-
ℹ️ Heads up...
This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.
Picsolve Photo Rip Off
- Thread starter TheMan
- Start date
Can we have a shoutout to Florida photos please?
They're often only available in big expensive multipacks (I only wanted one photo!)... Reckon the best value I got out there was $20 for 2 photos from the same ride at Busch (and nothing like a nice picsolve frame to keep it in)
Then don't even get me started on Disney PhotoPass: it's an amazing service and there are so many great memories on my card, but now I'm left with the option of $14 to download a single photo or $130 for a CD etc...
Things could be muuch worse
They're often only available in big expensive multipacks (I only wanted one photo!)... Reckon the best value I got out there was $20 for 2 photos from the same ride at Busch (and nothing like a nice picsolve frame to keep it in)
Then don't even get me started on Disney PhotoPass: it's an amazing service and there are so many great memories on my card, but now I'm left with the option of $14 to download a single photo or $130 for a CD etc...
Things could be muuch worse
Ben
TS Founding Member
- Favourite Ride
- Your Dad
Ill say this again though, look at the quality of Disney photos. Their walk abouts are taken on really good cameras by photographers and are taken in a slow, rehearsed method so they can edit and add effects for you too.
Alton have a group randomly shouting at you as you enter the park, they dont even bother to get the towers in the background. Its just snap as many crap pictures as you can.
Then look at the on ride photos. I bought a webcam in 1995 thats better quality than some of the onride ones. I wish picsolve would bugger off and Alton take back over, they did it due to poor quality with food, why cant they do it with pictures too.
Infact they even attempted to salvage the yourday failure. They didnt succeed but it shows they are willing to try.
Alton have a group randomly shouting at you as you enter the park, they dont even bother to get the towers in the background. Its just snap as many crap pictures as you can.
Then look at the on ride photos. I bought a webcam in 1995 thats better quality than some of the onride ones. I wish picsolve would bugger off and Alton take back over, they did it due to poor quality with food, why cant they do it with pictures too.
Infact they even attempted to salvage the yourday failure. They didnt succeed but it shows they are willing to try.
They are returning the photography operations back in house eventually.
They've been advertising, in recent months, for "Photography Relationship Managers" to "ensure smooth transfer of operations from Picsolve to in park". So I imagine we'll see them being run again by merlin within the next few seasons.
They've been advertising, in recent months, for "Photography Relationship Managers" to "ensure smooth transfer of operations from Picsolve to in park". So I imagine we'll see them being run again by merlin within the next few seasons.
Dave
TS Founding Member
Ben said:
The quality of the on-ride photo's at Towers (and most other UK parks) is much better than in Europe. EP's photo's are really poor, smaller and nearly always taken just before the final break-run (or in silverstars case on the break-run).
Disneys are not really any better quality.
Ian
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Dizz, Bobby’s Yarn Land
See I have no problem with them using PicSolve for their photo provider. The quality and design they use tends to surpass in house photos and other companies. For example, here are two of my Phantasialand ORPs. The first is Black Mamba, which is from PicSolve:
The second is a Winjas one, which isn't PicSolve (They're in-house I think)
Quite a big difference in both quality, and design. Not to mention that the Winjas one is a lot smaller in reality. The Mamba one is the standard PicSolve size. The only bad PicSolve ORP I've ever really had is from Oblivion, which, whilst a fantastic design, always seems to come out blurry on the two riders shot. No doubt if it got too bad they could upgrade the cameras to fix this though.
The Smiler ones, which are obviously still very new cameras, look incredible though if you ask me. Probably the best I've ever bought.
As Dave has already said, Euorpa's leave quite a bit to be desired. My issue with PicSolve is the way they run. Their mess of offers they have at Merlin parks mixed with confusing prices makes it very annoying. "You buy one of these, you get this, you get two of those, three of them, this, a bucket of poop, you get the shop!".
What I don't understand though is if you go to non-Merlin parks who use PicSolve it's no where near as bad. Drayton Manor use PicSolve, and I think theirs are £6 each. Phantasialand only have PicSolve on Mamba I think, but they're about €5-6 each, matching the price of their other non-PicSolve ones. So why is Towers so different? To me it makes sense that if you're selling photos on over 10 different rides at Alton it makes sense to have lower prices but shift more units, whereas if you're selling your stuff on 1 or 2 rides at a park you charge more to make more on less sales?
