Photo Booths have become increasingly popular in recent years. As with most things that become a massive trend, fakes and copies soon follow.
It has been widely reported that fake photo booth companies are becoming more and more common – they advertise a wide range of photo booth services, take payments from unsuspecting customers, and when the day of the big event arrives – they are nowhere to be seen.
John Lewis Wedding Insurance, a leading provider of wedding insurance in the UK, conducted an analysis of claims and discovered that a growing number of people are being conned by fake photo booth companies who take bookings and then never show up.
Whether you’re planning to hire a photo booth for your wedding, a corporate celebration or function, or for a private party, these simple steps could help ensure that your photo booth booking goes as planned, and that you won’t be left disappointed and out of pocket.
- Check for references. Look for case studies and images on the company’s website that show their photo booths in action. Look them up on social media and check out their reviews. Ask for contact details for a couple of their previous customers and speak with them to see what level of service they received, and to check that the business is genuine.
- Use a credit card. When making a booking or paying a deposit, use a credit card where possible. This will provide you with extra protection to get some, or all, of your money reimbursed should you later discover that the company is not legitimate.
Be wary of deal websites. There are lots of popular “daily deal” style websites that are used by savvy money-savers. However, they can occasionally have fraudulent companies that operate through them by posting a deal, taking the money, and then suddenly disappearing with the goods never being delivered, or the service never being provided. Most well-known deal websites carry out checks to ensure this does not happen, but you can never be too careful, so carry out your own investigation of the company before taking the deal.- Check for hidden costs. The price quoted to you for the rental of the photobooth should be exactly what you have to pay. Make sure you receive a detailed breakdown of exactly what is included in this charge. Some companies have been known to add strange service charges or additional costs for printed photos.
Jon Haines from Event Rhino.co.uk said: “Booking 3rd party services for a big event can be stressful for most people with so many things to juggle and people to keep track of. To be left with no one turning up on the day just adds to that stress and ruins the event.
“A reputable company will be able to refer you to testimonials from real people and they’ll have a great portfolio of previous jobs and clients to show.
“If in any doubt at any time don’t be afraid to ask questions, remember that you’re the customer and you have a right to get answers that will give you more confidence to buy.”