What drives your decision to buy from a vendor

jmdeegan · 08-01-2008, 11:24 AM

Reason I ask is kinda simple, I think.

I have a local camera shop-at least, local to my current client. On a normal basis, the shop is 3 blocks away, on my way home, and the staff have been very good to deal with.

However, they do not have the cheapest prices in the city, though they are willing to compete.

Since I work in NYC, and another of my client locales happens to be nearer the big 2 camera shops, going to either is clearly an option, but not as convenient.

Question is, especially as the camera shops seem to be dying off, and others are ditching Pentax...would you pay a little extra to shop a smaller shop with a bit of a more hands on feel for you (I walk in here, and the owner and at least 2 salesmen know me and say hi). Just wondering if the relationships or the savings are more important to folks (and for the most part, prices are not terribly far off).

What would you do? Would you consider the slightly higher price paid a price worth paying for that service? Or would you rather save 50 bucks on a 600 dollar order?

*hwblanks* · 08-01-2008, 12:40 PM

If it's only a little bit more than ordering online, I'd assume buy from the local shop and get the customer service. Since there aren't any local camera shops in my area that carry Pentax, it's not an option for me at this point. If the price is a lot more--then I'll go with ordering online, no matter what. I definitely have my limits.

Heather

*Tom S.* · 08-01-2008, 01:01 PM

Since I don't have anyone locally that carry Pentax, it's a pretty easy decision.

Whenever I order anything on line, service/reputation is the first consideration and price is second.

davek · 08-01-2008, 01:02 PM

I like good customer service, and I'm willing to pay a bit more for it.

For example, I was in my local Henry's (canadian Camera chain), looking for a new bag. While I was there, I mentioned that my new DA50-135 had intermittent AF - that I've been having to clean the contacts regularily. Salesman pulled a new one off the shelf and did an exchange right there (happened to have my warrantee card handy).

I'm taking back the Slingshot 200 I bought there, tonight, because I find it incredibly uncomfortable.

Had I bought either on-line, I would have had the pain of shipping, if they would take them back.

jmdeegan · 08-01-2008, 01:32 PM

dave-I have the slingshot too...I kinda know what you mean. Im looking at the inverse now, as a hip bag instead of the back pack. In the summber, the slingshot just gets me too warm....

but I agree, the service is something to keep in mind.

For me, if NY had not passed a law about sales tax, then the difference would/could be more like 80-100 bucks for this particular one, which might be a reason to think about it....

However, because this shop is smaller than the big guns, its easier for me to walk in and try out things-like the bags, which I find to be very hard to pick and choose.

It's an added bonus that the one sales rep there sealed the decision to go pentax (I said I was thinking between Canon/Nikon/Pentax, and he said no question, of the 3 go pentax. And this place sells alot of canon and nikon, so I felt it was a genuine opinion).

Will be off to spend some hard earned ducats very soon

deejjjaaaa · 08-01-2008, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by jmdeegan

a smaller shop with a bit of a more hands on feel for you

depends, if the shop is willing to actually test the lens ("brick wall/newspaper") before selling to me (and not on my time) - yes, I am willing to pay more... but I do not need them chatting with me about equipment and offering me a cup of coffee...

Gooshin · 08-01-2008, 01:55 PM

buying a from a vendor means i can go back and bitch at someone straight to their face when shit hits the fan.

its so easy to be indifferent over the phone, inexperienced or even amateur salesmen when confronted in real life with an angry or a displeased customer fall apart at the knees

managers get involved, other customers take notice, all this works in your favor of getting the best customer service possible (most of the time)

i have been on both ends of this sort of thing, so i know.

deejjjaaaa · 08-01-2008, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by Gooshin

its so easy to be indifferent over the phone, inexperienced or even amateur salesmen when confronted in real life with an angry or a displeased customer fall apart at the knees

managers get involved, other customers take notice, all this works in your favor of getting the best customer service possible (most of the time)

i have been on both ends of this sort of thing, so i know.

when I did not get an answer in Subaru dealership to the question asked I mined for email addresses of FHI/Subaru people in Japan (w/o regards who they actually are) and the next day I was surrounded by all necessary attention... so you can get to them w/o being F2F.

