Fair Trading summary of "Wedding Woes"

[WhoDo]

I keep an eye on what's happening through the NSW Fair Trading email newsletter. Can't say I was surprised to see this item:

Photography is expensive and important for the perfect wedding. Delays in photographers delivering proofs, edited footage or the final ordered package is the most common complaint reported to Fair Trading. Other photography and videography complaints include poor quality of images, or poor choice in images the photographer captured.

It seems that photography ranks #3 on the Top 10 of wedding complaints, only beaten by video and dresses.

Full story is on the Fair Trading website for anyone interested.

[Mark L]

Photographically, I wonder if this is a case of , you generally get what you pay for?

[harper]

makes you wonder why we do it at all. if all they want to do is complain.

[Redgum]

Most disputes are simply a case of having some photographic (technical) skills and no business skills. Same can be said about wedding videography and probably dress making.
Australia, unfortunately, has one of the highest business failure rates in the developed world. Perhaps it's our "it will be alright mate" attitude? We learnt so much from our European friends in the 70's about doing business differently. Maybe we should listen to our Asian cousins now? A deal's not done until you sit down and talk about it - and agree.

[Longshots]

10 years ago Fair Trading Qld and the Qld Gov did a review on the phot industry. The particular topic was about the supposed number of complaints - over a two year period the Hon Judy Spence (well her dept) concluded that during that time over the number of weddings held in Qld during that 24month period (my apologies that I cant recall the exact number, but as you'll understand it was in the tens of thousands), the number of complaints to Fair Trading was actually less then 20 ( I think it was actually 14, but cant be sure). Several complaints were against two particular providers. The report concluded that as that number was less then more than they would annually receive against a single car dealership, that the industry was praised for its self regulation, and the ultimate response was that in the State Govs view self regulation was both unnecessary, and potentially unworkable.