Poll: Who Cares and Who Do NOT Care about opened packages

[DavidP #28649]

B&H is not just an internet store. It's a retail store, as well.

PS -- does anybody consider B&H's prices "premium" ?

If you know of a place where I can routinely save 10% or more off equivalent merchandise prices compared to B&H (US warranty vs US warranty), please let me know.

Hi David, I'm not talking about a retail store. But If I get
something through the net or by mail I expect it to be factory
fresh. This insures me I'm getting a new purchase and not one that
has been used. If I suspect any tampering with the factory seals,
it goes back.
If I purchase from a retail store and I don't know the product I
expect a demo for examination. I never demand a store product to be
open at the retail store since I only buy from a place I trust.
When you pay premium prices I don't want anyones fingerprints on it
but mine.
with respect,
Larry

--The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons http://thewilkinsons.xroad.com

 

[Lee]

Yes.

 

[Adi Khindaria]

Yes.

 

[LMC54]

I can't believe you are so passionate about a freaking store Do you work there? I used to buy alot there but things slowly getting bad there for some reason. Everytime now that I purchase something they try to sell something else I don't want. I hate that. Of course any purchase for me that is above 500.00 is premium. good greif lol
Larry

PS -- does anybody consider B&H's prices "premium" ?

If you know of a place where I can routinely save 10% or more off
equivalent merchandise prices compared to B&H (US warranty vs US
warranty), please let me know.

Hi David, I'm not talking about a retail store. But If I get
something through the net or by mail I expect it to be factory
fresh. This insures me I'm getting a new purchase and not one that
has been used. If I suspect any tampering with the factory seals,
it goes back.
If I purchase from a retail store and I don't know the product I
expect a demo for examination. I never demand a store product to be
open at the retail store since I only buy from a place I trust.
When you pay premium prices I don't want anyones fingerprints on it
but mine.
with respect,
Larry

--
The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons
http://thewilkinsons.xroad.com

 

[michael r]

yes.

 

[dgrogers]

Are you then willing to pay a fee to examine units that aren't
already out for display? Very few places have all their stuff
available on display.

Usually, I'll go elsewhere if I need to see the item before I purchase it. This is probably the smart thing to do anyway -- you'll no your new item hasn't been messed with if the store you purchased it from has a demo unit.

If the store charges near full retail prices for products, there is no way I'd pay a demo fee. I would seriously concider it at a place with large discounts.

I'm sure B&H will take car of the customers complaint, but like I said in another post, I'll purchase from a retailer that offers deeper discounts if didn't mind potentially putting up with the hassle of returning an item.

 

[Walt60320]

I decided once and for all to collect a poll with a single answer
regarding the recent flame war about B&H sucking and many others
for that matter. What I would like from each of you is a simple Yes
or NO. What you are responding to is this:

Do you fully expect to get a completely UNOPENED box that has
either been sealed at the factory or has been totally unopened and
unmolested by ANYONE from the time it left the factory. This of
course means the vendor or retailer opening the box and moving
things around, checking things out or ANY type of opening of the
product prior to it's delivery to YOU from the manufacturer. Please
just answer YES or NO and DO NOT get into an explaination. I simply
want to know of the tollerance levels of everyone here so we can
put this to rest. Some people who negatively responded to me on the
B&H Sucks post felt I was NUTS and quite frankly, an large number
of people I know feel the same as I. I just wanted it here in black
and white. Remember.......JUST a Yes or NO as to whether or not you
INSIST on sealed and unmolested boxes.....I'll go first!

 

[ishootem]

YES

I decided once and for all to collect a poll with a single answer
regarding the recent flame war about B&H sucking and many others
for that matter. What I would like from each of you is a simple Yes
or NO. What you are responding to is this:

Do you fully expect to get a completely UNOPENED box that has
either been sealed at the factory or has been totally unopened and
unmolested by ANYONE from the time it left the factory. This of
course means the vendor or retailer opening the box and moving
things around, checking things out or ANY type of opening of the
product prior to it's delivery to YOU from the manufacturer. Please
just answer YES or NO and DO NOT get into an explaination. I simply
want to know of the tollerance levels of everyone here so we can
put this to rest. Some people who negatively responded to me on the
B&H Sucks post felt I was NUTS and quite frankly, an large number
of people I know feel the same as I. I just wanted it here in black
and white. Remember.......JUST a Yes or NO as to whether or not you
INSIST on sealed and unmolested boxes.....I'll go first!

--Bill

 

[DavidP #28649]

I've found that CameraWorld, B&H, BestPriceAudioVideo, Canoga generally have very good prices. And that none of them are consistently the lowest price on all items.

Delta's lower, but they're gray. And the few times I ordered gray, I found B&H to be competitive with them on price.

If you know of somebody cheaper (and reliable), please let us all in on the secret!

I'm sure B&H will take car of the customers complaint, but like I
said in another post, I'll purchase from a retailer that offers
deeper discounts if didn't mind potentially putting up with the
hassle of returning an item.

