todd@ur-valhalla.UUCP (Todd Jackson) (04/03/85)
A few weeks ago I posted a question asking about people's personal
experiences with NYC based mail order houses. This posting summarizes
the responses that I received from friends both on and off the net,
and following the for/against summarization are the mail messages I
received (less headers).
------------------------------------------------------------------
for against
AAA Camera Exchange 1
Smile Photo 1
Photron 1
Mibro inc.
Bi-Rite
Foto-Cell 1
Honest Abe's Focus 2 3
New York Camera Exchange 1
Olden 4
Adorama 2
47th St. Photo 2
Prestege 1
Cambridge Camera Exchange 1
Labelle (of Maine) 1 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The only safe way to buy from these places and take advantage of the g$$d
prices is to do the following :
You go to the actual store. Look up what you want to buy. Get serial
number of the objects you are purchasing, written down by the seller on
company paper, and have the shipped to you wherever you want.
The problem with this approach is OBVIOUS. This is worth it when you are
buying lots of stuff for lots of $$$$$.
For the little stuff, the risk of mail-order houses is too HIGH.
Support your local Photo-Shop.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Try Olden Camera. I bought a couple of things from them, and a friend
also had good experience with them. Forget Honest Abe - they don't supply
USA warranty. Also you might try Adorama.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've had good results from honest abe.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
AAA and SMILE are very good; I dislike ABE'S and PRESTIGE.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I have had uniformly good service from Cambridge Camera Exchange, and
one unpleasant encounter with Honest Abe.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I can recommend 47th Street Photo. A friend of mine has
also gotten good service from Adorama.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
My feedback follows:
AAA Camera Exchange No comment.
Smile Photo No comment.
Photron Normal, but make sure you discount the price
They'll get you with their own warranties
for profit -- they are good to have but just
don't let them talk you into it.
Mibro inc. No comment.
Bi-Rite No comment.
Foto-Cell Normal, not a choice to do bargain.
Honest Abe's Focus I always notice their relatively low prices;
but never done business with them.
New York Camera Exchange Good. they're ready to bargain; this is
my choice. I went and bought over the counter
so their response to phone orders may differ.
Extra comment:
One suggestion when doing phone orders is to never let them talk you into
something other than what you originally wanted. When they say "we got
something better/newer/faster/etc," just ignore it. Just concentrate on
the price of the item you want. AND ALWAYS MAKE SURE WHAT YOU WANT IS
IN STOCK. IT NEVER HURTS TO CUT DOWN THEIR PRICE -- ALL THEY CAN DO IS
SAY NO, OR GIVE YOU A BETTER DEAL. ALWAYS MAKE THEM BELIEVE YOU HAVE
SHOPPED AROUND AND KNOW THE PRICES (REFERENCING OTHER STORE'S PRICE HELPS).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I ordered an Olympus OM-1 from Honest Abe's Focus a few years ago.
I called on a Wednesday and was leaving the country on Saturday. I got
the camera on Friday without paying any extra rush fees. Everything was
intact - no swapped parts. My only mistake was having them throw in
a battery for a couple bucks that only lasted about 3 days.
They also threw in a 'camera bag' free but it was junk and I threw it out.
Recently, I called a number of NY places for a personal stereo.
I have ordered it from Competetive Camera and expect it in the next few days.
Garden and Honest Abe's were nice enough to tell the item was out of stock -
some places won't so that they get float on your $$$ until it comes in.
Executive actually had a lower price than Competitive, but they were such
assholes on the phone - asking why I didn't want to order it then, was it too
much - I had to hang up on them. New York Camera was also rude on the phone
when I mentioned the discrepency between their advertised price and
the actual price was more than 20% of the cost of the item.
If someone is rude, I usually tell them that I won't order from them on that
basis.
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I'm so miserable without you, it's like having you around."
{seismo,allegra,decvax}!rochester!ur-valhalla!todd
-------------------------------------------------------------------------hkr4627@acf4.UUCP (Hedley K. J. Rainnie) (04/03/85)
Here's a few of my personal additions: Prestige Photo I have had very good service with Prestige. The salemen are helpful and informative. When I got my FG, I didn't know anything about cameras. They suggested a couple of filters which turned out to be useful. They mounted the lens, winder, and loaded film for me (I was so dumb I couldn't even do that). Prices are quite good. Executive Photo I got a flash there because I was in the neighborhood. They were pretty obnoxious. Prices OK.