# Adorama sucks



## ksmattfish (Apr 19, 2004)

Some of you may have heard me complain about Adorama's shipping before.  They charge high fees for 3 day shipping (that is the cheapest shipping they offer), and then wait 3 or 4 days to ship, so it takes a week or longer.  All of their major competitors ship within 24 hours of when the order is placed.  Standard 5 day ground shipping will usually arrive before an Adorama 3 day order placed the same day.

As much as that sort of irked me, because linking through here helps thePhotoForum I've still been ordering from Adorama.  

On Apr 9th I ordered 100 sheets of 16x20 paper.  Two days after I paid for it I got an email saying that their shipping dept was closed from Good Friday to Apr 14th, and that all orders placed within that time would be shipped on April 15th.  This really bugged me because I paid $35 for 3 day shipping.  5 day shipping on the same package is about $10.  I really feel they should have warned me about their vacation before I made the purchase.  Oh well, I have some patience, so I waited.  Today I recieved an email from Adorama stating that they shipped my stuff today, Apr 19th.  So I paid $35 for 3 day shipping, and it's going to take two weeks.  I wrote them and let them know that they lost me as a customer, but I still wanted to complain some more.  Thanks for listening to my crappy customer service rant.

www.freestylesalesco.com has slightly higher prices, but their shipping is so much cheaper, that usually the final cost is less.  And it will arrive in 5 days.

B&H Photo/Video is also one of the cheapest places around, and they ship the same day you order.


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## mrsid99 (Apr 19, 2004)

That is interesting information and thanks for the post, I'll consider it a fair warning.
 Have you tried contacting Adorama and asking that some of the mailing costs be refunded?


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## ksmattfish (Apr 19, 2004)

I have written them several emails, and filled out several customer satisfaction surveys mentioning my concerns.  I have never received a reply, nor do I expect one from the latest (today) complaint I sent them.  I don't think they give a flock.


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## mrsid99 (Apr 19, 2004)

ksmattfish said:
			
		

> I have written them several emails, and filled out several customer satisfaction surveys mentioning my concerns.  I have never received a reply, nor do I expect one from the latest (today) complaint I sent them.  I don't think they give a flock.



 And that in itself just removed them from my possible vendor list!
 Thanks again KS.


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## Geronimo (Apr 19, 2004)

I have only ordered a few things from them, and luckly didnt have any problems.  It was slow to get here but hey I am in Alaska.     I only tried them out to help TFP but prefer B&H myself.  

So Chase you could convert the forum and switch the vendor. Just to please me


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## danalec99 (Apr 19, 2004)

Geronimo said:
			
		

> prefer B&H myself.



Yep... I prefer B&H too. They dont have time to kid around! Once the payment is cleared, the item is on the next UPS truck!


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## Chase (Apr 19, 2004)

Someone talk B&H into creating an affiliate program and I'd be there in a heartbeat...

...as far as the forum goes...we'll see


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## oriecat (Apr 20, 2004)

My last purchase with Adorama was also not satisfactory.  The slowest shipping you can get is 3 Day.  They charge for 3 day.  But since I bought chemicals, they say it has to go ground, so they ship it Ground.  But they still charge for 3 Day!  Which is all beside the point, since UPS 3 Day Select is a Ground service!  I sent several emails trying to find out why I was charged for 3 Day when my package was shipped Ground and got nowhere with them.  I got replies, they just didn't seem to get it.  I'm with you, Matt.  I love Free Style.


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## Harpper (Apr 20, 2004)

Chase said:
			
		

> Someone talk B&H into creating an affiliate program and I'd be there in a heartbeat...


If you are looking for more affiliates you can try RitzCamera. I have yet to order from them but they are a fairly big company. Also according to their site they have no sales tax and shipping is free for orders over $100. Has anyone order from them before? They can't be as bad a Adorama. Well, at least I hope not.


