oster wrote:
Finally I have some information back. Martin's order was picked and packed at 4pm - ample time to go out overnight as promised (and part of it did indeed go out).
However, later that afternoon the camera order was changed from body only to kit.
This would have required a further authorization prior to picking and packing a second order - which took it past the cut-off time for shipping out that evening.
oster wrote:
Finally I have some information back. Martin's order was picked and packed at 4pm - ample time to go out overnight as promised (and part of it did indeed go out).
However, later that afternoon the camera order was changed from body only to kit.
This would have required a further authorization prior to picking and packing a second order - which took it past the cut-off time for shipping out that evening.
However, later that afternoon the camera order was changed from body only to kit.
I don't really see Adorama as having failed here.
However, in the interest of future better service and fewer misunderstandings - how was the order changed? Online or the phone? When the order was changed was it made clear (if it wasn't obvious) that the shipping date would slip?
[I am really happy to have two great camera stores - Adorama and B&H - very accessible from my home in New Jersey, and want them both to continue to thrive.]
oster wrote:
As you remind everyone on every possible occasion...... I'm normally a patient person, but I have to say that I am so fed up with your repeated bashing of every person who works for Adorama; 3 years ago I wasn't even in my post, nor were many of my current colleagues. Helen Oster
Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador
What I wrote here and what I have written previously is hardly "bashing." It's simple fact. I don't do business with Adorama anymore.
But one of the biggest reasons I've stopped doing business with your employer really has less to do with errors, broken promises, not-as-described used products and misleading advertising. It has to do with having to pay double-tax because I live in New Jersey. I get charged NY tax AND NJ tax from Adorama because Adorama apparently has a facility in NJ.
So Helen ... when you combine that double-tax with so very many instances (in my experience) of poor service, I really have no reason to purchase from Adorama.
And as I've also written here several times, I applaud your efforts and hope it will make a difference. I have consistently wished you the best of luck and success in your new position.
veroman wrote:
What I wrote here and what I have written previously is hardly "bashing." It's simple fact. I don't do business with Adorama anymore.
But one of the biggest reasons I've stopped doing business with your employer really has less to do with errors, broken promises, not-as-described used products and misleading advertising. It has to do with having to pay double-tax because I live in New Jersey. I get charged NY tax AND NJ tax from Adorama because Adorama apparently has a facility in NJ.
So Helen ... when you combine that double-tax with so very many instances (in my experience) of poor service, I really have no reason to purchase from Adorama.
And as I've also written here several times, I applaud your efforts and hope it will make a difference. I have consistently wished you the best of luck and success in your new position.
This is an open forum and Steve have every right to speak in an open way about his experience and results...and purchasing decisions, and he went the extra mile to explain why. If the retailers are going to stand forth on every post in every thread related to thier business (which has nothing to do with "Canon" gear, the subject matter of this forum), they are going to hear from all sides in response. If he wants to tell the forum of this, so what? He as every right to. And really, the lack of patience a retailer has for a photographer expressing his opinion is both arrogant and meaningless, especially in this context. If one is to going to insert themselves into the kitchen at every opportunity, don't complain about the heat.
What did I say about thankless jobs? What did I say about people with personal biases?
It's an open forum indeed, but anyone who pays attention can see that several of you have very personal agendas against Adorama and this is why these threads repeatedly become locked. Whether they are justified or not is irrelevant. It's the fact that some of you want to claim openness when it suits your motives, but you don't like it when a retailer tries to defend themselves, especially in this case where it appears that they were not to blame.
And MSC, we are all well aware of how you feel about the appropriateness of having representatives on this forum trying to address customer issues. If you're so much of a fan of open forums, then you should not be against Helen's presence here, and in fact support it.
As for myself, I am neither affiliated with nor an employee of Adorama, or any other photographic retailer. I have no vested interest in defending anybody's practices or quality of service. I've ordered from at least five different companies and I have no loyalty to any. The trick to having a positive purchasing experience is to (1) not have unreasonable expectations; (2) be prepared and do your homework when researching a seller; (3) be courteous and patient; (4) keep accurate, detailed, and timely records of all transactions; (5) be prompt in any and all correspondence and ask for assistance when you need it. If you are truly screwed over by a retailer, more often than not they have more to lose by treating you poorly than they have to gain by cheating a single customer. The reputable outlets desperately want you to be satisfied. But there are all kinds of people in this world and some of them are out to cause trouble just to see how far they can get.
