Well, Walmart really did me in today!! This morning, I submitted some 8x10s on their website for one-hour processing and got confirmation that they'd be ready at 11:15am. So I called before heading to the store and they assured me that my order had come in. I told the gal I'd be in to pick them up within minutes.

Needless to say, when I got there, gee...they weren't ready. When I asked her why she told me they were ready over the phone when they weren't she mumbled something about how they only open at 10am. She then told me they'd be ready in another half hour. ***AARGH!!*** When I pushed back and reiterated that my confirmation said they'd be ready at 11:15 she brushed me off by telling me, "oh, just hold on and give a few minutes." ***AARGH!!*** So I patiently waited. And waited. And waited. Nearly 30 minutes later, my husband, who isn't as patient as I am, went up to ask her how much longer. She said a couple more minutes. ***AARGH!!*** So much for 1 hour service...

After another 5 minutes, she called us over. She then proceeded to tell me that she couldn't release the photos because she needed a copyright release from the photo studio that took the pictures. I told her they were my own photos, that I had taken them this morning with my own camera, and no, they were not taken by a professional photographer. She told me I needed to provide a form to Walmart indicating that it was okay to print them, but no, she wouldn't give me a piece of paper to give them my permission. ***AARGH!!!***

My error (if you can call it that)? That I had put a copyright symbol and the date on the photos. Now, it's flattering that they thought the photos were professionally done but it was MADDENING that they wouldn't release the photos to me even though they had already been paid for online. Even the assistant manager wasn't budging. In the end, we made them shred the photos and issue a cash refund right there.

So...just a warning to all you fabulous graphic artists and photographers out there...be cautious about putting that little copyright symbol on your layouts or you could find yourself in a similar frustrating situation.

In the meantime, does anyone know of any good online printers that offer 1-hr service and will let you upload from home and pick them up in their store?

Zee

Oh, Zee... so sorry to hear of your frustration! I haven't had any trouble at all with them yet... (other than my work being printed a lil crooked...) I know Costco has one hour and in some places, upload is possible. (Check Costco dot com). In my region it's not worth the trouble, the CA server is not up to par (so to say) to accept big orders. Check it out. I think Sam's Club accepts it, too but they are part of WalMart so I don't know how that will work... Good luck! Let us know what happens!

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I had a similar "artists release" issue with a local printer. I was chuckling and thanked them for the complement and proceeded to explain that I am the artist. They were nice about it and I then gave them my business card.

Ended up getting some referrals from that conversation.

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Susan
Outer Banks Foto Art

This is not a place where you can order online and pick-up in the store, but I love the service of whcc.com. You actually FTP your files to them, they print them (professional prints) and ship them to your door. It typically takes 3 days to receive them.

This is a professional printing service (used by professional photographers). They have very competive prices (around $2 for an 8 x 10). My 12 x 12 scrapbook pages are printed for $3.60!!! They also have print package (like you would receive from your photographer)...list keeps going.

You will have to wait a little bit longer for your prints, but the convenience of having them shipped to your door, and the quality is worth it!! I will never go back to Wal-mart, Sam's, etc. again.

Did I mention that shipping is free as long as you order $12 worth of pictures?

I will warn you...it does take a little bit of time to get yourself set-up with them, but once you do, you'll never go back!

Hope that helps!!!

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Erin (erincassell)



Nothing is more important than family!
Visit my gallery.

So sorry Zee!!!
I have had a VERY similar experience but brought the PS files and talked the 'manager' to print them. I had HUGE trouble at one Walmart but no questions at another. They must have gotten sued over some copyright issues or something but it is SO DARN frustrating!!!

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Dani B.

My Gallery!
My little Blog

So what CAN you do in these situations????? I am planning on taking some photos at the gym with a backdrop and don't want to run into these issues -- I WAS considering having them done at costco but after talking to amy i think i'm just going to use my own printer. Sounds like a major PITA to try and get them to work with you and convince them that the photos are actually yours.

So if i was to make up some business cards and take them with me and it matched the copywrite on the photos? Would that work?

I'm so frustrated and this hasn't even happend to me. It makes me want to take these photos and go in there and see if they give me a hard time. I love a challenge.....

I'm so sorry this happend to you...

Well.. for a start.. you can print them somewhere else! I find the whole Walmart experience to be ... less than pleasant. Unless you get to the store right when they open, you're often faced with a line 3 deep in front of the SINGLE machine.. then - you usually get behind the person with a 512MB card full of prints that of course they want to: pick and choose which ones to print, print multiple copies and multiple sizes, touch up each and every one, and to top if all off... they don't know how to use the machine! So.. over comes the helper who is now helping someone go thruogh 200 pictures instead of doing their job.. processing prints!

No thanks.. I'll pay the extra .05 per print and just drop off a fully ready CD to my local photo shop.. go relax for 60 minutes and then come back in and pick them up. Besides.. they will provide the ICC profiles so you know what you brought in will match what comes out.. unlike walmart.. where I find my prints used to come out on the reddish side.. fine if you like to stand there and fix em.. no thx.

First of all, thanks for your words of consolation...it was really needed!

Just wanted to let you know the results of my follow-up calls with Walmart.com and the store level photo center manager. Very interesting indeed...

After explaining to Walmart.com the entire situation, they told me that the copyright symbol and year has nothing to do with their copyright policy and that the pictures should have been released to me. She apologized for the poor customer service and offered to forward my account to her service manager. Hopefully I'll hear back from him.

HOWEVER, when I called the photo center manager at the store, I was told something completely different from what Walmart.com and even what the clerk said yesterday. He said that in addition to their policy, there's another paragraph that has been added to include "any photos that 'appear' to be of a professional quality." WHOAAA, stop the presses...what did he just say? I asked him if what he meant was that Walmart is now in charge of deciding what looks professional and what doesn't. He confirmed, yes they reserve the right to refuse printing photos if they think they look better than the average photographer's work, REGARDLESS of whether or not I had a copyright release form.
Here's what the policy says online:

"Wal-Mart Photo Centers will not copy a photograph that is signed, stamped, or otherwise identified by any photographer or studio, unless we are presented with a signed Copyright Release from the photographer or studio. In addition, we will not copy a photograph that appears to have been taken by a professional photographer or studio, even if is not marked with any sort of copyright, unless we are presented with a signed Copyright Release from the photographer or studio."

Obviously everyone has their own interpretation of this policy. SHEEESH!!! Kristie, it's hard to say if they'd let you print them or not because it seems the only thing they're consistent in is inconsistency.

Marsha, unfortunately Costco does not have upload services here in Nevada so that's out. I'm going to look into whcc.com and I've also heard good things about winkflash.com. Thanks for your suggestions everyone!

Zee