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Archive 2014 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?

  
 
aspirebooth
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


I've bought from Adorama for a long time and never really had a problem. Usually minor problems. Until this past order. We purchased a huge 9'x6' chroma key backdrop. The shipping on the item is pretty expensive alone due to the size of the package. I get back from a business trip and open up the box and quickly realize they've sent me a USED backdrop while still charging me full retail on it.

I could tell it was used due to the condition of the straps. You know they don't come triple knotted to the point they are nearly impossible to undo. There are some marks on the backdrop that aren't clean and are noticeable as well. I try to contact Adorama and they tell me they'll give me a return shipping label. Nothing arrives.

I call again today and now they want photos of the merchandise. Shocking enough as their own return policy even states they take returns and its well within the time frame. I am considering having Visa just reverse it all for me as this is just silly.

Has anybody else ever bought something from them and been able to tell that they had simply shipped out a product that had previously been returned?

I couldn't care if they are going to do this but if they are they should rectify the price for clients and be making us fully aware prior to making the purchase that its an open box return or something?



Jul 24, 2014 at 12:12 PM
jcolwell
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


I expect Helen will be able to help you with this. Stay tuned...


Jul 24, 2014 at 12:25 PM
Helen Oster
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


aspirebooth wrote:
I've bought from Adorama for a long time and never really had a problem. Usually minor problems. Until this past order. We purchased a huge 9'x6' chroma key backdrop. The shipping on the item is pretty expensive alone due to the size of the package. I get back from a business trip and open up the box and quickly realize they've sent me a USED backdrop while still charging me full retail on it.

I could tell it was used due to the condition of the straps. You know they don't come triple knotted to the point they are nearly
...Show more

I am SO very sorry that this has been your experience, and with a little more information I will get to the bottom of this.

Have you already sent a picture to the CS call center? If not, please simply send directly to me with your order number.
The reason we ask for pictures is actually to speed up the returns process. If a return is because we messed up, then I would ask for return tracking details from you, and then I can get your exchange / refund prioritized.

Once again my apologies, and I very much look forward to hearing from you: [email protected]

Helen Oster
Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador




Jul 24, 2014 at 12:54 PM
aspirebooth
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


Helen,

Is there a reason why people can't accomplish a simple task. I was told they would send me a shipping label to return it. Instead, what do we get. Adorama initiating a damage claim?



Jul 24, 2014 at 02:56 PM
Helen Oster
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


aspirebooth wrote:
Helen,

Is there a reason why people can't accomplish a simple task. I was told they would send me a shipping label to return it. Instead, what do we get. Adorama initiating a damage claim?


Sorry, it's a procedure. You shouldn't have been told that a shipping label would be sent until they'd seen a picture.

Let me give you another scenario based on something that happened recently; a customer ordered a camera bag then saw it priced lower somewhere else. He asked us to price match, but because we only match to equally reputable companies we refused (we have inside info on the other company).
When his camera bag arrived he contacted us insisting that we shipped damaged goods and demanded a full refund. When we get it back, we can see with 100% certainty that the bag was damaged intentionally. We can also say without doubt that the bag was not previously sold, opened in the store etc.

Had the CS rep requested a photograph, and seen the damage, a label would not have been sent.

Now, I am no way suggesting in any way that this is the same as your situation, but we cannot leave it to the call center reps to make a judgement call. So the procedure is that they must request a picture. I really am sorry for the inconvenience.



Edited on Jul 24, 2014 at 03:41 PM · View previous versions



Jul 24, 2014 at 03:28 PM
unclechuck
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


aspirebooth wrote:
Is there a reason why people can't accomplish a simple task. I was told they would send me a shipping label to return it. Instead, what do we get. Adorama initiating a damage claim?


It's frustrating but mistakes happen --- Helen is trying to fix it ...

Respectfully asking --- is her photo request complex or difficult?



