CAUTION: Rant ahead!! Proceed with caution.
When is enough finally ENOUGH? Schools operate on an entirely set of different rules than most of society and I get that. Especially when it comes to raising funds etc. However, when did it become acceptable to charge $50+ for a yearbook that does not even get into the students’ hands until nearly half way through the following year!!!? What ever happened to yearbook club/staff working hard and making a deadline to have it printed and in hands by late-April early-May? I did it for nearly 8 years and NEVER charged $50. Hardback, full color cover to cover and in hands by May!!
Our high school yearbooks have gotten out of control! Being as I know the books don’t cost that much I refuse to purchase one for my kids other than their Freshman and Senior years. This year, my sons’ Senior year, we received a mailing offering us a deal!! Due by March 27, 2015 for $25 (personalization optional). There was also a form to submit a “baby ad” – with photo (that might be returned) for an additional —- wait for it —— $40!!!!!! Yeah!!! $40!!! I can make an entire photo book with all sorts of photos and notes for $40 and I won’t risk losing my pictures!!!
I sent the order form in on the deadline and it was returned because apparently that $25 price is only good if you buy the baby ad. It didn’t say that ANYWHERE on the mailing. They told my son that they had turned several others away for the same “mistake”…insinuating it was the buyers “mistake”.
I didn’t ask for the mailing. I didn’t ask for any more discounts. All I asked is they honor the $25 price since I submitted it by the deadline. I emailed the person that day, I got a response over a week later. Explaining the same thing they told my son. To which I responded:
I am sorry but these terms were not clearly spelled out in the mailing. I wanted to do the baby ad but after looking at it the price is very high. The form I sent in with payment didn’t have ANY restrictions or terms spelled out in this mailing. Having done yearbooks for many years I realize sometimes forms get mixed up in the shuffle but I had to eat my mistakes.
I don’t mean any disrespect but since I know the actual cost, I will NOT pay that much for a yearbook every year. That is why I only buy for my kids their Freshman and Senior year. That’s also why band started making our own yearbook.
To which I was told the email would be forwarded to the teacher/yearbook advisor. Hold up!!! If this person is NOT the yearbook advisor, why are they even in the middle of it? Why are they even touching the money? Oops…special rules!
Anyway, the advisor emailed me back. Simply telling me that “yes it was a mistake and they will still allow me to submit a baby ad for the full price and I get the book for $25! Furthermore they couldn’t honor (i.e. eat) this mistake for my son when they already turned others away.”
Wait a cotton picking minute here!
- Is it MY FAULT that the “others” didn’t challenge you?
- Is it MY FAULT that you made the mistake in the first place?
Let me answer this NO IT IS NOT MY FAULT!
Enough is enough! I’m sick and tired of being bullied by people.
I KNOW the yearbook does not cost that much to make. I want to know where the profits are going? Considering the vendor contract price is around $15-$25 per book and they have deadlines set that allow delivery before end of each year. It’s all done ONLINE anymore and there’s very little overhead. Heck, even the class photos are put in for the schools by the vendor…..so there’s VERY little to this process besides dragging and dropping. Heck, I had middle schoolers doing a yearbook for 3 years and they were nice, fairly priced, full color, hard back and delivered BEFORE school was out for the summer!!!
I’ll probably end up sinking 50 @$*#% dollars into a plain old yearbook because I want my son to have the memories…but this system needs a review!
CLIMB ABOARD MY SOAPBOX 