Nightmare on Elm Street
Dec 15, 2011 17:41:45 #
This is a rant, pure and simple. If inappropriate I apologize in advance and trust that moderators will deal with it accordingly.
Over the past 9 days, B & H Photo has put me through an incomprehensible string of customer service disasters; one after another. I won't go into detail, not that interesting, though I'd be glad to discuss with anyone interested. In brief, after getting my money they shipped the wrong item (I know these things happen) to the wrong address, called it back from UPS and offered to send me another item ($500) lens if I sent them another $500.00 dollars. Just the tip of the iceberg. I'd always heard good things about B & H but after this will never do business with them again. Have things changed that much, or did they save up all their incompetent blunders and bless me with all of them?
Over the past 9 days, B & H Photo has put me through an incomprehensible string of customer service disasters; one after another. I won't go into detail, not that interesting, though I'd be glad to discuss with anyone interested. In brief, after getting my money they shipped the wrong item (I know these things happen) to the wrong address, called it back from UPS and offered to send me another item ($500) lens if I sent them another $500.00 dollars. Just the tip of the iceberg. I'd always heard good things about B & H but after this will never do business with them again. Have things changed that much, or did they save up all their incompetent blunders and bless me with all of them?
Dec 15, 2011 17:53:46 #
Sorry to hear about your troubles, all my dealings with them have been great. Maybe you where just the lucky one this year and got everyones screw up.... Very flustrating. Merry Christmas....
Mike
Mike
Dec 15, 2011 18:30:53 #
B&H has always treated me well......I have been dealing with them for over ten years now.Sorry to hear you had so much trouble,it has not been my experience.
Dec 15, 2011 20:16:52 #
I'll give you the opposite scenario. I travel for work and ordered a $400 lens and a 2X convertor from Porter's Camera in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I never got the lens where I was working in Maryland. Without any questions and with only one phone call, they reshipped a second lens to Connecticut, which I recieved. As far as I know they never got the other lens back (my sense is that it was a Holiday package theft off the screen porch) and I never heard another word of it. Theyve been a mail order supplier since the 60's and I think I know why. Theyre all photographers. Theyre worth checking out.
Dec 15, 2011 20:20:49 #
rocco_7155 wrote:
I'll give you the opposite scenario. I travel for ... (show quote)
Just checked their site.....decent prices too !!!!
Dec 15, 2011 20:33:40 #
rcrosby825 wrote:
This is a rant, pure and simple. If inappropriate... (show quote)
Well... I've done business with B & H for a few years now and never had a problem getting my merchandise, but I will say that I'm not very impressed with their packaging and shipping department. The last few times the item shipped without any additional packing material to keep the item stationary during shipping. Fortunately, L series lenses are pretty durable and they come in their own packaging.
Dec 15, 2011 20:40:57 #
Just bought a LaCie 1 Tb external hard drive from them in the last 2 weeks...No problems at all...
Dec 15, 2011 20:47:34 #
O.K. There seems to be enough interest that I'll give you a few more details. I had almost calmed down when I got an email offering me in-store credit in lieu of the refund I have repeatedly requested. Following is my response to them:
First you packaged the wrong lens (nikon mount, not Sony)
Then you called to tell me that UPS would not deliver to a general delivery
address, even though UPS has told me they would,
I gave you a street address, but instead of sending the lens there, you went
ahead and sent it to the original general delivery address I gave you, and then
had UPS return it to you so you could put on the second address. By this time
it was too late for me to use the lens in Florida.
You offered to send a second lens, but only if I paid again, and that you would
refund the money I paid for the first lens when you got it back from UPS, even
though it never got to me in the first place.
I told you I would have to cancel the order and I requested a full refund be
sent to me at my POB address , the only place I recieve mail. You
also had my phone number and email address to help verify my identity. I also
explained that if the refund was sent to my old address I
would most likely never get it. You mailed it there anyway. Now you offer me
a merchandise exchange or gift card after I have told you that I will never be
doing so much as a pennys worth of business with you again, ever.
AND THEN YOU ASK ME WHAT YOU CAN DO CORRECT THE SITUATION????????????
SEND ME MY MONEY, AT my pob address,
AND,
SEE THAT SOMEONE REVIEWS ALL OF THE PHONE CALLS AND EMAIL EXCHANGES WE'VE HAD TO
HOPEFULLY FIGURE OUT WHY THIS HAS GONE SO TERRIBLY WRONG. IT'S TOO LATE FOR ME,
BUT OTHER CUSTOMERS MIGHT BENEFIT.
