B&H is refusing to replace my camera

I have to say though I have NEVER heard of any issues with BH, or have I had any issues. I have only spent like $10,000.00 with them. I would not say they are bad, just slipping a little based on these circumstances.

I go where ever the price is low, so I dont have a preference. I just have always boughten from BH. So they are okay in my book, but after hearing I want to see these issues resolved and hear nothing more like selling grey market junk. BH get back on track with some of these issues. You have support from a lot of people, but people are turned off very easily including myself.
 
I agree. I think those negative cases are very, very few in comparison with the scale of B&H sales. They handle such a volume there's always possibility something goes wrong from time to time. I've been their customer for many years and did few returns and exchanges. They were always kind and professional. In-store experience may be sometimes a little hectic, but with crowds of customers always surrounding their staff, don't expect to be treated like a king. They are very popular store and retailer. Things happen and if they do, just be persistent with them.

Ever tried 47st Photo? I did and had enough trouble with them to make me happy with B&H, even if something does not go 100% smooth sometimes.
 
This whole thing shocked me as well.
I've bought from them overseas and the service was better and the whole process was more professional than Adorama.

I trusted B&H 100% and did not expect even a little that B&H sells grey market stuff. Now from where should I buy overseas?
 
I must come down on the side of B&H and support them. I have spent housands with them and their service to me has been impeccable. In fact I still have no thoughts to go elsewhere. I can order on the Friday afternoon, and on the Monday morning the delivery van is pulling up outside my house here in a remote part of the UK with a nice package for me. B&H get the stuff out fast, and if the website says its in stock it is.

Obviously B&H are extremely busy and they sell a large volume of stock. That means occassionally someone is going to be disappointed when something goes wrong. It's how B&H deal with the problem that counts, and by the look of it they have someone on the case on this forum sorting out the problem that John Disciple had. Thanks to HenryP for coming on and sorting out Johns camera woes.

I will continue to use B&H at every opportunity. Yes, there are other very good shops out there that offer the same service, but until something goes seriously wrong, my relationship with B&H will continue.
 
Obviously B&H are extremely busy and they sell a large volume of stock.
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They are busy because a lot of people buy from them. People buy from them because they are treated well.

That means occassionally someone is going to be disappointed when something goes wrong.
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This time NOTHING went wrong. They DO tried to sell a GREY market product.

In any case, because a company is BIG and $POWERFULL$ they should take care of the few times they make an error. They can win win always 100%. Even if they win 99% of the time is not bad??
 
John Alton Disciple said:
Okay, here's where we're at...

I've received a phone call (4pm) stating that a new camera will be sent today/tomorrow with tracking information to follow. Let's see how things go this time. Assuming I get it, I'll send the serial number Jan's way and see what she's got to say.
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BY now you should have my e-mail confirming this. My messaage included the new B&H transaction # and the UPS package tracking number. The camera should be delivered Monday, Oct 9th.
 
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I've been involved in at least a 100K's worth of purchases through B&H and have had nothing but pleasurable experiences all the way around. Returns, warranties, exchanges, .... everything. I'm not quite ready to throw B&H under the bus as a premier provider of professional products just yet. Let's wait and see how this works out and I'm sure the folks at B&H will show their ilk in due time.
 
ironwolf said:
Thanks for exposing these idiots. My client was getting ready to make a large purchase from them. Of course we will not use B&H (Bull and Hot Air) anymore.
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This is just my PERSONAL opinion but I don't think we deserved the characterizations "idiots," or "criminals." Just one opinion of course.
 
henryp said:
This is just my PERSONAL opinion but I don't think we deserved the characterizations "idiots," or "criminals." Just one opinion of course.
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You don't deserve that. The truth is that sometimes people that work in places may or may not behave to the standards of the company. I will continue to use B&H because it takes one day for normal shipping to reach my house becaues I live so close to the UPS facility.

IMO as long as someone rectifies the situtation I am happy.
 
Originally posted by Ironwolf

Thanks for exposing these idiots. My client was getting ready to make a large purchase from them. Of course we will not use B&H (Bull and Hot Air) anymore.

To get a refund, just charge it back with your credit card company.

They are ALWAYS on your side

ironwolf
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Maybe you should cool your jets for a minute, at least until the issue is clear with "John Alton Disciple's" camera. Like many others here, I've had nothing but excellent experiences with B&H. I'm an NYC resident and shop there often (the in-store experienvce is not to be missed - it should be on any photo/video buff's tourist map right along with the Empire State Buliding). The last we heard from Mr. Disciple (dunno, but I *kinda* think that's *not* his real name : ), he was being express-shipped a new camera. What say we see how he does before we cross "Bull & Hotair" from our approved vendors list. I bet if you made a clerical error in your business you'd hope you'd be given a fair shot to make it right too.

