have to return any unsolicited goods. However, sometimes schools (especially those partnered with LifeTouch) will hold a child's report card until the bill is paid, even though that's not legal because of the unsolicited goods laws AND the fact that photos are property of the photo studio (as well as yours since it's YOUR child) unless the school signed a contract to be liable for the not-returned images. Essentially, there's no contract with you and the photos are unsolicited, so they're yours to do with as you wish. If the schools try to force you to pay, you can always open a class action civil litigation.

If you don't want to deal with a problem with the school but don't want someone else to have pics of your child, just mark them up and send them back. Otherwise, you are perfectly entitled to keep the pics.

FTC: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0181-unordered-merchandise