France Paris (Taiwan)

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Prozed

New member
Review of France Paris
The main reason for me to write this review, is that I hope my review could serve as a reference to the younger couples out there who are considering on the different options of pre-wedding photo shoot package, such that you could have a better view and able to make a better informed decision. In my review I would also include some of the (presumed) common tactics by the vendors to tout more money from you. So I hope all these little advices could be of some help for you in the process of selecting and bargaining with your vendor.
Disclaimer: I have no intention to create unnecessary / untrue rumors about any company. This review serves strictly as a review of the company of which me and my partner had experienced with.
1 Roadshow
I remember me and my partner attended the BOWS roadshow in Bugis, where we foolishly and impulsively signed a package. We didn’t have any intention to sign any package from the beginning actually. What we wanted to do was just to walk around and see what are some of the vendors, what are the price range etc, basically just to understand what BOWS had to offer in general. However, this incident has taught us a hard lesson: never attend such roadshow “half-heartedly”, ie, if you are not sure you can stand firm and not sign anything you have little knowledge about, do not attend such roadshow. If not, the price you pay would be very high, literally and metaphorically.
When we first sat down in front of the saleswoman in their booth, she showcased all the pretty wedding shoot photos from her iPad. After we looked it through for quite a while, she started introducing the different packages. In general there are 3 categories, A, B and C, with increasing choices of gowns to choose and thus with increasing price. And in general, for pre-wedding photo shoot package, that ranges from SGD7-8k already. After that, she also introduced the actual day package to us that ranges from SGD 2-3k in general, so that total up to around SGD 10k.
Tactic #1.1 Act nice +praise + customer’s potential to bring more customers for them
Actual Situation:
She kept saying we are so young, definitely most of our friends are not married yet, so we are the high potential customer who can bring in more customers for her, acting over-familiar with us etc. And for this reason, she was able to discount for us, so it would be around SGD 6k (for pre-wedding photo shoot and gown rental on the actual day).
Tactic Psychology:
This tactic here is the soft skill of salesperson. Trying to act nice and close to you. And definitely, a lot of words to let you feel good about yourself, to increase your “value” as a young couple, let you feel that you have the bargaining power (which actually she manipulates / creates it).
How To Counter:
Understand clearly the reason why you are here: to just understand the price range and not to sign anything. Remind yourself and each other about it. And of course, if possible, know what exactly you want and put that as your bargaining power, instead of letting the salesperson manipulates / creates it for you which you think you have but in fact no.
Tactic #1.2 Half-priced from a heavenly price
Actual Situation:
So the person went on to take her calculator out, slowly pressing here and there, “trying” to give us a better price, telling us that she is considered senior amongst the salespersons there, so she could make decision there, but we cannot tell others the price she gave us blah blah blah. In the end she discounted to around SGD 5k. And now, from the original SGD 10k, now is half-priced already, would you be enticed?
Tactic Psychology:
Imagine, you ask for a price of something that you are considering buying. After a while, they say there is a promotion and it is only 50% off at this instant! Would that sound enticing enough for you?
How To Counter:
Once again, know the exact true value of the thing / service that you are considering. Most of the time, for similar thing / service, it can be obtained at a cheaper price with similar quality than what you were offered with. Remind yourself about that. High price doesn’t guarantee quality, I guess you have some experience about such truth.
Tactic #1.3 Last call, deal or not deal + free gifts + guarantee + chop
Actual Situation:
So definitely me and my partner were wavered by the price already. But definitely we were not sure whether we wanted this company. So we requested to see their photo shoot albums again to check if their gowns, their styles, their photo shooting skills were to our liking and requested her to give us some time to discuss. After sometime, me and my partner had our conclusion. That is, we would ask her to hold the price for us and we continue walk around to see other companies first. Of course, we were faced with a cold and harsh “NO”, she can’t hold anything for us. When she said that, I have no intention to continue talking to her already since she can’t hold a price that she promised us. Unexpectedly, she further dropped the price (see her desperation?), to SGD 4k. Plus, she added a lot of “free gifts”, showcasing all the different free gifts to us. Other than that, she made a guarantee that if we are not satisfied with the photos, we can request to have another photo shooting again without adding any price. And the photographer assigned would be their Number 1 photographer etc. And she said this would be her last call, so it is up to me decide whether to deal or not deal. She also said if no deal we could just leave, there is no point wasting her time like that. And in the end, we gave in, because of the photos that we looked through were generally quite good and quite the style we want. Just never did we imagined that, it was yet another tactic…
Tactic Psychology:
And now you are told the item you want to buy is at 60% offer, with countless of free gifts, and now comes with a guarantee. How does it feel to you?
How To Counter:
Again, know the exact true value of what you want, and of course know exactly what you want. If not, you are bound to be taken advantage of, and being fooled around with your psychology unable to keep up to their tactics.
Tactic #1.4 Best gowns, best suits, best photos, best variety of everything
Actual Situation (on hindsight):
Yes, their gowns, suits, photos, have the best variety of everything. It seems they can suit any style we want it. However, bear in mind that they are here for a roadshow, everything they showcase here definitely would be their best of the best. So sometimes, it will not be a safe gauge as to their general standard. Also, we were not told that:
1. Suits included in the package are only black and white. If you want any other color like any other suits you saw in those albums, you need to pay (significantly) extra. And surprisingly, there isn’t many black and white suit showcased in the photo albums. Now you know why it looks so nice, cause there is this hidden cost inside that they will never tell you.
2. They would try their very best, to give you a lot of excuses / lack of information, to mislead you to eventually decide to go to their wedding shoot theme area to have the shooting, which you need to pay a starking NTD 3,000 for. So, once again, all those nice public places, mountain areas, pretty beaches etc, eventually you will not likely to have your shoot there.
3. And… A lot more to come… Stay in tune~
Tactic Psychology:
Salesperson makes use of human’s maladaptive mental skill of assuming to win more sales. They won’t tell you every single detail. They would just show it all in front of you, and they would be happy if you make the assumption and the linkage yourself. Cause ultimately, it will be your fault if you never ask properly and assumed too fast, too much. They will not think they have the obligation to tell you every single detail. And yes, they won’t feel guilty about it. Remember, what is shown, what is seen, may not be true and may not be what you will get when it’s your turn. And again, most of the people just get married once in life and have pre-wedding shoot once, so definitely they can make all promises and guarantees under the sun, cause even if it fails, you can’t possibly want to do it the second time. And this gives them the confidence to bullshit you about anything, everything. Thus, if they say you can bring in more customers, then they are telling lies. Cause what matters the most to them, it is the current customer right in front of them of which they can earn hard cold cash from. Potential customers remain as ghost customers if they never appear, and do you think they would prefer to invest their time and money on that, or on you?
How To Counter:
You need to be more proactive and detailed, be nitty-gritty, ask every single thing you can find, as all the answers will give you a clearer and clearer direction as to whether this is a good and worthy company to choose from or not. You need to be FULLY involved. Hard lesson learnt.
 
