How?

[BlackSheep]

I am seriously going to walk in there and ask the photographer how much they know about the exposure triangle LOL, that still wouldn't seem to work, because you may be photographing a BIG man and then again a small baby...they must be shooting in auto.....

I am not a traditionally religious person at all, but that old bible phrase "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" comes to mind when I read this thread.

 

[MLeeK]

It's called a "Loss Leader." They take a loss on it to make a profit elsewhere.

Exactly what I was going to say. The portrait studio inside Walmart likely loses money. They're hoping that you're going to go shopping while you're waiting for your turn, waiting for your prints, etc. Hell, even the film processing booth in Walmart is the same. Are you going to spend 15 minutes driving home, fart around at home for 15 minutes, spend 15 more minutes driving back to the store, and then get your film ... or are you just going to shop around for an hour? The original loss leader was razors. They lose money selling the handle so cheap - but they make it back (and then some) selling the blades.

Interesting. I didn't know this. Is this the same for other portrait studios like JCpenney, Olan Mills...etc? They want you to shop while waiting your turn. I didn't do any shopping years ago, was more concerned with my kid crying, which my youngest did as a baby.

From what I hear, the photographers in those places aren't allowed to change the settings, even if they knew how.

Interesting. I didn't know this. Is this the same for other portrait studios like JCpenney, Olan Mills...etc? They want you to shop while waiting your turn. I didn't do any shopping years ago, was more concerned with my kid crying, which my youngest did as a baby.

Any of the ones in the stores also rely on the money broght into the store for profitability, however each of them is taught to SELL. Even WalMart. It's all about selling the FULL PRICE 8x10 to go with the loss leader package. They have a target for their sales and that's where it hits actual profit per shoot.
Olan mills is all about high pressure sales. And the quality there has declined exponentially since the 70's. I have a beautiful Olan Mills album from when I was a baby through about age 10. 1970-1980. The infant images are gorgeous, the subsequent ones are all very nicely done. Everything I've seen in recent years from them is TERRIBLE in comparison. The loss is taken on that one image you get for the sitting fee. They live by the same theory we do: you can't have ONE image of little suzie when you are emotionally attached to them. You have to have them ALL and you know you NEED one for each of the 2 sets of grand parents, and one for each aunt, best friend... That's where the profit is.

 

[MTVision]

What's the 'photographers' cut? $10 an hour? What about benefits, 401k, etc...? (Doubt it, since, like you said, it's mostly part-time employees, which means they don't qualify for benefits.)

And at places like wal-Mart they limit the amount of full time employees. They would rather have a bunch of part-time employees then pay out benefits.

 

[luvmyfamily]

I am seriously going to walk in there and ask the photographer how much they know about the exposure triangle LOL, that still wouldn't seem to work, because you may be photographing a BIG man and then again a small baby...they must be shooting in auto.....

I am not a traditionally religious person at all, but that old bible phrase "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" comes to mind when I read this thread.

Did anyone not see my laughing smiley face and that i was joking? Then I said I wasn't going to seriously do it and that i didn't know they were underpaid? This is another reason I don't like communication through typing such as text and this because you can't actually HEAR the person's voice and a lot of things get taken out of context. You can't even joke around on here without someone taking it all wrong. Can we all get on live skype or something? So sorry if I offended anyone, i really didn't mean to. I agree, you should do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

 

[MTVision]

Did anyone not see my laughing smiley face and that i was joking? Then I said I wasn't going to seriously do it and that i didn't know they were underpaid? This is another reason I don't like communication through typing such as text and this because you can't actually HEAR the person's voice and a lot of things get taken out of context. You can't even joke around on here without someone taking it all wrong. Can we all get on live skype or something? So sorry if I offended anyone, i really didn't mean to. I agree, you should do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

They aren't paid the best - but at least the have steady income which is probably better then most of the just starting out pros...

 

[luvmyfamily]

Exactly what I was going to say. The portrait studio inside Walmart likely loses money. They're hoping that you're going to go shopping while you're waiting for your turn, waiting for your prints, etc. Hell, even the film processing booth in Walmart is the same. Are you going to spend 15 minutes driving home, fart around at home for 15 minutes, spend 15 more minutes driving back to the store, and then get your film ... or are you just going to shop around for an hour? The original loss leader was razors. They lose money selling the handle so cheap - but they make it back (and then some) selling the blades.

Interesting. I didn't know this. Is this the same for other portrait studios like JCpenney, Olan Mills...etc? They want you to shop while waiting your turn. I didn't do any shopping years ago, was more concerned with my kid crying, which my youngest did as a baby.

From what I hear, the photographers in those places aren't allowed to change the settings, even if they knew how.

Interesting. I didn't know this. Is this the same for other portrait studios like JCpenney, Olan Mills...etc? They want you to shop while waiting your turn. I didn't do any shopping years ago, was more concerned with my kid crying, which my youngest did as a baby.

