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Fed up with B&H poor service!

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having read all the complaints lately i gues i had to find out by myself.

I ordered some lighting stuff and also pepr and ribbons for my Kodak 8500 and everything was so poorly packed that the paper and ribbon boxes are torn and bent. Not sure yet if the paper is bent a s well.

Maybe time to order from somewhere else. For several hundred dollars worth of merchandise and a decent shipping and handling charge you should ber able to expect decent packaging.

As for the special waiting time in the last weeks i didnt mind as i knew about it but the shipping seems to be a serious issue with B&H now.

--
Michael Salzlechner
http://www.PalmsWestPhoto.com
 
I'm sorry you've had bad luck with B&H. I've been shopping there for years and I've never had a line "busy for hours on end." My B&H experience has been very positive.
Colorado=Home said:
I stopped using B&H awhile ago because the service stinks, and
everytime I tried to place a phone call to customer service, the
line was busy for hours on end. This is unacceptable from a
self-titled "Professional's Choice"... Do they think we have time
to waste attempting call after call just to get through?

I take my business elsewhere, as there are plenty of alternatives
with much better service. My message to B&H is to get your $hit
together and wake up that you're losing customers!!
Click to expand...
 
Ken C. Smith said:
you may very well have your B&H order long before you see it from
the other vendor. That was the case for many people who ordered the
10D from them.
Click to expand...
That was my D60 experience (a camera that was harder to get than the 10D if you recall). I tried two local stores, and after getting the runaround for two months (!) I put a pre-paid order in with B&H. I was irked at having to pre-pay, but three weeks later the camera was in my hands.
Ken C. Smith said:
B&H runs a great business -- but they are not into hand-holding.
Click to expand...
Yup. They can be a little gruff sometimes, but living in New York probably does that to you. ;)
Ken C. Smith said:
You and I may be on pins and needles waiting for this thing, but to
them it's just another camera -- it'll get there when it gets
there. (And it won't get there one day sooner if you and I know
when that will be.)
Click to expand...
Right on. To you it's an important, expensive, life-changing purchase, but to them it's another box to send to a customer. They sell much more expensive gear to much bigger customers with equally little fanfare.

Folks just need to relax, methinks.
 
To my knowledge B&H does not employ psychics. They also do have some kind of profound insider relationship with their suppliers. More often than not, they don't know what they are going to get until the truck shows up. Sure, they know they are more likely to get a big shipment of 1DMkII bodies than Joe Schmo Camera, but that doesn't mean they know exactly how many are coming or when. They can't tell you what they don't know, and if they don't know how many they will get, they can't tell you when you will get yours.
John Mackintosh said:
Young Min Kim,
I believe you have paid $4500 and have been waiting for this camera
for 2 months? When do you expect to get it? Can B&H at least tell
you, and their other customers for this camera, if you will get
yours from their first allotment?
John
Click to expand...
 
everything was packed very well, shipped promptly, and arrived in one piece.

I'm not running around shooting with my 24-70 f/2.8L and I'm taking my 300mm f/4L to the beach.

When I get back I'll put them on my new 320GB Firewire drive :D
 
They are the biggest or at least one of the biggest, and I'm sure they've been getting many many of these calls everyday. At least they aren't BS'ing people like many of the dealers out there.

My dealer wouldn't speculate to me either...He said he didn't want to say anything until he got a tracking number from his rep. That's the way to go..Then people aren't bugging him because he said yesterday, last week, today, whatever.

Teski
MCR said:
Why is it most other retailers can tell you an estimated time
period of when you will actually have the camera, but when I call
B&H to check the status of an order that was not only placed over 2
months ago, but paid for in full already, I can't get an answer?
They act like I'm out of line for asking if they know how many they
will be receiving in and when.

The guy on the phone was so rude, he just said "look I don't know
what to tell you, if you wanna cancel the order, I'll cancel it for
you right now if you want." I told him I did not wish to cancel my
order, I just wanted to get a little info on what the estimates
were and where about I was on the list. I have no patience for
people with no customer service. Maybe I should just cancel the
order since the other retailer I ordered from was nice enough to
let me know where exactly I stand on the list, and when I could
most likely expect it. Sorry...makes my blood boil and I felt like
complaining. Has anyone else received this poor attitude from B&H?
I've spent over 10K with them last year alone....you'd think one
could get a friendly rep on the phone now, wouldn't ya?

