Where to buy inkjet paper?

[h2oman]

I've been buying paper, film and assorted small items from one of the big photo suppliers. One box of inkjet paper arrived crushed a little on a corner, and I didn't notice until much later, too late to do anything about it. Pretty much every sheet was affected. I then ordered some film from the same place. When it arrived I noticed that they had packed it in a somewhat oversized box, but crammed into one corner by the plastic packing pillows. Yep, the box was crushed in a bit near a corner. Fortunately there was no damage to the film - the triple layering of film boxes plus the plastic liner bags protected it well.

SO I need some more inkjet paper, and I am thinking about buying elsewhere, or maybe the same place if others are satisfied. (I'd rather not say where it is, since maybe they are usually just fine. Perhaps UPS was a bit too rough on it...) So where do all of you purchase your inkjet paper?

[Ron Marshall]

I had the same problem, from a large supplier, but noticed in time.

Freestyle does a better job of packing large boxes of inkjet paper. I have never had a problem with them.

[Gem Singer]

I've been purchasing inkjet paper from Atlex and B&H.

Both of those vendors use large boxes with plastic air bags to fill the excess space and save weight.

So far, I have only experienced one ruined shipment out of many.

However, it was due to UPS's rough handling of the shipping box.

I noticed that B&H bubble wrapped the last box of 17X22 paper in order to better protect it.

[J. Gilbert Plantinga]

I've had the same problem with paper from B&H. Now I buy from:

http://www.shadesofpaper.com/

Don't order from the web, you have to actually call the toll-free and speak to a human being to get the best price.

[Bruce Watson]

I've had the same problem with paper from B&H. Now I buy from:

http://www.shadesofpaper.com/

Don't order from the web, you have to actually call the toll-free and speak to a human being to get the best price.

+1

[anchored]

To get the best prices, one should compare prices per item from several sources. A company that sells one brand at the best price may sell another at a very high price.

Another consideration for getting best pricing... if you buy in fairly large quantities over a year, talk to a sales rep at the main suppliers you use about discounted rates based on yearly volume... I get a fairly good (10-20%) discount by buying large quantities. This not only applies to papers, but also inks, sundries, and framing materials. You'll find some companies willingly offer a discount while others don't... but many that do will request a tax number. It sure doesn't hurt to make the effort... especially if you are a professional with a tax number.

(I buy thru DGTWeb, Atlex, and B&H... and have never encountered any damaged material from any).

Glenn

[henryp]

(I buy thru ... B&H... and have never encountered any damaged material from any).

Thank you. We're very concerned about customer satisfaction and about how the merchandise we sell gets to our customers. Any time a customer has any problem with how an order arrives, contacting me or our customer service staff should be your first move.

[Michael Gordon]

Another vote for Shades of Paper! A great company to do business with!

[mandoman7]

Thank you. We're very concerned about customer satisfaction and about how the merchandise we sell gets to our customers. Any time a customer has any problem with how an order arrives, contacting me or our customer service staff should be your first move.

Its great to have a rep from your company paying attention to the discussions. I'm a long time patron of B&H and find reassurance in this business policy.

I've had the experience cited by the original poster with a box of 17x22 ordered from a different supplier than B&H, but I didn't notice the problem until 3 weeks after it arrived, not needing to use it until then. I was denied a return approval because it was longer than 2 weeks. Clearly I was not trying to abuse a system and had spent thousands of dollars with this company, but still no bending on their 14 day policy.

What is your feeling about that circumstance? Does B&H give consideration to people who've been ordering for years when disputes occur, and is there discretion on the part of the representative such that they can make adjustments when its obviously appropriate?

[henryp]

What is your feeling about that circumstance? Does B&H give consideration to people who've been ordering for years when disputes occur, and is there discretion on the part of the representative such that they can make adjustments when its obviously appropriate?

Personally I am a fan of elasticity. I do know that from time to time a caller to our C/S dept will end up with someone who is either inelastic or who feels he's not authorized to be elastic. Any customer who feels it'[s appropriate can escalate an inquiry to me.