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Prozed

New member
2 Corresponding Via Email
Tactic #2.1 Packaging it extremely well
Actual Situation (on hindsight):
We informed the salesperson and confirmed our date of shooting in Taiwan almost 4 months before the shooting date (as we had to confirm our dates with them before booking our flight).
Then we discussed our places of interest with the salesperson, and she helped to sort into 3-4 different routes with different places of interest. That is because the places of interest are far from each other and we can only choose 1 route from the options due to the time factor. Otherwise, our travelling time would be much more than photo shooting hours. She also claimed she has sought the advice from photographer and there shouldn’t be any problem.
Also, she suggested us to bring our own clothes for photo shooting. However, once again, there is no explicit mention that groom’s suits included in the package are white and black only. Also, there is no mention of any additional fees involved if you were to choose other color etc.
In the process, we also sent her some photos to give them an idea of the style and atmosphere that we prefer, as requested by her.
Tactic Psychology:
They will definitely let you feel they are trying very hard to accommodate to you, to your request, your styles, your dates, your timing, trying to show you they are taking care of every single detail to make sure you have a good experience. However, please be reminded that this is yet just another kind of packaging, which will soon be unraveled to only find rotten quality of work inside the package. Again, this is the common tactic of telling you all the nice things but do another. Also, many crucial information are actually missing.
How To Counter:
Again, be a detailed person and ask them every single thing you would like to know. And remember every single details that you have discussed and confirmed with her. Otherwise, when you don’t know what you don’t know, what can you do about your ignorance? Basically nothing.

