Bought Film, Cant Return...Cord Camera

[coelacanth]

^ I know! I was also looking for this info on freestylephoto, but I couldn't find it. I'm not sure if they have such policy. I'm very curious about this too. I really prefer my film source NOT ACCEPTING any return of film unwrapped or not. Hmmm. I'll ask Freestyle before I send another batch of roder to their way...

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Return film? It's too much of a mind-boggling concept for me. Unthinkable... Store it or shoot it but... return it? Why? 😕 😕 😕 <scratches head>

 

[-doomed-]

Yeah I dont return any film , I Just throw it in the freezer.

 

[bawang]

Return film? It's too much of a mind-boggling concept for me. Unthinkable... Store it or shoot it but... return it? Why? 😕 😕 😕 <scratches head>

It matters because the price is almost twice as much as what Freestyle charges for their single rolls, where I usually shop. I only did because of 'presumed' DIRE emergency (as in Disaster_Area post below).

I would like to support my local retailers (I buy some of my groceries at local Co-op), but sometimes the price and service does no commensurate, leaving a lot to be desired.

 

[aad]

I could say it's like returning gasoline, but sheesh, for the price of a roll of film I couldn't be bothered to drive to the store.

 

[bawang]

I could say it's like returning gasoline, but sheesh, for the price of a roll of film I couldn't be bothered to drive to the store.

It so happened I pass by the shop almost daily 🙂

 

[jan normandale]

If you have a fridge full, next time go home and get some. Otherwise pay the price and move on. Everyone pays too much for things from time to time in this life. Want to talk about the price of a snickers bar at costco vs the airport? I overpaid there too. It's life.

 

[Paul T.]

It matters because the price is almost twice as much as what Freestyle charges for their single rolls

So, essentially you have buyer's remorse. And you have the gall to post a thread on RFF, attempting to damage the reputation of a store, when really it's YOU who is in the wrong.

 

[not_in_good_order]

Every store I've been in has had a sign (and usually a note on the reciept) that there are no returns on film or photo paper.

 

[bawang]

@jan normandale You missed the point. It's not so much the money I am questioning (even though, in this case, it matters since I passed by the place almost daily and the price is, IMHO, exorbitant, so are the prices at the airport, but I don't go or pass by there daily), I was asking because I was curious if the same policy is instituted elsewhere, that's all.

As we can see in the postings, it does matter whether the shops accepts return of light sensitive materials or not. Most would prefer their shops not accepting returns for obvious reasons and I would not mind being included in that group for the same reasons.

@Paul T. Please read and comprehend carefully the thread and OP's question, before you start bashing. There was no intent nor desire to damage the shop reputation, stated or otherwise. I included the name of the shop to avoid being hypothetical and beating around the bush in the discussion, In fact, if you had read the rest of the postings, you would see that the reputation of the shop is not damage. On the contrary, I think this discussion ENHANCES their reputation. In addition, I am assured if I am in DIRE emergency again, I would not be worried that their film was from an abused film (storage wise) customer return.

@not_in_good_order Unfortunately, it was not stated on the receipt or where the film was stored. Hence my questions. The shopkeeper did say, 'we should put such a sign by the fridge where we store the films'.

 

[Keith]

I think bawang is being quite reasonable and obviously accepts the fact that a light sensitive product like film may have had an unsavoury history if returned to be sold again.

I returned a packet of sultanas to the local supermarket the other day because I discovered the internal seal had been broken ... the old hatchet who served me was quite rude and seemed convinced that I was ruining her day! 😀

 

[pakeha]

Now and again we get people ringing the Winery[from out of town] they state the wine was corked and ask for a replacement. Sure, just send us the bottle back by courier and we will sort it. Yet to receive any back!!

 

[zenza]

I don't know if anyone mentioned it, but they also do it out of fear of it being exposed to xrays in airports. Even if it's still in the wrapper it could be totally messed up due to that.

 

[Rayt]

@Paul T. Please read and comprehend carefully the thread and OP's question, before you start bashing. There was no intent nor desire to damage the shop reputation, stated or otherwise. I included the name of the shop to avoid being hypothetical and beating around the bush in the discussion, In fact, if you had read the rest of the postings, you would see that the reputation of the shop is not damage. On the contrary, I think this discussion ENHANCES their reputation. In addition, I am assured if I am in DIRE emergency again, I would not be worried that their film was from an abused film (storage wise) customer return.

@not_in_good_order Unfortunately, it was not stated on the receipt or where the film was stored. Hence my questions. The shopkeeper did say, 'we should put such a sign by the fridge where we store the films'.

Nice try. Just move on and forget about it OK?

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I have bought overpriced film on emergencies... and then simply used it. No big deal. Have fun burning yours! 🙂

 

[Pablito]

This thread takes the cake.

 

[photogdave]

This thread takes the cake.

Then tries to return it! 😱

 

[antiquark]

I just checked a couple of online stores, henrys.com and vistek.ca. Neither of them accept film returns.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I still buy film locally. There are good stores that sell film cheap. Sunny Schick's Camera Shop in Fort Wayne is my hometown store. Its family owned and has good prices on film and even cameras. I bought all three of the digital SLRs I have ever owned new from them and I buy most of my film there (Some things they don't carry, like Tmax 3200, so I buy that from Freestyle). Roberts in Indianapolis is good too for film.

 

[Chris101]

I buy all my film (except for special stuff, like Efke Aura film) from one of three local retailers. My favorite is Tempe Camera, a two story outfit, that carries many, many types of film, refrigerated if necessary, or not, if not. They are not as cheap as online but not so expensive as to be ridiculous.

It's seven bucks for a roll of delta 32, and seventeen bucks for a ten pack of 11x14 Ilford multigrade fiber paper. They don't take any sensitized materials back, and big signs there let you know that at the point of sale. I think if you are a new customer there, they remind you before you pay.

Recently I bought a roll of trix at CVS pharmacy (I mean, it's cool that they sell it there but ...) for an exorbitant price (like six fifty for 24 exposures!), where they DO allow returns. It was Sunday, and I needed it really bad! So I paid and took it. When I developed that film, I was unpleasantly surprised that it had a base density similar to burnt toast. The contrast was so bad that I had to use a four and a half filter to print it!

I surmised that they had taken the film back, after someone had driven around with it in their car, in Phoenix, Arizona for a week, where the interior of parked cars can go over 140 degrees in the summer.

Now I am glad that I had a 4.5 filter, but I would have liked to have had a bit more latitude for contrast correction with that film. Thankfully, the grainy look is what I was going for, but now I NEED to shoot the rest of my project on 3200 film!

The lesson is, shop at reputable dealers, where you KNOW the storage history of the film you buy.


And quit picking on the OP, who was just learning.