Bad Service

[pcbrown]

I've been trying to buy a gobo projector for over a month now and I'm getting the feeling I'm just not suppose to have one.I bought a kit from Photographers Warehouse and upgraded the strobe that comes with it to 150watt strobe. I was told on the day I ordered it that it would ship that day(Friday). The following Tuesday I called only to find out that it was still sitting on the shipping desk. No problem they sent it out that day and I received it 2 days later.I opened the package and sure enough they sent the wrong strobe. So I call them up, they said sorry, send it back and they would send the right strobe, I said send the right strobe now and I'll send the wrong strobe today, they said noway not until we get the wrong one back unless I wanted to charge my card for another light.The salesman got really rude and said how will I know I'll get my strobe back, I said you have my money and I cannot use the strobe you sent me.This guy was really rude about the whole deal.I did not make a mistake they did. I said how about I send whole package back and you reimburse me.You see I would not mind being charged for another light if it didn't ake forever to gat the charges reversed but it does and allot of times they forget to reverse the charges.

I got back online and found out Adorama had a projector and light also. I decided to call to make sure it was in stock, it was and so was the strobe I wanted.Then a few days went by with my order in limbo, so I called and asked what was going on, Adorama said nothing and continued to process my order, I decided to check my account on their website and lo and behold the projectors on back order, I called and the salesman assured me that both would be shipped.I told them I do not need the light if they do not have the projector, cancel the order. Well it's coming today and my bank account has only been charged for the strobe, so once again I've been lied to even after I have called several times and emailed them several times.

I have never bought from Photographers Warehouse before but will never again. Also I wonder why their website is Photographers Warehouse but I am now dealing with Promark International to get my money back, I'm thinking Promark doesn't have the funds to have their own website.

I have bought from Adorama before with no problems but lately they are stinking it up real bad service wise.Guess I'll go back to B and H .

Like they say you might save a few dollars with bad service but right now i'd be willing to pay 2 times the amount just to get the equipment I want without these head aches.Let alone all the lost time on emails and phone calls, plus having to wait for the UPS man today.

Just thought I'd put this out there so people know what is going on, I always come to Dpreview for buying advice.

 

[Kent Johnson]

This seems to happen more frequently than it should.

It seems that most online sites can only tell you the real inventory level after you have purchased. I find this to be inexcusable. That's what SKUs and bar code scanneras were invented for. A company that can't control its inventory won't be around very long, I can tell you that. It also sounds like there are a lot of cooks in the kitchen (too many middle men).

I settled on B&H a long time ago because they are aggressive but fair. They are ig enough to have inventory but small enough not to have cut deals and sold out to too many middlemen. They're not perfect but have never let me down.
-Kent

 

[pcbrown]

I usely check B and H first as I did this time but they were out of stock. Once my money is credited back to my account,I will defiantely take these 2 companies out of my stores folder.Funny thing is I ordered a backdrop for a prom from Backdrops.us near the same time as I order from Warehouse in IL. I received an email from them that this would be painted in China and sent to them in NY and then they would send it to me. At that point I was a little worried. All of this took 8 days ,unbelievable, and the backdrop is beautiful. Some companies go above and beyond. I wish more would.

 

[Kent Johnson]

Your post reminded me of SilverLake Photo. If you want a company that cares, give them a call. They will paint ANY backdrop pattern they make with ANY color they have, all you have to do is ask. When I heard this my jaw dropped. They totally "get it".
KirkPhoto is another one as is PCB.
-Kent

 

[pcbrown]

Thanks I will give them a shot.I'm starting to really think about my own designed drops. Just wish I had some time to design them.

I understand that there will always be mistakes, I have mistakes myself not allot because we try very hard to get it right the first time, it's more cost effective but there are still unseen mistakes. I once drove 40 miles to deliver 1 5x7 group photo because the people were going to visit relatives down south. I got a kick out of the look on their face. Like I said there are always going to be mistakes but the company that works to fix it in a timely manner is the company for me, even if it costs alittle more.
Thanks again for the links.

 

[pcbrown]

I looked up the Silverlake but what is PCB?

 

[Kent Johnson]

Paul C Buff (Alien Bees and White Lightning strobes and accessories).
-Kent

 

[pcbrown]

I have 5 AB's and love their service, I just bought the new 800 with the moon unit. Works like a charm. I could not figure out what PCB was though.HAHA on me.

 

[AperturePro]

search dedolight and there are always several on any given day.