I've already said why I don't support as you say, and did not even address that in my post here...was responding to the matter at hand--not the larger issue. And no, I don't support it, nor do I think complaints about retailers have any place here...just dealing with what "is" as opposed to what would be better, IMO. But if you are saying the people that express thier opinion and/or thier real-life neg experience with a vendor, or retailer, of even of Canon (in this, the Canon forum, not the retailer forum...why we have retailer posts here at all is unclear to me) are simply trouble-makers, that is clearly false. I for one want to hear from fellow photographers about thier experiences with vendors. [In the Canon Forum, I want to hear about Canon Service, not some retailer where the product just happens to be a Canon camera.] It is useful for me to know when CPS or Canon Service is doing a poor job...it gives me a heads up. It hardly seems fitting to say that someone posting thier poor experience with Canon Service is simply "out to cause trouble" as if they have nothing better to do or are just trolling.
Kind of reminds me of those that had AF trouble with the Mk3. Some were quick to say these people were trouble makers or to make little of thier actual experience...those attempting to belittle the "trouble makers" were certainly incorrect and funny to note thier silence later on.
wickerprints:
What did I say about thankless jobs? What did I say about people with personal biases?
It's an open forum indeed, but anyone who pays attention can see that several of you have very personal agendas against Adorama and this is why these threads repeatedly become locked. Whether they are justified or not is irrelevant. It's the fact that some of you want to claim openness when it suits your motives, but you don't like it when a retailer tries to defend themselves, especially in this case where it appears that they were not to blame.
And MSC, we are all well aware of how you feel about the appropriateness of having representatives on this forum trying to address customer issues. If you're so much of a fan of open forums, then you should not be against Helen's presence here, and in fact support it.
As for myself, I am neither affiliated with nor an employee of Adorama, or any other photographic retailer. I have no vested interest in defending anybody's practices or quality of service. I've ordered from at least five different companies and I have no loyalty to any. The trick to having a positive purchasing experience is to (1) not have unreasonable expectations; (2) be prepared and do your homework when researching a seller; (3) be courteous and patient; (4) keep accurate, detailed, and timely records of all transactions; (5) be prompt in any and all correspondence and ask for assistance when you need it. If you are truly screwed over by a retailer, more often than not they have more to lose by treating you poorly than they have to gain by cheating a single customer. The reputable outlets desperately want you to be satisfied. But there are all kinds of people in this world and some of them are out to cause trouble just to see how far they can get. ...Show more →
Changing my order to KIT is a little misleading here, actually it is completely FALSE! I did not change my order from body only to body and 24-105mm. I saw that after I had placed the order online that there was a PACKAGE DEAL were Adorama would through in a 16Gig CF card and camera slingbag for EXACTLY the same price of $2699.99. I called back to make sure that I was getting these free items. It was still down for next day delivery, the sales guy said nothing at all that would make me think I had thrown a spanner into the works and was not now going to get it next day. He should have been able to tell me if there was a problem. He did not. He actually ended up adding another $6 onto my shipping cost
I still expect to be refunded for paying next day delivery.
I'm glad you posted mpaul, because after Helen posted, it seemed like the tune had went for you, to against you.
At the end of the day, I deal with the retailer that gives me the best price, and saves me the most hassle.
I hope it all works out for you, and I hope you get MORE than your next day delivery refunded.
I sat in a Dr's waiting room for 3 hours. When I came out, they wanted me to pay my co-pay. I happened to have my photography padfolio with me, and I got it out and started writing a receipt for my time. The lady asked what I was doing. I told them billing them for the 3 hours that was wasted. I said, that 30 minutes would have been annoying, but okay. 3 hours, not so much. I wrote out a bill for half of a day's rate. The doctor has never charged me a copay since.
While only slightly related, I feel that it means sorta the same thing. You were inconvenienced.
RobertLynn wrote:
I'm glad you posted mpaul, because after Helen posted, it seemed like the tune had went for you, to against you.
At the end of the day, I deal with the retailer that gives me the best price, and saves me the most hassle.
I hope it all works out for you, and I hope you get MORE than your next day delivery refunded.
I sat in a Dr's waiting room for 3 hours. When I came out, they wanted me to pay my co-pay. I happened to have my photography padfolio with me, and I got it out and started writing a receipt for my time. The lady asked what I was doing. I told them billing them for the 3 hours that was wasted. I said, that 30 minutes would have been annoying, but okay. 3 hours, not so much. I wrote out a bill for half of a day's rate. The doctor has never charged me a copay since.
While only slightly related, I feel that it means sorta the same thing. You were inconvenienced.
Yea, I am glad I came back and read the thread! I am puzzled why Helen thinks I changed to the Kit? It was only to a package for the same price. I just wish the sales guy had told me that doing that would cause a problem. Then I could have made an informed decision.
what a lovely thread....earlier this evening, I spent a grand on adorama.com. I want Santa to hand deliver my HD camcorder to me before the 25th...? Doable, Adorama ?
I hesitate to get involved in this, but I read 5 pages so here I am.
