Calumet closing in US
Mar 13, 2014 13:22:10 #
Calumet, a company that has been a major retailing force in the photo industry for years, is today sadly announcing that theyre shutting down in the US. The company announced the closing on their Facebook page, but their website is down. Oddly their Youtube page is still up and their Twitter is down. Calumet along with B&H Photo, Adorama, and FotoCare were the big names in the industry for camera gear since Willoughbys went from an entire city block to a city corner in size.
If you do a Google Search of Calumet closing down, you come across the company that shuttered lots of stores across the nation. The company has been around for 75 years but apparently cant keep up with other retailers.
This is all incredibly odd as most stores often just say something along the lines of them having a going out of business sale and that everything must go. But this is sudden, and even the fans on Facebook are sharing both dismay and anger.
Even more interestingly is that their Wikipedia page has already been updated to say that theyre closing.
If you do a Google Search of Calumet closing down, you come across the company that shuttered lots of stores across the nation. The company has been around for 75 years but apparently cant keep up with other retailers.
This is all incredibly odd as most stores often just say something along the lines of them having a going out of business sale and that everything must go. But this is sudden, and even the fans on Facebook are sharing both dismay and anger.
Even more interestingly is that their Wikipedia page has already been updated to say that theyre closing.
Mar 13, 2014 13:53:44 #
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-calumet-photographic-closes-20140313,0,868130.story
Mar 13, 2014 14:43:10 #
A sudden, unannounced closure has the earmarks of a tax seizure. I have no idea if that is the case here but I have seen companies that were doing a roaring business one day and were padlocked the next because somebody had "forgotten" to pay corporate taxes.
Mar 13, 2014 16:52:06 #
[quote=mborn]Calumet, a company that has been a major retailing force in the photo industry for years, is today sadly announcing that theyre shutting down in the US.
Thanks for the information. I guess that explains why no one answered the telephone when I called the local store here in San Francisco about an hour ago. Too bad. We do have Samy's Camera (a So. California company) that just opened a new store here a few months back.
Thanks for the information. I guess that explains why no one answered the telephone when I called the local store here in San Francisco about an hour ago. Too bad. We do have Samy's Camera (a So. California company) that just opened a new store here a few months back.
Mar 13, 2014 17:24:34 #
Can't say I'm really disappointed. Here in the DC area, Calumet bought out the remaining 3 Penn Camera stores (which I do miss). But, the new Calumet stores tended to carry second-line products (I'm trying to avoid saying Chinese-made products). I was very disappointed with some light stands and other studio gear I bought from them.
Mar 13, 2014 19:30:37 #
I was travelling in Florida and Georgia last 2 weeks and wanted to go to a camera shop to buy a lens as a gift to my daughter. I had 2 lenses in mind for her, the Sigma 10-20 and the Tokina ATX pro 12-24. She has a Canon camera. What I found out was that most camera stores had closed down. I tried to visit Wolf camera/Ritzcamera in some cities and all had closed down until I found one in Atlanta. They had the lenses I wanted available online but not in store. And it was not possible to pay for it in store and have it mailed. However I can not buy it from them online as I do not live in the US and they do not sell to foreigners online, even if the lens is to be shipped to address in Florida. So it was not possible for me to buy from them.
Then I was in Miami. On Miami Beach I found a few camera stores. All of them with salesmen who spent a lot of time trying to sell me something else then the lenses I wanted, even if it was available. And when they finally could talk about the lens I wanted I could have it for $399 or $450 and when I said yes, I will have it, then either the price went up to $650 or I had to buy $150 filter with it to get it for $450 or they could not have it in store until 2 o'clock and when I was there at that time it could not be there until 4 o'clock and then there was tax on top of this "bargain" Of course this was not of interest at all so I am just buying on Ebay and have it mailed to may daughter.
So those guys do a good job of getting people fed up with camera stores.
After this experience I can easily understand that it is not possible to run a camera store in US. When they all do their best to get the customer pissed and turned off it is just common sense to buy camera gear online from someone who really wants to sell it.
Then I was in Miami. On Miami Beach I found a few camera stores. All of them with salesmen who spent a lot of time trying to sell me something else then the lenses I wanted, even if it was available. And when they finally could talk about the lens I wanted I could have it for $399 or $450 and when I said yes, I will have it, then either the price went up to $650 or I had to buy $150 filter with it to get it for $450 or they could not have it in store until 2 o'clock and when I was there at that time it could not be there until 4 o'clock and then there was tax on top of this "bargain" Of course this was not of interest at all so I am just buying on Ebay and have it mailed to may daughter.
So those guys do a good job of getting people fed up with camera stores.
