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Thread: JUST FYI: Use Signature Confirmation on shipping film to Samy's

  1. #1
    Daniel Stone's Avatar
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    JUST FYI: Use Signature Confirmation on shipping film to Samy's

    hey all,

    Just FYI, I shipped out an order of film(e-6 and c-41) to Samy's in Santa Barbara, CA, and it showed it was "delivered". However, it wasn't. IDK what went wrong, as the package was returned today to my doorstep, exactly as I sent it out, just with a big "return to sender" written on the front. I called USPS twice to file a claim since the other day(it was "delivered on 7/9) but Samy's said they hadn't received it.

    So, not putting a bad word out there for Samy's(more for the USPS, and the PARCEL POST function through Paypal shipping online(non-ebay transaction)), but the "delivery" was made on a Saturday, when Samys doesn't open until 10am(and mail delivery was 9am). So, for those of you contemplating using, or have been using, Samy's mail-order services, make sure to send it SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION(this way it actually gets delivered to a BODY, not just dropped in the mailbox(or not "delivered" at all, like in my case).

    Or, make sure that the film will arrive on a weekday, not during the weekend. As all the film orders(+ other mail) are placed in their mailbox(yes, box, not handed to a person in an air-conditioned store, but in a hot(I'm guessing) box outside the store. Just FYI. I'll be sending my film this way from now on, only via UPS Ground since its 1-day anyhow, and gets handed over to a person anyhow unlike the regular mail.

    So far, the processing services at Samy's has been great for me. Super clean, super consisten. and they've even been willing to load 1-8x10 sheet/rack(on the bottom part) as per my request(no more "surge" marks on 8x10 c-41, yay ). Great people, and fast turnaround. Just make sure you don't let your film sit a day or two heatin up in a metal mailbox like mine did, this time .

    -Dan

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    Re: JUST FYI: Use Signature Confirmation on shipping film to Samy's

    I had a mailman that pulled that crap more than once with "delivery confirmed" while i was at home. No knock at the door and a package that never was found.

  3. #3
    Cordless Bungee Jumper Sirius Glass's Avatar
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    Re: JUST FYI: Use Signature Confirmation on shipping film to Samy's

    Quote Originally Posted by vinny View Post
    I had a mailman that pulled that crap more than once with "delivery confirmed" while i was at home. No knock at the door and a package that never was found.
    I had that happen with a large shipment of Tri-X Pan in 120 after it was discontinued so I could not get the order replaced.
    Nothing beats a great piece of glass!

    I leave the digital work for the urologists and proctologists.

  4. #4
    Daniel Stone's Avatar
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    Re: JUST FYI: Use Signature Confirmation on shipping film to Samy's

    Quote Originally Posted by vinny View Post
    I had a mailman that pulled that crap more than once with "delivery confirmed" while i was at home. No knock at the door and a package that never was found.

    The thing with me is though(thank God), the package was returned, albeit it was VERY WARM after receiving it from my postman. Too warm, I'm just hoping there isn't any effects to the film.

    Thankfully, my mailmen/women have been terrific. I've found that the "customer service" is always top-notch, especially since my family offers them cold drinks when the weathers cold, and a cup of coffee/tea/cocoa when its cold(not that often here in LA ). So far, so good. Maybe this postman in SB thought something was screwy, IDK. My sis is going back north tomorrow through SB, so the film will get "hand delivered", and for free this time . Albeit a full week late though.

    -Dan

  5. #5
    funkadelic
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    Re: JUST FYI: Use Signature Confirmation on shipping film to Samy's

    Quote Originally Posted by DanielStone View Post
    the package was returned, albeit it was VERY WARM after receiving it from my postman.
    a) Welcome to July.
    b) You're in Los Angeles.

    Would you expect anything different? Maybe I'm interpreting this incorrectly, but your post reads like this isn't normal. I've only been to LA once. It was in August, many years ago. It was hot then too. Am I missing something?

    Chris

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    Re: JUST FYI: Use Signature Confirmation on shipping film to Samy's

    Be careful about sending with sig. confirmation via UPS, though - their drivers are always under time pressure so they simply toss the package at the door and run or, when signature is required, simply mark it as "delivery attempted" and return it to the center so the recipient has to go there and pick it up in person instead of them "wasting time" waiting for somebody to open the door and sign.

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    Re: JUST FYI: Use Signature Confirmation on shipping film to Samy's

    Quote Originally Posted by cdholden View Post
    a) Welcome to July.
    b) You're in Los Angeles.

    Would you expect anything different? Maybe I'm interpreting this incorrectly, but your post reads like this isn't normal. I've only been to LA once. It was in August, many years ago. It was hot then too. Am I missing something?

    Chris
    Humidity?

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    Re: JUST FYI: Use Signature Confirmation on shipping film to Samy's

    You are in LA, Samy's has stores all over the LA area from Orange County to Pasadena. Can't you bring the film to one of the stores and have them take it to SB?. They run trucks between the stores all the time.

  9. #9
    Daniel Stone's Avatar
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    Re: JUST FYI: Use Signature Confirmation on shipping film to Samy's

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Salomon - HP Marketing View Post
    You are in LA, Samy's has stores all over the LA area from Orange County to Pasadena. Can't you bring the film to one of the stores and have them take it to SB?. They run trucks between the stores all the time.
    Bob,

    NO. Samy's sends film(E-6 and anything LF, amongst other services) out to A&I for processing. Stupid, I know. They have their own E-6/C-41 dip-n-dunk line, and they send to someone else... Stupid business decision IMO... The S.B. "professional" lab was started primarily b/c of Brooks being in the same town. Pasadena has Art Center, which now, shoots a whole lot more film than Brooks students do, but any/all E-6 gets sent to A&I. Why not keep all the profit in-house? I mean, that's what a smart business person would do, even if it meant a slightly longer wait time for orders to come back...

  10. #10

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    Re: JUST FYI: Use Signature Confirmation on shipping film to Samy's

    Quote Originally Posted by DanielStone View Post
    Bob,

    NO. Samy's sends film(E-6 and anything LF, amongst other services) out to A&I for processing. Stupid, I know. They have their own E-6/C-41 dip-n-dunk line, and they send to someone else... Stupid business decision IMO... The S.B. "professional" lab was started primarily b/c of Brooks being in the same town. Pasadena has Art Center, which now, shoots a whole lot more film than Brooks students do, but any/all E-6 gets sent to A&I. Why not keep all the profit in-house? I mean, that's what a smart business person would do, even if it meant a slightly longer wait time for orders to come back...
    Not sure that running their own machines and employing people equal to A&I and maintaining the line quality would be as profitable as sending it out to A&I.

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