Lost Trust in B&H Photo

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Jordan_S

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What does it signify when a store sells a used camera and does not bother to notice that its motherboard is bad?


Or when a used computer is sold after being described as containing a hard drive that it did not?


Or when two used tablets are sold and they both cannot hold a charge?


It means the store has negligent employees. But what's really annoying is that B&H never apologizes or admits its errors. Too hard, I guess, even after receiving a complaint about the hassles and a request for at least a word of understanding.


Well, I'm through with B&H. If you cannot admit an error, you'll keep making them. Lost my trust.
 
Jordan_S said:
Well, I'm through with B&H. If you cannot admit an error, you'll keep making them. Lost my trust.
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I am very sorry to read this litany of errors and to learn of your dissatisfaction. We certainly regret your dissatisfaction. I cannot comment on the specifics you listed because I cannot ID you or these transactions. We endeavor at all times to make sure customers are more-than satisfied and I am sorry you are not.
 
Sorry, to hear that. I have to say I have basically the opposite feeling. B&H is geographically, about as far away from me as you can get anywhere on this planet, and yet they've still managed to provide me with superior service over the years than any of the local suppliers I've used.

I've had a couple of issues with purchases over the years, and every one of those issues has been sorted out immediately (one just yesterday). I wish I could say the same for more gear retailers.

At this stage, I'd probably call them the retailer I trust MOST for pro video and photographic gear.
 
If the B&H individual who posted here and you are not already in direct communication with each other, I would think you could get things sorted out, at least on current issues you have.
 
B&H is great in many ways, but I can testify to the fact that you are taking a chance when buying used from them. I bought a piece of grip equipment used (a clamp), and it was damaged. This is not to say it always happens - it doesn't - I've bought other used equipment (mics, recorders, lights) and it was fine. But yes, if you are buying used, you are taking a chance - and I can also agree that it does seem to be a problem insofar as my clamp was damaged in a very obvious way, you could tell just by looking... which tells me that the "used department" at B&H, responsible for vetting used equipment has some QC issues (they rate used equipment with a number, so you'd think they take a careful look). If it was hidden damage, I'd cut them some slack, but this was very, very obvious. I think it wouldn't hurt for them to tighten their ship a bit in this respect. Otherwise, they're pretty stellar.
 
Andrew Stone said:
If the B&H individual who posted here and you are not already in direct communication with each other, I would think you could get things sorted out, at least on current issues you have.
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There is nothing to get sorted out. They handled the matter. However, they refused to take responsibility or apologize.

I could not use the camera for two weeks and had to spend my time and gas getting it fixed. This was an obvious problem with the camera that could not have been overlooked. The $1200 lens and the $400 lens that I had also bought from B&H had to sit and wait.

This was their email:

Thank you for contacting the Used Customer Service Department at B&H Photo Video and Pro Audio.

We will have you reimbursed for the [...] back to your card ending in [...].

Have a great day!

I then wrote an email to three people saying they had not taken responsibility and that perhaps I should complain on an online forum. I waited a few days but there was no response.
 
Well, what did you want them to do?

Somehow this piece of used gear got through. Note that the profit margin on used equipment is very small, so only a small amount of time can be dedicated to it by any seller. Someone is supposed to go through the used stuff when they acquire it. They evaluate it, give it a rating, set a purchase and sales value and move on. The process has to be fairly quick, and no one will spend the time to see how long a tablet's battery will hold a charge. If it holds it for the few minutes an evaluation takes then that's that. I'm not excusing anything, I'm just noting the realities.

You had an issue. They took the item back and refunded you promptly. Would someone on their hands and knees begging forgiveness really help matters?

B&H is a huge operation and their used department is also quite large. They have internal management that I'm sure tracks all complaints and returns. If they find that someone is slacking off in the evaluation process then they will work to address it. It's not just for good manners to the customer base, it's also smart business for the company. Any return pretty much kills the profits. Remember they have to pay staff for their time as well as the physical costs of inventory stocking.

