Experiences with Adorama

[Michael Graves]

I've never purchased used equipment from Adorama, however, I have had numerous transactions with them for film, paper and accessories. I have yet to have a bad experience. For used gear, if I don't find what I want here after a while and get impatient, it's Midwest or KEH for me. Never had a bad experience with them either.

[Thad Gerheim]

I had a terrible experience with Adorama and lost about $200. It wasn't a pleasure to be constantly lied to for close to a year when I finally gave up. I bought a part for a spotting scope that was the wrong part and returned it, then tried to get the right part or a refund. All I got was a run around on who's dept. I needed to talk to and they would call right back,"right".
I never have had a problem with B&H, but don't mind tying Adorama to the whipping post for what I went through.

Thad

[Helen6]

I'm not sure if this is in the right forum or not, but I wanted to warn fellow photographers to be very wary of dealing with Adorama in terms of buying/selling used equipment.

Al, I was really concerned to read your posting; please email me with your quote number so I can look into how this happened

I'm from nyc and have been in the store a few times. If you were to see how chaotic it can get in the store at times you'd have second thoughts about sending stuff away blindly

I'd love to get more feedback from you on this / suggestions how we could improve

Very, very different than the excellent service I've had with Adorama.
If you visit over to APUG, Helen is a customer advocate for Adorama, might talk with her.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. I'd have to say that my experiences there, both buying and selling used gear have been wonderful….a shop with an otherwise fine reputation.

I've never dealt with Adorama as a seller of gear but as a customer they've been great, several times going above and beyond to do something for me that they didn't have to do,

…. I have bought new and used gear from Adorama with no issues.

I have sold and bought from Adorama, and always had positive experiences. I suggest you email or call Helen and she will probably sort it out.

I've never purchased used equipment from Adorama, however, I have had numerous transactions with them for film, paper and accessories. I have yet to have a bad experience.

Thanks Mike, Bob, Brian, Joby, Jason, Michael

.....any dealer is going to offer you HALF (wholesale price) of what they think they can sell it for.

Actually, at Adorama it's around 70%; possibly more if being taken as a trade-in.

Oh, buying from Adorama is great. However they attempted to give me a quote based on a Rollei body they had for sale (used) online …. This was in the 90s….

Sounds horrible…..but we have a completely new Management since then!

I had a terrible experience with Adorama and lost about $200. ….. don't mind tying Adorama to the whipping post for what I went through.

Without additional information all I can do is apologize at this point.
If you email me directly with additional information – eg your transaction number, I will certainly investigate and if I find that we owe you $200 then it will be paid to you.

Helen Oster ☺
Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador
HelenO@adorama.com

http://twitter.com/HelenOster

[Noah A]

I've had no problems with Adorama though I do normally buy from B&H. Like many other online retailers, Adorama doesn't seem to have real-time stock info on their website. For instance, I want to order 25 boxes of the new Portra 400. It's listed on their site and the site allowed me to put it in my cart. But I called to check the stock and they said they had NONE.

With B&H, if you add something to your cart it will tell you if you've exceeded the amount they have in-stock at the time. Of course B&H doesn't have my film right now either...

But if adorama could add this feature it would be greatly appreciated. There's nothing worse than ordering something then getting a call or email that it's backordered. Especially if you need whatever you ordered to shoot a job. I will not choose any company as my main supplier if they don't have live stock info.

I've ordered a few used things from Adorama, most were OK. The grading seems more accurate than, say, KEH, which tends to be conservative in their ratings. An Adorama EX is probably really EX. A KEH EX, in some cases at least, is near mint. My latest EX+ lens from KEH looks like new, I can't find any flaws whatsoever.

I had one lens from Adorama that wasn't really as described, since it was supposed to be (d)emo and it was really pretty marked up even on the glass. However, I returned the lens and got a prompt refund, so they handled it well.

To be fair, last year I ordered some EX gear from KEH, a pentax 67 lens and camera body, and the mount was so badly bent it wouldn't mount on the camera. Again I got a prompt refund.

Frankly, I wouldn't sell gear to any retailer. Even 70% is not worth it. I'd rather sell it privately and keep more of the cash for myself.

[alharding]

I just got off the phone with a very helpful service rep at Adorama. Long story short, they were very apologetic and understanding of the situation. In short, They made up for the inconvenience, heard my concerns and made me feel a lot better about their service in general. Its a very good thing when a business does make good on a bad situation. Very much appreciated here. No bad blood.

Al Harding

[Roger Cole]

It's interesting that two threads below this one there's a thread titled "Biggest Steal you ever made," in which people recount how they bought great equipment and paid next to nothing for it. Apparently when we're sellers and a dealer offers us a low price it's fraud but when we're buyers and pay much less than the gear is worth it's something to brag about. Which isn't intended as a criticism of anyone who managed to "steal" equipment, it's a comment on human nature.

I noticed this as well. Frankly some of the postings in that thread do not speak well of the posters, though I refrained from commenting (and continue to do so) on any specific ones, such things being matters between the buyer, the seller, and the buyer's conscious. Personally, if someone knows what something is worth and just prices it low to move it NOW, fair enough, I'll take it. But I won't pay pennies on the dollar for something just because the seller inherited it or took it in trade when they didn't know what it was really worth, at least not without pointing out to them that it's worth a lot more. One exception I'll make (had this happen with ham radio gear) is if I try to speak politely with them and they become hostile or pushy, like insisting they won't take a penny less when I was just trying to tell them it was worth MORE. Otherwise, I may spend more money on the rare occasions I might stumble on something like that, but I'll sleep well. Others may gladly take the seller to the cleaners and still sleep well. YMMV.

Al, I was really concerned to read your posting; please email me with your quote number so I can look into how this happened




I'd love to get more feedback from you on this / suggestions how we could improve

...

Without additional information all I can do is apologize at this point.
If you email me directly with additional information – eg your transaction number, I will certainly investigate and if I find that we owe you $200 then it will be paid to you.

Helen Oster ☺
Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador
HelenO@adorama.com

http://twitter.com/HelenOster

Very classy response Helen. It speaks well of Adorama.

[Graybeard]

I've personally experienced, over several years, sufficient rudeness and blatant incompetence from the Adorama staff that I don't consider dealing with them under any circumstances.

I regularly purchase from B&H and have had occasion to deal with their returns department when an order went wrong. They were hard-nosed businessmen regarding the returns but made good on everything that was their error. I've never felt cheated with B&H.

[Marko]

Otherwise, I may spend more money on the rare occasions I might stumble on something like that, but I'll sleep well. Others may gladly take the seller to the cleaners and still sleep well. YMMV.

Words of a true gentleman.

South seems to have a disproportionate share, for some reason...

[savantcreative]

I have shopped there but never felt that comfortable particularly if I asked to examine a piece of used equipment. I prefer B&H in the city.

[Helen6]

I just got off the phone with a very helpful service rep at Adorama. Long story short, they were very apologetic and understanding of the situation. In short, They made up for the inconvenience, heard my concerns and made me feel a lot better about their service in general. Its a very good thing when a business does make good on a bad situation. Very much appreciated here. No bad blood.

Al Harding

Delighted to hear it!

Remember, I'm only ever an email away for queries or after-sales concerns regarding any order from Adorama