Cassarino Studios

Revdex.com:At this time, I have not been contacted by Cassarino Studios regarding complaint ID [redacted].Sincerely,[redacted]

Review: Cassarino Studios misled us into thinking our deposit money could have been applied towards any photo or video package in the event of a cancellation as stated in our contract and they did not honor the terms of our contract. When when asked for our $1000 deposit to be applied towards another photo or video package they refused to honor their contract and would not let us change packages.

Their contract clearly states that we were entitled to transfer our deposit towards another package but when we asked them to honor that they refused and kept our entire $1000.Desired Settlement: to have our deposit money refunded

Business

Response:

Every client can transfer their deposit to another contract for up to a year from their original date of their affair. This has been the studio's policy for over 34 years, and in 34 years we have never ran into any issiues in transferring funds to another contract. We designed the contract so our customers do not loose their deposit and have the ability to transfer it. This client wanted a package that was well worth over $3000 for a fee of under $2000. That we cannot do. The clause is designed so that customers can use their deposits for another affair in case personal matters should arise and they need to cancel their event. The client can then come in sign a new contract with a new date and choose another package if they wish, however; we cannot contract for $3000 worth of product for under $2000. The client still has their credit until November [redacted] of this year, and we are more than happy to transfer their $1000 deposit to another contract. Our price list are all available if the client wishes. There is no reason for us to mislead a client, this clause in particular was designed to protect the client and to maintain a relationship with our customers. It does not benefit us at all to not reschedule the date, in fact it only allows us to continue a relationship with our clients.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

[Your Answer Here]

The response from Cassarino Studios is unacceptable since they did not honor the terms of contract when we asked them to transfer our deposit towards either a smaller photo package or transfer the deposit towards the Cassarino Studio Videographer contract we had with them.

In May 2012 when we spoke to a Cassarino Studios Employee, [redacted] said she was not aware of the contract terms and it was not possible to change, downsize or transfer any part of the contract. She also said since we were contracted for $4900 worth of photo and video services we could only add to that amount.

We simply wanted to downsize our wedding package to something more feasible. Since they would not honor their contract terms and we could not come to an agreement we ended up not using them as our wedding photographer or videographer. July [redacted] 2012 we sent them a certified letter to acknowledge the termination of our contracts and we requested our deposit be returned to us, less the cost of the 75 save the date cards they provided as a courtesy. After they received the letter the studio called us to confirm the cancelation, they never offered us any alternative to using our deposit money towards another service, and our money was never refunded.

Moreover, the dollar amounts mentioned in Cassarino Studios response are erroneous figures. FACT: We were contracted for $3400 photo & $1500 video = a total of $4900. They never provided us with another contract and they never offered us any other photo or video package. I ask that they provide proof to back up their claim.

Lastly, this company claims that they have never had a problem before with upholding the terms of contract. That maybe true since they are telling their customers that deposits are non-refundable, they can not take any money off their contracted packages, only add to it. By conducting unethical business practices they are taking advantage of vulnerable customers. When I pointed out the terms of contract this company was not aware of them and only used those terms of contract to get them out of a situation where the customer challenges them legally. I think this business should be further investigated as to what they are really telling their customers and how they are conducting business.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

As stated previously, and is very clear in our contract which we designed purposely to protect our clients and to maintain relationships with our clients "In an event of a cancellation, all deposits will not be refunded but may be transferable to another contract with the studio to original client for up to a year'. It is clearly stated, that we will transfer the deposit to another contract. It is as if a client were to cancel a contract and then sign a new completely new contract, the real issue here is that this client wanted a new package with top of the line products for the amount they wanted to pay and it does not work that way. Our packages are listed and are available to everyone. Cassarino Studios has been in business for 34 years, the present owners have worked for Cassarino Studios for 17 years together, and have owned the studio for 10 years. Not in all of the years, has any client taken this perspective on this clause. Package prices are constructed for a reason just like any other business. If a client wishes to adjust a package contents, the price will adjust as well. We have transferred funds for every single client who rescheduled their date and/or used their deposit as a credit to another contract. As stated before, this client wanted to transfer the funds to another contract but ONLY if the contents and the price matched what they wanted. We run a very ethical business and have for over 30 years. We are recommended by some of the largest and most reputable studios on long Island. We have no reason to not transfer funds. Logistically, it only benefits the client and Cassarino to transfer funds. At this time, if this client continues to be persistent with their allegations and deformation of our company we will press charges for slander. We have a business to run, and an excellent one at that!