After this experience I can easily understand that it is not possible to run a camera store in US. When they all do their best to get the customer pissed and turned off it is just common sense to buy camera gear online from someone who really wants to sell it.
Mar 14, 2014 06:43:48 #
Try B & H (I understand Adorama is good too, I've just never dealt with them). B & H should be the model for all retail companies.
Mar 14, 2014 13:56:21 #
pkricker wrote:
Try B & H (I understand Adorama is good too, I've just never dealt with them). B & H should be the model for all retail companies.
Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately B & H is no better. They refuse to sell me the lens, I have just tried and they blame it on bank regulations that I can not pay for a lens and have it sent to my daughter. And I thought neither I or B & H is a bank. What a bullshit.
Mar 14, 2014 14:23:14 #
So neither Wolf nor B & H will let you pay with an out of country account and ship to US. Retailers are in the business to sell, not make excuses not to. Seems there's something in the regulations you're choosing to not understand. Why not just let your daughter order the lens she wants and you pay her for it?
Mar 14, 2014 20:01:26 #
JPL wrote:
I was travelling in Florida and Georgia last 2 wee... (show quote)
If you attempted to buy from me on eBay WITHOUT a verified PayPal account and have me ship it to a PayPal non-verified address I would respectfully decline the purchase.
An eBayer shipping to a non-verified address losses their seller protection from PayPal. By verified address I mean a verified address that is associated with your PayPal account. It is likely your daughter's address is not on your PayPal account. In other words your daughter's address must be verified and listed on your PayPal account. If not, I can't auto-generate the address label or use/get eBay's discounted shipping system. After I ship you could claim a full refund because of my shipping to a non-verified address.
I've already declined similar purchases and never regretted it or looked back.
Mar 14, 2014 22:31:36 #
OddJobber wrote:
So neither Wolf nor B & H will let you pay with an out of country account and ship to US. Retailers are in the business to sell, not make excuses not to. Seems there's something in the regulations you're choosing to not understand. Why not just let your daughter order the lens she wants and you pay her for it?
I thought about that, but now I have bought the lens on ebay from a seller with 100% positive feedback and lot of transactions. Estimated delivery next monday.
There was nothing in the process I choose not to understand. It was exactly as I have told. The big ones do not ship if the shipping address is different from the address of the cardholder. Does not matter if I am using PayPal and following the instructions 100%. And B&H blame it on Bank regulations. No explanation from the other guys.
Mar 14, 2014 22:31:58 #
JPL wrote:
Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately B & H is no better. They refuse to sell me the lens, I have just tried and they blame it on bank regulations that I can not pay for a lens and have it sent to my daughter. And I thought neither I or B & H is a bank. What a bullshit.
The reason for the retailer's reluctance is that they are on the hook for the total amount of the transaction if the credit card transaction is disputed by the card holder (if other words in case it is a fraudulent transaction). You might want to purchase an American Express gift card or Vanilla Visa or Mastercard that has no name on it. The American Express gift cards are good for online purchases, not sure about the vanilla visa and master cards. You fill in your daughter's name and address in the States as if she is the purchaser then fill in the gift card number in the credit card spot and in the name field put in American Express gift card. The merchant will get their money and no fraud loss because when the transaction is approved then it is a done deal and complete for the merchant. If you are in Canada you can buy American Express gift cards at Shopper's Drug mart with up to $500. If the item is more than that you need to find another way.
Just an idea
Mar 14, 2014 22:36:02 #
LFingar wrote:
A sudden, unannounced closure has the earmarks of a tax seizure. I have no idea if that is the case here but I have seen companies that were doing a roaring business one day and were padlocked the next because somebody had "forgotten" to pay corporate taxes.
The most serious tax to "forget" is the employee payroll tax. The IRS does not take this "oversight" lightly-- nor should they as they directly impact employees.
Mar 14, 2014 22:36:34 #
robert-photos wrote:
If you attempted to buy from me on eBay WITHOUT a ... (show quote)
No, it was not me not following the rules and instructions or being stupid or stubborn. I was trying to pay with PayPal and verified PayPal address. Did it all by the book with no result. But now I have solved the problem by buying from someone not making any kind of excuses not to sell! Got it on ebay from someone with lot of transactions and 100% positive feedback and ebay buyer protection etc. So the problem is solved and I have learned that it is no good to try shopping from B&H or Ritzcamera.
Mar 14, 2014 22:43:26 #
happy sailor wrote:
The reason for the retailer's reluctance is that t... (show quote)
Thanks for the idea. I have solved the problem by finding a seller with no problem to sell as I have explained to some other helpful people out here. In all cases I was just trying to use may PayPal account, and that is linked to one of my debitcards with my name on it and a reputable bank behind it, if we can talk in that way about a bank.
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