Venture Photography

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2015/09/08) */ We have refunded hundreds of vouchers and have never had a complaint about our policy requiring a return of the voucherThe vouchers are transferable and hence have a $value, so we need to get them back to cancel them out Per the complainants request we have provided a self-addressed stamped envelope for him to return such voucher and upon receipt of such, we will refund the $ I see no need to change our termns and conditions as it states our refund policy which we not only follow but even add a day grace period for such refunds This complaint seems hardly worthy of the Revdex.com time, ours, or even the complainants as there is really no significant issue Initial Consumer Rebuttal / [redacted] (3000, 7, 2015/09/08) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Venture Photography is not addressing the issue as the terms and conditions document they required I sign does not state anything about returning their brochure with a "$500" voucher insideSo, when I called to cancel the family photo shoot session, that is when they added the policy of returning to their possession this "product" as Jaime called it The fact that my concern is being deemed, "hardly worthy of the Revdex.com time, ours Venture Photography, or even the complainants me" demonstrates the value they give to me or the concerns I tried to verbally address with them over the phone All Venture Photogrpahy needs to do is add a simple line in this terms and conditions document they require someone to sign that states something similar to the follow: "Please note, if a refund is requested within the grace period, consumer will need to return the voucher in person or via mail to Venture Photography." This is a simple and quick fix

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2015/10/09) */
The reason we give our Price List at the time of session is so that we can show the products in the studio when discussing price. Providing the customer prices before the session would have no context in terms of our portraits, we are obviously...

a very visual business and we photograph and design for very specific products for each individual client. As the complainant said, we do give a price range when they purchase the voucher of $50 to $4,000.
At no point was the client denied his 8x10 nor did he ever request a refund. In fact, he failed to show up for his originally scheduled design consultation at which point he would have ordered his 8x10 that he purchased. Subsequently, the client did come in for a design consultation and actually placed an order for additional images which were delivered at that time.

Firstly as the owner of the studio ([redacted]), I would like to personally apologies to the [redacted] family. I assure you that there was no intent to cause concern or inconvenience. I do however need to explain exactly what happened in response to this complaint lodged with the Revdex.com. At the [redacted]...

[redacted] sidewalk sale in July 2013, the [redacted] family were offered a complimentary Venture experience package valued at $500, as at the time, (nothing was purchased or offered for sale). Our studio offered a complimentary shoot and framed image of their choice as we were looking for clients to showcase newborn baby shoots and Mrs. [redacted] was expecting at that time. At no time were we looking to sell anything to this family. Unfortunately, when the information taken at the event was entered in our system, it was done in such a way that the record showed that they had actually purchased a package, not been offered one complimentary. We were therefore calling to honor the offer of a free shoot that had been made, not to sell anything. Having mentioned this, hopefully Mrs. [redacted] will now remember this.I would also like to note that we log all calls made and can confirm that a number of calls were made in an effort to contact the [redacted] family - approximately every two weeks, not daily. Also, the call that I personally made and is referred to in the complaint, was not to "make sure they wanted the calls to stop" but to personally apologize for the unwanted calls (which I did) and to assure them that this had been taken care of and that no further calls would be made. As the studio owner, I can not see how these calls were allowed to continue after requests for no more calls to be made and I am equally upset by this as the [redacted] family. There is absolutely no sense in us wasting our time making calls to people who have no interest in what we were offering. I will make every effort to establish why the client was not closed and the calls stopped and will also speak to out diary managers (who are actually responsible for scheduling appointments for families who have already purchased a Venture Experience package, and NEVER make ANY sales calls, cold or otherwise). Clearly the whole situation was handled badly and we got it seriously wrong on this occasion.
Once again, the calls were not to make a sale but to honor what I believe was a nice offer made to the [redacted] family at an important time in their lives, with a new member of the family on the way, but I once again offer my sincere apologies.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Studio Owner

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/09/14) */
We have no record of receiving the voucher/gift card back from the client. Upon receiving this complaint we refunded the money. Had the client just called us we would have done the same in leiu of the missing voucher.
Initial Consumer...

Rebuttal /* (2000, 7, 2015/09/18) */
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Venture did finally process my refund. I do wish that they had (a) specified the necessary return of the voucher in their refund policy or at least on my first call to them, and (b) responded to my email regarding my refund, as it is not typically practical for me to call during their office hours.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/09/08) */
We have refunded hundreds of vouchers and have never had a complaint about our policy requiring a return of the voucher. The vouchers are transferable and hence have a $50 value, so we need to get them back to cancel them out.
Per the...

complainants request we have provided a self-addressed stamped envelope for him to return such voucher and upon receipt of such, we will refund the $50.
I see no need to change our termns and conditions as it states our refund policy which we not only follow but even add a 7 day grace period for such refunds.
This complaint seems hardly worthy of the Revdex.com time, ours, or even the complainants as there is really no significant issue.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/09/08) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Venture Photography is not addressing the issue as the terms and conditions document they required I sign does not state anything about returning their brochure with a "$500" voucher inside. So, when I called to cancel the family photo shoot session, that is when they added the policy of returning to their possession this "product" as Jaime called it.
The fact that my concern is being deemed, "hardly worthy of the Revdex.com time, ours Venture Photography, or even the complainants me" demonstrates the value they give to me or the concerns I tried to verbally address with them over the phone.
All Venture Photogrpahy needs to do is add a simple line in this terms and conditions document they require someone to sign that states something similar to the follow:
"Please note, if a refund is requested within the grace period, consumer will need to return the voucher in person or via mail to Venture Photography."
This is a simple and quick fix.

