B&H Refuses to Price Match

We have ordered some of our lenses from Imagingworld. Had no problems with it.

The way I look at it is that I really like B&H and have spent a lot of money there in the last couple years and think they're the best on the web.

Also, I'm sure that there are some that don't like them and they're free to shop wherever they want if they don't operate the way they want them to.

Real Simple Solution!!!!!!!!!

Simple Solution Here. If price is a problem and IMAGINGWORLD is cheapest, BUY IT FROM THEM, NOT FROM B&HPHOTO. Forget the pricematch and go direct to the source.

See how easy it is?

Mark H

I've made purchases of photo gear from several online dealers and found B&H to be competitive, honest and responsive. I've been purchasing from them for years with no problems.

heliumion wrote in post #3592450
I've made purchases of photo gear from several online dealers and found B&H to be competitive, honest and responsive. I've been purchasing from them for years with no problems.

I think you've captured, in a nutshell, some of the reasons behind their success. Competitive, honest, and responsive. You can't ask for much more in an on-line merchant.

I see some people on here complain about a price being $10.00 cheaper somewhere; that they don't price match exactly the way someone wants; that they're closed on certain days that someone wants to order on; and on and on and on. If they'll just stop and think about what they do get, a store that's competitive, honest, and responsive.

There are a few stores out there that will be some of these things some of the time but B&H is all of them all of the time and that counts in my book and that's why I order from them!

Yea, go B&H! Yea!!!

How do you get BH online codes? I just bought a canon 70-200mm 2.8L usm IS lens from BH 4 weeks ago and they matched the Beach camera price of $1579. Is there any way I can apply this psmay to my purchase of 4 weeks ago?

20DNewbie wrote in post #3470550
If you haven't already used the shop.com promo then try there.

At the moment Adorama is the only store selling it through them and the price works out to $1295.10 with the 10% back deal.

I tried doing this and adorama, beach camera, and every other vendor selling a 30d or any 30d accessory or any good lenses didn't take part of the 10% back deal

It seems that everybody nailed the answer, but I'll add my two pence. Unless you know the seller to be honest and not a game-player, it just isn't worth doing business with anyone else.

Since 1969 to present, I have bought (or tried to buy) from everyone who advertised in Pop Photog and Shutterbug. I've also bought from eBay. It didn't take me long to figure out that B&H's prices are real world prices without the BS you get from some of the other big advertisers. Yeah, sure, B&H observes holidays which may be an inconvenience to the gotta-have-it-now folks, and sometimes they sell you something which isn't in stock because their computer showed ONE MORE but someone placed his order for that item the same time that you did.

All-in-all, B&H will be worth whatever percentage more you pay for the item(especially if you are an inexperienced buyer). Shipping reflects real cost, which is not always the case with al LOT of sellers.

Re: the guys in brooklyn who sell from their living rooms. I heard about one guy whose prices were quite competitive with almost every retailer, and I actually MET him at a photographic event. I've bought two lenses from him since. No problems, USA (not gray), good communication, fast shipping. But just like everything else, you have to know something about the people you're buying from.

Buying from B&H takes the guesswork out of the purchase. Like someone else said, B&H probably won't price match because there's something wrong with the competitor's price. (In truth, I wasn't aware that B&H price-matched).

Since my son lives in Brooklyn I have stopped at a few of these "online" resellers. In several cases they were quite small offices with obviously little or no "stock". They apparently survive by waiting for import price drops, enough backorders in their own system and/or spot changes in the dollar market, to get your merchandise from overseas and repackage/reship it to you. That is why you will find instances where they keep stalling and making excuses.

This is a far cry from going over to 9th Avenue in the City, wandering around 3 floors of stock at B&H (in heaven!) and having your item in your hands in 2 minutes!( although these days I go "window shopping" at B&H and then return to my son's apartment and order online for shipment to my out-of-state residence, thus avoiding NY sales tax!!...and the stuff is waiting at home upon my return)

I've read some excellent responses to the thread. In short, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

I'll give up a small price difference for the customer service and the return policies.