Primitive Photo Labs: Refund & Service Policy
At Primitive Photo Labs, we treat every roll of film with the utmost care. Because film processing is a chemical and manual procedure, we have established the following guidelines regarding refunds and service guarantees.
1. Blank Rolls & Processing Fees
Film development is a "service-rendered" process. Even if a roll of film results in no images (a "blank roll"), the labor, time, and chemical resources required to process that film have already been consumed.
No Full Refunds for Blank Rolls: We cannot offer full refunds on the development portion of your order if your roll is blank due to camera malfunction, extreme underexposure/overexposure, or accidental film fogging.
Partial Refunds (Scanning Costs): If your roll is blank and you pre-paid for scanning services, we will proactively refund the scanning portion of your fee. Since no digital files were generated, you will only be charged for the chemical development and handling.
2. Quality Guarantee
We stand by the quality of our chemistry and equipment.
Lab Error: In the unlikely event that your film is damaged or lost due to a mechanical failure or lab technician error, we will provide a full refund for the processing of that roll plus a replacement roll of equivalent film stock.
Subjective Preferences: Please note that we cannot offer refunds based on aesthetic preferences (e.g., grain, color shifts inherent to expired film, or focus issues), as these are typically results of the film stock used or camera settings.
3. Digital Scans
Once digital scans have been delivered via email or download link, the scanning service is considered "completed."
If you encounter technical issues with your files (corruption or accidental cropping), please notify us within 14 days, and we will re-scan the negatives at no additional cost.
4. Abandoned Orders
Negatives not picked up within 30 days of the "Ready for Pickup" notification will be considered abandoned. While we will make multiple attempts to contact you, we cannot offer refunds for orders that are eventually disposed of due to lack of pickup.
How to Request a Refund
If you believe there has been a billing error or a lab-related issue with your order, please contact us at contact@primitivephotolabs.com with your order number. We aim to process all eligible refund requests within 3–5 business days.
A quick tip:
To avoid the 'blank roll blues,' we always recommend double-checking that your film is loading correctly onto the take-up spool and that your battery-powered light meter is functioning before a big shoot!