£6 per print is what I'd call a decent price, which is quite reasonable, but must offer a decent profit margin? If one staff member sold just 2 prints an hour, their wages would be more than covered, and the costs of consumables can't be much per print (Pennies?). It must make them something at parks like Drayton and Phantasialand? I can't imagine they'd keep going with it if it made them a loss?
If PicSolve were to act as an installer and supplier to ensure their quality, but leave prices and staffing to be dealt with by Alton to ensure good service and a reasonable price tag I'd have no issue what so ever
The second is a Winjas one, which isn't PicSolve (They're in-house I think)
Quite a big difference in both quality, and design. Not to mention that the Winjas one is a lot smaller in reality. The Mamba one is the standard PicSolve size. The only bad PicSolve ORP I've ever really had is from Oblivion, which, whilst a fantastic design, always seems to come out blurry on the two riders shot. No doubt if it got too bad they could upgrade the cameras to fix this though.
The Smiler ones, which are obviously still very new cameras, look incredible though if you ask me. Probably the best I've ever bought.
As Dave has already said, Euorpa's leave quite a bit to be desired. My issue with PicSolve is the way they run. Their mess of offers they have at Merlin parks mixed with confusing prices makes it very annoying. "You buy one of these, you get this, you get two of those, three of them, this, a bucket of poop, you get the shop!".
What I don't understand though is if you go to non-Merlin parks who use PicSolve it's no where near as bad. Drayton Manor use PicSolve, and I think theirs are £6 each. Phantasialand only have PicSolve on Mamba I think, but they're about €5-6 each, matching the price of their other non-PicSolve ones. So why is Towers so different? To me it makes sense that if you're selling photos on over 10 different rides at Alton it makes sense to have lower prices but shift more units, whereas if you're selling your stuff on 1 or 2 rides at a park you charge more to make more on less sales?
£6 per print is what I'd call a decent price, which is quite reasonable, but must offer a decent profit margin? If one staff member sold just 2 prints an hour, their wages would be more than covered, and the costs of consumables can't be much per print (Pennies?). It must make them something at parks like Drayton and Phantasialand? I can't imagine they'd keep going with it if it made them a loss?
If PicSolve were to act as an installer and supplier to ensure their quality, but leave prices and staffing to be dealt with by Alton to ensure good service and a reasonable price tag I'd have no issue what so ever
The pricing is set by Merlin, so that'll be ultimately their choice to charge the amount they do.
Whether it's Merlin making the promotional offers or Picsolve suggesting and Merlin taking them on board is another matter - HP Leavesden Studios uses Picsolve and charges £12 for one photo, something like £16 for 2, £20 for 3.. then kept going up with many many options.
Mix of both worlds?
Whether it's Merlin making the promotional offers or Picsolve suggesting and Merlin taking them on board is another matter - HP Leavesden Studios uses Picsolve and charges £12 for one photo, something like £16 for 2, £20 for 3.. then kept going up with many many options.
Mix of both worlds?
Ian
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Dizz, Bobby’s Yarn Land
thefatone said:
Have Merlin taken more control recently? Only remember a couple of seasons back when the standard ORP price went up to £10 overnight? Towers claimed it was done by PicSolve, with no prior notice given to them, and it caused a right mess with people not knowing what was going on
I believe so - it was Merlins decision to reduce the amount of photos available in photopass, and charging for digital downloads. So I'd imagine they're also in charge of the set base rates as well.
Infact, think they definitely are. As MAP get discount on photos and it's openly advertised at the photo points now.
Infact, think they definitely are. As MAP get discount on photos and it's openly advertised at the photo points now.
Ian
TS Team
- Favourite Ride
- Dizz, Bobby’s Yarn Land
Reading PicSolve's site they have the following options to clients:
So I'm guessing Towers will be moving from Fully Managed to a Partnered structure, with the new role being advertised by Towers heading it up and working with PicSolve's Business Support Manager
Either that or Towers' plan is for their new person to be there instead of the PicSolve BSM and use them purely as a supplier? Wasn't there something said that PicSolve are posting considerable losses lately, so maybe the idea is a plan on Towers' part should the go bump?
