3.5K views
11 comments

I had a 34x40 print that I wanted to have framed. Since it was Xmas Eve, Michaels was advertising 50% OFF on custom framing, so I decided to just go straight there to get a fair price.

I picked out a basic black frame, standard off-white matting and their less-expensive plasti-glass. WITH the discount, my total came to $1130.00 <--- I swear on my dear mothers grave, that was the price. So... at that point, I decided to price shop.

About 1/4 mile away, I visited another local arts/crafts + framing store. The SAME frame, matte AND much nicer "museum-quality" glass.. guess how much... $290.00

That's right.

Michael's was trying to charge me $800 MORE for the same framing job, with a lower-quality glass (plastic).

Conclusion: DON'T FRAME WITH MICHAEL'S.

THEY WILL RIP YOU OFF!!! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.

Location: Denver, Colorado

Do You Have Something To Say ?
Write a review

Comments

chat-icon

Please avoid publishing any personal information and promotional content

You will be automatically registered on our site. Username and password will be sent to you via email.
Post Comment
Guest

Agreed! Just got a quote for a relatively small (~12x18) plain black frame (wood?

resin? plastic? - not high end) without embellishment. No glass or matting since the picture was on canvas, and no backing.

Just the frame. Supposedly there was as 70% off sale. Total price was in excess of $100. There can be no way the regular price would be ~$350 and anyone would PAY that!

Did she really just tell me that with a straight face? I don't begrudge others making a profit, but I'm not going to be fleeced, either.

Guest

Thank you! I was just looking to have my daughter's picture re-framed. You have saved me lots of money!!

Guest

Are you in Portland, ME area? What local shop did you use?

Ayisha Neg

Just returned from Michaels, Thought I would have something reframed using 70% off coupon. The non discounted package for their mid-range frame category was $1418.

Nothing fancy for the 28x 34 inch frame with triple matt and acrylic glass. I said just make it a double matt, it reduced the price by $20.00.

What a joke. I had a quote from a high end frame shop with museum quality, non glare glass, and a much nicer frame for less than Michael's discounted price of $425.

Guest

Michaels inflates the framing prices so you can come in for the big sale. Total BS.

I had a 14 X 16 print and chose a mat and a thin Black frame. I had a 70% off coupon and after my coupon was applied, I owed 196.00, which meant my little print cost 640.00 to frame.

Michaels is the biggest rip off. I love when someone says the quality is why the price is so high....really??

Guest

You are clearly clueless about custom framing. Do some more research and maybe you'll find out that it's not "cheap plastic," it's archival acrylic.

A "basic black frame with white mat" is cheap. Pathetic, actually. How did you think a basic frame can support a picture 40 inches wide with glass weighing 20 times as much?

I know just based on your complaint that you didn't even give the CERTIFIED framer an opportunity to explain why the materials are the price they are. You should never write a review again.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-959014

oh, well, if it's 'archival acrylic'. I thought you were being sarcastic! xD

Guest

Absolutely not. Even full priced (the price NO ONE ever pays) would not be that high with what you describe.

Your breed is a *** meme at the Michaels frame shop I work at. "Just a simple black frame and white mat" (because I'm deathly afraid of doing something that would somehow make me stand out from the pack/I can't bear the idea of not looking like I have good taste to MY DINNER GUESTS so let me get the most boring, predictable thing possible. Anyways, you're a *** liar. If I triple matted a 50x50 in the most expensive frame it STILL wouldn't be that price at 50% off.

And no one gets less than 45% off. Any frame that's not the "collection" on sale is "package priced", which ranges anywhere from 45% to 55%. Like I said, NO ONE pays full price. No one has EVER paid that much at michaels for ONE framed thing, it's not possible...you can pay MORE, if you have something over 60 inches and want the high quality acrylic, it starts at $9999 (before discount).

No one goes for that option, shocking, I know.

Again, you're a liar and also the most basic, worst kind of person. We all hate you and your ilk's army of soul-crushingly bland framed "art".

Guest

I am a shop manager with Michaels and unfortunately, we do not use plastic. We use uv protectant and no glare acrylic.

It is shatter proof, scratch resistant and static resistant. If that is what you requested to be put on your print then I can tell you that is exactly why your price was so high. Different qualities of museum quality glass (which I am understanding you used at our competitor as opposed to the acrylic) vary in the percentage of uv protectant that they offer. This can be anywhere from as low as 30% and up to the highest quality available with 99% uv protection.

This is what guarantees that the print as well as the coloring of your matting will not fade or yellow. This is what we offer with Michaels custom framing. I am very sorry that it seems that you worked with a framer who did not take the time to explain the differences in quality and review with you why the pricing on the acrylic (again, not plastic) was quite higher and did not work with you on pricing options.

I can tell you with a great deal of experience that yes the local shop does beat the best price we could have offered you but I can assure you that as far as archival quality goes we beat them every time. I apologize about your negative experience.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-958367

I am tired of michaels employees putting down independent custom framers local framers also use archival framing products to the same standards as michaels we just charge a correct retail price we do not raise our prices to give discounts. Michaels have been fined 3.5 million dollars in canada for inflating prices

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-958367

As was noted in another comment, I think it's vitally important to note that Michael's was fined $3.5 million for inflating their prices, so as to garner business with so-called 'discounts'. This terrible business practice must be made known to potential consumers looking for a fair price.

It's just not fair that businesses partake in such practices that ultimately ruin the consumer-business relationship...

that's why it's so hard to trust big-box stores! And to add insult to injury, it infuriates me that employees and manager, such as the previous commentor, post comments online to defend their own business practices.

A link to the $3.5million fine can be found at http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/05/06/federal-competition-burea_n_722****.html

Michaels Reviews

  1. 221 reviews
  2. 89 reviews
  3. 90 reviews
  4. 57 reviews
  5. 30 reviews
Michaels reviews