Now I know everyone raves about B&H and how pro the guys are...but contrary to general perception I got a totally opposite experience.

On the same night around 11p I ordered a camera from Adorama through ebay and a lens through B&H. The next day morning by 11 am or so I got a confirmation with the tracking number from Adorama while B&H still showing as ready to ship.

So in the evening I contacted B&H asking about when order will be shipped. In reply all I got is canned response a cut and paste from their web site about general timing and shipping information. When I specifically asked the status the guy was again pointing to website which I think is pretty frustrating. Till this point lens is still ready to ship..

I have seen occasional rant about Adorama here and every time a raving about B&H so I just thought of sharing an opposite experience ...and this is not one off experience, in my recent expereince I am consistently pleased with Adorama service

Honestly, they both rock. I use BH 75% of the time when I use the large online stores, Adorama about 20, and others 5. They have both made mistakes, and took care of them quickly.

They are both great. Be glad we have two great online stores that deal in new and used.

I like Adorama better since they accept Paypal payments from customers where I'm located. Makes it easier to order even if I don't have my card around with me.

OP wrote:

On the same night around 11p I ordered a camera from Adorama through ebay and a lens through B&H. The next day morning by 11 am or so I got a confirmation with the tracking number from Adorama while B&H still showing as ready to ship.

OMG, Adorama wins the race to alert you first!

Its not about alert race, please reread the entire post

1st its about prompt shipment, second and more important is...

When I checked with B&H about the order giving order number and asked about delivery all I got is canned response a cut and paste of Delivery Times FAQ from the website. but the person did not answer when "my" order will be shipped.

I have never received such responses from Adorama


Barry Pehlman wrote:
OP wrote:

On the same night around 11p I ordered a camera from Adorama through ebay and a lens through B&H. The next day morning by 11 am or so I got a confirmation with the tracking number from Adorama while B&H still showing as ready to ship.

OMG, Adorama wins the race to alert you first!

Did the B&H order arrive within the normal delivery window?

If so, then there wasn't a problem, and IMO no need for hand holding... If it did not arrive within the delivery window and it shipped late, then you would have reason to complain...

From my experience of dealing with both Adorama and B&H going back to when they first opened their doors is that they are both very similar in pricing and service. Of course on any given day one may have an edge over the other, but both are on my short list for ordering...

Sorry for the short response. In my 35+ years of experience with B&H I've never had a screw-up. If I order on a Thursday, I get it on Friday without paying any additional shipping cost. Maybe that's because I am 90 miles from NYC, but still it's quick enough even if it takes an extra day every so often. B&H acknowledges purchases instantly, and it's my experience that I get a "shipped" response on the day I am to receive it. The shipping schedule and rates are standard for everyone. If B&H says that UPS says it will take 3-5 days, so will Adorama. You don't have to call up B&H to confirm a tracking number just because Adorama provided it first through their eBay website.

Anyway, each person's shipping experience and order will differ slightly, but I see no reason why it's important to make a topic of this. And BTW, your original post does not mention if you received the goods any quicker through Adorama than B&H.

I order from both on a fairly regular basis and have never experienced a problem from either that wasn't quickly rectified.

The only one I have ordered from was Adorama (I was in the UK at the time), and I was extremely please with their communication, even when there were problems, certainly wouldn't hesitate to use them again.

Thanks
Rowan

rowan57 wrote:
The only one I have ordered from was Adorama (I was in the UK at the time), and I was extremely please with their communication, even when there were problems, certainly wouldn't hesitate to use them again.

Thanks
Rowan

Thank you!

Helen Oster
Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador

helen.oster@adoramacamera.com
www.adorama.com

Sagar:
I am sorry for your dissatisfaction and regret we disappointed you. Your forum profile doesn't provide much to go on, but if this order was for an Olympus lens, we received it after 10:00pm on Oct 26th, which is tantamount to an Oct 27th order. We shipped Oct 28th, the very next business day. UPS says this package is out for delivery right now.

Once again, we are sorry to have disappointed you.

Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video

Sagar wrote:
Now I know everyone raves about B&H and how pro the guys are...but contrary to general perception I got a totally opposite experience.

On the same night around 11p I ordered a camera from Adorama through ebay and a lens through B&H. The next day morning by 11 am or so I got a confirmation with the tracking number from Adorama while B&H still showing as ready to ship.

So in the evening I contacted B&H asking about when order will be shipped. In reply all I got is canned response a cut and paste from their web site about general timing and shipping information. When I specifically asked the status the guy was again pointing to website which I think is pretty frustrating. Till this point lens is still ready to ship..