3 Taiwan Days
Here comes the major scam of the century that me and my partner couldn’t stop feeling ever since the point that we made direct, face-to-face contact with the saleswoman there.
Scam #3.1 Where is the A, B and C category of gown selection?
Actual Situation:
Remember we were told that there were 3 categories of gown selection for bride? And our package is category C where we can choose from all gowns. However, in the studio for gown selection, obviously there is no clear section of different category of A, B and C. Clearly, this is just another tactic put up by vendor to “force” customers to choose the most expensive category C, or to “show” you that they are so kind and can help you to have a free upgrade to category C without additional charge, where in fact, there is no such differential category at all.
Tactic Psychology:
When you were told that the item you want to buy has a range of selection, and because of various reasons they can freely upgrade you to the best range, you feel happy right? However, please note that this is just another tactic that vendor specially created to make you feel that you have the best quality item, seemingly without having to pay additional charge for that (because they definitely factor in all the cost to the “package” they offered you already). Another layman example: I have 99 apples from the same farm. Their qualities are all the same. But I take 33 out and categorize them as A grade apple, 33 as B grade apple, 33 as C grade apple. And I will try to persuade people to buy for A grade apple, or, to start with a heavenly price and tell people “look, I am trying to be nice here, by right with this price you can only get C grade apples, but now I freely upgrade it and allow you to choose from A grade apples”. You get my point?
How To Counter:
By having such awareness, at least you now know such differential category might just be another phony tactic to tout more money. I do not know how to counter it per se, but this should strike you and make you to be more cautious when a company is trying similar tactic on you. When it happens, be sure to retreat yourself and do not waste your time further.
Scam #3.2 Groom’s suits only black and white are included
Actual Situation:
So, we were told to visit a tailor shop nearby their store. Upon arrival, then I am aware that only black and white suits (with no pattern) are included in the package. There are 2 black and 3 white suits to choose from. If you prefer any other type of suit, then you have to pay NTD3,000 for rental and that is only for suit. If you want to add the vest of the same style, there is additional charge of NTD1,500. For your information, with this amount, you can buy a full suit (shirt, vest, pants) of your liking in Singapore already. I tried the suits, and realized it is generally very dull, boring, unattractive.
Tactic Psychology:
Because of all the lack of information about it, and their purposefully exclusion of such information, when customer reach there with no own preparation of suits, you are bound to be at their mercy to rent something from them at such a high price, unless you are really ok to make do with their simple suits without any vest. However, customer’s psychology would be, “I have travelled all the way here already to have photo shooting”, “of course I want to make sure my photo albums are pretty”, they definitely have the upper hands on this.
How To Counter:
Really, just buy your own suit (the whole set) in Singapore and bring it there. Ultimately, it is much worth it, and you can still wear it on actual day. Needless to say, it would be so much nicer than what is “complimentary” for you in the package. Do not repeat the same mistake as I did. If you were to pay for rental of other suits at their tailor shop, you can use the same amount to purchase for a full set suit of your liking and own it.
 
