# Problem with Adorama Customer Service



## RGF (Jul 18, 2015)

I order a Think Tank bag from Adorama and as a member of Kelby One I remember that Adorama was giving a 10% discount on Think Tank bags. So I searched for the webpage and found an Adorama webpage that provided instructions on how to get the 10% discount.

I followed their instructions and order the bag but did not see the 10% discount (which the order page said would be applied on the final step of the order).

So I wrote the Adorama CS and the rep asked for the page (which I sent to him). That was Thursday. Bags will be delivered on Monday, have not heard back from Adorama (in spite of writing a second time), and my card has been charged the full amount.

Perhaps I will get a response, but so far service is rather terrible.


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 19, 2015)

Drop a e-mail to Helen Oster, she will help you. She is a member of this forum.

[email protected]


----------



## JPAZ (Jul 19, 2015)

Remember they are closed on Saturday.


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 19, 2015)

JPAZ said:


> Remember they are closed on Saturday.



Boy, am I off, I thought it was Sunday all day


----------



## RGF (Jul 19, 2015)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Drop a e-mail to Helen Oster, she will help you. She is a member of this forum.
> 
> [email protected]



Thanks. I'll do that.


----------



## RGF (Jul 19, 2015)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> JPAZ said:
> 
> 
> > Remember they are closed on Saturday.
> ...



As the Dowicher on Downton Abbey said, "What's a weekend?"


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 19, 2015)

RGF said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > JPAZ said:
> ...



I've been retired since August 1998. Every day is now a workday so I lose track. I was out working early this morning but its too hot to work outside now.


----------



## JPAZ (Jul 19, 2015)

Yeah, both our NYC friends are observant and close Friday through Saturday night.

Hot? Come to Arizona!



JPAZ


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 19, 2015)

JPAZ said:


> Yeah, both our NYC friends are observant and close Friday through Saturday night.
> 
> Hot? Come to Arizona!
> 
> ...



No thanks! 

Its cooled down here to the low 90's and since humidity is staying down, its not uncomfortable outside, but as you get older, your bodies cooling system gets less efficient, so its best not to over tax it.

When the temperature gets to 105, I find it to be pretty uncomfortable, and at 110, I suffer. 

Our big concern is how dry it is in July. The fire danger is off the charts, and the worst is yet to come in August! We have a wooded area all around us with big fields of dry grass thrown in. A wildfire wiped out the general area several years back, getting to about 500 ft from the area where we later built. Its a big concern every year, but this may be the worst year in recorded history for fire danger, I think it already has reached that mark. There is a closer fire station going up about 3 miles away, we are out in the country where fire stations are far apart, so its going to be nice to have one closer. The fire stations out in our district use volunteer fire fighters, they are excellent and well trained. We do not have to deal with payments for fire services, its rolled into our property taxes.


----------



## zim (Jul 19, 2015)

well my daughter is working in NY (soon to come home yey!!) ordered from B&H hasn't been delivered, will have to get it fixed when she gets home (UK) s**t happens


----------



## RGF (Jul 20, 2015)

zim said:


> well my daughter is working in NY (soon to come home yey!!) ordered from B&H hasn't been delivered, will have to get it fixed when she gets home (UK) s**t happens



Yea, it is not what happened but how it was handled. 

A couple of phrases that have meaning for me:


Reasonability = ability to respond

How you relate to the issue, is the issue.


----------



## Ripley (Jul 22, 2015)

Adorama is reputable. I have, and probably would in the future, purchased from them. However, their customer service is not always the best. My last order took several phone calls to straighten out. I got the impression that it was an efficiency issue - not that they didn't want to help me, but that they were struggling to facilitate that help. Ultimately, everything got straightened out to my satisfaction. But, they're not my first stop when I shop.


----------



## RGF (Jul 24, 2015)

I got hold of Helen who after several attempts got the correct person in CS to reply.

I got an answer, but not one I like. The difference is $10 so it is not a big deal, just I feel that I will shop at B&H versus Adorama unless Adorama has a price advantage.


----------



## expatinasia (Jul 24, 2015)

RGF said:


> I got hold of Helen who after several attempts got the correct person in CS to reply.
> 
> I got an answer, but not one I like. The difference is $10 so it is not a big deal, just I feel that I will shop at B&H versus Adorama unless Adorama has a price advantage.



My money has always gone to B&H, but a while back they really messed around with their overseas shipping rates and have not bought anything since. Mind you, have not really needed anything, but the new overseas rates make me think twice about it, whereas before I would have probably just clicked purchase. Their loss.


----------



## RGF (Jul 29, 2015)

expatinasia said:


> RGF said:
> 
> 
> > I got hold of Helen who after several attempts got the correct person in CS to reply.
> ...



I live on the B&H side of the pond. Their fast free shipping on orders of ~$50 is great, however I could order $1000 one day and forgot to include a $5 item and get hit with a shipping charge or very slow free shipping the next day.

Too bad after spending a certain amount each year shipping is free regardless of the purchase size (like Amazon Prime).

Also would like like to see B&H, Adorama, ... give their best customers priority on new items (for example all "gold" customers (perhaps $10,000 / year or more) get first priority, next are silver, ... items need to be order by certain date.


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 29, 2015)

I mostly use Adorama, but I've bought equipment from almost everybody (It Seems). Everyone I've used has delivered, but then, I research a company before I purchase. We have two local Camera stores that I also frequent, and have dropped several thousand dollars into their coffers.

its just by accident that my last 4 or 5 orders were from B&H, they had a sale on what I wanted in those cases. I seldom pre-order a new Canon camera from B&H. I'll never order one from Amazon.

Adorama has always shipped new models to me when pre-ordered from the first batch of received items, so I've no reason to change. I've read too many reports of those pre-ordering from B&H on the first day who were still waiting after I had my equipment for two weeks. I pre-ordered the original 7D from Amazon, and after 3 or 4 weeks they cancelled my pre-order due to a listing error, and invited me to order again going to the end of the line. No thanks. Even pre-ordering it 4 weeks after the announcement, Adorama got the camera to me from the first batch. That impressed me, and I've always had a similar experience. I like B&H but not for pre-orders of new models.


----------



## RGF (Aug 4, 2015)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I mostly use Adorama, but I've bought equipment from almost everybody (It Seems). Everyone I've used has delivered, but then, I research a company before I purchase. We have two local Camera stores that I also frequent, and have dropped several thousand dollars into their coffers.
> 
> its just by accident that my last 4 or 5 orders were from B&H, they had a sale on what I wanted in those cases. I seldom pre-order a new Canon camera from B&H. I'll never order one from Amazon.
> 
> Adorama has always shipped new models to me when pre-ordered from the first batch of received items, so I've no reason to change. I've read too many reports of those pre-ordering from B&H on the first day who were still waiting after I had my equipment for two weeks. I pre-ordered the original 7D from Amazon, and after 3 or 4 weeks they cancelled my pre-order due to a listing error, and invited me to order again going to the end of the line. No thanks. Even pre-ordering it 4 weeks after the announcement, Adorama got the camera to me from the first batch. That impressed me, and I've always had a similar experience. I like B&H but not for pre-orders of new models.



Good to know.

I avoid amazon for new items. They seem to get them long after others.

Wonder if you success with adorama is due to frequent shopping (high $ volume) or just lower demand.


----------