--The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons http://thewilkinsons.xroad.com

 

[Mike Kuder]

yes...but with qualifications to follow

 

[Larry H. Smith]

I decided once and for all to collect a poll

See "subject"

Larry

 

[DavidP #28649]

I feel passionate about a good store that's getting (unfarly, IMO) getting flamed in public for something that appears to (so far) be being handled quite fairly.

No, I do NOT work there. I've ordered a lot of stuff from them, but have certainly given a LOT of my business to other stores as well.

I've NEVER been hassled at B&H about buying something else I don't want. (Of course, I order over the internet). As far as I can tell from internet postings, B&H isn't really known as a "high pressure" place. Perhaps they've changed, perhaps I just haven't seen the right posts, or perhaps you're just unlucky. LOL.

I can't believe you are so passionate about a freaking store Do
you work there? I used to buy alot there but things slowly getting
bad there for some reason. Everytime now that I purchase something
they try to sell something else I don't want. I hate that. Of
course any purchase for me that is above 500.00 is premium. good
greif lol
Larry

--The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons http://thewilkinsons.xroad.com

 

[Walt60320]

Some people in this forum really need to get a life. I've never seen babies nitpicking as I have here. When I had my Olympus E-10 I put a lot of time in the Oly forum and I've never seen anything like this. I participate in these forums to learn more about photography and my carmera from other people with the same equipment and hopefully I could contribute what I know. I don't believe the purpose of these forums is for angry, frustrated people to pick on peoples spelling, lenses, cameras, the fact that some of us don't have $20,000 in L glass and whatever else. This has become totally ridiculous. I'm sure one of the babies will tell me to go back to the Oly forum if I was so happy there. That won't surprise me. I have a Canon D30 and this is where I should be. The majority of people in this forum are nice, mature (even the youngsters) and very helpful. I don't know, maybe it's the time of the year. We've all heard of road rage. Well, it's getting like forum rage in here.

Walt

David.......you CLEARLY have a total disreagard for what I asked
for at the beginning of this post...NOT your running comments in a
argument you are CLEARLY LOSING (just take a count of the Yes's)
but but just a simple yes or no will suffice. I have to guess when
you were a child and were told NO you took it as a Maybe? I hope
you aren't raising your children this way, or they will be largely
like those I run into daily NOT knowing the meaning of the word NO!

--
The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons
http://thewilkinsons.xroad.com

 

[Bob Lister]

Depends where it came from

 

[Bryan29453]

YES!

I decided once and for all to collect a poll with a single answer
regarding the recent flame war about B&H sucking and many others
for that matter. What I would like from each of you is a simple Yes
or NO. What you are responding to is this:

Do you fully expect to get a completely UNOPENED box that has
either been sealed at the factory or has been totally unopened and
unmolested by ANYONE from the time it left the factory. This of
course means the vendor or retailer opening the box and moving
things around, checking things out or ANY type of opening of the
product prior to it's delivery to YOU from the manufacturer. Please
just answer YES or NO and DO NOT get into an explaination. I simply
want to know of the tollerance levels of everyone here so we can
put this to rest. Some people who negatively responded to me on the
B&H Sucks post felt I was NUTS and quite frankly, an large number
of people I know feel the same as I. I just wanted it here in black
and white. Remember.......JUST a Yes or NO as to whether or not you
INSIST on sealed and unmolested boxes.....I'll go first!

--KRsBryanCanon D30 (Also CP990 for hill walking)

 

[Mike Kuder]

yes...but with qualifications to follow

I can't count the number of times I have gone to a store, and not just B&H, tried 2 or 3 or 4 lenses and then decided on one. The others are (in some cases) dutifully cleaned and returned to their packages and put back on the shelf. That to me is standard practice, and I expect it.

It seems also that given the insecure packaging of even the most expensive of camera gear (I'm thinking of my D30 box) manufacturers seem to expect that practice as well.

Lee I am very interested in your explanation of "euro-seals" etc. on the grey stuff you purchase. Why the heck can't they do that in the states as well? Must be a difference in laws. I should expect the europeans to be more regulatory in this regard and feel they are correct.

Having said all this and in response to the thread that spawned this poll, I do think that the size of B&H should allow them to segregate out only totally unopened goods for mail order sale, if only to avoid being accused of impropriety. Clearly as photo discounters go they are among the very best out there (and I do believe they are as honest as can be) and should do more to reduce the incidence of this type of problem. It is not in anyone's interest to have this battle raging.

Happy Holidays Everyone!
Mike

 

[DavidP #28649]

Go back to the Oly forum. (just kidding).

Sorry, I got "sucked in" to this stupid thing. I just have a hard time when something like what happened (and is being rectified) gets used to trash a reputable company.

I should be (and thought I was) smart enough to realize that nobody's gonna be converted by my arguments. And that B&H will live just fine without me "defending them".

Have a Merry Christmas.

PS -- I didn't buy "L" glass for the excellent optical quality. I bought it for the wide-aperture. (Why'd I have to fall in love with no-flash concert photography?)

