What's with Calumet lately?

[ZoneIII]

What's going on with Calumet? I was a Calumet customer for many years and, although their prices weren't always the best, their customer service was outstanding. Also, their main location was not far from me so I often went to their store in Bensenville, Illinois. But something seems to have changed. For the last few years I have been very disappointed with them. At first I thought I may have just talked to someone that was having a bad day but it now seems to be a consistent problem. Just one example: Last year I needed some Velvia sheet film. They not only didn't have it in stock, but the Calumet person I talked to gave me a snide lecture about how film was dead. He said they simply didn't stock it anymore. It's hard for me to believe that a big supplier like Calumet would have so little turnover of perhaps the most popular film used by landscape photographers that they wouldn't keep some in stock. But it was the nasty and condescending attitude of the guy I talked to that really surprised me. But that wasn't the only negative experience I have had with Calumet in recent years. Similar things happened in the last four or five times I have talked to them and they never seem to have the basic supplies that I need anymore even supplies that have a very long shelf life. Today, I needed a Kodak E6 kit and, of course, they didn't have that in stock either. The salesperson I talked to was very nice but I then was transferred to a person in accounting because they changed their website and old accounts were no longer up (another problem that could have been avoided, I would think) so I had to re-register. After doing that, I wanted to make sure that they had my tax number on file in my account so I wouldn't pay taxes on things I bought from them. The accounting guy was.... well.... I can't think any other word for it... a jerk. He was rude, difficult, and unhelpful. I wish I had a recording of the conversation; the guy seemed to be determined to NOT help. I am always polite to people I talk to on the phone even when they aren't so it wasn't me. I thanked him and hung up the phone, once again disappointed in Calumet.

So, the last half dozen times I have dealt with Calumet I have been disappointed and they never have the products I need in stock. It's as if they no longer support analog photography even though they are an APUG sponsor. And, yes, I understand that demand for analog products has declined so stocks on hand have to be reduced but a large company like Calumet should surely have one box of 4x5" Velvia film in stock! They didn't have a single box in the entire country! Same with the other products I have needed lately. In the past, their customer service was superb but now it's as if many of the employees are angry and bitter. It makes me wonder if they are under new management or something. Maybe it's all just a coincidence. But Calumet has lost an old customer.

I just wanted to share my experience with others here. I expect to be flamed by someone for my post but I am just trying to share information. If Calumet was as good as they were in the past, I would be singing their praises.

[Robert Budding]

Vote with your feet.

[Richard Wasserman]

I have never talked to anyone on the phone as I go to their main location in Chicago. I have been a customer for many years and have always found the people working there to be friendly and helpful. On the other hand, it does seem as if as a business they are not really interested in supporting film based photography–film and paper are often out of stock. I now order my supplies from other sources and only use Calumet if I have to (and am often disappointed). I'm sure most of their business is digital, but I would think that if they had items in stock and were a bit more aggressive in marketing this decline wouldn't be necessary. But, what do I know? Except that it's a shame....

[Arne Croell]

I used to be a regular customer, too, but since several years I bought my supplies at both Freestyle and Badger Graphic, since, yes, they don't have much of what I need anymore. The last big thing I bought was the 4x5 LED enlarger head for the Zone VI enlarger. That one has been discontinued for a while now, too.

[Robert Hall]

I find the same issues. I have gone into the stores in San Francisco and LA and they are just rude and ill tempered. I found the manager in LA to be decent but none of the others sales staff would lift a finger.

I have found that Samys in Pasadena to be helpful and nice, so I go there when I am in Town.

Both my local photo stores here, Pictureline (pictureline.com) and Wasatch Photographic are willing to bend over backwards for me here in Salt Lake City, Utah.

I suppose I will use the local guys and the web as it rarely barks at me when I ask it questions about film products.

I should also mention that I have found Freestyle in Hollywood to be of great help.

[Kirk Gittings]

For mail order I try to support Freestyle who hava a real commitment to film based photography.

[Michael Graves]

I will use either Freestyle or Badger for film...depending on what else I need to buy. My last film was ordered from Badger because I was ordering some hardware from them as well. Since I get my chemistry and paper from Freestyle, I always do a film inventory check to see if anything is getting low. And I'm always checking Freestyle for their short-dated deals.

[tgtaylor]

I find the same issues. I have gone into the stores in San Francisco and LA and they are just rude and ill tempered. I found the manager in LA to be decent but none of the others sales staff would lift a finger.

I should also mention that I have found Freestyle in Hollywood to be of great help.

Robert,

The LA store manager used to be in the San Francisco store and I agree he is a nice person to work with. The SF store recently got a new manager and he seems to be a good person as well.

I wish Freestyle had a store up here.

Thomas

[Brian Ellis]

Why criticize Calumet for not stocking something they don't sell enough of to justify keeping it in stock? It's not like they're unique in discontinuing or greatly reducing their stock of film and related stuff, that seems to the be norm these days. But their attitude is a whole different matter. I'd go somewhere else if I received the kind of treatment you describe here.

[John Jarosz]

I get the feeling that the OP was referring to rudeness after the staff figured out he wanted film supplies and that was their way of getting rid of him.

I'd be interested to hear if that same staff behaved the same way if he went in there to buy the latest DSLR & 5 lenses or one of their giant epson printers.

I do agree that Calumet doesn't seem to stock anything I regularly need (in chicago).