I've been trying to buy a gobo projector for over a month now and
I'm getting the feeling I'm just not suppose to have one.I bought a
kit from Photographers Warehouse and upgraded the strobe that comes
with it to 150watt strobe. I was told on the day I ordered it that
it would ship that day(Friday). The following Tuesday I called only
to find out that it was still sitting on the shipping desk. No
problem they sent it out that day and I received it 2 days later.I
opened the package and sure enough they sent the wrong strobe. So I
call them up, they said sorry, send it back and they would send the
right strobe, I said send the right strobe now and I'll send the
wrong strobe today, they said noway not until we get the wrong one
back unless I wanted to charge my card for another light.The
salesman got really rude and said how will I know I'll get my
strobe back, I said you have my money and I cannot use the strobe
you sent me.This guy was really rude about the whole deal.I did not
make a mistake they did. I said how about I send whole package back
and you reimburse me.You see I would not mind being charged for
another light if it didn't ake forever to gat the charges reversed
but it does and allot of times they forget to reverse the charges.
I got back online and found out Adorama had a projector and light
also. I decided to call to make sure it was in stock, it was and so
was the strobe I wanted.Then a few days went by with my order in
limbo, so I called and asked what was going on, Adorama said
nothing and continued to process my order, I decided to check my
account on their website and lo and behold the projectors on back
order, I called and the salesman assured me that both would be
shipped.I told them I do not need the light if they do not have the
projector, cancel the order. Well it's coming today and my bank
account has only been charged for the strobe, so once again I've
been lied to even after I have called several times and emailed
them several times.
I have never bought from Photographers Warehouse before but will
never again. Also I wonder why their website is Photographers
Warehouse but I am now dealing with Promark International to get my
money back, I'm thinking Promark doesn't have the funds to have
their own website.
I have bought from Adorama before with no problems but lately they
are stinking it up real bad service wise.Guess I'll go back to B
and H .
Like they say you might save a few dollars with bad service but
right now i'd be willing to pay 2 times the amount just to get the
equipment I want without these head aches.Let alone all the lost
time on emails and phone calls, plus having to wait for the UPS man
today.
Just thought I'd put this out there so people know what is going
on, I always come to Dpreview for buying advice.

 

[paulbuff]

ProMark is a company or conglomerate in Bartlett IL that has acquired Photogenics, Norman, Smith Victor, Lindakl, Logan and Cool Lux, as well as Photographer's Warehouse (formerly Photogenic.

Paul

 

[pcbrown]

Hey mister PaulBuff how about offering a projector that works with the 3.5" gobos for backgrounds. Please make it as goob as your new ring light.I use your lights, like your service and would rather buy from you. Lets go more attachments please.

 

[pcbrown]

You use a dedolight.

 

[pcbrown]

Thanks Aperature for the heads up, looked at ebay and there are a couple there but I'm not sure as to what I need.So I called the company and anyone that could help me won't be back till monday.

 

[AperturePro]

You use a dedolight.

No, sorry, but did check them out for potential future buy. I do
make my own modifiers to shape light. I use various plastics bought
from ebay and have a good plastic welder/hot glue gun for making
my own.

DIY is not a bad way to go if you have basic tools. Patterns can be cut
into plastic for simple patterns. Of course the very detailed ones you can
buy are going to be the best.

Dedolight etc will be the best bet in the long run, but if you only need
a few patterns, then making your own is not that hard. Dedolight has the
focus feature that is hard to dupe.

You mentioned needing a square pattern? The angle you project will have
some influence on the pattern. Making an opening that you can adjust
will be best. Some sort of way to slide it to differrent widths can be designed
into the unit.

I have a few DIY modifiers and they work well. I also used some Cinefoil
on the interiors to make them similar to reflectors.

Hope this helps. Dedolight can be expensive even on ebay. I didn't want that
much control, so went the DIY route.

good luck

 

[paulbuff]

I'm afraid this is too limied in sales potential to warrant the development cost. If we can't sell a lot of an item we can't bring the price down to the scale we like.

Paul

 

[Henry Goh]

How long does it take for you guys to ship out and international order once funds are into your bank?

I'm looking forward to hearing back from your office but have not had much luck.

Thanks.

Henry Goh
Singapore
========
NPS Member
========

 

[paulbuff]

How long does it take for you guys to ship out and international
order once funds are into your bank?

I'm looking forward to hearing back from your office but have not
had much luck.

Thanks.

Henry Goh
Singapore
========
NPS Member
========

220V units take a couple days to ship. The customer service girls always answer email but they may be backed up a day or two.

Paul

 

[JerryDavis]

I apologize for the bad service you received. As you your self noted you've ordered from us before without incident. Apparently something fell through the cracks and if there's anything I could do, please email me directly and I will take care of it.
--
Jerry G.
Adorama-Supervisor

 

[pcbrown]

I would gladly do that if I really thought it would help. But I've read several posts here where I'm not the only one that this has happened to. How much simpler can it get.I called to verify stock and told the salesman do not ship one without the other.It's pretty simple, plus doesn't this kind of stuff cost your company money or do people just accept what you send them and pray they get the other later. Right now at this moment I have over 1,000.00 waiting to be returned to me and I'm sure it won't be returned in the same timely manner that it went out. I will give you this at the least your sales people are curtious. The last guy from Photographers Warehouse made me out to be a thief and he already had my money.But as god is my witness I'm not done with him yet. I just found out they were bought by another company, hopefully that company will want to replace the nasty man.This is the third time this type of thing has come about in the last 2 months. So I'm pretty upset. I've personally decided to not do business with companies that cannot listen to what you are saying.

 

[pcbrown]

Just so you'll know I just checked your site and what I ordered still says it's in stock. But mine was a back order as of last Monday.