Aviod adorama

[naknak]

Ok, so last night I go to adorama.com to look on the progress of my

Minolta Maxxum 7 I ordered two weeks ago and I find that they aren't

selling it anymore. Today I call adorama and they tell me that the

model has been discoutinued and they pretty much didn't bother calling

or emialing me to tell me. I then call Minolta and they tell me that

it has not been discountinued and adorama lied. So, I call back

adorama and ask to see the sales manager and the employee on the phone

tells he's away and won't be back for a week. I then start complaining

and asking why they didn't bother to call me and tell me my order was

canceled. He then hangs up on me!! I call back and get a diffrent girl

and she tells me the sales manager is out to lunch and should be back

in an hour if I want to call back then. I couldn't believe this! I

feel this is unacceptable for a shop to do this to their customers. If

you are planning to order from them I reomend you just go to b&h.

[marshall]

This belongs in Neighbor to Neighbor, probably not archived in this forum. I doubt people will find it later here if they want the information.

[naknak]

My bad, I was looking around and had the feeling this wasn't the right forum, but coulnd't find the neighbor to neighbor or anything that seemed more appropriate.

[hsksla_ddygff]

what did you say to make him hang up, did you call back the sales manager after lunch? unanswered questions.

[cabelnoteboom.com]

I purchased over $5000 worth of equipment, paper and ink from Adorama throughout 2004. I wouldn't go anywhere else. I am sorry that you had a bad experience but overall I don't think they are a bad company. I have always worked with Fred and have always gotten what I ordered quickly and in good condition.

<P>

<A HREF="http//:www.cabelnoteboom.com">www.CabelNoteboom.com</A>

[naknak]

Sorry I'm not too good at telling stories. I called again and the sales manager was busy and they took my number and said he'd call me back. I really don't know why I got hung up on, I was pretty pissed and maybe yelling. I just read my post and i was badmouthing them pretty badly. I've ordered from them before and this is the first time I've had problems. I guess I should have said just to watch out when you order from them.

[matt_needham]

When I calmly suggested that Adorama refund the 2 day shipping charge on the order that took 19 days to get to me I was also hung up on. Later when I spoke to "a manager" he said my request was unreasonable. Adorama is a big company, and they made it clear they don't need my business.

[ruriks work]

I regularly buy from B&H, but still have purchased several cameras and other equipment over the years from Adorama, and have not had any problem. However, even with B&H, when I have had to phone for whatever reason over an order, I often find the people on the telephone eihter not very good English speakers or not particularly polite (normally not rude either, but with little patience), so I prefer to communicate by e-mail, and that has been smooth.

 

Sorry to hear about your experience.

 

Rurik

[will_legge]

My only experience with Adorama convinced me they did not want me as a customer. Their sales person was very rude and uncooperative. I have used B&H for 20 years and find them better to deal with.

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

Sorry to hear you had problems. But are you sure they hung up on you? It could have been as simple as someone accidently hanging up.

 

I've used both B&H and Adorama without any problems. Try sending a polite email - you'll probably get things resolved.

 

Robert

[dave_cheng1]

Thank you, Will, for telling your bad experience with Adorama. I am

glad that you posted it to this forum. Had you posted it elsewhere

I would probably not see it. I had in general bad experience

in purchasing from NYC camera stores that used to occupy almost

the entire Popular Photography in the old days. I had to use my credit

card charge back as a last resort to deal with them when calling did

not get me anywhere.

 

For a little extra I was able to buy a $200 Canon printer and 30 days

later just go back to my local store to either exchange or return

it and get a full refund with no problems.

 

I probably have not bought anything from Adorama yet. Having doubt

about their credibility was probably the main reason I have avoided

it all these years. After reading your post I think I will avoid it

no matter what.

[frank_skomial]

"me they did not want me as a customer" - for all that calls and yelling or shouting at them ? - You are lucky if they want you on the same planet.

 

Those people are overworked overloaded, under constant pressure, and perhaps underpaid, they do not have to take the crap from you, so they simply hang up, and do not yell back.

 

I usually deal with Tobias at Adorama, and many all transactions were processed reasonably fast. Though I think B&H is a bit faster.

[sm]

I ordered equipment from both adorama and b&h without any problem (all on the web).

 

I'm sorry for your bad exepriance, there is no excuse for them. YOU ARE A CUSTOMER AND THEY SHOULD'VE TREATED YOU WITH RESPECT.

[steve_muntz]

I've placed a few orders with Adorama, and once had a similar experience. A few years ago I ordered an accessory (can't remember what it was even - nothing big) along with (another!) camera bag. The bag came right away but the other part was backordered. It never showed up, and wasn't something that was discontinued. I never got a note saying that my order was cancelled and since it wasn't something I really needed I didn't worry about it. If it was for an upcoming job then it's a different story! I've also bought from them in the few cases that B&H was out of something. What I've noticed is that it takes them a few days to ship something out but B&H does it in one day (sometimes even same day).

