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' This review about Walmart at Washington, NC 570 Pamlico Plz, Washington On May 1st 2017 I went to Walmart to print my family pictures to the nearest store where I live. I spent about an hour to process them at photo lab to create calendar, pick the amount of prints.

On that day i had to cancel plans for my Art class that is on Mondays to get this photo projects done. My plan was to create calendar for a my husband Mom to present her with something special on Mother's day, mail photos to my Mother that lives out of country, few wall art gallery wrapped canvases and about 100 pictures at special rate $ 0.15. I have done it on my personal time that i get about once a week that i do something special without my seven month old baby. I was hoping to prepare the elements of surprise and present wall art for my husband.

Before I went to Walmart on Friday I went to Raleigh and took a photo session with Picture People that located in a BuyBuyBaby store. I paid $ 150 and was told I can print pictures or use it any way i would like. We stayed in a Hotel in Raleigh and my husband took a day off to accomplish this photo plans. I do not use other photo labs because being a mother and sitting with 7 month old baby it is hard for me to look for other photo labs or spend additional time to travel to pick up wall photo canvases that need to be special orders.

I spent about an hour to pick up all photos and tried to print my calendar which took me a lot of effort to figure out photos positioning and background. After I spent an hour I was told that my photos would be ready in an hour so i decided to order more photo products which was additional $ 80. While I was waiting I spent about $ 280 for the cell phone and was planning more purchases so basically my spending limit for a Walmart is about $ 400. When I went to pick up my photos to the photo lab I was greeted very unfriendly by few Walmart employees that asked me if the photos were professional.

I told yes we went with my baby to photo studio then they told me that they don't want to go to jail with me because they don't want to be responsible for bail bonds and i need paperwork that i was not aware even exists. There was about three walmart sales person and all of them walked away and left me alone without father assistance or any help. I had to go back to electronics and asked for General manager to help. The manager Donna ( last name she did not provide when I asked her ) told that i do not have rights to pick up my photos because I did not provide paperwork of copyrights.

She told one of the employees to put my CD into photo lab computer and informed me that I do not have this copyright license and I am not allowed to pick up my order that i placed. The she made an effort to call to Raleigh to Picture People company by they were closed so I got denied service. After 2.5-3 hours spent in a photo lab I come home and put CD in a computer - I found copyright release which is simple one page without any serial number or any special instructions that looks like anyone could forge in case they are really stealing images and using them for profit... My complaint is that Walmart did not provide proper training to their employees and they denied me my rights as a customer using hostile unfriendly manners and attitude.

I had to listen about possible jail time for them and for me which was a big stress for me considering that in my past I was arrested and had to go though *** emotionally because somebody else planned to hurt me and use the system to make it very hard on me. When i was arrested and spent time in jail I was shock that nobody cared what really happened and used right to separate me from my freedoms because of somebody else lies. I was not expecting those type of suggestions in a place that is fun place for me and basically my hobby and very special for my memories that suppose to last lifetime... I returned my purchases that I made on that day and had final talk to a manager that treating a customer in the hostile manner like I was treated is unacceptable.

If Walmart wants to enforce photo printing rules that they can at leapst to tell three standing employees how to use basic computer and open the file. The people who work at Walmart treated me like they don't want me to be there and my purchases is just a burden to them. Absolutely no respect or any intention to help or provide assistance. Just a jail time and vanished into the this air.

As a person who respects myself and other people - I made a decision to never shop at Walmart. I am boycotting it and will not tolerate this type of hostility. They put me to tears and destroyed my special plans that me and my family put so much effort to accomplish. The Walmart corporation cares only about profits and not customer service.

They call customer service is place where you can return selected merchandise and that's it. I am deeply offended by my experience and will avoid Walmart at any cost. I could not imagine that low cost of photos can add up costing me 3 hours of stress, waste of energy and time, hostility and disrespect. Walmart people learn how to use your brain, computers and logic.

