B&H Photo - Buyer Beware!!!

I've been doing business with B&H for 30 years, as I'm also a photographer and used to shoot a lot of commercial work for fashion and advertising. In fact, at one time my studio was just blocks from their store. I bought everything there. I always had good experiences, but recently they proved to be untrustworthy and deceptive.

 

I ordered a large format printer which weighed 423 lbs. in the crate. To clinch the sale they told me that I would receive free white glove delivery, which means they deliver the printer into your studio, unpack it, set it up and remove the crate from the premises. After I placed the order, a day or so later I received an email stating that the printer would be delivered curbside. When I called to talk to the salesman about the email, he said he made a "mistake" and that the printer did not qualify for white glove delivery. He then said that it was already on the way.

 

When I spoke to his supervisor, he assured me that when the delivery is made "Just offer the guys $30-$40 to bring the printer into your studio and B&H will reimburse you." Turned out on the day of the delivery there was just one guy and a hand operated fork lift, and that guy stated that it was not his responsibility to bring the printer into my studio (which is on the first floor) and he said he couldn't do it by himself. It was obvious that he couldn't do it by himself. The crate was about 7'x3'x4'. I couldn't have this huge printer sitting out on the sidewalk until I could get four guys to help bring it in, and while I tried to negotiate with the supervisor at B&H the driver said he had to leave. The supervisor at B&H promised me there would be no charge, not even for return delivery. I made him say it 3 times. He assured me that I would not be charged a single penny.

 

Guess what? In the end my credit card was billed for $185 for the return shipping. I disputed it with my credit card company, but B&H provided a bunch of paperwork that satisfied my CC company so the charge remained. If B&H would have submitted the phone recordings (they always record every call) of their deceptive behavior, I would not have been charged as they did not fulfill what they agreed to when making the sale.

 

Expensive lesson learned!

 

After 30 years of loyalty to B&H and spending an estimated $50,000 or more between equipment and soft goods, I no longer shop there and no longer recommend B&H. Since that bad experience, I've already purchased over $5000 worth of gear and software elsewhere and have more planned.

 

All I can say is, "Buyer beware!!!"

 

B&H has changed!

Damn ... and I was getting ready to buy a 423 lb printer from B&H photo.

 

Ski once ordered a piano from B&H photo and they gave him the white glove treatment.

When I bought my Mac Pro from B&H they promised the White Glove treatment, but I think they gave me the Rubber Glove treatment.

Have your fun guys but if you're wise you will heed my warning.

 

B&H has blocked my review on Yelp.

 

That speaks volumes about their lack of integrity.

Have your fun guys but if you're wise you will heed my warning.

 

B&H has blocked my review on Yelp. That speaks volumes about their lack of integrity.

 

Your warning is appreciated, sincerely, but... I'm not sure it really warrants concern. I have bought a few things from B&H over the years and never had a problem. You yourself claim to have been a thirty year satisfied B&H customer. One snafu every three-plus decades? At that rate, you stand to get unsatisfactory service from them twice in your lifetime! (Once by the time you're 50 ---assuming you started shopping there at age 20--- and once again by the time you hit 80.) I'd accept those odds from anybody.

"Unsatisfactory service" would be one thing skylark, a $185 dollar rip-off because of their lies is another. I think you would feel the same as I if they stole $185 from you. That's not chump change. And yes, I was a satisfied customer which is why I was shocked by their recent behavior but my point is that they have changed over the last 30 years and based on my recent experience they can no longer be trusted.

B&H has blocked my review on Yelp.

 

That speaks volumes about their lack of integrity.

That also speaks volumes about the non-neutrality of Yelp. After all, Yelp is in the business of selling advertisement, and their clients are companies like B&H, not end users like us.

That also speaks volumes about the non-neutrality of Yelp. After all, Yelp is in the business of selling advertisement, and their clients are companies like B&H, not end users like us.

Yeah. I noticed the B&H ad on Yelp. What B.S.!

 

Major conflict of interest when a review site is advertising companies that are being reviewed and therefore cater to their clients and not the public interest.

Major conflict of interest when a review site is advertising companies that are being reviewed and therefore cater to their clients and not the public interest.

Yelp is turning into an advertising site more than a peer to peer review site. My wife had the same experience as you: she had a legit complaint to make about a company, gave them a bad review, and Yelp immediately removed it. They finally put the review back live but 3 months later, after dozens of good reviews had been added by other customers.

Yelp is turning into an advertising site more than a peer to peer review site. My wife had the same experience as you: she had a legit complaint to make about a company, gave them a bad review, and Yelp immediately removed it. They finally put the review back live but 3 months later, after dozens of good reviews had been added by other customers.

 

That's so lame. How does Yelp expect to get repeat visitors and therefore maintain a legitimate advertising base if all we can expect is to read filtered "good" reviews instead of impartial and realistic reviews? A review site like that is worthless.

 

Capitalism gone awry.