Portrait Innovations

[windrider86]

Yet another deal to make it even harder for "real" photographers to make aliving. UGH
lol, they use "hand held" camera like the fashion photographers and you too can get over 40, one of a kind portarits for only $9.95. Yup Nine dollars and ninety five cents.
I dont see them lasting long but in the meantime.
I had a customer call me and ask if I could match thier prices. I said absoluetly not. Explained that with me, you get one of a kind images that wont be duplicated with the next person. One of a kind settings, you wont be rushed in and out on a convayer belt. She didnt bite.

In case you are wondering who ther are: Portrait Innovations - Family Portrait Studio for studio photography, family photography, family photographer studios, family photos

Sorry just venting after seeing the commercial for the 500th time in the last 2 days

[Saralonde]

They've opened one near me, too. I do hear that they really put the hard sell on you once they start showing the pics they took. In their hiring practices they look for salespeople with an "interest" in photography more than photographers. The one thing they can't offer is portraits out of a studio. They also will not keep the portraits they take for you. So if you don't buy the extras on the spot, they're gone forever. That tends to scare people into buying more.

[OsmosisStudios]

How on EARTH are these people making money?! $10 a pop doesn't even cover the materials, let alone the equipment, staff wages, overhead, etc... This is insane!

[troutwhisperer]

I would suspect the $9.95 package is the lost leader to other more expensive packages. The scheme (scam) centers around pressuring people to buy into the other more expensive and elaborate photo packages.

[dakwegmo]

Yeah, my family uses them because I can't beat the $9.95 deal for the prints they offer in the package. Even if I gave them them the files to print at wal-mart or wherever they couldn't get as many prints as they include in the package for that price. The thing about the deal, though, is that you only get to choose one pose for all the prints. If they get 100 shots and several of them are cute poses, most parents aren't going to be willing to just walk away from those shots. Once you add another pose, or additional prints, the price go up exponentially. For my family members, the average spent on prints is well over $200. Still not something a solo photographer is going to be able to compete with on price, but a little easier to convince someone that the personal touch you offer is worth the difference.

[fstopMike]

Can you say Bait and Switch??? I see there's one not far from me. I might just walk in one day and take a peek when I'm in the neighborhood.

[zona5101]

"Can you match that price?"

"No, I'm not a fast food type of photographer. I'm sit down, linen tablecloth kind of photographer"

[private]

They are doing what McDonald's does. Advertise the dollar menu and sell the double quarter pounder value meal.

You CAN get out spending a dollar but its very unlikely. Its not really bait and switch but dang close.

[private]

Originally Posted by dakwegmo

Yeah, my family uses them because I can't beat the $9.95 deal for the prints... For my family members, the average spent on prints is well over $200. Still not something a solo photographer is going to be able to compete with on price, but a little easier to convince someone that the personal touch you offer is worth the difference.

There are plenty of solo photographers out there that will take your family portrait for $200

[dakwegmo]

Originally Posted by private

There are plenty of solo photographers out there that will take your family portrait for $200

True, but the $200 includes nearly 40 sheets of prints.