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04/06/2013 07:27:36 PM · #1 |
the company that put portrait studios in sears, wal-mart, and babies-r-us is out of business. turns out that you can't give away portraits for below cost and stay in business...
enjoy the wall street journal article. |
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04/06/2013 07:37:12 PM · #2 |
| The article doesn't cite their cost/pricing as a cause of their failure. It's the rise of digital cameras and people realizing that, "Hey, I can do that." or "My friend has a great camera and took great pics of her kids, why don't I ask her?". Mostly I think it's the fact that the pictures go off to a centralized printer and customers don't get the pictures for some number of weeks. The competition, which is growing, give their customers prints in minutes. |
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04/06/2013 07:51:29 PM · #3 |
Originally posted by Spork99:
The article doesn't cite their cost/pricing as a cause of their failure. It's the rise of digital cameras and people realizing that, "Hey, I can do that." or "My friend has a great camera and took great pics of her kids, why don't I ask her?". Mostly I think it's the fact that the pictures go off to a centralized printer and customers don't get the pictures for some number of weeks. The competition, which is growing, give their customers prints in minutes. |
my point is that to be successful, you have to give people what they can't get elsewhere while charging a reasonable and sustainable price. these guys failed on all points, especially the ones that you pointed out. |
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04/06/2013 09:30:50 PM · #4 |
Horrible service and high pressure sales tactics cost them repeat business.
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04/06/2013 09:53:34 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by EL-ROI:
Horrible service and high pressure sales tactics cost them repeat business. |
Agreed, but they also gave out freebies or low cost 'promos' in hopes of reeling in customers to pay more for the package 'deals'. It's not like CPI didn't know that they were in trouble long before they just 'up and closed' suddenly. They were in trouble months ago. Look back at news stories and you will see how bad off they were.
And from what my sister informed me during the past few months, communication of the top tier management down to middle management was non-existent. She is now out of a job, but knew that the day of the company folding was not far off. She was one of the photographer's on the floor who gave customers her best - i know she spent her own money to bring in better props for the portrait settings and took her time. Training was also not an investment that CPI took with their employees - the main push was to 'just sell'.
Message edited by author 2013-04-06 22:02:09. |
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04/07/2013 07:49:02 AM · #6 |
Combined with the current economy where people are using their disposable income on something else.
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04/07/2013 08:24:13 AM · #7 |
| And yet we just had a portrait innovations open here, can't imagine they will fare much better since their business plan is almost identical to sears. Customers that want cheap and just ok photos have aan ocean of photographers to choose from, most likely even a friend or family member. Thats why I offer products and service you can't find as easily around here but it's not like sears customers will be my customers anyway. |
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04/07/2013 09:14:39 AM · #8 |
Originally posted by MinsoPhoto:
Thats why I offer products and service you can't find as easily around here but it's not like sears customers will be my customers anyway. |
BINGO! that's exactly what will make the difference.
Originally posted by CNovack:
She is now out of a job |
that sucks. hopefully she can take what she knows and continue on somewhere else, if not on her own.
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04/07/2013 10:45:33 AM · #9 |
Poorly planned business ventures fail all the time. Sometimes they last longer than they should when there are a lack of alternatives. It sucks for employees when management has no clue, but if there is a market something will fill that void.
And in this case, there is a huge base to fill it.
Hmmm, how do I get in on it?
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04/07/2013 11:08:39 AM · #10 |
Originally posted by mike_311:
And in this case, there is a huge base to fill it.
Hmmm, how do I get in on it? |
One of the problems with portrait studios is the family needs to get there and you need to pay rent.
You could put together a kit with some collapable backdrops, some lights and stands, and a few props, and advertise as making "house calls" for a reasonable price. Do the shots in their own place. Let them look at a "contact sheet" and fill out an order form (and pay?) right there, then go home and edit and print ... |
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04/07/2013 11:40:02 AM · #11 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Originally posted by mike_311:
And in this case, there is a huge base to fill it.
Hmmm, how do I get in on it? |
One of the problems with portrait studios is the family needs to get there and you need to pay rent.
You could put together a kit with some collapable backdrops, some lights and stands, and a few props, and advertise as making "house calls" for a reasonable price. Do the shots in their own place. Let them look at a "contact sheet" and fill out an order form (and pay?) right there, then go home and edit and print ... |
well considering i am a location shooter, that not an issue, the only problem is, i prefer to shoot natural backdrop, studio shots are so.. sterile. getting the family out and interacting produces much better pictures, imo. |
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04/07/2013 11:41:55 AM · #12 |
Originally posted by mike_311:
well considering i am a location shooter, that not an issue, the only problem is, i prefer to shoot natural backdrop, studio shots are so.. sterile. getting the family out and interacting produces much better pictures, imo. |
Yes, but I think it is up to the client to balance "better" with "convenience" ... |
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04/07/2013 12:16:42 PM · #13 |
There's going to be a lot of carpeted portrait leaning stands on EBay!
Seriously though, I wonder what will happen to all the studio lights? |
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04/07/2013 12:22:16 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Originally posted by mike_311:
well considering i am a location shooter, that not an issue, the only problem is, i prefer to shoot natural backdrop, studio shots are so.. sterile. getting the family out and interacting produces much better pictures, imo. |
Yes, but I think it is up to the client to balance "better" with "convenience" ... |
they don't know what they want, its up tome to tell them, i'm following Apple's marketing strategy :) |
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04/07/2013 01:48:48 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by mike_311:
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Originally posted by mike_311:
well considering i am a location shooter, that not an issue, the only problem is, i prefer to shoot natural backdrop, studio shots are so.. sterile. getting the family out and interacting produces much better pictures, imo. |
Yes, but I think it is up to the client to balance "better" with "convenience" ... |
they don't know what they want, its up tome to tell them, i'm following Apple's marketing strategy :) |
"Create a need and fill it." |
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