And a clerical error on B&H's part is indeed what it appears to be, if we give Mr. Posner the benefit of the doubt. An error of trusting another Panasonic Authorized vendor who assured them they were selling them U.S. spec equipment, and then reselling it as such. I really don't think B&H would deliberately try to "get away" with selling grey market product covertly. As this thread has shown, it's *way* too easy to get busted for doing so by the consumer, and at least as importantly so by Panasonic. I think people who buy $6000 cameras do tend to send in their warranty cards a lot more often than people who buy toasters.

For myself, I'll consider it a closed case if Mr. D and everyone else who received non US spec cams is offered a proper replacement for no charge. This will require B&H to be proactive of course - notifying anyone who was shipped grey market product, even if they are unaware of it, that they are entitled to a free exchange. If that happens, I think it would be pretty hard to fault them under the circumstances. If it doesn't, I'm betting we'll hear all about it right here.

Ted Spencer, NYC
 
I hope B&H isn't slipping that hard. I strongly urged my old-school brother-in-law who doesn't like to use online companies to use B&H for a camera purchase recently. If he has a bad experience, I'll never hear the end of it (as I shouldn't).

Please give us an update, John Alton.
 
videoteque73 said:
They are busy because a lot of people buy from them. People buy from them because they are treated well.
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For those of you who have never had a problem, great. I felt the same way when I bought my first 7k or so worth of stuff form them. But now I judge them by how they acted when something went wrong (it did with a defective computer) and I was completely unsatisfied and not "treated well." I ultimately, after over a month into it, had to get my credit card company involved and it was a complete headache. I rather develop a relationship with a more service oriented dealer.

It's nice to see a rep here from B&H willing to suffer the slings and arrows and maybe my situation would have been better handled had he been involved. For myself, I won't be giving them the opportunity to find out.
 
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Jeremy Ordan said:
I'm having the SAME experience now with B&H and a D200 they sent me that died after under an hour of being turned on. This thing is completely unresponsive. They don't help after the sale... I'm very angry with them and they are my people...
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.....What, Tarheels?..:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG):Drogar-BigGrin(DBG):Drogar-BigGrin(DBG):Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
 
I have bought a lot of stuff from B&H, prolly over $50k thru the years and only had one issue. It was similar. I bought a "new" Steadicam Merlin that actually arrived used and missing parts. Unfortunately the shoot I needed it for was cancelled so I didnt catch it within 30 days. They were not helpful at all so I went to Tiffen who sent me all the missing parts. The problem is that there are many more competitors now and I assume to stay competetive they have less CSRs or CSRs with less experience.

I also have a friend who got a gray market HVX from them. To me, this is easy issue to fix. Panny just needs to send them a memo to correct any and all problems ASAP and to warn that should it happen again, they will revoke their Authorized Dealer status. That will make sure a manager checks all shipments thoroughly...



ash =o)
 
It's nice to see a presence from b&h on this board.
I'm sorry though, sending gray market cameras can't be an accident. There have been several reports of this as late, and that is NOT encouraging. Even less encouraging is the fact that b&h, an authorized dealer, seems to be giving flack to their customers who are only demanding they receive what they payed for. A U.S. panasonic authorized camera from an authorized dealer.

Jason
 
we have spent over 100k with B&H, and have not had a problem.

only great customer service, low prices, and prompt shipment.

having worked in retail, i can easily see how grey market products can fall through the cracks, especially when dealing with the quantity that B&H does. it does not mean they are trying to rip you off, it means they made a mistake. and if they are willing to rectify their mistake, then there is no problem.

i will continue to support B&H (as well as EVS) for all my video production needs.
 
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Again, I dont think it is B&H in general, I think it is getting bad CSRs. I have gotten to the point in ANY business I deal with that I immediately ask for a manager if I have a problem.


ash =o)
 
Despite what I have heard I still plan to deal with B&H Photo/Video. All companies screw up from time to time. The real question is what are they like as a whole?

Chris
 
Hey, I just spent nearly 3k with them, but again, I just am not grasping how shipping someone a gray market camera can be an accident. If you are an authorized dealer, then you receive your shipments from panasonic. I don't think Panasonic accidentally shipped them a batch of hvx's bound for Japan, do you? At least that is my understanding.
I don't hate them or anything, like I said I just ordered a bunch of stuff from them even after knowing that this stuff was going on. But I am unable to fathom that shipping Japanese camera's could be accidental.

Jason
 
well after reading all this. Mister B+H rep, all i can say is that i have used your companies services for small purchases and i have had no regrets. But after reading this, if ever anything does come up, i will not act irrationally, but find those like you who are willing to resolve the problem. Thanks for taking care of this problem.
 
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