This policy doesnt make sence for many reasons. 1- if somebody wants to steal somebody else art photo images why do they need to do it in Walmart ? They can print the images at home using special printer and photo paper, photo labs or similar ways to obtain what they want. 2-If someone wants to do forgery - they can simply put that one page copyright piece of paper and photo shop any data because the copyright piece of paper is nothing more that signed page.

There is no date on it, no serial number no license or special numbers. 3-You are not professionally trained to make a decision who gets photos or who needs copyright and discriminate one customer on a selected base. 4- if somebody want to obtain stolen images they can simply blend them with their family photos and print them in small quantities that you would never even notice. 5-If you company Walmart cared about customers they would trained You to open CD and open up the CD on a normal computer and not photo lab equipment.

P.S About two month ago I had my cell phone stolen in Walmart. The local walmart did not pull video or help me to recover my cell phone. They put no efforts to inform me about investigation. I was coming 4-5 days in a row to talk to the loss prevention manager and every time the person was not on duty.

When You shop at the Washington, NC You are not safe and can be robbed right in a store.

The loss prevention manager are almost to no exist when You needed the most. The some employees would rather talk about jail and authorities that put 1% of effort to help and look at CD on computer !

Reason of review: Poor customer service.

Walmart Pros: Affordable cost of photo products.

Walmart Cons: Customer service and policy.

Location: 570 Pamlico Plaza, Washington, NC 27889, USA

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Guest

I am having difficulty understanding your complaint. You spent too much time telling us about non-facts.

You needed to state your complaint in the first paragraph. Instead, you went on-and-on until you made your issue confusing.

What I am seeing is that you were trying to make copies of studio photo's. It doesn't matter if you paid 90-cents or 900-dollars.

Sheesh! The fact is, you cannot make re-prints of professional photographs, even if you are the parent or have purchased the photo's.

You'd have been better off buying a scanner and doing so on your own account at your own living quarters.

You cannot involve any business in such a practice.

Bottom line: YOU'RE WRONG.

Rebekkah Hym

I discovered this Walmart form that is telling that customer who prints photos is owns copyright. The local Walmart should be aware about this form but yet I called today and talked to a local shift manager on a phone and she refuse to recognize this form and refused to take it and release my photos. http://i.walmartimages.com/i/if/hmp/fusion/Photo-CopyrightForm_Owner.pdf

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Rebekkah Hym

So that URL is simply a grouping of pre-written letters about copyrights release letters. Wow! How about you go to the studio who actually did your shoot, buy the copyright, and get their legal release letter?

Rebekkah Hym

I guess this is where you can print the copyright and show it to the Walmart cashier for immediate photo pick up. http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=copyright+photo+release+images&qpvt=copyright+photo+release+images&qpvt=copyright+photo+release+images&qpvt=copyright+photo+release+images&FORM=IGRE

Rebekkah Hym

I have a question about the copyright release form. When You give it to walmart photo lab do the employee get the verification with the copyright owner about images that were printed ?

The reason why I ask is that there are millions of images of copyrights forms online. If anyone can print them and download for a future use to present in photo ordering department then what exactly company does to follow up to make sure that the copyright form is legal and not fake ?

Do they keep the form, contact the issuer about each photo order or just look at it and release the photos. I wonder if it is walmart Circus act

Rebekkah Hym
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1323856

I do not know for sure. I assume after You show them piece of paper that has a word copyright - I think they release images to the customer so basically they do not verify if the copyright is truly authentic and not just printed of the internet. I don't think they put extra effort to investigate it and handle it like a circus

Guest

It is the customer's responsibility to provide copyright for photos not employees, you can put the cd in the photo machine and print it as a picture and walmart shouldn't charge you for that one. It is up to the employees if the pictures look professional to ask if they are and if so then they can not legally release them with out a copyright.

If they sell someone these photos without copyright the photographer can not only sue the person who bought them(customer) but they can sue the store who sold them, the store can be fined and the employee can be fired.

It's not just walmart's policy it is law--Federal Copyright Act of 1976.

Rebekkah Hym
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1323843

To cover the ignorance and unprofessionalism of Wal Mart photo lab employess by Federal Copyright Act of 1976 is double wrong ! Two wrongs doesn't do it right !