Jul 24, 2014 at 03:37 PM
Helen Oster
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


unclechuck wrote:
It's frustrating but mistakes happen --- Helen is trying to fix it ...

Respectfully asking --- is her photo request complex or difficult?


Apparently it is. The OP tells me he cannot unpack the item - all I am asking for is a picture of the knotted straps - which must be visible enough to be photographed or he wouldn't be able to see them.

Instead, he is insisting on filing a chargeback. I'm sorry, but I smell a rat....




Jul 24, 2014 at 03:40 PM
aspirebooth
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


Helen,

Do you even look at items that were ordered on an invoice or even have any idea as to what Adorama is selling before you make comments like this?

The item is a 6'x9' collapsible chroma screen. You don't just take these out and pack them up again for fun. They are huge and are not fun to put together when you are living in a small condo.

Secondly, what are the photos going to tell you. That yes the straps on the background were knotted to all hell and that yes there is dirt/debris/dust on both sides of the backdrop?

I'm sorry we are contacting Visa to give us every single penny back. From doing some searching online and even Fred Miranda I can see there have been several complaints that are quite similar to ours.



Jul 24, 2014 at 03:47 PM
aspirebooth
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


Rather than supply us with a prepaid label like I was told by their Supervisor I am instead send a damage claim with UPS which has nothing to do with what I had discussed with them. Apparently its more prudent to attempt to open a fraudulent claim then it is to rectify the actual problem.


Jul 24, 2014 at 03:48 PM
Helen Oster
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


aspirebooth wrote:
Rather than supply us with a prepaid label like I was told by their Supervisor I am instead send a damage claim with UPS which has nothing to do with what I had discussed with them. Apparently its more prudent to attempt to open a fraudulent claim then it is to rectify the actual problem.


No, the person who sent the damage claim form MADE A MISTAKE!! Which I do believe is what I conveyed to you by email

You told me initially that the ties were knotted. Then you told me that you could not unpack it. Then you told me that you DID unpack it. Which is it?

Have you simply changed your mind, but don't want to pay the shipping costs back to NYC from Calgary?

You have my email address. Please send me a picture of the knotted ties plus the dirt and debris that you didn't mention earlier.

I'm sorry, but the rat is smelling bigger by the minute.




Jul 24, 2014 at 03:50 PM
aspirebooth
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


Again, lets pass blame. Blame it on your customers. It seems to be what your company does best. I had told your cheap overseas customers service people that can't do anything right....

We received the package.

We opened the package.

We set it up. The straps were knotted so badly we could even undo some of them.

We notice dust/dirt/debris on both sides of the backdrop around the edges.

We then packed it back up.

I don't see what is so hard to understand but clearly you do are not trained thoroughly with product knowledge. You know that the collapsible screens are not at the best of times fun to unpack or repack. Good reason we don't want to be taking it out again. Why to send you pictures that prove absolutely nothing.




Jul 24, 2014 at 03:55 PM
Helen Oster
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


aspirebooth wrote:
Again, lets pass blame. Blame it on your customers. It seems to be what your company does best. I had told your cheap overseas customers service people that can't do anything right....

We received the package.

We opened the package.

We set it up. The straps were knotted so badly we could even undo some of them.

We notice dust/dirt/debris on both sides of the backdrop around the edges.

We then packed it back up.

I don't see what is so hard to understand but clearly you do are not trained thoroughly with product knowledge. You know that the collapsible screens are not at the
...Show more

Interesting; in an email you told me that you did NOT speak to a rep in Manila but someone in NYC. Now you say you spoke to our "cheap overseas customers service people"

Sending us pictures will PROVE whether the ties are indeed badly knotted and there is "dirt and debris" on the item.

As I said to you by email, all the communications you have emailed to me, plus all the comments in this thread have already been forwarded to our claims department. They will be produced when we respond to the chargeback - BTW Visa will require pictures of the knotted ties and the dirt and debris...............