Any of the ones in the stores also rely on the money broght into the store for profitability, however each of them is taught to SELL. Even WalMart. It's all about selling the FULL PRICE 8x10 to go with the loss leader package. They have a target for their sales and that's where it hits actual profit per shoot.
Olan mills is all about high pressure sales. And the quality there has declined exponentially since the 70's. I have a beautiful Olan Mills album from when I was a baby through about age 10. 1970-1980. The infant images are gorgeous, the subsequent ones are all very nicely done. Everything I've seen in recent years from them is TERRIBLE in comparison. The loss is taken on that one image you get for the sitting fee. They live by the same theory we do: you can't have ONE image of little suzie when you are emotionally attached to them. You have to have them ALL and you know you NEED one for each of the 2 sets of grand parents, and one for each aunt, best friend... That's where the profit is.

My husband is sitting beside me right now reading some of this and he just reminded me how I spent $178 nine years ago on baby photo's at JCPenney when I had a coupon for $12.99 because just as you said.....I fell for the marketing scheme and had to have them all.

 

[dxqcanada]

And at places like wal-Mart they limit the amount of full time employees. They would rather have a bunch of part-time employees then pay out benefits.

It's because the majority of consumers demand the lowest price ... regardless of others that pay the price for it ... that's why so many shop at Walmarts. We are all selfish in many ways.
Why should you pay a higher price so that some other person earn a fair wage or that a small company can stay in business ... or even to a keep local business from moving overseas ?
Do we actually think about that when purchasing any product ? No.

 

[BlackSheep]

I saw and understood your laughing smiley face, and I wasn't personally offended either. I just don't see how it's funny to make fun of someone doing their job, especially when (as you said) you don't know what their job actually is. Peace.

 

[MTVision]

It's because the majority of consumers demand the lowest price ... regardless of others that pay the price for it ... that's why so many shop at Walmarts. We are all selfish in many ways.
Why should you pay a higher price so that some other person earn a fair wage or that a small company can stay in business ... or even to a keep local business from moving overseas ?
Do we actually think about that when purchasing any product ? No.

It's funny that you say that. My town has been fighting for years to keep wal-Mart out. The nearests wal-marts are at least an hour away. We do not really have any stores besides grocery stores, TJ Maxx and Staples but nobody wants wal-mart. All the mom and pop stores that have been here forever will be forced out of business.

 

[dxqcanada]

My husband is sitting beside me right now reading some of this and he just reminded me how I spent $178 nine years ago on baby photo's at JCPenney when I had a coupon for $12.99 because just as you said.....I fell for the marketing scheme and had to have them all.

It's not a marketing scheme. It's a sales scheme.
They do not prevent you from just purchasing the $12.99 package and walking away ... they just offered you the choice to purchase the rest of the $165.00 of photo's.

 

[luvmyfamily]

I saw and understood your laughing smiley face, and I wasn't personally offended either. I just don't see how it's funny to make fun of someone doing their job, especially when (as you said) you don't know what their job actually is. Peace.

Peace You are right, it's not funny and I really was just joking, guess it just got interpreted wrong. I guess if some knew me in person, they would know that I have a heart of gold and would give my last $1 away if someone needed it. People who know me well, know that....

 

[mjhoward]

Then come the assumptions, It is NOT a loss leader for Walmart. In fact, It's not even run by Walmart. It run by Picture me, Whose parent company owns also, Sears Portrait Studios, Kandid Kiddies and Bella Picture; The Wedding Photography Chain.

Just because it's run by another company other than Walmart doesn't mean that Walmart hasn't absorbed the loss instead. If you're familiar with the relationship that Apple has with AT&T, you would know that the iPhones are sold at a loss, which is covered by AT&T, to get the service contracts. Apple does not realize those loses... AT&T does. I would imagine it is a similar situation between Walmart and Picture Me.

 

[luvmyfamily]

My husband is sitting beside me right now reading some of this and he just reminded me how I spent $178 nine years ago on baby photo's at JCPenney when I had a coupon for $12.99 because just as you said.....I fell for the marketing scheme and had to have them all.

It's not a marketing scheme. It's a sales scheme.
They do not prevent you from just purchasing the $12.99 package and walking away ... they just offered you the choice to purchase the rest of the $165.00 of photo's.

Ok, sales scheme. They showed me all these great photos of my baby....how could I resist.

 

[Bossy]

My husband is sitting beside me right now reading some of this and he just reminded me how I spent $178 nine years ago on baby photo's at JCPenney when I had a coupon for $12.99 because just as you said.....I fell for the marketing scheme and had to have them all.

It's not a marketing scheme. It's a sales scheme.
They do not prevent you from just purchasing the $12.99 package and walking away ... they just offered you the choice to purchase the rest of the $165.00 of photo's.

This is so not true! They completely count on the fact that you're not going to want pics of your new baby shredded. Not even kidding, I would've bought a **** ton of photos to prevent that at Picture People had my husband not made me see reason Haha. Olan mills does the same thing I believe. Its so wasteful.

​

 

[blackrose89]

I do think that luvmyfamily was a insensitive, but how come it's wrong to pick on people who are not even here, but it's ok that so many "noobs" get nailed to the wall if they God forbid create a thread on how to help start their business. How Come it's ok to openly mock "Facebook" or Craigslist "fauxtograpers" Wether theyre being premature or not, are they not still people trying to make a living like everyone else?