The newest syndrome - returnitis

Since retiring a little over 3 years ago I haven’t bought anything online. Why?

1. Most importantly - for the most part I already have everything I need. And, I’m pretty good at learning to live without new materialistic things (except maybe camera lenses).

2. There’s an excellent brick & mortar camera shop not far from where I live that is packed with new and used M-mount and film gear as well as digital stuff too.

3. There is also a Yodobashi Camera store nearby that scratches my itch for my electronics needs.

4. I have plenty of free time to seek out the oddities that intrigue me - Tokyo is only an hour away and if one can’t find what they want there than they probably didn’t need it anyway.

5. There are excellent music stores in the area that sell new and used CDs and vinyl recordings.

The one thing that I do buy on-line is tour, travel and vacation packages. My wife and I love to travel as much as we can afford to. On-line is the best way to get the best prices for that.
I haven’t looked for an actual walk-in-the-door type travel agency in years. I don’t even know if they exist anymore.

Anyway, having said all that, I can’t remember the last time I returned anything.

All the best,
Mike
 
kshapero said:
The other 2 are Leica shops.
Click to expand...
Lucky you, what else do you need? :D

kshapero said:
... there is no human touch or feeling until after the purchase is paid for ...
Click to expand...
That's exactly the reason why Leica went to great lengths and expenses and opened their own stores worldwide.

BTW, ordering and returning is my wife's new hobby. It's like window shopping except that you have the products in your hand for a few days.
 
Pál_K said:
The enjoyment of going to a camera store has always been with me - from the late 1960's to this very day - although today I certainly have to travel over 30 miles to a real store that has film cameras.

Rarely do I buy anything online. The only new photo equipment I've bought online are:

In 2003, a Nikon FM3a from B&H
In 2004, a Polaroid Image 1200 from B&H
In 2006, a Nikon 28-85 AIS lens from B&H

All of which I've kept.

I've bought a few other cameras from KEH. The only camera I've ever returned (KEH) was a Leica R3 which was totally dead-on-arrival.
Click to expand...
I live in Lacey, where do you find real camera stores in Puget Sound?
Glaizers? Ha! The only time I had a opportunity to stop there, maybe about 15 years ago, there was a cold reception, like they weren't really interested. Left a sour feeling, haven't braved the I-5 horror show since to go back.
Heard of Kenmore camera, even farther north, maybe, when I can spare a full day, I'll make that trek.
Don't really know of any others.
 
Darthfeeble said:
...I like that as I prefer to shop local but when the price difference is quite large I'm afraid that the pocketbook rules.
Click to expand...

Do you give the local place a chance to match online?

I do, and if they won't play ball, I have no regrets.

One example: My local motorcycle shop only stocks 85% black helmets. I didn't want a black helmet. Do they have one of the same model and brand that my daughter can try on? No. Will they order it and let her try it on? Yes, but no returns. I asked them: "Then why should I pay your higher price, if it is worse than shopping online?" (online helmet purchases can be returned as long as they're not worn out of the house.) Blank look. Left the store, bought online.

The shops that adapt by matching price of big ticket items, and charging a bit more for accessories and service seem to pull through. Others, not.
 
kshapero said:
I now find myself doing returns like never before. Most of these companies make it super easy (thank you) to return purchases. So now I am stuck doing returns on a almost weekly basis.
Click to expand...

FWIW I think this is an American thing.

Down here in Aus there has never been a culture (and retailers generally don't accept) 'change-of-mind' returns. I used to work for an outdoor retailer and we always considered it incredibly rude when people would try to argue for a return on an item that wasn't faulty. Whereas from what I can gather this is commonplace in the US.

A few retailers are starting to offer returns programs here, but there's generally a cost involved (eg. an online running store will send you shoes in two sizes and a postage paid return slip for the pair you don't keep, for an extra $10).

I think I've returned two photographic items over the last decade (one Pentax lens with a failed SDM motor, and one brand new (in box from an authorised dealer) Ricoh GR sold with a third-party battery installed (still haven't figured that one out...).
 
I remember when e-books first came out... they were the least expensive option, almost exclusively online. Now the online sellers quote different prices depending on who is shopping and for the most part e-books are more expensive than paperbacks. That's how it works for short term savings.
 
In 10+ years of photographic equipment purchases I have made exactly one "new" purchase, a Nikon D800E that I got on release. I needed a second camera and wanted to be ahead of the curve on the upgrade cycle, with such a huge leap forward from the D700, and it paid for itself many times over quickly.

This consumption mentality is such a waste of time, money, and resources. There's so much used stuff out there that's basically new, because people buy it and use it for one trip or a couple weeks and then get bored. Photography is a massive hobby, and a massive cash-cow it seems. I am starting to see Nikon Z-series cameras in the wild a lot. I don't get it. The "latest and greatest" is really just a few % points "better" technically and doesn't do anything you couldn't do with the older stuff (heck, I eschewed digital for film anyway). Of course folks can do what they want with their money. Funny though how there's a constant drumbeat of "the sky is falling" but folks keep running out to buy the latest iPhone (X+1) that is basically identical to last years model while sweatshops on the other side of the planet pump them out, along with massive amounts of emissions and waste.
 
giganova said:
Lucky you, what else do you need? :D


That's exactly the reason why Leica went to great lengths and expenses and opened their own stores worldwide.

