Freestyle Sales Co has gone UpTown

[tim atherton]

Well, I guess I didn't get the customer support either...

On an order of multiple boxes of sheet film the shipping and handling had increased around 400 to 500% over previous orders. When I queried it, I was told that was what UPS was charging them (no doubt true).

However, I pointed to out Freestyle that in the past I had always requested and they had always sent the film by a much more economical shipping method and this had always worked just fine (i.e. USPS).

Response - oh no - we will only ship UPS now and that's what they charge.

That certainly isn't customer service as far as I'm concerned. It's how you lose a customer.

[jantman]

AT the end of this past September (the 29th) I ordered a box of 50 sheets of 8x10. Total S&H was $21.24 for FedEx 2nd Day Air from Hollywood to Passaic, NJ.

I don't know if they've changed their policy so much in the last few months, but I was very happy with their service. They even made sure to get me a newer box of film. In a few weeks I intend to order some more film from them, and maybe some of their new inexpensive B&W to try. We'll see how it goes.

[Nick_3536]

I know when I ordered from Freestyle I had no problem getting them to not use UPS. I just phoned up and asked them not to. Being in Canada Freestyle's shipping seems the cheapest of any of the US firms.

[tim atherton]

"I know when I ordered from Freestyle I had no problem getting them to not use UPS. I just phoned up and asked them not to. Being in Canada Freestyle's shipping seems the cheapest of any of the US firms."

Nick - it was just the opposite for me (also being in Canada) - they said they will no longer ship USPS to (certain regions of) Canada and so the Fedex shipping for, if I recall, 200 sheets of 8x10 came to around $95.00....

quote: "Unfortunately, as of 6 months ago, your area of Canada was re-classified as being international shipping only areas. As we are no longer offering Postal Service for International orders, our international shipping service is exclusively FedEx International".

As far as I am concerned, if a business won't ship via an alternative mainstream method (ie USPS) that is convenient to me, but only via a courier who, in this case charges around 3-4 x as much (plus a hefty customs brokerage fees, which the Postal Service avoids), that isn't customer service.

It may be convenient for them, I'm sure. But that isn't good service, and such a company doesn't get my business anymore.

[Nick_3536]

Guess I'm going to have to call before ordering then. I was going to order some of the new film but if the choice is between UPS and not ordering not ordering is likely going to win.

[tim atherton]

Nick,

I think it depends what part of Canada... for some reason they consider some of Canada to be a part of the US and other parts of it international.... even though the USPS charges the same to ship anywhere in Canada - something they didn't seem able to grasp.

tim

[Jan Pietrzak]

Nick and Tim,

It's about 1:00pm LA CA time, and I just got off the phone with Freestyle. At this point the shipping issue is a big point. Given what is going on, shipping rates and ship to places are changing all the time. (Talk to George and the boys) I hope to have some kind of answere for you next week or so. If not e-mail me at Freestyle.

As to new product, the edu. materials will be ready to ship in the next week or two. Something to due with bomb sniffing dogs or something. Freestyle will have more information after the first of the year (like next week).

Jan Pietrzak

[David Karp]

I stopped by the shop today. I had been there since the remodel, but had not seen the photos on exhibit (they are through a door and on the walls in the hallway and conference rooms). The photography on exhibit is first rate. Another nice touch is the display of a photograph printed on each of the papers sold in the store. The store has changed a lot. No more rental department, no more used equipment (I don't think) and a much more limited range of cameras for sale. On the other hand, the Arista films and papers are top notch. Exactly what you would get from the actual manufacturer, at a lower price. The store is committed to traditional darkroom materials, and has a lot of them in stock. They have been pretty responsive to suggestions or inquiries: I guess that a number of us asked for Diafine, a product that the store did not carry. Since they did carry Acufine, it was a simple matter for them to obtain Diafine, and they did. It is now stocked on the shelf in the store. No store is perfect, and there was a time when I really wondered what direction they were headed in, but now I feel comfortable that there is a store in my backyard that will have the traditional materials I need and want easy access to for as long as they are available.

[John Kasaian]

Cool! Freestyle has always been a favorite of mine---I can't wait 'til my annual pilgrimage to the 'Big Smoke'(LA) in February to check it out.

[Jonathan Brewer]

I've been going to Freestyle for years, and hope that Jan addresses the shipping issues, and if Jan if you are reading this, you have two of the sweetest ladies on the planet working there, Valaria and her buddy(the quiet slender lady with a smile a mile wide/please don't tell her I can't think of her name), many times they've guided me through the store with quick and prompt assistance along with a warm smile, don't let these folks get away, they are your best employees along with having been there for quite some time.

I've gone to Freestyle quite a bit for Arista which I'm now sold on, they seem to be in flux with the remodel, but they have some good folks working there, correct me if I'm wrong but I think there are different folks on the telephones, maybe Tim got somebody on a 'bad hair' day.

Shipping gets to be like a toothache sometimes, and since Freestyle is reading this thread hopefully they can rethink their set-up.