This was my child’s first Christmas and it was very important me to send out family portraits as Christmas gifts for my family this past year. I decided to use Picture Me because I am a salaried busy working mother and time and money are a challenge for me. I saw that I could get 30 portraits for $7.99 so I made an appointment during the 1st week of December to make sure I would have pictures by Christmas. I am in retail and knew that after that point I would not have time to get this done.

On December 5th, had an appointment at 7pm at the Jonesboro, AR location:
1815 E. HIGHLAND DR., JONESBORO, AR 72401

My 11 month old, husband and I arrived ready for pictures at 6:45pm. I was aware theat the studio closed at 8pm and was concerned for the studio’s time so I was prepared. We waited in a crowded Wal-Mart for full hour to be seen. At 8pm when the studio closed, we still had not been spoken to about when we would be able to take pictures. I approached the person working and she said we would be next. At this point my daughter was restless and tired and told the lady we would have to leave and would not be back.

On December 15th I was visiting family in Jackson, TN, I decided to give Picture Me another try.

We visited store number 10335 at 2196 Emporium Drive, Jackson, TN 38305

My family and I went in as walk ins. We were told they could see us at 3pm. We returned at 3pm and waited until 4:30pm when we were finally allowed to come back to have pictures taken. We waited behind the wall in the studio for 30 minutes. At 5pm we finally had pictures taken by Shaniqua.

When Shaniqua reviewed the package with me, she told me it would be around $200. This was a big shock to me as I expected that the whole thing would be around $7.99 and maybe a sitting fee. I asked her if it would be less if I picked fewer poses. She told me no and the package she sold me seemed to be my only out. I agreed and signed and paid half of the package which was $115.23. She told me my pictures would be ready on December 15th and my remaining balance would be $109.74.

I realized that I would not make it to the studio before Christmas so I called to see if it could be shipped. I was told, “You have to call back when there is a manager here.” When asked if the pictures were there I received a rude response, “Yeah, they should be here.” It didn’t seem like they had checked or cared.


Here is a list from my phone bill of my very unsuccessful attempts to contact a manager at the studio:

Date Time Number Minutes
12/16/2010 7:05PM 731-664-4844
2
12/16/2010 7:06PM 731-664-4844
1
12/16/2010 7:11PM 731-664-4844
2
12/17/2010 10:15AM 731-664-4844
1
12/17/2010 10:16AM 731-664-4844
1
12/17/2010 10:17AM 731-664-4844
1
12/17/2010 10:59AM 731-664-4844
2


Being a salaried manager in retail, I was unable to make any more contact as I worked everyday leading up to Christmas.

On January 7, 2011 I was in town and went by the store around 2pm. There was a sign posted at the PictureMe studio that said they closed for lunch every day from 2pm to 3pm. I shopped for a while and waited because I live 140 miles (2.5 hours) from the studio and I really want my pictures. At 3:15pm, there was still no one at the studio. I called the district manager Cheryl who’s number was posted on the studio wall. I left 3 messages. At 4pm I left the Wal-Mart with no pictures.

While I was waiting another guest walked up who knew someone that worked there. She called the employee and the employee told her, “She can call the district manager, I’m not coming in, dumb bitch.”


On my drive home I called your Picture Me customer service number, the district manager, and CPI and was unable reach any person that would even hear my complaint. Here is documentation of my attempts:

Cheryl, District Manager

Date Time Number Minutes
01/07 04:57 PM MORRILTON 501-242-4555
1
01/07 03:44 PM MORRILTON 501-242-4555
2
01/07 03:43 PM MORRILTON 501-242-4555
2
01/07 03:24 PM MORRILTON 501-242-4555
2
01/07 03:17 PM MORRILTON 501-242-4555
2


Picture Me Customer Service Line

Date Time Number Minutes
01/07 05:10 PM 888-742-6386
3
01/07 05:04 PM 888-742-6386
2
01/07 04:52 PM 888-742-6386
5
01/07 04:48 PM 888-742-6386
5
01/07 04:43 PM 888-742-6386
6
01/07 04:42 PM 888-742-6386
1
01/07 04:39 PM 888-742-6386
3
01/07 04:38 PM 888-742-6386
1
01/07 04:35 PM 888-742-6386
3
01/07 04:35 PM 888-742-6386
1
01/07 04:32 PM 888-742-6386
2
01/07 4:28 PM 888-742-6386
4
01/07 03:51 PM 888-742-6386
18
01/07 03:46 PM 888-742-6386
1
01/07 03:35 PM 888-742-6386
1
01/07 03:26 PM 888-742-6386
9
01/07 03:12 PM 888-742-6386
4

CPI

01/07 05:15 PM 800-669-9699
1
01/07 04:34 PM 800-669-9699
1

I want the money spent on these pictures back. These pictures are very precious to me and I would love to have them in my possession. However, I believe I have done more than the reasonable amount of work necessary as your customer and have been treated very unjustly for it. I will be sending this same message to the Better Business Bureau if I do not get a response from your company in the next 5 business days.

