Headshot Depot – My Latest Experience
January 25th, 2010 by txactorOn March 13, 2008, as part of my little treatise on headshots, I related a very positive experience I’d had, ordering headshot reproductions online from Headshot Depot.
Following that post, I received a few comments…4 to be exact…that were less than flattering for the company. Fact is that every business will have missteps and slip ups along the way. Actors are like any other consumer: we want what we’ve paid for. Simple as that. Unfortunately, all transactions over the internet don’t go smoothly. When that happens, when the level of trust that is necessary to complete an online purchase is somehow diminished, we consumers get a bit worried at the least and often we get downright angry. All that is understandable.
I know from experience how expensive it is for an actor to keep supplies of headshots, demos, etc. When we spend our hard earned money on these necessities, it really gets perturbing when it seems we may have been scammed.
Now, I don’t know exactly what went wrong for the people who posted negative comments about Headshot Depot on this blog. But I do know that I paid attention. It made me rethink my positive comments and it made me reluctant to place a subsequent order.
Recently I found myself running low on a particular shot I use so I needed to get some new prints. For a number of reasons, I prefer to do this type business over the internet: it’s convenient and I can do it at 1:00am if I want to, the cost is reasonable and the quality of reproductions I’ve received has been excellent.
In deciding where to place my most recent order I looked around at some of the competitive sites that provide headshot reproductions. After an admittedly quick survey of a few sites, I found that I still preferred Headshot Depot for several reasons.
The primary thing I like about the site is their interface. I can upload a photo, adjust the framing to a certain extent, change the background from light to dark, see what it looks like with and without a border…and all in a very few minutes. There may well be other sites that make the ordering process as quick and as easy as Headshot Depot…and I’d love it if you guys would clue me in….but I didn’t hit them in my search. So, with a little reluctance, I placed a new order.
Now comes the slightly negative part of the experience.
I order a lot of things online. I have become accustomed to receiving almost instantaneous responses following placement of an order. If I order computer parts from Newegg, for instance, there is an email confirming the order – in full detail – practically as soon as I hit the ‘send’ button to complete the order. Same with most other sites from which I purchase.
Not so from Headshot Depot. I placed an order rather late at night, so I didn’t get upset at the lack of an instant response. When there was still no response the next morning, I started to rethink my decision.
But, not to worry, I did get an email response and it contained my ‘proof’. I was to approve and reply and I was told I’d receive another email regarding payment for the order.
Okay…not the smoothest way to handle the transaction, but I wasn’t being ripped off. Of that I was convinced.
Then…more waiting. I waited for a day or so and when I hadn’t received the email about paying for my order, I emailed the company. I was told the order was actually ready and I should be receiving a billing email shortly.
Later the same day I did, in fact, receive an email instructing me to pay via PayPal and I was good to go.
After paying, I’m accustomed to receiving notification from the vendor that they have been paid, with shipping details included.
Not so with Headshot Depot. Of course I did receive a notice from PayPal, so I knew the transaction was complete on my end. And so I waited.
About a week later the headshots arrived. They actually arrived on the day I had decided it was time to reach out again and find out the status of my order.
So…final opinion: Headshot Depot needs to upgrade their process of communication with clients and completion of orders to match the excellent impression they make with their ordering interface. The product I received this time lives up to the excellent quality of photo reproduction that I previously experienced.
Will I order from Headshot Depot again? I will. The service could definitely be better…smoother at least…but the product is excellent and the pricing is competitive with any other service I’ve utilized.
Today I received a follow up call from the owner who wanted to make sure my order had arrived and that I was satisfied. Now that’s good customer service. I relayed my ‘problems’ and suggestions to him and he seemed receptive.
If you have a good or bad experience with Headshot Depot let me know. I certainly don’t want to be in the position of recommending a service or business that is not delivering on their promises.
Bottom line: caveat emptor.