 

Because of this, they're my #3 - behind B&H and Calumet. Have to admit that I've only twice talked to someone at B&H on the phone, I always order online. The people on the phone don't care how much money I've spent with B&H in the past, only how much I'm spending today. They're high-volume retail, you have to expect that!

[manuel_garcia5]

Welcome to low Internet pricing and the warmth of New Yorkers. Not to generalize anyone, (yes I do) all the NY based photo/electronics stores have unfriendly and rude sales people. But then again it's worth a few minutes of my time to save as much as I do when ordering.

[anthony_m1]

I would not lump Adorama with the other scam joints in the NY area. They have always delivered as promissed for me. I do all my photo shopping and even my digital printing from them. Not once a problem.

[harvey_edelstein1]

I grew up in NYC and dealt with all the stores mentioned and more. If these guys had patience and were polite they would be New York City Police Officers, they are almost alway polite.

 

I often did better in person at Tri-State Camera and Focus Camera on better pricing, and if I didn't mind waiting in line for a salesperson I was treated with respect. But, with all the customers they want to get right to the point and make a sale and move on to the next person in line or on the phone.

[anthony_m1]

I should correct my statement. I do <B>a lot</b> of my photography shopping from them. Not all.

[art_kramer]

I bought my D70 from Ritz, they seem to be okay. not much for items and some of the prices are high, but if you look you can find good stuff. Also look on the web for camera stores in other states. I've used Hunts photo in Mass and they are very good and the prices are good too. The ones in the back of PP aren't the greatest, I've used B&H and Adorama and they were both good. I actually received the wrong order from Adorama, acouple emails later it was straightened out.I get a kick out of the check system PP uses for the stores. If they have a check they are considered good to deal with. yah, right.

[olivier_koning]

I like B&H. Rude as hell but you get no bull***t!

[david_bolduc]

Haven't delt with Adorama, but B&H have been good so far. They ship quickly; and if there is a problem, it's no trouble getting a RMA and prompt refund or exchange.

[darcy_cote]

I bought some things at B&H a number of years ago, the guy was as rude as ever, I called him on his rudeness and he was so shocked, I heard his mouth drop over the phone. They are New Yorkers, they don't know they are rude. I think they believe the whole world is like that.You gotta take it with a grain of salt and have fun with it. In your circumstance it becomes a little frustrating though. In these situations, you gotta go political, become their buddy and get them on your side otherwise you are skrewed.

[robert_meyers]

Well, with how rude and inefficient and unresponsive their email support for products has been, Adorama easily conviced me to take my business elsewhere. Never made an order, they lost me in the first dozen emails. like, "This is the wrong deppartment, email this department".... huh, an email address would be nice. A forward would be nice... I will stick to B&H, KEH and Calumet as of now... plus Nelson Photo and Samy's Camera (both semi-local for me due to work).

[3d-aeropanoramic project]

i must repeat this sad story over an over again because the bad behaviour of A... caused me endless of troubles, lost time and money.

knowing that widelux-rotating-lens panoramic cameras had not the best reputation i had finally the money(2500 usd) in 1990 after waiting 9 years for that widelux 1500-5x12cm-camera(50mm lens with focus and 1/250, 1/60 and 1/8 sec).

i asked A... to send me test film before sending the money. they refused telling that it cannot be sold anymore. they knew exactly that this camera had mistakes. because it was photokina-year i urgently wanted this camera to take with me to that worlds biggest photofair in cologne-germany. i was so fixed to buy it from A...-the camera i have seen in popular photography for years. i forgot that in cologne is foto gregor(neumarkt) which has most exclusive and almost everything.

when the camera came i started testing. keep in mind: i began panoramic photography back in 1979. i tested and tested and didnt get one single sharp image. bad camera design of all the kind(i could write a book about this). i have sent the camera back to the factory but th replacement had the same problems. at the end my repairman hadto rebuild it and we even had to file the body(filmrail) on the upper side to have equal sharpness...btw: i was told that newer cameras are rebuilt(improved) by the factory but i dont know how reliable they are. below 5m dont expect equal topquality resolution/sharpness like widepan/panoflex(almost copy of widelux 1500) or noblex.

finally at photokina i have seen the same camera to foto gregor in the window, with possibility to rent.... later in 1992 noblex(design kornelius schorl鬠irvine, ca-usa) came out(pro photo connection). prototype was electropan. i have opened a rotapancam forum here:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/pancams