After 29 years, B&H has lost my business

[Timmyjoe]

These issues have been going on for a number of years with FedEx shipping for B&H, and definitely pre-dates the pandemic.

It would be nice if we could all do as Sal suggests, order way in advance of need, but in many cases, that is not practical.

Best,
-Tim

 

[css9450]

Also, note that Freestyle sends my packages via FedEx Ground, and I've had no problems with those either.

They ship Ground even 2000 miles here to Illinois; some items (such as chemicals) get shipped ground automatically but they seem to ship film Ground also. And in this case, "Ground" means via rail. Not that that is a bad thing necessarily, but it always adds at least a couple days here at the end as the shipment moves from the rail yard to at least one other Fed Ex hub locally before finally going out for delivery.

 

[oldwino]

Another problem that all the shippers are facing is a shortage of long-haul truckers. I have several pallets of goods that have been ordered (not photographic stuff, but a different biz), and I have been told it could be several weeks before they can pick it up from my warehouse. Not enough drivers available.
But I agree, FedEx has been particularly bad of late. And also B&H, who used to ship orders the next day, but now sometimes take 2-3 days to pack and ship. Covid has messed it all up.

 

[Dogman]

You guys do realize that online ordering has increased about a gazillion fold in the last year or so. That means a load of packages moving every which way constantly across the globe, many times more than previously. I consider this every time a package is late or the shipper's tracking goes haywire.

FedEx is fine where I am--deep South USA. So is UPS and USPS. I'm amazed things run as smoothly as they do. Stuff will always be late, get lost or sometimes get to me early. I don't sweat it.

As for B&H, I've always been happy with them. All the other places I buy photo products use FedEx as well.

 

[KenR]

I’ve never had a problem with them - stuff arrives sooner than expected.

 

[f.hayek]

FedEx has been the source of the problem in the past year.
In Feb 2020, I sent a blood sample from my office with expedited overnight delivery. In May, the lab in California called that they had just received it. Another one sent the same week is still in the ether.
This sad tale has repeated itself several times since Covid made landfall here from the PRC.

 

[B-9]

Pre-Covid in relation to my comment above. I’ve been done with them for some time now.

I’ve reluctantly sent a few packages FedEx earlier this year. Customers wanted it and during the worst of USPS delays a mule could have got your package quicker.

 

[Timmyjoe]

The delays wouldn't be so bad if FedEx had a tracking system that was even in the ballpark of accurate. As I mentioned above, for the last few years it's been wildly inaccurate. This most recent package was set to be delivered on Saturday, per the FedEx website. Then it arrived at a FedEx hub in Chicago on Sunday morning (after it was already supposed to have been delivered to me on Saturday). Just in the last hour FedEx tracking listed the package as arriving in the Chicago hub shortly after noon today. So how did it arrive there Sunday morning, and then arrived there shortly after noon today?

From following their tracking website, you get the sense that they have absolutely no idea where the package is and when it will be delivered. Which is probably why they have it listed as "No scheduled delivery date available at this time."

I've communicated this to B&H customer service on a number of different occasions in the last few years, and their response, as it was this morning, was "We're sorry, there's nothing we can do about it." Which is not true, they could use UPS or USPS.

That's my beef with B&H, they know of these issues with FedEx, and they don't care.

Best,
-Tim

 

[splitimageview]

I have them ship via USPS to my PO Box. Not had any problems.

I'm in Texas.

I just ask my rep to ship USPS and he does it.

 

[Pál_K]

Here, I refuse to use UPS. Tracking system is useless: goes from “scanned” (on East Coast) to “Out for Delivery” with nothing in between, no delivery resolution that’s finer than 1-day granularity.

Package also required signature, they just dropped it off.

But with FedEx, I can have them ship to a local Photocopy/Office Supplies store that also serves as a local FedEx depot. I can ship and pick up at my convenience.

 

[css9450]

The delays wouldn't be so bad if FedEx had a tracking system that was even in the ballpark of accurate.

In the case of Fed Ex Ground, the shipments via rail often have the very strangest tracking updates. I think the system automatically updates every 12 or 24 hours and reports wherever the train is at that moment when it updated; typically some tiny dot on a map in the middle of the desert. Order enough stuff from freestyle Photo and you can connect the dots to trace the entire BNSF Mainline from L.A. to Chicago. Obviously, these locations are provided by the railroad to Fed Ex. The problem is, once the shipment arrives in Chicago it enters the black hole and it takes several extra days to reach your house, and there are no further updates available until it gets there.

 

[jawarden]

I think shipping problems are mostly a result of the temporary pandemic issues, but at any rate if they've been able to keep you happy for 29 years that's an excellent run.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Just to play the devil's advocate here. If you're willing to pay for shipping from Freestyle, why wouldn't you pay extra to B&H for shipping by the carrier of your choice. It is roughly half the distance.

 

[Timmyjoe]

When ordering online you are limited to the shippers they list, and for my location, they are all FedEx. Splitimageview seems to indicate he orders over the phone and has been able to request specific shippers for his orders, that may be possible for shipping to my area, I don't know. For the past ten years I've been ordering thru their website, and previously that meant shipping via UPS, which was never a problem. In the last six to eight years they've switched over to FedEx, and that's when the issues started.

FedEx just posted this on their tracking site, changing the status from "No scheduled delivery date available at this time." to:

But they also have the package listed as still being at the Chicago hub, which is a couple of transfers away from "Out for Delivery" in my area, so I'm not holding my breath.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Deleted member 65559]

During the last year, I've successfully shipped a number of expensive vintage guitars with Fedex, and had them delivered in a timely fashion My insurance agent tells me they process significantly less claims with Fedex than with the other carriers. As mentioned shipping volume has increased in the last year and the efficacy of local shipping offices can vary greatly.

 

[RObert Budding]

COVID has disrupted a lot of shipping. And B&H is still an excellent vendor, so I'll continue to send my business their way.

 

[Hogarth Ferguson]

I also stopped using BH when they switched to fedex. I cannot stand using fedex, they are just horrible.

 

[kshapero]

I have not used B&H in years
I prefer Adorama ...
Stellar service, great customer service !!

I also use Adorama mostly, BH some and the plethora of good smaller guys, like Popflash, Camera Quest, Photo Village, Leica Miami, and many more.

 

[philosli]

B&H is my go-to place for films, chemicals, and certain types of electronics. The shipping has always been fast and reliable (I live in NJ) with their free shipping option. I usually get my package delivered to my front door within 1-2 days.

So I think this is more a FedEx issue.

 

[David Murphy]

I like B&H - no problems for me!