Some people in this forum really need to get a life. I've never
seen babies nitpicking as I have here. When I had my Olympus E-10 I
put a lot of time in the Oly forum and I've never seen anything
like this. I participate in these forums to learn more about
photography and my carmera from other people with the same
equipment and hopefully I could contribute what I know. I don't
believe the purpose of these forums is for angry, frustrated people
to pick on peoples spelling, lenses, cameras, the fact that some of
us don't have $20,000 in L glass and whatever else. This has become
totally ridiculous. I'm sure one of the babies will tell me to go
back to the Oly forum if I was so happy there. That won't surprise
me. I have a Canon D30 and this is where I should be. The majority
of people in this forum are nice, mature (even the youngsters) and
very helpful. I don't know, maybe it's the time of the year. We've
all heard of road rage. Well, it's getting like forum rage in here.

--The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons http://thewilkinsons.xroad.com

 

[Larry H. Smith]

I decided once and for all to collect a poll with a single answer...

Lee, Next time ask that everyone include their yes/no in their response-title.That will make counting the results easier.

As-it-is, we must OPEN many of the replies to get all the tally.

So how bout you give it a few days (till christmas?) , then count-'em-up and post them. (Then you can send the poll/results to B&H. Who knows, they might even respond

Larry

 

[Walt60320]

Darn it. I knew the wrong people would take my post as directed to them. Sorry David but you are one of the rational ones. Now......if I can just stay away from this forum for a while and get back to normal......that would be good.

Merry Christmas to you too.
Walt

Sorry, I got "sucked in" to this stupid thing. I just have a hard
time when something like what happened (and is being rectified)
gets used to trash a reputable company.

I should be (and thought I was) smart enough to realize that
nobody's gonna be converted by my arguments. And that B&H will
live just fine without me "defending them".

Have a Merry Christmas.

PS -- I didn't buy "L" glass for the excellent optical quality. I
bought it for the wide-aperture. (Why'd I have to fall in love
with no-flash concert photography?)

Some people in this forum really need to get a life. I've never
seen babies nitpicking as I have here. When I had my Olympus E-10 I
put a lot of time in the Oly forum and I've never seen anything
like this. I participate in these forums to learn more about
photography and my carmera from other people with the same
equipment and hopefully I could contribute what I know. I don't
believe the purpose of these forums is for angry, frustrated people
to pick on peoples spelling, lenses, cameras, the fact that some of
us don't have $20,000 in L glass and whatever else. This has become
totally ridiculous. I'm sure one of the babies will tell me to go
back to the Oly forum if I was so happy there. That won't surprise
me. I have a Canon D30 and this is where I should be. The majority
of people in this forum are nice, mature (even the youngsters) and
very helpful. I don't know, maybe it's the time of the year. We've
all heard of road rage. Well, it's getting like forum rage in here.

--
The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons
http://thewilkinsons.xroad.com

 

[Lee Rothman]

I can't argue with you there Mike. I only wanted to know for once and for all if I was in the minority wishing to buy factory sealed (and non molested or opened) merchandise when buying new. I now can easily see already that the vast majority is indeed on my side. A few that beat me up yesterday about this one had me wondering. It is nice to have that confirmation anyway. As for the Euro Seal, it is a nice touch. Apparently product that is shipped to Europe for sale from Canon requires this "Assurance Seal" on it to confirm it has not previiously been opened for sale. I sure wish the U.S. would adopt this policy indeed. Betty at Delta told me from now on I could request to get a package with this seal on it if it was what I wanted. She ONLY wants me to be thoroughly happy (her own words not mine) and so far I have received a 28-70L, 100-400L and the 100mm 2.8 Macro this way. I am a very happy camper and from the card and gift Delta sent me for the season...so are they. Now THAT'S the way to treat a good customer. They are now more like family than just a store I buy STUFF from. Hard to come by.

yes...but with qualifications to follow

I can't count the number of times I have gone to a store, and not
just B&H, tried 2 or 3 or 4 lenses and then decided on one. The
others are (in some cases) dutifully cleaned and returned to their
packages and put back on the shelf. That to me is standard
practice, and I expect it.

It seems also that given the insecure packaging of even the most
expensive of camera gear (I'm thinking of my D30 box) manufacturers
seem to expect that practice as well.

Lee I am very interested in your explanation of "euro-seals" etc.
on the grey stuff you purchase. Why the heck can't they do that in
the states as well? Must be a difference in laws. I should expect
the europeans to be more regulatory in this regard and feel they
are correct.

Having said all this and in response to the thread that spawned
this poll, I do think that the size of B&H should allow them to
segregate out only totally unopened goods for mail order sale, if
only to avoid being accused of impropriety. Clearly as photo
discounters go they are among the very best out there (and I do
believe they are as honest as can be) and should do more to reduce
the incidence of this type of problem. It is not in anyone's
interest to have this battle raging.

Happy Holidays Everyone!
Mike