My sister and I took our kids to take portraits to gve as a gift at our parent's anniversary. We each had a Sears coupon that consumers in line before us had no issues redeeming. As soon as we mentioned our coupons, the manager refused to honor them. She kept making anti semitic slurs at us and tried to get us to leave the studio. One of our children was crying during the shoot and the phootographer and manager claimed they were not allowed to finish the shoot with a crying child because of Sears' quality assurance guarantee - they refused to take or sell us pictures of the crying kid. I had to literally threaten to call the better business bureau with her name on the spot for her to end our session immediately and to let us purchase the HIDEOUS pictures she took of our kids. NEVER AGAIN. Each time I have been to Sears I have been appalled at the rudeness of their managers, how inept the photographers are, and the way they try to scam you into paying more. The worst part is all the compliements they get on parenting websites- who pays these people to praise Sears?? No one I know has had a good experience there.

We went to the Sears Portrait at Cambridgeside Galleria and the photographer there was Amy. She is one of the most rude staff I've ever met.

When we got there for our appointment, she was out on her break, so we waited, and when she got back, she just nonchalantly told us to wait some more because she needed to edit some photos! When it was finally our turn to take photos, her attitude was terrible. Firstly, as this was our first time at taking professional shots we were a little nervous and didn't know how to pose. She not only made us feel uncomfortable but she was very rude in carrying out her instructions for us to pose in this or that manner. She even told me that "mdm, stop trying so hard, you're raising your eyebrows, bending too forward...", she said this in a very rude manner. I would have preferred her to tell this to me in a nicer tone. After all, aren't photographers meant to make you feel more relaxed and not more agitated?

The next day we came back to choose the photos. Again, Amy wasn't in the best of mood and after I chose all the photos, she keyed all the numbers in the computer. When she showed me all the ones I've chosen, they seemed a little less than what I chose, so I just looked more closely at my sheet of paper and tallied them up by myself. She said I looked as if I didn't trust her. I told her "i'm not doubting you but I just wanted to be sure thats all", and you know what she said after that? "you don't have to be so defensive about it"! I was shocked at her words.

I have never seen someone who so rude in the customer service line before, this I feel is something very unnecessary and uncalled for.

Amy also speaks very rudely to customers on the phone, while I was in the store, someone called, and Amy said "if you'd like to come to get your photos taken, don't come after 2pm, we're busy" and her tone of voice was not that friendly.

Sears Portrait Studio is a rip off!

I took my son here for his 1st birthday pictures. The photographer was friendly enough, but the pictures were terrible! First of all, she only took like 20 photos so I didn't have many nice ones to choose from. My appointment was supposed to be for an hour, but she took the photos in less than 10 minutes. The backgrounds were ugly, dirty and stained, and the props were old and outdated. I bought the CD which includes 8 sheets of photos for a grand total of $180 bucks! I could have bought a very nice point-and-shoot camera for this price and taken better pics myself!!! I would never recommend this place to my family or friends--I would actually tell them to avoid this place at all costs!

We have been using Sears Portrait Studios since January 1996, and we have seen them evolve with numerous changes since that time--some good. We've had great service (Wichita, Kansas) and the absolute worst (Longview and Tyler, Texas).

About a month ago, an employee at the Tyler, Texas studio called us to set up an appointment. It had been almost a year since our last visit, so I made an appointment thinking they were drumming for business and it would be fun. Over the next several weeks and employee from that office called us for various reasons, i.e., am we smile savers (yes!), how many people would be in the pictures, did we have coupons, and at least three appointment reminders, the last being the morning before our scheduled appointment. Yes, I assured the employee (again!) we would be there wearing big smiles at 10 am. I thought, "They must have a lot of no shows." We've never not shown up, though.

Six hours later, an employee from that studio called me to say they were overbooked and could not see us until 4 or 5:30. I canceled.

When I asked about all the confirmations and question phone calls, she new nothing about it. Just kept saying she was sorry. Not one to shoot the messenger, I asked to speak with a manager and she was out on vacation. I asked for the home office number and she gave me a number no longer in service. When I called the employee back for a different number, she advised me that was the only number she had.

We have a life and made plans around this 10am appointment that THEY solicited and they overbooked. We understand when things happen, but to overbook and not to have mentioned it in the last three phone calls?

Looking back, I think the calls reconfirming our appointment should have been my clue something was up. They were hoping SOMEONE would cancel. What a lousy way to run a business.

After reading some previous complaints here and how other customers were asked to spend more and various reasons surrounding the credibility of the coupons some had, I cant' help but wonder if we were chosen for cancellation BECAUSE we had coupons. If that's the case, then stop mailing the blasted coupons to us. Sheesh!

Moving on.

We recently took our son to have his picture taken at Sears, where he has been photographed since he was born. We will never go there again. The pictures were OK, as usual, but this time the prices were incredible tacked upon poor customer services by the young ladies that were working there. Throughout the course of the experience we were told the following: * The price of the pictures just went up * The price of the picture CD has always been $200 (I've never paid even close to $100 of purchasing it since it's inception) * The price of the picture CD is regularly $120, but it went up for the holidays * You have to pay the $50 sitting fee even if you don't buy any pictures * You don't have to pay a sitting fee * Your super saver card is expired (but the card's expiration date hadn't passed yet) Needless to say, it was a very confusing experience that no one should have to endure