To the OP: My guess why Helen says you changed you order is because the "body only" (Mfr# 2764B003 SKU: ICA5DM2) and the "body kit" (Mfr# ICA5DM2C SKU: ICA5DM2C) have different part numbers and different sku's. This, even if they are similar (they both include a 5dmkII body) means they are in fact different.
Which did you order? I'm not into placing blame, I'm just curious.
If you ordered the body only, and then called back to confirm that you were getting the free items therein lies the possible rub.
Hypothetical call:
OP: Hi sales guy, just calling to make sure I am getting the 16G card and strap that is being offered for free.
Salesguy: (looking up order and sees that OP just ordered a body only....however, wishing to meet OP's intentions...) Uhhh...yep, I can make sure you're getting that...changes original order to new order, ie. old sku to new sku.
OP: OK, just checking. Have a great day, thanks for your help.
Salesguy: No problem, Merry Christmas!
Click.
So, did OP confirm that an order change wouldn't reset the clock on the delivery?
Did the salesguy, make sure an order change wouldn't reset the clock on the delivery?
Unfortunate incident. Both parties could have done things differently to insure a positive turn of events (if this is what really happened).
Again, this was hypothetical, but it would be interesting to know what sku was originally ordered and what sku will be delivered. My guess, judging from Helen's comment on the 'change of order', is that the sku change doomed the order given reset time constraints.
That stuff does happen. Of course in a perfect world every 'i' gets dotted and every 't' gets crossed. But we all know stuff happens. Sounds like you can blame both parties or neither party. It's a push.
As a newbie, I hesitate to say this but I find these sorts of stories are far more common when it comes to Adorama as compared to B&H. Still, I would never advise relying on a delivery date which cut my margin of error to less than two days. Even then, Adorama is not a merchant I would choose to trust.
texasruss wrote:
I hesitate to get involved in this, but I read 5 pages so here I am.
To the OP: My guess why Helen says you changed you order is because the "body only" (Mfr# 2764B003 SKU: ICA5DM2) and the "body kit" (Mfr# ICA5DM2C SKU: ICA5DM2C) have different part numbers and different sku's. This, even if they are similar (they both include a 5dmkII body) means they are in fact different.
Which did you order? I'm not into placing blame, I'm just curious.
If you ordered the body only, and then called back to confirm that you were getting the free items therein lies the possible rub.
Hypothetical call:
OP: Hi sales guy, just calling to make sure I am getting the 16G card and strap that is being offered for free.
Salesguy: (looking up order and sees that OP just ordered a body only....however, wishing to meet OP's intentions...) Uhhh...yep, I can make sure you're getting that...changes original order to new order, ie. old sku to new sku.
OP: OK, just checking. Have a great day, thanks for your help.
Salesguy: No problem, Merry Christmas!
Click.
So, did OP confirm that an order change wouldn't reset the clock on the delivery?
Did the salesguy, make sure an order change wouldn't reset the clock on the delivery?
Unfortunate incident. Both parties could have done things differently to insure a positive turn of events (if this is what really happened).
Again, this was hypothetical, but it would be interesting to know what sku was originally ordered and what sku will be delivered. My guess, judging from Helen's comment on the 'change of order', is that the sku change doomed the order given reset time constraints.
That stuff does happen. Of course in a perfect world every 'i' gets dotted and every 't' gets crossed. But we all know stuff happens. Sounds like you can blame both parties or neither party. It's a push.
I can now see that changing the order (as trivial as it seemed to me at the time) caused the problem. However, the sales guy if he was experienced should have waved the red flag and told me that I would no longer get the camera the next day. He should have known that. Not me.
Pondria wrote:
This is exactly what I thought. The Sales guy screwed up. To me, he created the mess. He compromised his employer's reputation, misled the customer.
i can't believe the sweeping statements that you make pondria! how do you know the sales guy screwed up? you are only going on what the o.p. has told us. now, it may be true, but it could also be simply how the o.p. remembers it (please, i'm not saying the o.p. has deliberately mislead us).
to the o.p., whilst i agree that the sales guy should probably have flagged a delivery delay, i still believe that if the delivery was that urgent, you should have asked. i know i would have.
OK, Where is John Power
Martin has no reason to make up this story. It is irrelevant whether he should have planned differently. Yeah, he made changes in the order. But after all, he was promised the next day delivery and paid for it. Helen has the clear trace of what happened in the system. The sales person sold what he couldn't deliver. It is as simple as that.
mpaul73 wrote:
I can now see that changing the order (as trivial as it seemed to me at the time) caused the problem. However, the sales guy if he was experienced should have waved the red flag and told me that I would no longer get the camera the next day. He should have known that. Not me.
I couldn't access the tapes of the calls yesterday (being Sunday), I had to rely on the notes in the system which show a SKU change - ie a new order - but I will today.