OK, maybe it would have been nice if you got an email that said, "We're very sorry that this product was not to your satisfaction. Our company strives to represent used equipment sales as accurately as possible. We hope that you will consider us again for future purchases." Maybe that's the stroking you needed here. But in the end they gave you your money back right away, which is what really matters. What else could they do?
 
I've never had a bad experience with them. I'm not knocking you down in any way by saying that. I'm sorry they didn't live up to your expectations.
 
Mitch Gross said:
Well, what did you want them to do?
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Apologize and/or take responsibility.

Mitch Gross said:
Somehow this piece of used gear got through.
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It was immediately apparent. The motherboard was bad.

Mitch Gross said:
They took the item back and refunded you promptly.
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Incorrect. They took a day to see if they would refund for the manufacturer-needed repair. (You did not read my posts before commenting.)


Mitch Gross said:
Would someone on their hands and knees begging forgiveness really help matters?
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A good business takes responsibilities for mistakes and does not totally ignore them.



Mitch Gross said:
OK, maybe it would have been nice if you got an email that said, "We're very sorry that this product was not to your satisfaction. Our company strives to represent used equipment sales as accurately as possible. We hope that you will consider us again for future purchases."
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Is that so hard? Apparently it is, even though your wording still takes no responsibility. They also could have written the standard, "We're sorry if..." and it would have been enough.

Think about it this way: You hire an employee. He makes a few mistakes. You discuss these mistakes with him and he fixes them but he never takes responsibility for what were clearly his errors. In fact, you send him an email regarding this and you receive no reply to it.

Next, you have a different employee and he makes the same mistakes as the first one. He fixes the mistakes just as well as the other guy; however, he also states that he regrets the error and will work to avoid the same mistake. It may not even sound genuine.

If these two employees are alike in every other way, which one are you going to trust more with future work?
 
I've been done wrong many times over, on a daily basis even. But one has to choose their battles, or waste much of your life trying to get some form of justice. In the big scheme of things, your complaint on this forum is rather petty. You've actually done the bigger wrong by posting the way you did, given that they refunded you promptly. Get over it and move on.

Mark
 
Jordan_S said:
There is nothing to get sorted out. They handled the matter.
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Then there's really nothing left to worry about.

Jordan_S said:
However, they refused to take responsibility or apologize.
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Except...

henryp said:
I am very sorry to read this litany of errors and to learn of your dissatisfaction. We certainly regret your dissatisfaction. I cannot comment on the specifics you listed because I cannot ID you or these transactions. We endeavor at all times to make sure customers are more-than satisfied and I am sorry you are not.
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(Bold added for emphasis.)

The fact that Henry keeps an eye out for posts here, and reponds to posts, shows a bit of proactive awareness.

The low man on the customer service totem pole is in no place to assess what went wrong, and isn't the same person who assessed the used item on intake or even the same person who packed it and shipped it out. Perhaps asking to speak to the next person up the chain would have gotten you what you feel you deserved, rather than taking to an Internet rant about a faulty purchase that was already refunded?

Look, do we really need this public bench trial and execution? Speaking as a long-time customer of B&H, of course they don't bat 1000; no company does, but B&H has a pretty high average. And they do correct errors when errors happen... which they did for you.
 
Jordan,

Please accept our apology. We are very sorry we had you as a customer.

Regards,
B&H

The reality is that you are just blowing off steam because of some perceived offense. I'd be upset as well if I had four items that had issues. If you exclusively buy used equipment, then perhaps you will be able to exclude B&H from your shopping options. There's always eBay and Craigslist. There may be an issue getting refunds, much less apologies from those sources.

It would be foolish to take B&H off your shopping list. Having scoured the web for purchases, looking for the best prices, the best service, the best stocking, the best return policies, assurance that those policies are backed up by action, I consider B&H a top go-to option. But to each his own.

Good luck on your future shopping endeavors. May you receive the respect and apologies you are looking for.
 
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