So I'm guessing Towers will be moving from Fully Managed to a Partnered structure, with the new role being advertised by Towers heading it up and working with PicSolve's Business Support Manager
Either that or Towers' plan is for their new person to be there instead of the PicSolve BSM and use them purely as a supplier? Wasn't there something said that PicSolve are posting considerable losses lately, so maybe the idea is a plan on Towers' part should the go bump?
Amy
TS Contributor
On my last couple of visits I've gone with people who aren't regular visitors, and I've really noticed the difference between different rides and how they are selling photographs. E.g. On Nemesis they are just saying that the photograph is £10 and not mentioning the digital download until you've paid. I can't remember which rides, but others tell you that the photo itself is £8 and it's £2 extra for the digital download. I can't really understand why staff on different rides are doing it differently?! Surely they should all receive the same training?
djtruefitt
TS Team
A lot of people seem to have been complaining about the staff automatically adding the £2 download on, or not mentioning it until after you have paid. Which im pretty sure is illegal anyway, as you are adding something onto the bill which the consumer has not agreed to, or thinks it is the only option. Saying things like "its £10 and you get a free download" would also be a bit iffy in terms of the law.
e4kenndr
TS Member
They're def in the wrong for adding it on anyway (I'm sure it was advertised as free when it first started?) Which saved me the bother of scanning it when i get home
Anyway... if they add it on when asked not to I'd get my phone out, get the code or whatever it is on the receipt and download the photo then walk right back in 5 mins later and asked that it be removed as it wasn't asked for.
It's just like the PPI stuff I imagine - consumer revenge time! >
Anyway... if they add it on when asked not to I'd get my phone out, get the code or whatever it is on the receipt and download the photo then walk right back in 5 mins later and asked that it be removed as it wasn't asked for.
It's just like the PPI stuff I imagine - consumer revenge time! >
Olii
TS Member
e4kenndr said:It's just like the PPI stuff I imagine - consumer revenge time! >
I can imagine the adverts now...
"Have you been mis-sold a digital download for your ORP? Your digital download was mis-sold if you did not want, need or ask for it... We offer a no win no fee service... "
TheMan
TS Member
- Favourite Ride
- NemiLerVion
To let you know, I am not letting this one go.
I am disgusted by this practice, 2 quid here and there is not a lot to each individual, but I cannot imagine how much extra revenue this has bought in.
The law can take these things quite seriously, especially when it is being done en masse.
To be told I HAD to have it, because I was an annual pass holder, actually was the bit that annoyed me the most! So because I am a MAP holder, I pay MORE? Oh, thank you.
My suspicion is still that this is not a Towers direct issue, but Picsolve themselves? Regardless, they wear the uniform, and represent Towers, are on their premise, and are not advertised as a separate entity.
Hello mate by the way ;D
I need to add there if you missed my initial post bud, that I actually asked FOR a refund, and was REFUSED (because I was a MAP holder, therefore it was not optional)!
I am disgusted by this practice, 2 quid here and there is not a lot to each individual, but I cannot imagine how much extra revenue this has bought in.
The law can take these things quite seriously, especially when it is being done en masse.
To be told I HAD to have it, because I was an annual pass holder, actually was the bit that annoyed me the most! So because I am a MAP holder, I pay MORE? Oh, thank you.
My suspicion is still that this is not a Towers direct issue, but Picsolve themselves? Regardless, they wear the uniform, and represent Towers, are on their premise, and are not advertised as a separate entity.
e4kenndr said:They're def in the wrong for adding it on anyway (I'm sure it was advertised as free when it first started?) Which saved me the bother of scanning it when i get home
Anyway... if they add it on when asked not to I'd get my phone out, get the code or whatever it is on the receipt and download the photo then walk right back in 5 mins later and asked that it be removed as it wasn't asked for.
It's just like the PPI stuff I imagine - consumer revenge time! >
Hello mate by the way ;D
I need to add there if you missed my initial post bud, that I actually asked FOR a refund, and was REFUSED (because I was a MAP holder, therefore it was not optional)!