Matt
Click to expand...
 
Henry Posner already responded in another string that he cannot comment on any allocation figures, and so the guy answering the phone certainly cannot give you information that he doesn't have.

I've spoken to several salespeople at several retailers . . . all of whom are in the dark, and none of whom is seeing the volume of calls and complaints (I'd imagine) that a high volume place like B & H is seeing.

Sit back and relax . . . you won't get screwed by B&H, and you may well have your camera in hand from them long before you can get it elsewhere.

Just IMHO, of course.

MG
 
Tom

i bought tons of stuff from them as well and never had a problem until now. The packaging was poor. the box was very big because of one item and the paper and ribbon boxes where just falling around inside.
Tom Boucher said:
I'm not running around shooting with my 24-70 f/2.8L and I'm taking
my 300mm f/4L to the beach.

When I get back I'll put them on my new 320GB Firewire drive :D
Click to expand...
Now you just need a real long lens ;-)

--
Michael Salzlechner
http://www.PalmsWestPhoto.com
 
I've done business with B&H for years and rely upon them for my own photo business. All I can say is sorry that you had a bad experience like this. But not a single one of my own has been a poor experience. In fact, they just get better. :-)

There are always two sides to every story about service. I can understand you being anxious about getting your camera. But it WILL get here, believe it or not. :-)

The retailers who have been giving dates never knew any definite dates, as if they had insider info that B&H did not.

--

Ulysses
http://www.ulyssesphotography.com
 
I don't think the smaller dealers employ physics either. But many of them (smaller dealers than B&H) seem to have the "when" info. I've read several posts today of people, in the U.S., getting info from their dealers that their 1D2 is in, or will be in in a day or 2, or has been shipped to the customer. Why doesn't B&H have info like this?
John
Derekasaurus Rex said:
John Mackintosh said:
Young Min Kim,
I believe you have paid $4500 and have been waiting for this camera
for 2 months? When do you expect to get it? Can B&H at least tell
you, and their other customers for this camera, if you will get
yours from their first allotment?
John
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
"Henry Posner already responded in another string that he cannot comment on any allocation figures..."
Mitch,
Cannot comment because he doesn't know? Or because it is "confidential"?

I don't think it is because he doesn't know. And if he does know the allotment/delivery info, I feel those that have paid for their camera in full are entitled to know the allotment/delivery info also.

"and so the guy answering the phone certainly cannot give you information that he doesn't have."

This is true. But if this info is know by Henry, or management at B&H, it should be passed along to the sales people so the paid customers can get answers to their questions. That's called good customer service.
Also, just IMHO.
John
Mitch G. said:
Henry Posner already responded in another string that he cannot
comment on any allocation figures, and so the guy answering the
phone certainly cannot give you information that he doesn't have.

I've spoken to several salespeople at several retailers . . . all
of whom are in the dark, and none of whom is seeing the volume of
calls and complaints (I'd imagine) that a high volume place like B
& H is seeing.

Sit back and relax . . . you won't get screwed by B&H, and you may
well have your camera in hand from them long before you can get it
elsewhere.

Just IMHO, of course.

MG
Click to expand...
 
Several smaller dealers in the US today, informed their customers of delivery for the 1D2. Why can't B&H?
John
billtoo said:
MCR said:
Why is it most other retailers can tell you an estimated time
period of when you will actually have the camera, but when I call
B&H to check the status of an order that was not only placed over 2
months ago, but paid for in full already, I can't get an answer?
They act like I'm out of line for asking if they know how many they
will be receiving in and when.

The guy on the phone was so rude, he just said "look I don't know
what to tell you, if you wanna cancel the order, I'll cancel it for
you right now if you want." I told him I did not wish to cancel my
order, I just wanted to get a little info on what the estimates
were and where about I was on the list. I have no patience for
people with no customer service. Maybe I should just cancel the
order since the other retailer I ordered from was nice enough to
let me know where exactly I stand on the list, and when I could
most likely expect it. Sorry...makes my blood boil and I felt like
complaining. Has anyone else received this poor attitude from B&H?
I've spent over 10K with them last year alone....you'd think one
could get a friendly rep on the phone now, wouldn't ya?

