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08/11/2009 09:52:43 AM · #1 |
I have always had a "no refund" policy on the money that a client pays(deposits and payments)if they cancel. I am reconsidering my policy and I think maybe I should make only the deposit nonrefundable. Is that what everyone else is doing? Or is there a certain point before the wedding (like a month)that you make everything nonrefundable?
Message edited by author 2009-08-11 09:54:29. |
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08/11/2009 10:13:48 AM · #2 |
| Under what circumstances? |
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08/11/2009 10:30:21 AM · #3 |
depending on the amount of time before the wedding, the amount of the deposits and the circumstances of the cancelation. I have a 'booking fee' that I have kept on a cancelation, but keeping customers happy (evening canceling ones) is important.
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08/11/2009 10:35:09 AM · #4 |
| I have had cases where people have canceled because they were no longer getting married. Leaf, is your booking fee pretty much a deposit? |
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08/11/2009 10:38:37 AM · #5 |
| If thats the case, you keep the deposit. I would consider a booking fee to be a deposit. |
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08/11/2009 11:26:28 AM · #6 |
| So, my understading is that if there is ample time before the wedding you return any payments beyond the deposit? |
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08/11/2009 11:59:01 AM · #7 |
| ok, here is my 2 cents from the other side of the coin (customer) when my daughter got married - about 9 months before the wedding they tried to break the contract with the photographer, politely, and he refused to refund any money at all...I could have understood keeping a fee to cancel, but we had already paid in advance for all the work, and after receiving the engagement photos - my daughter and her now husband wanted to go with someone else. Personally I feel that if there is ample time to rebook your time as the photographier, charging a fee to cancel is like you said "keeps the customer happy". As my daughter and son-in-law were not happy with any of the pictures and to date have ordered none from him (almost 2 years later)...it was a very expensive lesson to learn (almost $3K). And I feel very bad as we don't have any "good" pictures from the wedding at all...my nephew took better pictures than the photographer did...we choose him based on the fact of his ability to take "outdoor" pictures and it rained like a bangee that day, so he was forced to do all indoor work...our mistake for not choosing an overall photographier...but again a very expensive lesson. |
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08/11/2009 11:59:16 AM · #8 |
Originally posted by dexphotos:
So, my understading is that if there is ample time before the wedding you return any payments beyond the deposit? |
Keep in mind all of this has to be spelled out in the contract, in great detail too. I would do it on a "months til date" type thing...
>9 monhs before = 100%
6-9 months before - 75%
3-6 months before - 50%
Less than 3 months before - no refund. |
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08/11/2009 12:11:38 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by ajdelaware:
Originally posted by dexphotos:
So, my understading is that if there is ample time before the wedding you return any payments beyond the deposit? |
Keep in mind all of this has to be spelled out in the contract, in great detail too. I would do it on a "months til date" type thing...
>9 monhs before = 100%
6-9 months before - 75%
3-6 months before - 50%
Less than 3 months before - no refund. |
Do you have a contact that you actually have the clients sign or is this just something you have on a website somewhere? |
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08/11/2009 12:17:36 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by Ja-9:
ok, here is my 2 cents from the other side of the coin (customer) when my daughter got married - about 9 months before the wedding they tried to break the contract with the photographer, politely, and he refused to refund any money at all...I could have understood keeping a fee to cancel, but we had already paid in advance for all the work, and after receiving the engagement photos - my daughter and her now husband wanted to go with someone else. Personally I feel that if there is ample time to rebook your time as the photographier, charging a fee to cancel is like you said "keeps the customer happy". As my daughter and son-in-law were not happy with any of the pictures and to date have ordered none from him (almost 2 years later)...it was a very expensive lesson to learn (almost $3K). And I feel very bad as we don't have any "good" pictures from the wedding at all...my nephew took better pictures than the photographer did...we choose him based on the fact of his ability to take "outdoor" pictures and it rained like a bangee that day, so he was forced to do all indoor work...our mistake for not choosing an overall photographier...but again a very expensive lesson. |
If your daughter and the photographer had a signed agreement ahead of time, which should be the case to protect both of you, then I see no reason for him to be required to return the money IF that was how it was stated in the contract. Another very good reason to make sure you carefully read any contract that you sign with anyone.
Matt |
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08/11/2009 12:18:26 PM · #11 |
Think of the situation as you would if you were the client.
On the other hand,
Let's just say you charged $1000 for a (complete) service, but instead of it being complete you only finished half the job you should be entitled to $500 right? Well if all you did was some personal paperwork, a few phone calls then you should determine a percentage of how much work you did for them. Don't be a prick about it just be honest and people will respect that.
If you only did 3% of the work then keep your $30.00 and move on. If you shot the wedding already and people aren't satisfied with the quality of the work but you completed the job 100% then keep the full 100% with no returns. |
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08/11/2009 12:18:47 PM · #12 |
Sometimes there's an open bar, and the B&G have to drag my limp, barf-soaked body off the dance floor, but it doesn't effect the quality of the photography. They might want a refund for that, but usually change their minds after seeing the photos.