Review: Fifteen months ago my son and wife who live in [redacted] Ct had a child and Venture Photography phone # ###-###-#### contacted them about purchasing a photo package at which my son told them he was not interested. This company continued to call them for months on end and then they began calling me, the mother who lives 1700 miles away in [redacted]. I have been getting calls from this company almost every day for 6 months. I have called the company several times and actually have spoken to several people requesting that these calls be stopped as my son did not purchase a photo package from them and I am not interested in hearing from them ever. I was assured that the calls would stop but they continue. Right now I have two calls from Venture Photography requesting that my son or his wife call them regarding this photo package they purchased a year ago. They live in Ct. not Louisiana and my son says he would never give out our home phone #; but it could be easily gotten over internet. The calls are always from women who have high pitch fast talking voices and always refer to the $500 package my son or wife purchased and they ask that he or she call them. It is the same two voices on all of the calls and one is named [redacted] and the other who is talking so fast we can't understand hardly a word she is saying except for very few and then call venture photography and they give the phone #. These calls are so annoying and troubling. A family member who lives out of town had cancer surgery and that person always leaves us a message so when I come home and see I have two new messages I assume it is from her but no it is Venture Photography! These call have gone on and on daily for at least 6 months and this company has disregarded any request that they not call me or my son again.

I believe this company uses the sales tactic of saying that someone has purchased a photo package from them so that they can "legally" make sales calls when in fact there was never any purchase at all. Today November 26, 2014 there is another sales call from this company and there was one yesterday as well and there was one on Monday too. Today after getting another call from Venture I had my husband call them from another phone # telling them that I was reporting them to you. The person he spoke with was [redacted] at the [redacted] location. Once off the phone with my husband, [redacted] called our home phone just to make sure that we wanted the sales calls to stop! I told him yes stop the calls as I would never ever purchase anything from them nor would my son because of all the problems they have created. In the past I have told them that our number is on the National Do not call list. He told me that my son or wife purchased a photo package from them at a side walk sale in [redacted]. which they did not. I have asked my son to contact Venture and ask that if a purchase was made, what method of payment was used to purchase their products as they should have that info on hand if it was actually purchased. They won't be able to call that info up as no purchase was ever made. They certainly went to great lengths to find my phone number 1700 miles away. [redacted] with Venture Photography told me today that I could contact him at ###-###-####. This company is using unethical calling tactics simply to make sales calls. I am hoping that this time the sales calls will stop and that the Revdex.com will see to it.

I sincerely appreciate your time and efforts.Desired Settlement: I am hoping that Venture Photography will stop calling me!

Business

Response:

Firstly as the owner of the studio ([redacted]), I would like to personally apologies to the [redacted] family. I assure you that there was no intent to cause concern or inconvenience. I do however need to explain exactly what happened in response to this complaint lodged with the Revdex.com. At the [redacted] sidewalk sale in July 2013, the [redacted] family were offered a complimentary Venture experience package valued at $500, as at the time, (nothing was purchased or offered for sale). Our studio offered a complimentary shoot and framed image of their choice as we were looking for clients to showcase newborn baby shoots and Mrs. [redacted] was expecting at that time. At no time were we looking to sell anything to this family. Unfortunately, when the information taken at the event was entered in our system, it was done in such a way that the record showed that they had actually purchased a package, not been offered one complimentary. We were therefore calling to honor the offer of a free shoot that had been made, not to sell anything. Having mentioned this, hopefully Mrs. [redacted] will now remember this.I would also like to note that we log all calls made and can confirm that a number of calls were made in an effort to contact the [redacted] family - approximately every two weeks, not daily. Also, the call that I personally made and is referred to in the complaint, was not to "make sure they wanted the calls to stop" but to personally apologize for the unwanted calls (which I did) and to assure them that this had been taken care of and that no further calls would be made. As the studio owner, I can not see how these calls were allowed to continue after requests for no more calls to be made and I am equally upset by this as the [redacted] family. There is absolutely no sense in us wasting our time making calls to people who have no interest in what we were offering. I will make every effort to establish why the client was not closed and the calls stopped and will also speak to out diary managers (who are actually responsible for scheduling appointments for families who have already purchased a Venture Experience package, and NEVER make ANY sales calls, cold or otherwise). Clearly the whole situation was handled badly and we got it seriously wrong on this occasion. Once again, the calls were not to make a sale but to honor what I believe was a nice offer made to the [redacted] family at an important time in their lives, with a new member of the family on the way, but I once again offer my sincere apologies.Sincerely,[redacted]Studio Owner