P

Prozed

New member
Scam #3.3 There is an issue with the route that we chose 1 month ago, approved by them?
Actual Situation:
On the same day, we were told that there seems to be a little problem with the route that we chose, as our photo shooting day (the following day) would be a Sunday, and somehow (only by now) it is not advisable that we follow such route, as it will be heavy traffic jam, crowded on the places that we chose, much time would be wasted etc. And she is trying to get our photographer to come down later at night to talk to us again on the route. One very important thing that I observed is, she sounded as if she is doing us a big favor to ask the photographer to come down and talk to us, as if it wasn’t supposed to be the case, as if she is doing extra mile for us, even though when we first signed the package, we were told that we will have to communicate with the photographer 1 day before photo shooting on the route and styles etc such that photographer is able to understand what we want, as well as she told us in the email that we will communicate with photographer 1 day prior to photo shooting. But now, it suddenly becomes an additional “caring service” to customers. Wow. She said something like that: “I specially called the photographer to update him about your route. And he has some concerns about it (due to being a Sunday, crowded and traffic jam condition). So he said he must meet you all later to talk about it. Can you come back here later at 8.30pm?”
Tactic Psychology:
Again, the lack of information allowed many hip-cups along the way. And when you think of it, it is definitely purposefully one. Why? First, we have confirmed with them our shooting date almost 4 months ago, however, during our email correspondence, there is no mention from them raising the concern of traffic jam and crowded condition. Second, we decided and informed them about the route we chose 1 month ago, and she claimed that she has consulted photographer and there was no issue. But, only when we came all the way to Taiwan and have our photo shooting the next day, suddenly all problems come. Why? Because we are at their mercy. If we don’t listen to their (last minute) suggestion, they could easily blame us if they don’t take enough nice photos etc. And due to the time pressure, they definitely have the upper hand to push you to take up their suggestions. Believe me, when you go all the way there, have your photo shooting the next day, everything and anything that is left unsettled, you will most likely give in as you just want it to go smoothly. Don’t you? And now, they sound like they are doing an extra favor of inviting the photographer to communicate with you, expecting you to be appreciative? Wow.
How To Counter:
Double check your date and day, see whether it coincides with any Public Holiday, weekend, big festival etc, and ask them whether there will be any issue / concern or not. And, more likely than not, you need to be heavily involved in it yourself. You can never have your hands off and just let others plan it for you. It will not be something that you will like in the end.
Scam #3.4 Whole France Paris team has no communication.
Actual Situation:
So we came back to their shop by 8.30pm again, after we last left at around 6pm. The photographer talked to us, and was trying very hard to psycho us to take up his suggestion, ie, to go for the photo shooting themed park which will cost NTD 3,000, and it will be paid fully by us. He shared extensively on all the benefits of going the themed park and all. For instance, if you go to outdoor places, the sun would be too bright, we can’t open our eyes, photos won’t be nice. There might be traffic jam, very rush and tiring for us, no toilet / changing place. After much talking, I sensed that if we are not going to take up his suggestion, he is going to blame us as he kept mentioning we might waste our time stuck in a traffic jam, and it is hard to do photo shooting due to crowded condition etc. So in the end, I gave in. Again, all these were not told to us beforehand, about the issues with Sunday. And surprisingly, when we agreed, there is no issue with regarding the bright sun and we can’t open our eyes already.
We also showed him some of the photos that we sent to the salesperson earlier, as a reference of the photo shooting styles that we prefer. However, his reactions definitely tells that he sees these photos for the first time, and his comment was “all these are too easy, no challenge”, “no content”, “and if you want such photos you no need to go to the places that you chose, you can just go to this theme park”. But on the other hand, he kept telling us the places we wanted to go is too “adventurous”. And the most important thing is whether “couple can immerse themselves and create that feeling or not”. From there, I know that they do not communicate with each other at all. What we have communicated to the salesperson, she did not convey the message to the photographer, until 1 day before photo shooting.
And definitely from how he talks and how he interacts, I am sure, he is not the so-called Number 1 photographer as promised to us. However, I already promised my partner that I will just try to make it smooth and don’t argue with them. So I didn’t raise anything up, I swallowed everything, again.
Tactic Psychology:
At this point of time, there isn’t much psychology here. As it is pure scamming tactic here. They purposely exclude some important information from you, and only to inform you 1 day prior to photo shooting, to use the time pressure against you and force you to agree with them. Why? Because it is hardly that you will say no. And it eventually ease their job very much.
How To Tackle:
Be specific when you ask or send something, corresponding in the email. Because you need to make sure their whole team understands your request since very beginning. If not, you have to go through the hassle to inform everyone in their team over and over again about your requests, and there will be a risk that you will be kept in the dark of some information. But if you are specific and detailed enough, you might be able to prevent any such lack of information and thus scams.
 
