Is Fred Newman the latest to be in the list?

[Michael J. Kravit]

Subject: Is Fred Newman latest to be on the list?

Jeez, just when I thought is was safe to go back into the water, another retailer takes my money and does not produce a product!

This list has often discussed dead beat retailers, I have read them and empathized with the victims. Who would figure that I would be a casualty of this pandemic.

Well last year I paid for a subscription to the "Beyond the Zone System" newsletter distributed by Fred Newman and the View Camera Store. Fred took my money and send me a couple of 2 year old back issues as a promotion. To this date I have never seen a single copy of the newsletter.

I emailed Fred and inquired about the status of my subscription. Not a peep in response.

Perhaps Fred will read this and correct a wrong. Otherwise, I suppose that I am in good company.

Mike

[Capocheny]

Hi Michael,

Sorry to hear about your problem with this particular retailer. I was thinking of ordering some gear from him but will have to think twice about it now.

Good luck on your quest to recoup your money or product... keep us all informed as to the end result, ok?

Cheers

[Jon_2416]

>I emailed Fred and inquired about the status of my subscription. Not a peep in response.

Have you tried the telephone? So your subscription was lost and your email ended up in a spam filter. Call him.

[Walter Glover]

Well, I have had a number of prompt, efficient successful transactions with the man you mention and have nothing but praise for the attentiuve service that has been afforded me.

Call me paranoid, but ordering from Australia I do either pre-empt or back-up my email order with a phone call. Both Fred and Dennis have always been helpful, courteous and informative. I am surprised to see a character assasination triggered without further and better particulars of the incident offered.

[Richard Fenner]

I think this thread should be deleted ASAP. Until someone has made a bit of effort to see what has gone wrong, a person with good character should not be harassed like this. Henry C's reply shows what can happen to otherwise respectable retailers because of one comment, and this isn't a big world of LF suppliers. It would have taken just as long to 'phone (at the right time of day) as it did to start this thread.

FWIW (always wanted to use that abbreviation!), I ordered a couple of focus hoods from them a few weeks ago, and they arrived in the UK less than a week later.

[Rick Abraham]

I agree with the above sentiments. Have had absolutely no problems ordering from Australia and always had courtesy and honesty from Dennis/Fred.

[Jim Rhoades]

Well, I felt I had to write too. I've ordered a number of items from the View Camera store and always had them delivered in a well packaged and timely manner. Last year, after a BTZS course I loaded the BTZS plotter for windows in my computer. My computer illiteracy came crashing home. I knew less than nothing. I phoned the store and Dennis(?) spent at least half an hour with me walking me through loading and using the plotter. Believe me I was doing some stupid things while on the phone.

Time is money, and they spent a lot of time with me. There are only about half a dozen large format speciality shops that I will do business with. Fred is one of them.

[Larry Gebhardt]

I also have ordered from them and have never had a problem. Maybe your name didn't get entered into their subscription database - even honest people make errors. Until I see a pattern of deceit I will still order from the View Camera Store.

[Michael Jones]

Mike:

Try calling Fred or Dennis. In over 13 years of buying from Fred, I have never had a problem or an issue and I've spent more money there than I'm willing to admit. Fred even lets me use his darkroom to load holders when I'm there. Lighten up; this is like posting something about Art because it was shipped late to him by the distributor or about an architect not delivering plans on time.

Mike

[Jorge Gasteazoro]

Same here, Dennis has been nothing less than excellent with customer service. I am sure if you call them they will fix the problem, people make mistakes and I dont mind this, it is when they refuse to fix their mistakes that I would make this a public issue. So far, I think you are jumping the gun.