Review: When I signed the contract to use this company for my wedding photography, video, and wedding albums, they showed me that my album would be professionally designed by a professional designer and showed me beautiful examples of the type of work they did. Our wedding was March [redacted] 2014 and we had our thank you cards done from their in house designer and they were nicely done. I was able to speak to him and work out a nice design. After I picked my pictures for my wedding album the designs that they sent me that took them the full allotted 6 months to design, looked terrible. They were not professionally done, or designed in any way. They took my pictures and randomly placed them on backgrounds in no order or without any type of design or organization. I am not saying that I was sent designed layouts that I didn't like the style. I was sent designs that were colored in with colors I had asked not be used, one picture he turned my face blue, and the layouts were obviously not put together with any attempt at looking nice. There were some attempt at adding effects but it was done so sloppy you could see the edges and overlaps of pictures. The lady I spoke to, Cristina, told me I could add the comments to the designer to tell him what I wanted in my album. I did that and my comments were completely ignored. I did add comments that I wanted some blending or fading designed into my album which the designer decided to take a black circle and fade out almost the entire pictures. I saw that as spiteful. I could understand if he designed something that was pretty but not my style, but this was a joke what was sent to me. I can show you pictures to show you what I mean. This was not done by a professional. What was really annoying was that since my husband was in his army uniform, they had their designer enhance some of our pictures beautifully and used it on their [redacted] page for May 2014 as their memorial day tribute and also for 2 other posts on their [redacted] page that looked beautiful. I did not get those pictures in my album. None of my pictures were enhanced in any way. The designs they sent me for my album did not look anything like what they used for their own advertising needs. When I called the company and spoke to Cristina, who is not the manager, I was told I could not speak to the manager several times. She told me I could write comments to the designer through the website link which I did. However my comments for the most part were ignored or they used my comments to such extreme it looks like they were being spiteful. She told me I could write to them as many times as I wanted until I was happy with the album. I would do that however, whoever is making the album obviously has no intention of making my album look nice. If I keep having to write comments to them I will never receive my album. It seems like a scam to hold someone's album hostage and make the customer accept whatever the designer feels like doing or else you won't get any of your albums or pictures. I have asked to use a different designer and was denied. Before signing the contract with them we let the company know we will be communicating with them from Texas because my husband had orders to Fort Hood. They said that will be no problem. Since then they have ignored my emails and on the phone I was spoken to so rudely I couldn't even stay on the phone to argue my point with them. I also have been requesting my edited wedding video, or at least information on how to go about starting the editing process and they have ignored my requests for that. I have received nothing on my wedding video. I understand I took a while for me to get my pictures chosen due to our move, however I was well within the agreed upon time line and they have not kept up their end of the contract to provide me with a professionally designed wedding album, 3 smaller albums for the parents, 4 8x10 individual pictures, a mini wedding album they called a "brag book", a link to a trailer preview of my pictures to share with people online, and 4 copies of a designed and edited wedding video. All money was paid up front. I asked to have the albums refunded because I didn't want my album from them and they said fine we don't have to give you your albums, we will stop all production, but your not getting your money back. Of course that is unacceptable.Desired Settlement: It was made apparent to me that they have no intention of trying to make a nice wedding album. Unless I am able to get my albums designed professionally and nicely I would like a refund of my money for the albums. I can go elsewhere to get them designed. However I am not able to do that for my wedding video so I would like to have my wedding videos done without spite from the company. For the photography portion of their services I paid $3,367.37, in the contract it says if the company fails to comply with the contract their liability is only 50% of the price so I would like my refund of $1,683. 68 and would like my wedding videos for which I paid $1,520.75 for.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Cassarino Studios regarding complaint ID [redacted].Sincerely,[redacted]