Jul 24, 2014 at 04:01 PM
aspirebooth
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


I need to air this as well. Maybe if Adorama weren't so bloody cheap and actually hired real people to act as customer service agents issues would be addressed properly.

Not once have I called B&H and spoken with some overseas agent that had no idea what they were doing. Do you know how frustrating it is when we have to call half a dozen times to get something addressed?

Maybe your company should stop worrying about the bottom line and go back to having real customer service staff that actually know the products they are selling rather than people that do nothing but frustrate paying clients.



Jul 24, 2014 at 04:01 PM
Helen Oster
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


aspirebooth wrote:
I need to air this as well. Maybe if Adorama weren't so bloody cheap and actually hired real people to act as customer service agents issues would be addressed properly.

Not once have I called B&H and spoken with some overseas agent that had no idea what they were doing. Do you know how frustrating it is when we have to call half a dozen times to get something addressed?

Maybe your company should stop worrying about the bottom line and go back to having real customer service staff that actually know the products they are selling rather than people that do
...Show more

Ummm... in your email to me you stated that you spoke to someone in New York. As you are in Calgary then yes, I hold my hands up - they are indeed 'overseas'. But that isn't what you mean, is it?

I'm done with this. You can send me the pictures of the 'knotted ties' plus 'dirt and debris'. Or you can send them to Visa.





Jul 24, 2014 at 04:04 PM
aspirebooth
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


Helen,

Thank you for just reinforcing what I said. The staff at Adorama are not intelligent and clearly do not listen or read everything before taking action.

I have spoken with several people at Adorama. Some of them were slaves from overseas and one of them was a senior rep in NYC.

Again, keep trying to put the blame on us.

Visa doesn't require any photographic evidence actually. The claim for you sent us for the damage is acknowledgement from Adorama that they clearly know something wasn't right with the mechandise.

Want to keep going?

This will look good on people who want to make a major purchase knowing that Adorama is going to accuse them of everything when they ship them a used 70-200 F2.8 Lens.




Jul 24, 2014 at 04:04 PM
Helen Oster
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


Good God.

The damage claim form was sent in error.
The damage claim form was sent in error.
The damage claim form was sent in error.

How many times do I need to tell you?



Jul 24, 2014 at 04:07 PM
aspirebooth
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


So lets see....

The damage claim form was sent in error.
No shipping label was sent in error.
A used product was shipped in error.

Do we see a trend here? Make mistakes, own up to it. Not make mistakes, accuse the customers and do nothing about it.

Worst customer experience in the industry by far.



Jul 24, 2014 at 04:11 PM
Helen Oster
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


aspirebooth wrote:
So lets see....

The damage claim form was sent in error.
No shipping label was sent in error.
A used product was shipped in error.

Do we see a trend here? Make mistakes, own up to it. Not make mistakes, accuse the customers and do nothing about it.

Worst customer experience in the industry by far.


You will get the shipping label when we get the picture.
We have no evidence that you were shipped a used item
I do, however, have an email from you where you called me a f-----g retard. Was that an error?




Jul 24, 2014 at 04:13 PM
aspirebooth
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


No that wasn't an error. Just the honest truth. When a person is incapable of reading and listening to something in it's entirety it's the only conclusion I can come to.

Odd how when I spoke to someone yesterday they said they would send the label out immediately and now we are told we need photos that prove nothing in order to get the same label provided.

Maybe if you really cared about customers you would get things done rather than pushing out baseless accusations.

Facts are you shipped a used product as new. There are numerous complaints of people indicating similar events in the past with other purchases that are even more valuable. It just goes to provide that Adorama in intentionally shipping out products that other clients are returning.



Jul 24, 2014 at 04:18 PM
Fred Miranda
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Adorama shipping USED gear and selling it as NEW?


Please continue this discussion through email. Thank you.
Fred



Jul 24, 2014 at 04:18 PM





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