Matt
Click to expand...
--
billtoo
http://www.pbase.com/billtoo
Click to expand...
 
John Mackintosh said:
I don't think it is because he doesn't know. And if he does know
the allotment/delivery info, I feel those that have paid for their
camera in full are entitled to know the allotment/delivery info
also.
Click to expand...
But you're not down there on the playing field. You're just being
an armchair quarterback.

You don't even know what the facts are, whether they know or
not, and then there are probably a dozen other things you also don't
know.

The bottom line is that B&H, I sincerely trust, is doing their best
to get however many cameras they get, out to their customers.

If a customer doesn't trust they are doing that, and suspects that
they are all just sitting at their desks reading the newspaper, or
playing darts, then that customer should just go elsewhere. And
B&H is offering that option at the drop of a hat. Full refund, no
problem.
 
John Mackintosh said:
"been waiting patiently like the rest of the world."
The rest of the world hasn't paid for the camera in full.
Click to expand...
Histrorically, John, you have really shown a dislike for B&H. Going
back a year now, I think. Why don't you just give it a rest ?

Don't do business with them, fine, but there's no reason to try to
show to everyone that does like B&H that they are wrong to like
B&H.

It's just getting tiresome after, what ? 12 months now ?
 
These smaller dealers here in the US that I speak of, do know their first allotment quantity. That's what makes me think B&H should know theirs, since they are such a big dealer for Canon. The salesman on the telephone may not know because he hasn't been told by B&H's management, but I think B&H's managment knows.
John
David Mazeau said:
John Mackintosh said:
Several smaller dealers in the US today, informed their customers
of delivery for the 1D2. Why can't B&H?
Click to expand...
The fairly large store I go through here in Paris told me on
Thursday that they will be getting the cameras very soon, but they
don't know how many.
Click to expand...
 
John Mackintosh said:
These smaller dealers here in the US that I speak of, do know their
first allotment quantity. That's what makes me think B&H should
know theirs, since they are such a big dealer for Canon. The
salesman on the telephone may not know because he hasn't been told
by B&H's management, but I think B&H's managment knows.
Click to expand...
Maybe, maybe not. But either way B&H is doing their best, I am sure.
 
From a little over a year ago:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1019&message=4518369

Teski
David Mazeau said:
John Mackintosh said:
"been waiting patiently like the rest of the world."
The rest of the world hasn't paid for the camera in full.
Click to expand...
Histrorically, John, you have really shown a dislike for B&H. Going
back a year now, I think. Why don't you just give it a rest ?

Don't do business with them, fine, but there's no reason to try to
show to everyone that does like B&H that they are wrong to like
B&H.

It's just getting tiresome after, what ? 12 months now ?
Click to expand...
 
I think the dealers that are phoning customers with good news are doing so because they have actually received bodies (or KNOW they are on the way). Once they have the goods (or, say, a tracking number) it's easy to say, "Your camera will ship tomorrow." I bet none of those dealers could have given an exact ETA last week.

I shop at B&H and many local stores and I've had this conversation with many camera sales reps. They really don't know. Sometimes when they are receiving regular shipments they can make educated guesses, but in the case of a new product they are as much in the dark as we are.

It's not just Canon, either. It's common practice for a store to put in their order and wait for it to arrive with little or no communication from the manufacturer.
John Mackintosh said:
I don't think the smaller dealers employ physics either. But many
of them (smaller dealers than B&H) seem to have the "when" info.
I've read several posts today of people, in the U.S., getting info
from their dealers that their 1D2 is in, or will be in in a day or
2, or has been shipped to the customer. Why doesn't B&H have info
like this?
John
Click to expand...
 
I don't mind waiting...... I do understand the camera is just now being released..... I just thought the guy could have been more friendly and had a better attitude. His willingness to try and help or sooth my wound as a customer was nil. When I called Ritzcamera.com (the other place I ordered from pretty early), I was not only told exactly where I stand in line, but got excellent customer service. I was not promised a date their either, but the guy could at least hold a conversation without being a prick.

waiting is not the issues...that's on Canon...but when I spent nearly $5000 (after tax) in your store the least you could do is show me some respect. This is what my paying or non paying customers expect from my business...why should it be different anywhere else???

Matt
 
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