*Damn Brit* · 08-01-2008, 02:13 PM

Personally I would prefer to buy from a B&M establishment for the peace of mind, service and ease of exchange but the one local to me (2 minutes) is absolutely useless. Unless you ask for Pentax you get shown C or N. That would be ok on it's own but their customer service is terrible as well. From my experiences with them I'm surprised they stay open. I spoke on the phone to one of the employees in their other store. He told me he was on the verge of leaving because he was so embarrassed to work there.

If you buy online, whenever and for whatever reason it doesn't go smoothly and you have to return it, it becomes an inconvenience at the very least and quite often is a nightmare.

It's depressing that you have to do your research and hope for the best these days.
Buying from the internet is fraught with danger still because it is not properly policed or protected. Using a credit card gives you some protection but at the same time, your credit card number is out there for people to look at.

If any of you are lucky enough to have a B&M store near to you that is friendly, prepared to get you what you need and prepared to be flexible on prices, or any combination of those three, please support them whenever you can. Other stores hear, through the grapevine, about this kind of stuff and if they want to succeed, they might try and emulate them.

Sorry about the rant.
Gary

deejjjaaaa · 08-01-2008, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by Damn Brit

your credit card number is out there for people to look at.

use one time numbers generated and valid for a single transaction.

*Damn Brit* · 08-01-2008, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by deejjjaaaa

use one time numbers generated and valid for a single transaction.

Well, I didn't know about that and I'm sure a lot of other people don't know about it.
How does it work?

deejjjaaaa · 08-01-2008, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by Damn Brit

Well, I didn't know about that and I'm sure a lot of other people don't know about it.
How does it work?

you are kidding, right ? check you credit cards accounts online or call them.

for example

https://www.citicards.com/cards/wv/c...?screenID=1274

Virtual Account Numbers1

With this service for Citi cardmembers, you never have to give out your real credit card number online. View the Virtual Account Numbers animation to learn more.

With one click, you can generate a random credit card number and make it virtually impossible for anyone to steal your account number while shopping online. Then, you enter this number into the merchant's form and complete your purchase without revealing your real card number. View cards with this feature.

It's safe and easy. Register or sign on for Account Online to get Virtual Account Numbers.

Note: Virtual Account Numbers cannot be used for purchases that require you to show your credit card at time of pick-up (e.g., movie tickets, etc.), because the account numbers will not match.

*Damn Brit* · 08-01-2008, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by deejjjaaaa

you are kidding, right ? check you credit cards accounts online or call them.

for example

https://www.citicards.com/cards/wv/c...?screenID=1274

No I wasn't kidding. Ohhh the shame of it.

Thanks for the info.

deejjjaaaa · 08-01-2008, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by Damn Brit

No I wasn't kidding. Ohhh the shame of it.

Thanks for the info.

that thing was being offered I believe since ~2000.

silent_eyes · 08-01-2008, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by jmdeegan

Reason I ask is kinda simple, I think.

I have a local camera shop-at least, local to my current client. On a normal basis, the shop is 3 blocks away, on my way home, and the staff have been very good to deal with.

However, they do not have the cheapest prices in the city, though they are willing to compete.

Since I work in NYC, and another of my client locales happens to be nearer the big 2 camera shops, going to either is clearly an option, but not as convenient.

Question is, especially as the camera shops seem to be dying off, and others are ditching Pentax...would you pay a little extra to shop a smaller shop with a bit of a more hands on feel for you (I walk in here, and the owner and at least 2 salesmen know me and say hi). Just wondering if the relationships or the savings are more important to folks (and for the most part, prices are not terribly far off).

What would you do? Would you consider the slightly higher price paid a price worth paying for that service? Or would you rather save 50 bucks on a 600 dollar order?

I have somewhat simmilar situation... There's a place where I usually come by and spend an hour or two talking with the owner about cameras, film, chemicals and everything photo-related, they retail stuff like cokin filters, some cheap lighting, photo bags, bouncers... I buy filters there, and often film and paper, although I could go to factory, about 20 miles away, and buy somewhat cheaper, not much, but still cheaper. However, this "personal" feel and talk, always pleasant and polite is something I enjoy, and I don't mind paying 5-10% more...

I'd stick to "friendly face" places, as long as I can, unless it's really big difference, like 30-40%