BTW, ordering and returning is my wife's new hobby. It's like window shopping except that you have the products in your hand for a few days.
Click to expand...
You have a good point. Three cheers to Leica. But new Leica's are to rich for my blood.
 
Anyhow, I agree. We "have to" buy online. Then, we have to return the item, because we couldn't handle it. Then they have to either lie and say it is new or charge a restocking fee and sell it as refurbished.

Now, with sales tax becoming universal, ma 'n pa stores may be coming back!
 
We do have to buy online for the oddball stuff any DIYer needs. Helical extension tubes, step-up and step-down rings, lens adapters, etc.
As an example; my Olympus 35RC has a 'stupid' filter size, 43.5mm. So, for a 2 or 3 dollars I ordered a 43.5mm to 43mm step-down ring and now it has a much more common, easy to fit filter size.

And no, it doesn't obstruct the meter window.
 
I've only ever returned one camera related thing, which was a Leica X1 which I discovered had been used, but sold as new. There were still pictures in the internal memory! Back it went to the brick and mortar shop, and I bought the Fuji X100 instead.

The thought of buying gear, trying/using it and then returning it just doesn't sit well with me at all. I prefer to support local dealers and business, and fortunately there are decent camera shops within half an hour's drive, including three Leica dealers, two secondhand dealers, three big box retail stores, and more if I drive further.

If I buy something online from overseas, it's because the cost savings are significant enough to offset the possibility of warranty issues. Otherwise, I buy in person, or from an Australian interstate retailer, after doing oodles of online research.
 
nickthetasmaniac said:
FWIW I think this is an American thing.

Down here in Aus there has never been a culture (and retailers generally don't accept) 'change-of-mind' returns. I used to work for an outdoor retailer and we always considered it incredibly rude when people would try to argue for a return on an item that wasn't faulty. Whereas from what I can gather this is commonplace in the US.
Click to expand...

The thing is, if online retailers don't want people to do change of mind returns, they can bloody well invest in brick and mortar stores locally rather than strip the local economies naked as they currently do. I feel no remorse returning stuff to the robber barons that I couldn't check out physically before buying.
 
olifaunt said:
B&H will resell returned cameras that have been shot with as "new." I know from experience. If you really want a new camera, you have to explicitly ask them for a zero counter one IME.
Click to expand...


B & H also takes returns so if you are unhappy with what you got, send it back.


I have never purchased a camera that came with zero shots, from anyone, so I doubt B & H is unique in that area.
 
We
are full time RVer's and finding a brick and mortar shop usually does not exist with out having to travel many miles. So online buying is my only choice. What is bad for me I've become a impulse buyer. Its just to easy find something and boom PayPal and done.

And unless it is something high in cost it just gets put in a drawer or box. My Grandson has a bigger collect of film cameras than me. Space is tight in a 35ft travel trailer.

David
 
Smaug said:
Anyhow, I agree. We "have to" buy online. Then, we have to return the item, because we couldn't handle it. Then they have to either lie and say it is new or charge a restocking fee and sell it as refurbished.

Now, with sales tax becoming universal, ma 'n pa stores may be coming back!
Click to expand...

Interesting to see if the Mom and Pop stores will return because of that.

In the US our Congress is constantly looking for new sources of income that won't cause a flood of angry constituent letters and threats to vote them out. They (and many states) are trying to find a way to tax internet users at every level and disguise it so it looks like everyone else is paying, rather than that level of user (not realizing costs trickle donw :p). I would expect when they figure that out Mom-and-Pop stores might be possible.

Internet stores might be able to lower their costs and remain competitive, but I doubt it will happen as governments seek ways to get more sales income. But brick-and-mortar stores with better access would be nice.
 
Corran said:
In 10+ years of photographic equipment purchases I have made exactly one "new" purchase, a Nikon D800E that I got on release. I needed a second camera and wanted to be ahead of the curve on the upgrade cycle, with such a huge leap forward from the D700, and it paid for itself many times over quickly.

This consumption mentality is such a waste of time, money, and resources. There's so much used stuff out there that's basically new, because people buy it and use it for one trip or a couple weeks and then get bored. Photography is a massive hobby, and a massive cash-cow it seems. I am starting to see Nikon Z-series cameras in the wild a lot. I don't get it. The "latest and greatest" is really just a few % points "better" technically and doesn't do anything you couldn't do with the older stuff (heck, I eschewed digital for film anyway). Of course folks can do what they want with their money. Funny though how there's a constant drumbeat of "the sky is falling" but folks keep running out to buy the latest iPhone (X+1) that is basically identical to last years model while sweatshops on the other side of the planet pump them out, along with massive amounts of emissions and waste.
Click to expand...

Ditto. In college, I bought a refurb iMac (still going strong, several RAM and SSD upgrades later) and haven't bought new-in-box electronics since, save for a pair of earbuds.
I'm in complete agreement; there's an amazing amount of used gear out there, much of it in very good shape. Re:phones..obviously countless numbers are lost and broken, but what gets traded in for the latest and greatest is usually pristine. Just picked up an iPhone 7, box and accessories included, for under $200 without a scratch on it.

Regarding B&M shops, I do love my local shop (Glazer's mentioned here a few times) and appreciate that they even have a used department, but I don't find much in what I'm looking for. KEH serves me well. I try and get as much as I can locally regarding supplies and accessories, but as mentioned earlier, there's only certain things B&M retailers choose to carry. I guess we're lucky here in Seattle that all of my hobbies and avocations are well represented.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom