Next Purchase: Adorama vs. Amazon

I usually purchase from B&H but I am interested in a 30-day refund/return period, so I am looking at either Adorama or Amazon.

I want to buy a Tamron 28-75 and want plenty of time to test it.

Thoughts?

Either one is fine, both have great customer service

I don't think that you can go wrong with either one. But if you're buying from Amazon, make sure that it's fulfilled by Amazon and not some other vendor. It should say under the price who it will be fulfilled by.

pelk21 wrote in post #12487959
I don't think that you can go wrong with either one. But if you're buying from Amazon, make sure that it's fulfilled by Amazon and not some other vendor. It should say under the price who it will be fulfilled by.

It doesn't matter too much, you are covered by the same Amazon guarantees. You may just have more hoops to go through first.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #12487963
It doesn't matter too much, you are covered by the same Amazon guarantees. You may just have more hoops to go through first.

The above statement is incorrect unless it has changed recently.

If you purchase using say 47stPhoto thru Amazon you are subject to the same exact return policies that 47stPhoto utilizes from their personal website or their E-Bay storefront. If you are not satisfied and want a refund you are subjected to a 15% re-stocking fee.

http://www.47stphoto.c​om/info/Store_Policies

So when purchasing from any vendor other then Amazon direct always go to that vendors website and read their return policy.

I always order from Amazon Direct if i feel there might be a possibility the item may not meet my expectations and i want a refund. B&H & Adorama do not charge re-stocking fees but you are responsible for the return shipping fees if you want a refund. Amazon will send you a free return shipping label even if you want a refund due to the product not meeting your satisfaction. Your only cost would be insurance if you want to add it to the UPS return shipping to Amazon Direct.

My comment was more around the protection of Amazon for the buyer, not the return policies of the merchants that sell on Amazon, etc, so we are both correct. Generally it is a better idea to buy from Amazon direct, but if from a merchant or seller, just see what their return policy is.

In regards to making sure you receive an item, etc. here is the Amazon guarantee, regardless of source.

http://www.amazon.com …isplay.html?nod​eId=537868

TeamSpeed wrote in post #12488100
My comment was more around the protection of Amazon for the buyer, not the return policies of the merchants that sell on Amazon, etc, so we are both correct. Generally it is a better idea to buy from Amazon direct, but if from a merchant or seller, just see what their return policy is.

In regards to making sure you receive an item, etc. here is the Amazon guarantee, regardless of source.

http://www.amazon.com …isplay.html?nod​eId=537868

What i don't like is most of the time there is very little of product information on Amazon. Therefore if BH don't have what i want, my first alternative choice is Amazon direct, 2nd is Adorama, then Ebay, the last choice would be Amazon sellers.
Be aware that there are a lot of shady sellers on Amazon, to save yourself troubles and time, make sure pay with your credit card only. It is much faster to get my money back with helps from my trusted American Express.

Personally, my first choice is Amazon, Amazon Prime to be exact. I asked customer service about the return policy on items purchased thru Amazon Prime, and I was told the difference was items fulfilled by Amazon they can handle either the refund or the replacement product. On products sold thru Amazon Prime but not fulfilled by Amazon, they will only handle the refund only. I once had called to see my options on a lens fulfilled by Amazon, which seemed to have overexposure issues, in the same call they reordered my lens replacement which came the very next day, and I was told to hold try both the lenses and return both if they both had issues or to keep the better of the two lenses after further inspection. No shipping fees or anything, but I believe that is only if the product has issues or was a defect.

Not sure how B & H or Indorama handle returns, but I always purchase via Amazon first even before local vendors, it may not seem right, but I am always looking for better deals, and Amazon always has better prices at least for what I have found, not on all things but on a large number of items.

Amazon!

Amazon has a rock-solid return policy. If there is *any* issue with the lens they will even pay for your shipping.

Prime is fantastic!!

I have purchased from both without any problems. One thing to note, Amazon free shipping can be slow as mollases. It took me 17 days to get my Bigmos lens from them. 19 days to get a processor. Bought a G12 from them and payed the six dollar standard shipping and had it in 5 days.

Purchased from both, Amazon Prime ftw!!!

If u got prime account with amazon, u can't go wrong.

After years of purchasing from Amazon Direct with no problems i did recently finally try the Amazon Prime shipping out and ordered the Sigma 50/f1.4 that was delivered in two days. Unless im mistaken it does cost you i think $79 bucks a year for this Prime service and an additional $3.99 charge per item after the initial 30 day Prime shipping trial period. I realize alot of folks like the Prime shipping but i will probably cancel before my trial period ends since i think this fee is a little excessive unless you order say 15 to 25 items per year. I normally am satisfied with the free shipping offered on most all orders over $25 bucks and dont mind waiting a week or less with normal std. shipping on items in stock.

The only thing i am not overly impressed with is the less then stellar packaging Amazon Direct provides with the lenses. A few air bags that dont even circle the entire lens retail container in a cardboard box being tossed around by the USPS, UPS, etc. shippers is definitely not the way i personally package a used lens i sell to a fellow Forum member.

Regards,

??? I think you understand the terms incorrectly. The $3.99 is if you want to do next day shipping, otherwise 2 day shipping is free under the annual prime membership. Also, you can share that prime membership amongst close friends/family, you just have to trust the folks you have in your prime account.