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Prozed

New member
4 Photo Shooting Day
Generally on photo shooting day, there isn’t any other scam (available on that day anymore).
However, I would just like to mention a few incidents about their professionalism.
Situation #4.1 MUA reached the shop late by 10-15 minutes, black face throughout, no apologize.
Situation #4.2 MUA stays in the shade most of the time during photo shooting, complaint about the bright weather
Situation #4.3 MUA asked me to wear set A, but photographer asked me to wear set B. No communication again.
Situation #4.4 Photographer gives unclear instruction for poses, with no one understands what he actually wants most of the time, instead of professionally leading the couple to interact with one another and capture the natural feel
Situation #4.5 Photographer only have 1 popular pose: nose to nose, eyes closed, everywhere, anywhere
Situation #4.6 Their company baoche came and claimed we booked, even though we clearly told them that we didn’t as we have our own baoche. Again, no communication within the team.
Situation #4.7 We booked our own baoche for NTD5,000. If I were to know that we will only go to 1 place, we wouldn’t have booked a 10 hours baoche. And just imagine, if we book the company’s baoche, we will let them eat up another NTD5,000 for nothing.
 
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Prozed

New member
5 Photo Choosing Day
Scam #5.1 All photos are not arranged / sorted nicely, they are all randomly scattered
Actual Situation:
We already noticed of this, when we first came to the shop and saw some customers who were choosing the photos from the computer. So this time round, we already told ourselves, no matter what, we will just remove all the photos and choose 36 pieces which is in the package. We will not buy any extra photos. In general, we have around 300+ near 400 photos. But ALL of them are randomly scattered in the system, and there is (miraculously) no way to sort them nicely, accordingly to the timing, or to have a minimized view of all photos. And note that, only 10% of the photos reach the passing standard. Even though she claimed all the photos have been filtered before by photographer, however, we saw quite a lot of photos with weird expressions, poor lighting, wrong angle etc! And we were repeatedly told (psycho-ed) that for album to look lively, we need to choose a series of photos, so there is connection and story line. But we can’t view it nicely organized. Contradicting, isn’t it? And, there is a caution paper stick on the computer saying that camera is not allowed here. But when I asked whether we can take note down on photos that we have chosen, the salesperson said “you already taking the notes down what”, “nobody stops you”.
Tactic Psychology:
Apparently, such system would slow down the speed at how you choose the photos. And you will definitely have a hard time remembering how many photos of such background have you chosen and difficulty comparing which pose is nicer. This will lead to customers keep toggling back and forth to check the photos, and in the process, waste much time. On one hand, this will frustrate customers and make customers to just decide to buy extra photos. On the other hand, the staffs there would use your long duration choosing the photos to reason with you that was because all the photos are too nice and you can’t bear to remove it away. And same tactic used here, heavenly price and heavenly discount.
How To Tackle:
Be firm, and go with a decision in mind that you will not buy any extra photos. Be cruel, just delete all those photos that is not nice. And to be honest, there is only 10% of photos that is normal. The other 90%? Weird expressions, messy hair, angle not right etc. Bring a pen and paper, note it down from the very beginning, how many photos you have chosen with such background / such gown. If they question you, just reply them “you never say cannot use pen and paper”.
Scam #5.2 If you choose basic album, there is no design
Actual Situation:
Now suddenly, our album will have no design, even though when we signed the contract the salesperson in the roadshow mentioned that there will be design. The salesperson in Taiwan when talked to us, even turn the agreement towards us and asked us where is it written on the agreement? Then we were so ridiculed, and replied that the salesperson we met during the roadshow said there will be design. Then she replied “ok lor if she told you there is design then we will do the design for you”, “we won’t say A and do B”.
Tactic Psychology:
Again, they are trying to play a trick with their contract and agreement. And again, they are at the upper hand. Cause there is no clear indication of the album design in the agreement. It is all just verbal. And blame ourselves as being a stupid customers for that.
