Double Take Help

cln494

I visited Double Take Studios and can safely say I've never felt so intimidated into buying anything before.

My friend and I were offered a silly amount of photos for a silly amount of money. I also was charged more than my friend for exactly the same offer.

The photos are hideous, the make up is really obvious and surely for a 'makeover photoshoot' this is not how they should be.

I want a full refund, but its says not cancellable on the bottom of the form we signed.

Please advise, i thought everyone was entitled to a 7 day cooling off period?

Thanks in advance

ljonski

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2226933

deja Vue once again ?

cln494

so does this mean that pushy salesman are allowed to get away with this, purely because a contract is signed on their premises?

I cannot believe our laws let them get away with this.

heretolearn_2

YEah, because those nasty salesmen sellotape the pen to your hand and move it over the paper for force you to sign the contract.

People need to understand that contacts are legally binding. If you don't want it, don't sign, simples!

fluffnutter

7 day cooling off periods apply to products and services bought on the doorstep, by someone visiting your home or over the interwebular or mail order. They won't apply when you've bought something at a normal place of business, e.g. shop, or in this case, a photography studio. Nor does the 7 day period apply to items that are specific to a particular customer, i.e. made to that customer's specifications, which you'd probably argue a photograph would be (they can hardly flog it to someone else!).

These types of studios are notorious for providing poor quality products in a pressured sales environment and are very good at getting customers to part with extraordinary sums of cash. You're going to have to chalk this one up to experience I'm afraid. There's nothing you can legally do to get a refund. Didn't you see the pictures before buying? If you didn't like them.... you shouldn't have signed.

Fuzzy_Duck

Make a complaint to www.consumerdirect.gov.uk

They may be able to give you some advice. I spoke to them before going to a Double Take shoot and they told me they have received a lot of complaints. Unfortunately whilst their selling tactics are questionable they're technically not doing anything illegal (although I do wonder how they can get away with telling people they have won a competition to attract customers, when they haven't).

As fluffnutter says you may have to accept it and learn from what happened. In future remember they can't force you to do anything. I have heard some dreadful stories of staff not letting people leave, and if that ever happens again threaten to call the police if you have to. No one can keep you somewhere and bully you into signing a contract you don't want. It's also a good idea to leave your cards at home and take a small amount of money so you can't buy anything.

Even if you can't get a refund, I think it's important to spread the word about these studios. It's all very well to say you shouldn't have signed but their sales tactics are very clever, i.e. getting you drunk, rushing through the photos so you can't see how carp they are, coming out with various deals to confuse you and or course sweet talking or down -right bullying you until you're desperate to leave.

Jeff_Bridges_hair

Can we have a look at the pictures? Purely from a professional point of view