Let's pretend Yes it is my fault that as a customer I did not bring the document of copyright to photo lab when tried to pick up my order --> because I had no idea that I should.

In my opinion as a customer who pays for everything and expect proper service and product on time I was misled and ignored by Walmart photo lab employee who stood next to me for over 25 minutes and looked at my photos many many times. I had conversation with him and he saw the quality of the pictures I was ordering. First, I was under the impression that he is not quite know or understand the photo lab products that I had questions about. He looked like he came back from vacations and landed in photo lab by accident without proper preparation or specific knowledge.

I mean he talked to me and looked directly on my screen with the same photo that I needed to print. My question is didn't he see that photos are professional and need special paperwork or he did not care and would give my prints when I needed them. But by bad luck when I needed my photos he was on break and other employees were in a photo lab so when they saw me they very law oriented but extremely short and not helpful. Then after 15 minutes the guy come back and played dead opossum like he is not even recognizing me to stay away from any responsibility.

I mean If I work there and care for my job and customers and provide service to customers then I would pay a little more attention and hopefully prevent this failure by telling customer something like this " Hello I would like to help You and let me see what I can do or help You with.

I also, see that You have very nice professional quality photos. Are you aware that when You will need to pick them up that you need copyrights paperwork ? "

Saying something like this or checking images right when the order is placed would prevent and save a whole a lot of trouble. I was under the impression that Walmart photo lab should be run by specialist and not someone who is a floater and know hardly anything about photo.

I tried to come during the day time because I was explained before that photo lab is closing by 8 and if I want to talk to specialist then I should process my photo during the day hours.

This is misleading false policies that led me to a series of horrible experience that I am not angry but deeply disappointed and upset about. I do not tolerate lies and low end professionals bounce me around for hours at my own expense. They get paid for working in Walmart and I bring them the money to pay their paycheck. I do not come to Wal Mart to ask for favors or anything extraordinary.

I have a feeling that if the guy that was standing next to me and went on break in a time I needed to pick up my photos was there - he would release me my photos and let me pick them up without one word. U just got Bad Luck and experience the beauty of Walmart Circus Photo Lab Police

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Rebekkah Hym

You know when you get on the photo machine, click the type of photos you want and that screen comes up with all the righting on it and you click the blue tab at the bottom of the screen that says accept did you even read it? Because by clicking accept you are agreeing to the copyright policy telling you that you have to have copyright for your photos.

So while it is nice for the employee to let a customer know this if they are helping them they don't have to since you "read" and agreed to this before hand. Remember reading is fundamental.

Rebekkah Hym
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1325786

Reading is fundamental so as writing. When somebody wrote something in policy for others to read it should be backed by consistency, clear representation and respect put toward human beings who spent hours in a store to print the photos.

I have been printing in the same photo lab for many times and the same screen with writing appeared. As I explained the photo lab tech was watching my photos (that all looked alike 29 pictures total) on a screen while i printed them. The when was time to pick up my photo order he pretends he did not see me or recognize. This type of behavior is offensive and shows that employee wants anything to do or help but simply ignoring and walking away.

I mean why Walmart doesn't check for copyright right when You placed and order ?

Or simply watch you like predators and wasting your time for hours?

On top my CD had copyright that photo lab equipment did not open up because it was in PDF format.

Any way I contacted copyright department in Walmart and wrote them for three days in a row and guess what no answer or explanation of their policy about copyright and form that suppose to give the customer the right to sign that customer is a copyright holder for photos and all responsibility about legal expenses that walmart pretends to avoid will be on a customer.

I contacted copyright@***.com multiple times about http://i.walmartimages.com/i/if/hmp/fusion/Photo-CopyrightForm_ThirdParty.pdf So far zero explanation or getting back to me with the answer. They do not care. I would expect if I print this policy and fill it and bring to the walmart retail store then photo lab specialist or manager would be aware of it so far nothing make sense in this policy.