I have seen occasional rant about Adorama here and every time a raving about B&H so I just thought of sharing an opposite experience ...and this is not one off experience, in my recent expereince I am consistently pleased with Adorama service



You emailed B&H (basically the same day) you placed the order to see what was happening? do you wonder why you got a canned response? You gave them like 18 hours. I would hardly count your 'saga' as a dissapointment.

I'd say that in my experience Adorama's service is #1, and not by a small margin either. I am talking shipping expediency, general communications, problem resolution, handling returns and refunds, equipment condition assessment, quality of packaging......all excellent.

Guys cool down, I am not against or for any seller. I just listed my experiences and how they were percevied by me as a customer.

I never said BH should have shipped it immediately, all I am refering to on is how my questions were answered on query on chat. My gripe is more against handling or order question its nothing to do with time required for shipment.

I did not ask B&H immediately, I enquired nearly at the end of 2nd day, as I saw order in ready for shipping for the entire next day of the order placed. All I was expecting is someone saying yes your order will be shipped tonight, tomorrow or day after tomorrow.

But pasting an info from webiste on an query regarding order shipment is definitely not what I expect from B&H

Hery (B&H)
FYI, Order was not shipped next day but next to next day morning. And again I am not complaining again that but how my order question were answered on chat.

I've purchased a lot of equipment from both B&H and Adorama and have been 100% satisfied with both!

I have purchased almost all of my equipment from B&H, and they have provided me with such exceptional service that I can't see many reasons not to use them . I've never used Adorama, so I can't compare. B&H has exceptional customer service, and have always tried to please me, the customer.

Dpic_arctic wrote:
I have purchased almost all of my equipment from B&H, and they have provided me with such exceptional service that I can't see many reasons not to use them :). ... B&H has exceptional customer service, and have always tried to please me, the customer.

Thank you. This is very gratifying and much appreciated.

Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video

henryp wrote:
Dpic_arctic wrote:
I have purchased almost all of my equipment from B&H, and they have provided me with such exceptional service that I can't see many reasons not to use them . ... B&H has exceptional customer service, and have always tried to please me, the customer.

Thank you. This is very gratifying and much appreciated.

Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video


I second that. I also use Adorama and they have not disappointed me either. I prefer B&H because if I order b4 noon-2pm most days, it arrives the next day to Maryland.
Any problems are handled right away and you always have Henry available to answer questions.
Dan

mdbassman wrote:I also use Adorama and they have not disappointed me either...

Thank you - a point to note, is that provided an order is in stock and there are no verification issues, any order placed on a business day up to 6:00 P.M. will generally be shipped the same day - apart from orders placed on Fridays after 1:00 P.M. which will be processed the following Monday.

I bought a lot from B&H during the last year or so. They have been excellent to deal with but recently shipping has not been up to par. Seems like there is a lag of 1-2 days when an item is shipped(stock items). This has happened 2-3 times. I will try Adorama next time I purchase my camera accessories.

pogi-one wrote:
I bought a lot from B&H during the last year or so. They have been excellent to deal with but recently shipping has not been up to par. Seems like there is a lag of 1-2 days when an item is shipped (stock items). This has happened 2-3 times.

I'll be happy to look into this. Generally we endeavor to ship all orders within one business day.

Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video

Adorama seems to be playing some pricing games now. I always was under the impression that they were a good dealer but it concerns me if a dealer changes prices within a few minutes several times a week. And I mean a substantial price change. I wonder if Adorama is on the up and up.

jjsterling wrote:
Adorama seems to be playing some pricing games now. I always was under the impression that they were a good dealer but it concerns me if a dealer changes prices within a few minutes several times a week. And I mean a substantial price change. I wonder if Adorama is on the up and up.



Can you be a bit more specific and I'll check it out?

Helen Oster
Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador

helen.oster@adoramacamera.com

I'm not really sure how to quantify it, but after having ordered multiple items from both retailers (in all instances directly from their websites, and at least once each over the phone), I am left with the impression that Adorama tends to send items out to ship about 12-24 hours faster than B&H.

Whether that's actually the case, it's hard to know. When a retailer indicates an item has "shipped," it may simply have been assigned a tracking number. It's impossible for the buyer to know exactly when the package leaves the retailer and is handed to the shipper.

Ultimately, the only thing that matters is that the item is delivered by the date it is claimed it will arrive. Could a better impression be made by showing prompt delivery? Absolutely. Does this actually correspond to faster receipt? I have no way of knowing.

For what it's worth, my overall purchasing experience with both companies has been excellent. My advice though, if you want fast response from either retailer, the best way is to simply call and put in the phone order. Make sure they get the right contact info and send you confirmation.