Issue with picture framing - how would you proceed?

Parent Cafe
1

<p>My DD purchased a 4’ X 6’ wall decal from Ltlprints, using a Groupon or the like, with a cost of $100. Once she received it, she realized that she didn’t quite understand what she had purchased and didn’t want to just stick it to a wall. I took it to a local framing place that I have used many times, where the plan was to stick the decal to a piece of foam core, mount it to a frame (like one used for a canvas) and wrap the decal around the frame. I discussed final size so that I could fit it in my SUV, and the owner even brought a tape measure outside to my car where we determined that 44" X 58" would be the max size, which allowed for 2 inches on each side for the wrapping.</p>

<p>Last Friday, I went to pick up the finished item and found that the decal was stuck to the foam core, but NOT wrapped around. Thus, the white of the foam and the natural wood canvas framed were exposed - not acceptable! The owner seemed to have a different recollection of the framing plans than I did, but he wants us to be happy, so he offered to put a black wood frame on it for the cost of the framing material. This is an additional advantage because it will protect the foam core edges from getting bumped.</p>

<p>I called the frame shop today to agree to the above plan (which would bring the total framing cost to $200), but something made me question the current finished size. Owner said it is now 46" wide, before adding the frame!! Wait, that’s 2 " larger than we agreed on and it won’t fit in my car. He said he can’t just make it smaller because it is already on the canvas frame. I reminded him again about how he had even measured my vehicle limitations, but it honestly seemed like he didn’t recall that. </p>

<p>We left it that he will get back to me tomorrow with some ideas of how to proceed. I’m tempted to just walk away and call it a $100 bad purchase, instead of continuing to throw more money after something that I may not be able to transport. But I have done business with him for years and he has invested time and materials into the project.</p>

<p>Suggestions anyone? How would you proceed and what would you expect?</p>

2

<p>(according to you) He made the mistake so I wouldn’t be concerned about any of the time and materials he’s already invested into the project. This is why there’s the saying ‘measure twice, cut once’ and anyone in the framing business knows that it’s critical in that business.</p>

<p>For next time - put it all in writing exactly what you want. Who knows what might have been lost in the translation from what you said you wanted, what he thought you said, what he told some worker, etc.? </p>

<p>As for what to do now - it just boils down to what you find acceptable. On the size - if the ‘SUV size’ is just for getting it home maybe you have a friend with a larger vehicle who’d be willing to transport it for you. Of course you could also just call it a $100 mistake and start over. If the shop owner was really after making you happy and admitting his mistake he’d go ahead and buy another print and mount it according to your wishes and you’d end up with what you want. He could then try to sell the existing one in his shop to someone else and perhaps not be out anything.</p>

3

<p>Ask the shop to deliver it.</p>

4

<p>I think that having a frame is a good idea. I’ve had posters mounted on foam core (maps for the kids, etc.) and they tend to get banged up easily. Adding a frame will make it a more permanent piece.</p>

<p>The overall size seems to be a minor problem; as EPTR suggests, they could deliver it.</p>