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## Chase (Apr 20, 2004)

I don't think they offer an affiliate program either


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## oriecat (Apr 20, 2004)

http://www.ritzcamera.com/webapp/wc...ness+to+Business&contentId=Affiliate+Programs


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## malachite (Apr 20, 2004)

I have the same gripe about Adorama. I first ordered a film scanner from them last month and it took forever before it shipped. Their first excuse was that it was my first order with them and it takes a day or two for the customer info to be confirmed. A few days later they tell me that they can't confirm my information because the home phone number I gave them was unlisted. This took three phone calls to solve. 9 business days after I had placed the order I finally received notice that my order had shipped. My billing and shipping address is different and they screwed that up too so that added a few more days.

I summed it up to bad luck but am not happy with the people I spoke with on the phone as their attitude sucked and they were way too good at transferring me to someone else because "that's another department, please hold".

Not in a big hurry as I was not out of film, I thought I'd help the board out and ordered some film using the link at the bottom of the page. I have the same story, dates and all as *ksmattfish* does with this last order.


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## Harpper (Apr 20, 2004)

Chase said:
			
		

> I don't think they offer an affiliate program either


They do have an affiliate program. The link in my last post takes you there or you can use Orie's link.


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## Chase (Apr 20, 2004)

Oops, missed that...thats what happens when you are accessing the site and reading posts from an internet kiosk! 

I'll be looking into it! Thanks!


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## Patrick (Apr 20, 2004)

Gotta give B&H a try.
Shipping is half the price of Adorama.
Ordered 3 bulbs sunday night. Shipped Monday.
Been ordering from them for about a year now and have never had a problem.


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## drlynn (Apr 20, 2004)

Here's the problem. I am shopping for 3 lenses. B&H is out of stock on 2 of the 3. Ritz doesn't even LIST 2 of the 3. 
Adorama has all 3 in stock, and is the exact same price as they WOULD be at B&H if they had them.  And that's over $100 less than some of the places with the really cheap ads in Pop Photo, etc.

So guess who's probably gonna roll the dice with Adorama in a week or two?


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## danalec99 (Apr 20, 2004)

drlynn said:
			
		

> Here's the problem. I am shopping for 3 lenses. B&H is out of stock on 2 of the 3. Ritz doesn't even LIST 2 of the 3.
> Adorama has all 3 in stock, and is the exact same price as they WOULD be at B&H if they had them.  And that's over $100 less than some of the places with the really cheap ads in Pop Photo, etc.
> 
> So guess who's probably gonna roll the dice with Adorama in a week or two?



If I were you I would wait till B&H has it in stock. 

But, its your money, your mind, your wish, your need. 
Whatever floats your boat drlynn!


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## Jeff Canes (Apr 20, 2004)

I have an order with Adorama right now that I placed a few week ago that I am wanting. 

Also both Adorama and B&H close for the Jewish holidays. In the past when I have order for B&H over holidays, the orders come within a few days after reopening.


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## drlynn (Apr 20, 2004)

I'm still checking with B&H every few days, but one says "out of stock" and the other says"on backorder" do I don't know how long it will take them to get that one in.


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## malachite (Apr 20, 2004)

drlynn said:
			
		

> So guess who's probably gonna roll the dice with Adorama in a week or two?



I'll contradict myself and say I'd go with Adorama. Just because they don't ship right away they're atleast reputable enough that you can trust them with getting you what you want albeit a few days later than you would expect having to automatically pay for 3 day shipping.

Thinking about this whole thing after my previous post I can't say I've had 100% positive results from B&H either. Even though they are really good about shipping within 24 hours as advertised, the few times I've called them to see if they knew when they would be getting something in that was listed as backordered I was really made to feel like I had no right to ask. Two "I don't know, call back tomorrow" and one "How the hell would I know" doesn't really inspire much confidence when you are considering spending a few hundred dollars on a certain order.

I was met with the same attitude when I called on my first order with Adorama about the whole 'You're order cannot be shipped because you gave us an unlisted phone number'. Maybe it's just a New York thing that I don't get?


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## james m (Apr 21, 2004)

I have to say that I am very happy with my first order with Adorama.

I placed the order on the Friday 2nd April from here in Sydney for a Nikon FM3a, Nikkor 105/1.8 and 135/2.8 and had the package arrive to me at work in Sydney on the 8th April.

I placed the same order with B&H a couple days before and they wouldn't process because of who I have my VISA card with here in Australia.


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