THAT, DEAR FRIEND, IS ABOUT THE BEST YOU CAN DO AT THIS POINT TO REMEDY THE
SITUATION.
p.s. Rocco, I'll check out that other supplier as I do still need that lens! There. I feel better. Sorry you had to listen.
First you packaged the wrong lens (nikon mount, not Sony)
Then you called to tell me that UPS would not deliver to a general delivery
address, even though UPS has told me they would,
I gave you a street address, but instead of sending the lens there, you went
ahead and sent it to the original general delivery address I gave you, and then
had UPS return it to you so you could put on the second address. By this time
it was too late for me to use the lens in Florida.
You offered to send a second lens, but only if I paid again, and that you would
refund the money I paid for the first lens when you got it back from UPS, even
though it never got to me in the first place.
I told you I would have to cancel the order and I requested a full refund be
sent to me at my POB address , the only place I recieve mail. You
also had my phone number and email address to help verify my identity. I also
explained that if the refund was sent to my old address I
would most likely never get it. You mailed it there anyway. Now you offer me
a merchandise exchange or gift card after I have told you that I will never be
doing so much as a pennys worth of business with you again, ever.
AND THEN YOU ASK ME WHAT YOU CAN DO CORRECT THE SITUATION????????????
SEND ME MY MONEY, AT my pob address,
AND,
SEE THAT SOMEONE REVIEWS ALL OF THE PHONE CALLS AND EMAIL EXCHANGES WE'VE HAD TO
HOPEFULLY FIGURE OUT WHY THIS HAS GONE SO TERRIBLY WRONG. IT'S TOO LATE FOR ME,
BUT OTHER CUSTOMERS MIGHT BENEFIT.
THAT, DEAR FRIEND, IS ABOUT THE BEST YOU CAN DO AT THIS POINT TO REMEDY THE
SITUATION.
p.s. Rocco, I'll check out that other supplier as I do still need that lens! There. I feel better. Sorry you had to listen.
Dec 15, 2011 21:35:21 #
rcrosby825 wrote:
O.K. There seems to be enough interest that I'll ... (show quote)
Not sure this warrants banning B&H, but it only takes one bad experience sometimes... I don't quite understand the initial transaction details with the different addresses. How did you know that the wrong mount was sent if you never received it initially to the first address?
Not giving you a credit until the return item is received is pretty standard practice. Amazon has the same policy, so if you are upset with this policy perhaps it's better to buy it at a local store?
Online purchases can sometimes save the buyer a lot of money, but it doesn't come without risk. I'm always very leery when making online purchases over $1,000. I'm sorry you had a bad experience. I hope your next online experience goes better.
Dec 15, 2011 22:03:22 #
mdorn,
Don't know for sure it was the wrong mount, but when they sent confirmation that it had been sent I saw from the description that it was the Nikon mount, not Sony. I've always believed that we all screw up, and the real test is how you respond to that screw up. For me (forgetting for the moment that it may well have been the wrong lens in the first place) they screwed up claiming that UPS wouldn't deliver to general delivery. (UPS says they will.) Second screw up was, after I gave them an alternative address, going ahead and shipping it to the original address anyway. Still might have been o.k., but then they recalled it from UPS. I had to cancel, and now they don't want to send the refund to my Maine mailing address. Claim it can't be done, but they would give me in-store credit. Dozens of emails back and forth, several phone calls; each from a different person.
Too much of this. I'm going to bed and promise to write no more. Rob p.s. I had done business with B & H in the past; like many here, with no problem. Guess that makes the hassle all the harder for me to understand.
Don't know for sure it was the wrong mount, but when they sent confirmation that it had been sent I saw from the description that it was the Nikon mount, not Sony. I've always believed that we all screw up, and the real test is how you respond to that screw up. For me (forgetting for the moment that it may well have been the wrong lens in the first place) they screwed up claiming that UPS wouldn't deliver to general delivery. (UPS says they will.) Second screw up was, after I gave them an alternative address, going ahead and shipping it to the original address anyway. Still might have been o.k., but then they recalled it from UPS. I had to cancel, and now they don't want to send the refund to my Maine mailing address. Claim it can't be done, but they would give me in-store credit. Dozens of emails back and forth, several phone calls; each from a different person.
Too much of this. I'm going to bed and promise to write no more. Rob p.s. I had done business with B & H in the past; like many here, with no problem. Guess that makes the hassle all the harder for me to understand.
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