Recently I closed my Walmart credit card because I do not believe in that business any more. While I was making the payment over the phone for my other credit card handled by Synchrony Bank the customer service asked me my input about Belk Store and I mentioned that I love the store , customer service and policies at Belk and not Walmart. She told me that credit card handled by the same financial company and they would love to help to investigate a little more this photo lab police circus. They were very concerned why good customer like me was treated in a way that is not regulated by consumer protection laws.

I did not expect them to offer me to look at the situation. I would like to add that I picked up my photos by using help and sending my husband to help me with this issue. The manager that was on duty told that he agreed that photo copyright policy is not quite clear and should be clarified and corrected between employees. The employees should not be afraid of jail or arrests and bail bonds when customer is trying to print photos.

He gave the Gift Card and express respect and understanding about that matter. That little perk helped a little to see that somebody understands and possibly would be addressed to improve the overall experience. I still have more questions about photo printing. I am taking pretty nice photos myself that do look professional.

I am confused that If I ever bring them to walmart to print or order online that I will have possible second experience. My second question is that I have a photos that were done in a professional studio and I purchased the CD with all images. They did not have any copyright forms because the photographer was freelancer. How can I print those photos ?

Also, I have images I need to print from a cruise that I have been on. I do not have any paperwork so I think I just shoud try possibly print them at Walgreen or other company to save myself a trouble.

Guest

The photo lab has photo equipment, used for processing photos. These are not PC computers used for opening files like your copyright release, and the associates (including the store manager) do not have access to one at the store.

It is your responsibility to provide a copy of your copyright release. If you had done so, there would not have been an issue.

Rebekkah Hym
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1323827

If Walmart did not advertise 1 hour pick up in store pick up photo service and check my photos for copyright right when i placed and order and not hours later this would be a different story.

First the Walmart failed promise on service. By the way when I spent about an hour by ordering my images the walmart male employee was standing right next to me and looked clearly at my photos.

All my photos were from the same foto session with total amount of 30.

The question is didn't he see this coming and could of ask me for copyright before i spent 3 hours in a store ? Did my images changed when it was time to pick them up or what ?

The walmart policy is total Circus and I truly believe that I should file this case in court

Rebekkah Hym

Whats ironic that even general manager did not know how to check my CD for copyright and that CD should be open on a regular PC computer and not photo lab equipment. I guess it is easier to get rid of customer than use a little bit of effort to use equipment provided by Walmart.

I fully understand that all examples about the jail paranoia and bail bonds and that Walmart can be sued by photographers because Walmart prints are come from higher Walmart management and employees have to follow the rules.

So as fish rote from its head then the policy about Copyrights and how it is handled in a retail environment is handled in a discriminate no common sense manner by low end professionals that

The walmart employess that are not trained in photo services should not enter that area of photo lab because not only they are not trained or can provide customer service but decline final step as pick up order by customer and confuse the customer even more. The common sense or logic is not used. It is much easier. The exuses that employees used examples about jail and bail bonds including both party arrests are not accepted.

There was not a reason to treat me this way and walked away from me so i feel guilty, wrong and threatened.

As far as I know corporate world culture the complaint like mine will not bring me relief or help. The Walmart only truly respect customer when they are being sued and asked for compensation. If I take it to court and send them letter that notified them that I am asking for legal resolution and they are being sued then they would get back and probably even contact me ASAP because financial losses involved. Everything else is not existing customer service.

I can prove that the area they have sign Customer Service should be renamed as RETURNS and PLACE NEW ORDERS. Every time I had question about knowledge of products or anything extra they refer me to the walmart corporate tel line. That's it. Why would even call CUSTOMER SERVICE that name to confuse customers even more?

That's misleading and shows fake side that store is caring for customer but in reality it is returns and new orders.

I forgot to add that Walmart often overcharges by advertising one price and when you look at receipt you have to go back to pretend Customer Service to get your hard honest earned money back for product you overpaid because they advertise one price but when you check the receipt the prices are miraculously higher and not smaller....

Just rename CUSTOMER SERVICE as THREE TYPE OF SERVICES YOU ARE OFFERING

1- RETURNS 2-NEW ORDERS 3-RETURNS OF $ FOR OVERCHARGING CUSTOMERS SO PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY LINE THEY BELONG

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