B&H delivers scratched camera!

That happens all the time. People put in a card from another camera and the new one "inherits" the old camera's photo count.

Don't freak. This is a one-off. Members from this site alone probably spend upwards of 5 figures a month at B&H and the complaints are as rare as a Dodo Bird.

I've spent approximately $6,000 in the last 8 months at B&H with zero problems whatsoever.

This is just the New York culture and the rest of us not familiar with it take it as rude. They are dealing with thousands of people and are very quick on the phone. Don't expect a gooey "Have a nice day (sir/m'am)' at the end of your phone call. More than likely you'll get a click. That's how they say "buh-bye now."

Just happened to me as well. I forgot and put used cards in two new 1DM2Ns and they both picked up the count from the card. You need to get the cancount program if you really want to know the number of clicks.

I have had pretty good luck with B&H, so not a lot of complaints there. For anyone that wants similar prices, but wants to deal (over the phone) with the "home town" camera shop type organization... I have had very good luck with Allen's Camera in PA. You feel like you are at the counter! This also helps with the NY tax that I have to pay buying from the NY shops.

Really? If that's the case, the card I put in there should have given it a count closer to 9,000 because that's what I had thus-far shot on my DigiRebel at the time. Nonetheless, it's been a terrific camera, so no complaints here. Besides, it didn't come from BH.

There's actually a good reason for that.

I used to work in guitar retail. A few years ago, a company called Line 6 introduced the "Variax", which was guitar that would, through modeling technology, give you the sounds of a number of different guitars. It worked pretty well, but there was no way in the world that someone was going to just sit down with it and get it to do what it was designed to do. All of the salesmen at the store would "borrow" the equipment, simply so we could learn how to use it. Nothing is more embarrassing than trying to demo a product to a customer when you have absolutely no idea how it works.

If any damage came as a result (and, sometimes, it did), the product was marked as "DEMO", and a deeper discount was offered.

Taking a piece of gear home with you to learn how it works, whether it's a guitar or a camera, will make someone a better salesperson, and will ultimately benefit the customer...

Someone earlier mentioned Norman's Camera. I have only dealt with them once when reserving a MKII and they were very, very gracious and helpful. When I called them to let them know that another company had shipped my MKII I asked if they would mind if I gave my reservation to a friend. They said no problem and told me what I needed to do. No one here was interested (that was pretty weird) and I ended up giving it to a guy over at FM.

A definite three-thumbs-up for Norman's.

RFMSports wrote:
This is just the New York culture and the rest of us not familiar with it take it as rude. They are dealing with thousands of people and are very quick on the phone. Don't expect a gooey "Have a nice day (sir/m'am)' at the end of your phone call. More than likely you'll get a click. That's how they say "buh-bye now."

So true! I remember the first few times I dealt with them many years ago... I was left thinking "man, how rude are they!" I'm used to it now, but every once in a blue moon I'll get a sales guy that is extremely nice. When I ordered my bogen tripod and 70-200 lens last year from them, I spoke with the sales guy for 45 minutes about my choices. HE ACTUALLY suggested the 70-200 f/4 over the 2.8 to save me some money, and was as nice as he could be... but I stood strong and got the 2.8 and have never regretted that one.

OK, time to stop rambling and get back to work.

This may be true when it comes to low-cost items like a pair of sneakers but when it comes to photographic equipment where things go from $1K and above, an average person with common sense would be skeptical if some website offers a lower price by $100 on a DSLR. I don't think that B&H is in the position that it has to keep lowering their prices to remain competitive. Their reputation speaks for itself and that's what keeps many people coming back. However, I am starting to see (through personal experience) that it may just be a bit overrated.

Don't they have "floor models" for that purpose? Sounds rude to use something and then sell it as new.

People shop for sneakers on the internet??

We have successfully devolved as a society when that happens...

It really depends.

Sometimes availability from the manufacturer limits the number of any one particular item a dealer can get. More than once we received only one of a particular guitar or amplifier, and had to display it. Why? Well, if you don't display it, you won't sell it.

If you saw our website, you'd swear we were this huge corporation with warehouses stacked to the rafters with equipment. The truth of the matter was that we had a 15,000 square foot store with 16 employees to handle both in-store and online sales.

Believe me, everyone cringes when "the last one" of anything gets ordered, simply because you have to worry about shop wear.

I'm not saying it's right, especially in the eyes of a potential customer, but it is reality...

I know that B & H has very conscientious salespeople over the phone. That's the only way I do business when I make an order. In fact when I ordered my 135 L lens last year, the salesman said this is a very fine lens and it will be carefully shipped. In fact the UPS guy wouldn't even deliver it until I was at home to sign for it and I didn't even ask for that feature and I don't recall being billed extra for that. I know this must have been a terrible disappointment for you, but I know things I have ordered from them seem like they have never been taken out of the box & inspected by them before shipping out. It's like the item came straight from Canon and it was then taken out of their stock room and shipped to me. I feel this was a fluk and that B & H was not responsible for the scratches. My things have always been shipped with those inflated plastic bags secured around the item or else with those white styrofoam pellets underneath & above the boxed item. Mercy on this situation would be most rewarding spiritually and we can all learn by this incident by asking that everything be checked out before shipping. Looking forward to seeing photos from your new camera once it gets straightened out.

That'd be me _ _ them and Canoga Camera (where my 30D) is reserved upon availability gets my major purchase business.

As an update I received my Spyder2 Pro today and it was VERY well packed.