How To Tackle:
Really, again, be detailed and ask them to write every single details in the agreement.
Scam #5.3 We choose too little photos, it will be hard for designer to design your album
Actual Situation:
They sold us the package of 36 photos in an album. But when we finally chose 36, they told us that the photos we chose too little and it will be hard for designer to design our album. Again, they tried to psycho us to buy more extra photos again. And claimed that with such little photos, designer cannot design it properly, as designer “needs the material”.
Tactic Psychology:
Again, just another tactic to psycho you to buy more extra photos at heavenly price. (but too bad we were so frustrated with them at this point of time already and we will not buy in any coaxing from them)
How To Counter:
Frankly speaking, if 36 photos are not enough material to design an album, then from the beginning, they shouldn’t sell such package to customers. Secondly, if a designer cannot design an album using 36 photos, then what is the function of the designer? So, just be firm with them. DO NOT LET THEM TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU.
Scam #5.4 Use 苦肉计, and ridiculous meaning of her expensive and our expensive
Actual Situation:
So the salesperson continue to psycho us, and when we expressed that we don’t have enough budget for any extra photos, she used 苦肉计 and act pity, started telling us that photographer specially cancelled his leave that he wanted to take to spend time with his family, just to shoot for us, cause that day is a big day for wedding and a lot of photographers would go to shoot for actual day. But obviously she was contradicting herself again. If that day is a big day for wedding, why would he be on leave? Shouldn’t he be more busy? And that we only chose 36 photos out of almost 400 photos, we wasted his effort. But then again, isn’t this a photographer’s job? To take as many nice photos as possible for customers? So what is the big fuss there? She continued to tell us how other customers bought 200 photos etc. Which we wonder if there is really such a case, cause the photos standard are really bad. And she even told us it can be paid by installment. When we again expressed that we don’t have that extra budget, she became angry and started making sarcastic remarks. “If you only want to choose 36 photos, then just take a few shoots for each background then can call it a day already, no need to shoot until so tiring”. And she even ridiculously asked us to save our travelling expenditure on meals. Erm, think about it, even if we skip 1 meal of NTD100 each day, over the course of 10 days, I can only save NTD1,000. But she is selling almost NTD2,000-NTD3,000 per photo. We expressed that it is not cheap for us, and she replied “I realized we have very different definitions of expensive”. “To you, expensive just means high price, the price digit is big”. “But to us, expensive means that item is not worth that much”. Oh gosh, how I want to say right to her face that I have the same definition as her.
Tactic Psychology:
All sorts of tactic are out there just to force you to buy. Mostly are very direct, so there isn’t much psychology behind. They will just continue to find ways to attack you.
How To Tackle:
Again, just be firm. Whatever they say is going to make you feel bad, if you feel that way, they win.
Scam #5.5 After we finished choosing 36 photos, then only they told us each background should have 3-4 photos for the album design
Actual Situation:
So we have finally finished choosing our 36 photos. We called them, and they come to us and consolidated our photos. And jang jang, suddenly all the photos are arranged nicely, according to the background / timing. But now, then they told us “each background should have 3-4 photos for the album design to be nice”, “cause you only have 12 pages in the album”. Ok, so we asked them to let us change out some of the photos to make sure each background has 3-4 photos then. But then they said “cannot change already”, “you can only add extra photos”. Again, clearly wanting you to add on the photos only.
Tactic Psychology:
They kept using the lack of information against us. And they will only inform you something after you have chosen / decided on something. I am so speechless that they are such a heartless and unethical vendor, who keeps trying to suck more money from you.
How To Tackle:
Now you know about all these, so make sure at the photo selection stage, you choose 3-4 photos of the same background. Start right, to prevent pitfalls!
 
S

spursrulez

New member
prozed, we are in a similar situation as you. would like to find out how did u get the photo album in the end? what are the hiccups after choosing the photos?
 
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