I took a picture at PictureMe studio at Walmart (Central, SC).
The photographer took a picture of me with Polaroid camera for the US Passport. After taking a picture, she just gave a raw photo to me without cutting it into 2 x 2 inch size.
As you know, the Passport photo size should be 2 x 2 inches.
She said, the photos should be cut at the post office. It seems weird to me, but I went to the post office at Central, SC. The officer at the post office said the size of the photos is wrong and it does not meet the Passport photo regulation. So the photos can not be cut in the cutting machine.
So, I went back to the PictureMe studio at Walmart and asked a refund for this. She refused. Instead, she can take another picture. I asked her to cut the photos (2x2 inch size) here. She admitted that she does not have that 2x2 cutting outline so she sent me to the post office.
I said, if a new photo is wrong again, then what should I do? She said, then take another photo until it meets the passport regulation and size. I said, then back and forth from post office and walmart again and again. It is ridiculous. I said, I want to talk to her supervisor. She refused. Instead, she called someone by herself. She talked (looks like her supervisor) for a while.
I also shopped some food. So, I can not wait there anymore.
So, I had to put the food at my refrigerator at home.
I came back to PictureMe. She said, the supervisoer approved the refund. But, she asked me to show my Driver's license.
(I paid cash). She wants to keep my photos. I asked her to shred my photo. Before she took a photo, she asked my home address/phone and email.
Now, she got all my personal information including my mug shot photos, email, driver's license, home telephone, etc. I have never experienced this kind of lousy service.
I am really wondering if passport photos should be cut at post office.


So, when you take a picture at walmart,
it is advised to double-check if they can cut photos into 2 x 2 inch size and they can meet the US passport regulations although their ad clearly says they meet the regulation.

To Wal-Mart Canal Winchester Store Manger, Picture Me Studio Corporate Manager & Picture Me Experience Customer Service:

Due to the my recent experience, I am highly upset and agitated in regards to the treatment I received from your representative at the Picture Me Studio located in the Wal-Mart Super center store in Canal Winchester, Ohio. I have worked in customer service for some years now, so I expect the up most service when I am on the receiving end. The behavior of the Picture Me representative, Samantha, was rude, unhelpful, uninformative, and absolutely unacceptable. I am very upset and after some time I am still unable to forget this experience.

I attempted to call the customer service number though I was on hold waiting for a representative for over a half and hour. Due to my work schedule this solution seemed better suited for me. Although, I am still very dissatisfied and I expect a resolution to follow.

My boyfriend and I wanted to get a Christmas picture taken. His aunt also wanted to get a group picture including my boyfriend with her children. So we decided it would be better suited for us to do it all the same time. We called and made the appointment. When we placed the appointment we made not only one, but we scheduled two appointments. Nothing was said to us at the time, when clearly we all knew each other.

On December 2, 2007 we arrived for our scheduled appointments, your representative, Samantha, told my boyfriends aunt, Kathy to pick their background. Then a few moments later she asked me to the same. I couldn't choose so I just walked back to the portrait room with them. Samantha posed my boyfriend and her children. After a few pictures she said 'Is this going to be the promo picture'. We said 'Yes!' we liked it, at the time we knew nothing was to come from this decision. A few more pictures were taken of them and Samantha asks out of nowhere as if she were shocked I hadn't been in the room the whole time and she didn't see us all walk in together. 'Are you and him taking pictures next?' I replied 'Yes!' Not understanding the purpose of her question. She said 'Hold on a minute' and walks out of the room. She quickly returns 'I can't take your pictures next.' I again, confused replied 'Why?' she responds with 'Corporate only allows us one promo picture per group'. From this point on everything that she said she added 'Corporate says so' which I thought was highly unprofessional. It was also highly un-informative that she was not upfront with this information. I still do not understand why she waited until she locked in our promo picture to let us know it was one picture per group. She then convinced us it would be cheaper to take pictures in his aunt package. Unsatisfied, but with no other options we do so. I was very angry by this time and I feel that we were very misled. Your representative should have let us know all the catches to the fine print. We were all unaware of this in the beginning.

After some time past, Samantha called us to the back to look at the prints. We started looking at them and I then realized how expensive it was going to be to get my prints I need, the prints I would have received in my promo package. I looked at his aunt waiting for her to decide. She noted I only need one ten by eight. We tried every option we could think of because, I obliviously needed more pictures. Of course we couldn't change the promo picture to my boyfriend and mines picture because 'Corporate say so'. Infact, Samantha kept replying corporate will not allow me to, as if she were the victim. His aunt ended up cutting the promo picture because she did not need those pictures. We ended up getting a combine package spending of 79.99 plus tax. This could have been avoided, and was extremely unnecessary.

What I am still confused about today is, your representative Samantha, took our appointments together, saw us walk in together, saw my boyfriend in there pictures, knew we were next, and asked me to pick out a background for our pictures next. Yet never spoke one word about any regulations until after the promo picture was locked in.

I find this kind of uninformative service very distasteful and I hope you don't encourage this behavior. I understand the regulations, what I don't understand is not having Samantha trained enough to explain to your customers the regulations before taking pictures. If she had it wouldn't have been a problem at all. I would be happy because my boyfriend and I would have taken the promo picture had a package we needed and his aunt could have bought one eight by ten she needed. Though we were uninformed!

This brings me to another point I work in commission, I sure hope Samantha did not receive commission off of selling us this package because how many other customers has she been tricking. This can not go on she needs the proper training; your representatives represent your company. She did a very poor job and I will never use this portrait studio again nor will I indorse other people to do so. I work in customer service and I would have never treated a customer as if she had that day. She never offered any assistance to us and she only replied a hundred times 'Corporate says so'. I don't know if you Condon this level of service but it was totally unprofessional.

I had awful experience with PictureMe studio! Beware people! Do not go there!

I was here and looking for the web site and it doesn't seem to be here so why are you addvertising for this web site and to get an free offer when it doesn't seem to exist.