WARNING! - Light Impressions

[lilmsmaggie]

I realize that some of you have done business with Light Impressions in the past, and may even swear by them. However, unless you just want to give your money away and receive nada in return, you best look at other sources for your mat board, portfolio boxes and other archival material needs., e.g. archival methods, gaylord bros., etc.

I filed a complaint with the BBB in Los Angeles as well as the California Attorney General's office on 3/12/11.

The company has failed to respond to the BBB's inquiries and they have since closed their file. However, I'm hoping that the Calif. AG will do something.

But the only way for that to happen I believe is for those individuals that have been wronged is to step-up and file complaints with the BBB and the attorney general.

Los Angeles Better Business Bureau http://www.la.bbb.org/Home.aspx

California Attorney General http://ag.ca.gov/consumers/general.php

Light Impressions still sends me email regarding sales promotions, etc. but I'll never do business with them again. I'm still waiting for them to refund my $136.

If and when you ever get a hold of a REAL person, you will be given the following or similar sounding excuse:

"That item is back-ordered, out of stock, for 30 days, 60 days, 6 weeks, etc..."

In the meantime, they WILL charge your CC for the full amount of the order you placed with them.

You've been warned.

[Scott Davis]

Yeah. They've become notorious for this. They screwed me to the tune of $250. NEVER again. They could offer me FREE merchandise and I wouldn't take it anymore.

[John Voss]

I gave up on LI years ago. There are SO many better and less expensive places to order everything in the LI catalog that only a die hard masochist would continue to do business with them.

[paulr]

I've been out of the matboard loop a while, so this is new to me. What are the better places for matboard, tape, etc. etc.?

[Brian Ellis]

There was a thread here just a few weeks ago about Light Impressions and how bad they've become.

[Jim Michael]

You weren't able to do a chargeback with your credit card company?

[lilmsmaggie]

I've been out of the matboard loop a while, so this is new to me. What are the better places for matboard, tape, etc. etc.?

Since you're in NY, I'd contact Gaylord Bros. http://www.gaylord.com

There's Dick Blick, http://www.dickblick.com

and Archival Methods http://www.archivalmethods.com

Many others but don't go near Light Impressions whatever you do.

[austin granger]

I've been burned twice now by Light Impressions, with items I'd been charged for 'back-ordered' for so many months that I'd forget all about them or simply surrender (maybe people like me are built into their business model...). And yes, the real rub (as someone mentioned) is that through it all they'd keep flooding me with ads. Arrghh. Never again.

[Ed Richards]

I did get my refund yesterday from an order cancelled in January. At least they seem to be still in business. It only took 3 calls and long hold times on each.

[Dan Dozer]

I just posted a note on APUG about Light Impressions. Yesterday, I got an Email from them about an order I placed in December 2009. They wanted to let me know that it was still on back order (a year and 4 months later) but they expect to recieve it and ship out to me in 4 - 6 weeks.

I haven't ordered anything from them in over a year and don't intend on doing any more business with them in the future.

[Keith Pitman]

I got an email yesterday too about a 2009 order. They offered me 15% off my next order with code NCD16. Glad to see they have a sense of humor!

[lilmsmaggie]

I got an email yesterday too about a 2009 order. They offered me 15% off my next order with code NCD16. Glad to see they have a sense of humor!

Ditto. Same here. :mad: I'm gonna see if I can contact the AG's office today and see if they would be interested in seeing the complaints here and on another site.

Anyone interested in calling the California Attorney General's Public Inquiry unit here's the info:

For questions regarding the Department of Justice contact
Public Inquiry Unit
Voice: (916) 322-3360 or
(Toll-free in California)
(800) 952-5225
Fax: (916) 323-5341

[austin granger]

I just posted a note on APUG about Light Impressions. Yesterday, I got an Email from them about an order I placed in December 2009. They wanted to let me know that it was still on back order (a year and 4 months later) but they expect to recieve it and ship out to me in 4 - 6 weeks.

I haven't ordered anything from them in over a year and don't intend on doing any more business with them in the future.

I just received that exact same e-mail! Weird.

[paulr]

Since you're in NY, I'd contact Gaylord Bros. http://www.gaylord.com

There's Dick Blick, http://www.dickblick.com

and Archival Methods http://www.archivalmethods.com

Thank for the tip ... I'll check them out.

[William McEwen]

I'm gonna see if I can contact the AG's office today and see if they would be interested in seeing the complaints here and on another site.


My guess is the AG Office is interested only in direct complaints, and isn't interested in surfing the Web. And I'm sure the direct complaints about Lame Impressions are piling up...

[Nacio Jan Brown]

I got an email yesterday too about a 2009 order. They offered me 15% off my next order with code NCD16. Glad to see they have a sense of humor!
I got the email as well. They must be reading the negative comments on the web. Not holding my breath on the order's arrival.

[William McEwen]

Wow! I received the email, too. It says my order will be filled in 4-6 weeks. (My order is almost one year old!)

I'm wondering if they got an infusion of cash so they're going to be able to catch up on orders.

[Leigh]

I'm wondering if they got an infusion of cash so they're going to be able to catch up on orders.
I would guess they've had a number of complaints recently and are engaging in some psychological warfare to dissuade folks from going to the consumer affairs office.

I'd be quite surprised if they really delivered any product.

- Leigh

[SamReeves]

I looked at their complaint record, and wow!!! They used to be good, but I won't go near them anymore.

[William McEwen]

I would guess they've had a number of complaints recently and are engaging in some psychological warfare to dissuade folks from going to the consumer affairs office.

I'd be quite surprised if they really delivered any product.

- Leigh

Leigh, I think you're right. They're trying to stall us...

[Fred L]

With what I presume to be a fair number of credit card chargebacks or complaints, I'm surprised they still even have a merchant account.

[sepiareverb]

My CC co. refunded me for my last order and was going to take it up with LIMP. Amazed that they are still around.

[rguinter]

What a disappointment. Over the years I bought most of my archival materials from Light Impressions. And never had a problem of any kind.

But my last order was well over a year ago so I guess things have changed.

I keep getting their emails for specials almost weekly. So thanks to the OP and everyone else for posting about the problems. I think when I need to restock I'll buy from another vendor for now.

Bob G.

[John Voss]

This thread reminded me that I wanted to cancel LI's email alerts that I get periodically, and always delete without opening. So...I did.

[William McEwen]

Come on, John, where's your sense of risk and adventure?:)

[EdWorkman]

Next you'll be discarding ads for $25 rolex watches and those pills