Retail Outlets

[BT Bob]

Another one for Walters in Caerphilly - also their Merthyr store is as good.

T4 Swindon have also given me excellent advice, service & prices.

[Glenn]

Well another shout for Tony and the London Camera Exchange (LCE) Civic centre, Southampton. I was their today and dealt with Tony and I would have to say what a wonderful person he is. We even had a discussion about Colin, lol :)

[Millie]

Another thumbs up for Wharehouse express - great service and quite often, nearly the chaepest of suppliers you would actually touch with a barge pole.
Millie

[Millie]

What is good service?
If you order online, and your item turns up quickly in perfect order and you’re kept informed and issued a tracing number – that’s all you need ?

I initially mentioned Park Cameras because of the cheerful and efficient way they resolved an issue with a lens they sent me.
Millie

[Glenn]

What is good service? If you order online, and your item turns up quickly in perfect order and you’re kept informed and issued a tracing number – that’s all you need ?

I think initially, yes, until of course you have a problem and need to return it, then you really find out how good the service is.

So in the end good service for me would be the ease of order, the speed of delivery and how quickly and easily a company would be to resolve any issues after purchase. We all experience the first 2 but very few experience the third.

[Millie]

We all experience the first 2 but very few experience the third.

It's like the specialist camera insurance question :-)

People who have never had to claim - say xxx company is really great. !
Of course they are great at taking the premiums out of your bank account. What are they like at 'paying out' quickly when you need them to. It's the only thing I'm really interested in. :-)

Millie

[DrJon]

For mail order I have to say Warehouse Express tend to pack things better than Jacobs or Amazon. (I let Jacobs post me my 300 f2.8, despite Donal saying I shouldn't, as they assured me they packed stuff so well - turns out they threw it in a cardboard box with no packing - tho that beat Amazon they just put the last thing I ordered in a plastic sack...)

(Donal is the main man at Jacobs extremely well hidden Pro area in their New Oxford Street branch and the best photographic sales guy I know... even if he's wrong about how soon the 24-70 IS will show up ;-)

In a shocking development Jacobs are my favorite photo shop, as they do trade-ins (on the rare occasions I can be persuaded to part with anything - anyone want a mint 20D?) and I can usually get the best prices there (did I mention I paid £1889 inc VAT for my 70-200 f2.8 II on the second day they were available, plus I had a focusing issue and got it changed with super helpful service).
John