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08/11/2009 12:19:36 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by MattO:
Originally posted by Ja-9:
ok, here is my 2 cents from the other side of the coin (customer) when my daughter got married - about 9 months before the wedding they tried to break the contract with the photographer, politely, and he refused to refund any money at all...I could have understood keeping a fee to cancel, but we had already paid in advance for all the work, and after receiving the engagement photos - my daughter and her now husband wanted to go with someone else. Personally I feel that if there is ample time to rebook your time as the photographier, charging a fee to cancel is like you said "keeps the customer happy". As my daughter and son-in-law were not happy with any of the pictures and to date have ordered none from him (almost 2 years later)...it was a very expensive lesson to learn (almost $3K). And I feel very bad as we don't have any "good" pictures from the wedding at all...my nephew took better pictures than the photographer did...we choose him based on the fact of his ability to take "outdoor" pictures and it rained like a bangee that day, so he was forced to do all indoor work...our mistake for not choosing an overall photographier...but again a very expensive lesson. |
If your daughter and the photographer had a signed agreement ahead of time, which should be the case to protect both of you, then I see no reason for him to be required to return the money IF that was how it was stated in the contract. Another very good reason to make sure you carefully read any contract that you sign with anyone.
Matt |
I agree...this is why we totally ate it... |
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08/11/2009 12:25:16 PM · #14 |
| I charge a deposit which we apply toward the wedding package that the client chooses. If a client cancels, the deposit is non-refundable, although if I manage to book another wedding for that day, I will refund the deposit too. |
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08/11/2009 12:26:42 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by Ja-9:
Originally posted by MattO:
Originally posted by Ja-9:
ok, here is my 2 cents from the other side of the coin (customer) when my daughter got married - about 9 months before the wedding they tried to break the contract with the photographer, politely, and he refused to refund any money at all...I could have understood keeping a fee to cancel, but we had already paid in advance for all the work, and after receiving the engagement photos - my daughter and her now husband wanted to go with someone else. Personally I feel that if there is ample time to rebook your time as the photographier, charging a fee to cancel is like you said "keeps the customer happy". As my daughter and son-in-law were not happy with any of the pictures and to date have ordered none from him (almost 2 years later)...it was a very expensive lesson to learn (almost $3K). And I feel very bad as we don't have any "good" pictures from the wedding at all...my nephew took better pictures than the photographer did...we choose him based on the fact of his ability to take "outdoor" pictures and it rained like a bangee that day, so he was forced to do all indoor work...our mistake for not choosing an overall photographier...but again a very expensive lesson. |
If your daughter and the photographer had a signed agreement ahead of time, which should be the case to protect both of you, then I see no reason for him to be required to return the money IF that was how it was stated in the contract. Another very good reason to make sure you carefully read any contract that you sign with anyone.
Matt |
I agree...this is why we totally ate it... |
Doesn't make it any better a situation for either of you I know and no Bride should be disappointed with her wedding photos. But it does happen. However in reality if the photos he did deliver weren't up to his normal stuff(regardless of the situation) he should be insured to cover the cost of redoing the wedding scenario to get the photos you are entitled too.
Matt |
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08/11/2009 12:55:49 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by Dirt_Diver:
Originally posted by ajdelaware:
Originally posted by dexphotos:
So, my understading is that if there is ample time before the wedding you return any payments beyond the deposit? |
Keep in mind all of this has to be spelled out in the contract, in great detail too. I would do it on a "months til date" type thing...
>9 monhs before = 100%
6-9 months before - 75%
3-6 months before - 50%
Less than 3 months before - no refund. |
Do you have a contact that you actually have the clients sign or is this just something you have on a website somewhere? |
You should have a client sign a contract no matte rwhat, and language similar to that should be included. |
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08/11/2009 12:56:59 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by Dirt_Diver:
Think of the situation as you would if you were the client.
On the other hand,
Let's just say you charged $1000 for a (complete) service, but instead of it being complete you only finished half the job you should be entitled to $500 right? Well if all you did was some personal paperwork, a few phone calls then you should determine a percentage of how much work you did for them. Don't be a prick about it just be honest and people will respect that.
If you only did 3% of the work then keep your $30.00 and move on. If you shot the wedding already and people aren't satisfied with the quality of the work but you completed the job 100% then keep the full 100% with no returns. |
Seriously? |
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08/11/2009 01:10:33 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by ajdelaware:
Originally posted by Dirt_Diver:
Think of the situation as you would if you were the client.
On the other hand,
Let's just say you charged $1000 for a (complete) service, but instead of it being complete you only finished half the job you should be entitled to $500 right? Well if all you did was some personal paperwork, a few phone calls then you should determine a percentage of how much work you did for them. Don't be a prick about it just be honest and people will respect that.
If you only did 3% of the work then keep your $30.00 and move on. If you shot the wedding already and people aren't satisfied with the quality of the work but you completed the job 100% then keep the full 100% with no returns. |
Seriously? |
Hell yeah I'm serious. |
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