 Susan M. Smith |
Portrait Photographers and New Business Not sure how widely reported this has been yet but since I work for a portrait studio (Portrait Innovations) we heard about it immediately. Sears and WalMart portrait studios closed their doors this past week (abruptly, I might add). Of course, PI is happy to grab all that new business but consumers may not realize these closures have happened until they go to get their portraits done. I'm sure this will be the case all the way up to Christmas, even. In my area, this leaves JCP and us as well as independent photographers. It goes without saying that PI and JCP will see more business because of this, but I am wondering if this is a golden opportunity for Independents, as well? My ultimate goal has been to work for PI to get jump started and get some experience, then go independent. So I would love to hear any thoughts about this from anyone running their own studio or on location business.
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Could be. Sears has been hurting and JC Penney is hurting also. So if JC Penney closes their studios, I wouldn't be surprised. Those studios were never there to make money, just as part of marketing. So since wal mart is so big and doing so well with just selling things, they don't need the studio anyway. And I've never seen anybody using their studios in the wal Marts I've been in. The only one I've seen people use is Target's. So it could be an opportunity. But the other side to consider is, since those kinds of studios had such low prices, will that type of customer switch to a private studio and consider the higher prices that a private studio needs to charge to stay afloat, worth while.
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- Dennis Flanagan Contact Dennis Flanagan Dennis Flanagan's Gallery |
Everyone and their brother/sister now owns some sort of digital camera. A lot of people are happy with their results using an outdoor setting. I hope your business picks up, but am doubtful.
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