Shouted at and bag searched in the street for shoplifting! (I didn't). LONG

[TRexingInSportsDirect]

AIBU to think this is the worst 'prize' ever?

I won a FB competition for a 'boudoir' photoshoot. The shoot itself was fine; they gave me a price list but told me 'but there are always special offers on the day'. This referred to the 'reveal' day, where you book an appointment to see and order the photos. I got a free photo as part of my prize, and thought I might buy some if the special offer was good.

Today was 'reveal' day. There were no special offers, so we picked the free photo, the lady put it in a bag, and we asked if we could order other photos later. She said something like "not really, we told you you have to order today otherwise all the photos [prints] get destroyed. You can book an appointment to come back but it costs 50 pounds'. So we asked to go back to the reveal room, which was fine. We umm-ed and ahh-ed a bit but decided not to buy anything. We said thank you and bye to the lady at the desk, she said bye and we left.

Walking back to the car, past shoppers and people sat outside at cafes, we heard someone who sounded pretty angry shout from good 50 yards away "Excuse me" - it was the woman shouting at us!! She continued "Can you come back here please, I need to check your bag"! Obviously while dying of embarrassment we hurried over and showed her our bag only had the one free photo in. She was saying 'Oh this is soooo awkward' (erm, it's not exactly a picnic for me, thanks)!!!

Anyway, she said some photos were "missing". We explained we moved some and put them next to others to compare, but they were all still there. She said no I've counted them. My husband suggested we go back with her and sort it out, and she said no, I know who you are, I'll count again and I'll email you. So we did the walk of shame to the car in front of everyone who was probably wondering where we'd hidden the stolen photos! I was so upset, embarrassed and shocked, I just cried (i'm not a crier normally)!! We were supposed to go to the cinema tonight, to have a date - needless to say I didn't feel like it, date's cancelled and I feel like crap.

AIBU to be really pissed off and upset, and think being shouted at and accused of theft in the street is pretty much the shittest prize ever?

I've had this happen, it's rotten isn't it?

I got chased (I say chased, the guy ran like five meters after me out of the shop) out of Homebase by a massive, 6'4" security guard and grabbed hard around the arm. I'd been holding my sleeve around the shop in a suspicious manner apparently and he thought I'd slipped something up there. He quickly mumbled something and shuffled off when he saw my frightened face and when he felt there was nothing there. I wanted to leave it, but I was with my rather shouty MIL who insisted we march back in to complain. Ten minutes and the most epic, angry MIL rant later we left with a grovelling apology and store vouchers

Good on you for the review. They treated you appallingly.

I'm surprised she has never had someone just take the free photo and leave before, I'm sure plenty of people do that with these sort of shoots. You're entitled to, that's the offer after all. The catch is that they then try and upsell more photos, she must be very pushy if she's never had anyone else say no! That email doesn't sound like much of an apology, basically excusing her unacceptable behaviour by taking a dig at you. Definitely leave negative reviews to warn others. You can post on this group on Facebook to warn people about your negative competition experience:
www.facebook.com/groups/434198599975740/943490669046528/

Oops sorry, x-posted. It's great that she has taken your comments on board and put it right so there is no need for negative reviews. Shows she was lying about destroying the photos if she is still able to gift them to you though! Really hope she thinks twice about her behaviour in future because you stood up to her. Good for you.

OstentatiousBreastfeeder That's awful! Imagine if you had been holding your arm in a 'suspicious' way because it was hurting and then he grabbed it! In the store where my DH worked as security they were only allowed to challenge a suspected shoplifter if they actually saw them take something and pass the payment point.

I'm sorry but I'm cringing at the term 'boudoir photo'. What on earth is that?!

PaulAnka it's when middle aged women get photoshopped and hazy focus shot in pics with lingerie on.

Isn't it women of any age?

Though tempted to see if they could make a dreamy blurred muscle shot of my husband.