I’m so glad that the owner of Headshot Depot could find the time in his busy schedule to give you good customer service, seeing as how you actually received your headshots and all. I ordered mine over a month ago, and still have not received them. To get in touch with their company, I call every hour, every day, because if I just left a message, I am NEVER called back. And I have never spoken with the owner, despite numerous promises that he would call me to “work out a way to keep me as a cutomer.” Like some of your other readers, even after requesting it, I was never given a UPS tracking number. Supposedly, this is the second time my headshots were sent, because the first ones were “lost by UPS.” The second time, the company did not think to rush the order, or offer me any compensation for my trouble. And I still have not received anything.
I went with Headshot Depot to save money, and I simply was screwed. I’m wasting money now, going to Staples, and getting cheap printouts just to last me until my phantom order arrives. You can bet that I will be coughing up the money and using Reproductions in the future. At least they care about their reputation and customers.
Patti,
I’m sorry you’ve had a bad experience with Headshot Depot. Thanks for posting. I guess I’ve just been lucky with them. My latest experience gave me some pause, as the communication wasn’t the best, but I did receive my order in a timely manner. If you have time, please post your experience with an alternative online company when you get your new reproductions.
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I had the same problem as Patti. I used headshot depot back in 2007 and I was VERY happy. Everthing was done quickly and professionally and the product was good quality. So, I did not think twice when I needed prints. I pleaced my order in April, and after dealing with Doug on retoches for the proofs, the payment was executed on 4/26. Well I still do not have my pictures. I actually spoke to Doug once and he said they were “lost” and would be reprinted and resent. He told me he would call back with a tracking number. That was the last I heard from them. After many vm messages and email messages, I have now opened a dispute thru paypal. GRRR. I am also concerned because if they really were sent to the wrong address, a stranger has my son’s headshots and possibly info that can be traced back to us….
DO NOT USE HEADSHOT DEPOT unless you are feeling lucky, I guess….
I’ve had incredible problems with Headshot Depot as well. I’ve orderd from them once before. At that time, it was a hastle to get my headshots, but they actually did come. This time, I placed the order, was told they would be shipped, and here I am four months later with no headshots. I have called every day since and have never gotten a live person. I leave a message every time and have never been called back. I have to imagine they are ignoring my calls at this point. They would not give me the UPS tracking code, despite several attempts to find it out, they will not give me a refund. I’ve filed a complaint with the better business beureu, but Headshot Depot seems to have ignored them as well, since the case hasn’t progressed any furthur. I will never use headshot depot again, and will try to steer everyone I know clear of them as well
This is the absoulute worst experience I’ve ever had dealing with ordering headshots. I placed my order 6 weeks ago and still have not received my headshots and business cards. I’m filing a police report with the local police department and will be pursing leagal action.
I ordered headshots from Headshot Depot and a year later is still waiting for them. I contacted the BBB and the New York attorney general but never recieved my headshots or a refund. Do NOT order from them! Just check the BBB website and you can see all the complaints against them.
Well after all the bad reports that came in after I wrote about Headshot Depot a couple of years ago, I decided to check up on them again. Now it looks like their site is no longer active.
Sorry for those of you who had bad experiences with their service. Apparently I was one of the lucky ones who got what I paid for.
All I can say is be slow to spend your money on services like Headshot Depot or any other similar vendor. Take time to Google search any prospective service you’re thinking of using. If things look okay, I suggest making a minimal order unless you personally know actors who have had a good experience with the company you choose to do your reproductions.
The good news, to a certain extent, is that with more and more casting going online, the need for hundreds of copies of headshots is fading fast. Of course you still need hard copies for auditions, soliciting agents, etc.
But my agent now only keeps a few copies of my headshots. Instead, she insists that all actors make sure they have their most recent headshots and updated resumes uploaded to sites like Actors Access, Now Casting, Casting Networks and SAG’s iActor site.
The times, they are a’changin.
Happy Auditions, everyone.