What I don't get with boudoir photo shoots is - what the fuck do you do with the pictures once you've got them? It's not like you'd adorn the living room (or possibly any other room of your house assuming you get visitors) with pictures of you in your biggie smalls? Or even put them on Facebook. So they just get shoved in a drawer I guess?

Oh I don't know Mamagin is it? Sorry maybe it is?

They are a bit cringy. Look, here is a pic of me looking absolutely nothing like me, in a hazy foggy view to blur me even more. Dressed like a whore to build my self esteem. Empowering or what!
Er....

Aren't you quite the judge little charmer?

I know, sorry!
I just hate people paying money to look nothing like themselves. A great shot of actual you is better. The biggest beam, the group hug of happiness, a touching moment...these things look so much more attractive than some fake plastic unnatural shot of an unreal image.
There is so much more to beautiful.

Personally I have not had a boudoir shoot done but it's something I would do. Dressing up like a whore and all...I've got lots of every day photos but none of me looking stunningly beautiful, real or not. I've never felt beautiful in my life so if an airbrushed photo can do that for me I will do it.

Exactly what I thought. Those awkward photos where sometimes she wears a corset style top, dark background, with a weird haze?

Her apology is pretty poor, bearing in mind they would have to just throw them away anyway now they are printed. But hey ho.

OstentaiousBreastfeeder Wow, actual grabbing, that's terrible, I would cry even more!
PaulAnker - yes do cringe, it's exactly what you imagine.
BackintheRealWorld That made me laugh because it's the very definition of harsh but fair! Having said that, they were proper focus - I don't need much haze, thank you, on account being super hawt and everything I may or may not be approaching middle age.

That's good, she came back with that sincere apology after word that her business could be in danger from bad reviews. I still would not recommend them. I don't know, I'm not a fan of boudoir or soft focus makeovers, they just look so cheesy.

What a nightmare. Studio owner is a twonk - how DARE she? Whole thing is a con anyway and then to falsely and publicly accuse you of stealing... I think you should post factual reviews as other people need to be warned.

Well done OP! And it's amusing how many posters are managing to slip in their insulting comments about these photo shoots

I think she was pissed that you didn't buy the photos and thought she'd teach you a lesson, but then realised that she had gone a long way too far.

Someone I worked with had a similar problem. She bought a dress in the sales and said it was mayhem at the till. The girl on the till was trying to do 3 things at once and didn't take the tag off. On the way out, my friend set the alarm off and was frogmarched off to an office by a security guard who took the bag off her and made a big show of peering in the bag and rummaging through it, but completely ignoring her when she spoke to him.

The manager came in and the guard beamed and said he'd got another one sir....

Then my friend took the receipt from her purse and showed the manager, saying "I did offer to show them to him, but he just ignored me." The manager said he'd sack the girl on the till and my friend said that he had better not or she'd go to the papers (it was a V posh store). The guard could have asked for the receipt, or he could have listened to her when she said she had one, but no....

I got pulled once - I'd bought a slip, which was in a cardboard sleeve and the tag was well tucked away. The guard asked for my receipt, I showed him and he took me back to the tills to get it removed with a facial expression of fear - I think he was wondering why I wasn't going berserk.

I agree the promotion is a blatant scam and it's outrageous that the business owner tried to lie and shame you into buying the pictures. And her conduct in accusing you of theft in public was slander for which she could be ordered to pay substantial damages. I would suggest you point that out to her. And in your shoes I would still be putting up some reviews which don't express an opinion but simply point out the facts, i.e. that the special offers they talk of don't exist and that they insist that if you are buying the pictures you do so on the day. Other people need to be warned off.

Definitely make it public, OP: review the place online, tweet about it, anything that will name and shame them. Totally unacceptable.

Hmm. I was just wondering about these photoshoots and wondering if it was my kind of thing so headed to google. Is it common practice to Photoshop in an extra boob?

Hmm

Do people have these kinds of photo's up in their house?