I called in to ask about a lens and ended up purchasing it. I talked to Stanley K who was very informative and helpful. He also proved to be a bit of a wheeler dealer and tried to sell me some other stuff for the lens (a $75 B&W filter, not a bad thing), but I said no and he wasn't too peeved.  
I purchased a store demo copy of the 170-500mm Sigma APO lens for my Canon 20d. What I didn't know is that I was purchasing the non DG version, this lack of knowledge was my fault. After calling Sigma I found out I could send it in for $10 S&H and they would optimize it for me for free so its no big deal. Also Stanley told me that the item they had for such an amazing price (~$525) was very hot stuff, meaning that if I didn't order it soon, It'd probably be gone within the hour. I believed him but when I checked the website again the next week the same item was being advertised. I'm not sure if this was a mistake in advertising or a ploy to get me to buy the lens immediately.  
 
My only complaint was in the customer service after I placed the order. I called twice to ask about a warranty I purchased with the lens dialed Stanley's extension to only get his answering machine. I tried this twice at different times on different days throughout the week. I called again to ask about the effect of having the non DG lens and talked to a storefront sounding guy who did nothing but give me a few uhhhs and I don't knows. Finally he transfered me to the "customer service" and low and behold I got Stanley's answering machine again.  
 
I did get my lens in a prompt manner. I live in Santa Barbara California so it took just about a week to get the order which shipped out of New Jersey; not bad. The product is in excellent condition and there is no real evidence of too much use. I'd say that Adorama is a good place to buy but would recommend that customers be very well informed as to what they're purchasing.

Great web store interface with powerful search and plenty of descriptions and help. I got a great price on these items and they arrived on time.

Easy, painless web shopping from this store. The way it ought to be. Fast delivery. The right stuff. Brand new. A good experience.

Got item as described only problem is when you order they send an email stating you will receive an email with the tracking # when it ships, never got that eamil, but i did get the package!

I've purchased a number of photo accessories from Adorama over the last several months. Web site is good, selection is huge, decent prices, and they deliver as promised. In one case a product was backordered when I placed the order and Adorama kept me informed (and offering me the opportunity to cancel if I needed to) as they had supplier delivery problems until shipment took place -- only then was my card charged. They also tend to vary shipping companies, sometimes using USPS for small items, which definitely speeds up delivery vs sticking with UPS ground getting items to the West coast. Exceptional customer service and a firm I'd do business with again.

This review was modified by its author, aleithol, on 3/26/07 8:18 AM.

I recently placed two separate B + W filter orders with Adorama, both of which totaled over $500. For both orders, I asked for UPS 2-day shipping. The first order was placed on 3/19 and arrived in perfect condition on 3/21. The second order was placed on 3/20 and arrived in perfect condition on 3/22. All shipments were nicely packaged and were as described. Both orders were accompanied by a detailed invoice along with appropriate customer service information.  
 
This is my third time ordering from Adorama, and overall I have been very pleased with the quality and timeliness of my purchases. While I would not hesitate to order from Adorama in the future, I do agree with the majority of Adorama buyers out there who are slightly disappointed in the fact that Adorama does not actively display "out-of-stock" items on their website (although from what I understand, they don't charge your card if the item is out-of stock). Had my filters been out-of-stock, my experience with Adorama could have potentially been different.  
 
That being said, I hope Adorama reconsiders its approach in this regard--as it does have a stellar reputation in the industry (the two credible players are Adorama and Bhphoto). Let's face it, us photographers are an impatient bunch and we want what we want right now (but we are also fiercely loyal to any vendor that delivers consistent service). And while we have no problem parting with a large sum of money to satisfy our equipment cravings, we like to know "up front" whether the item is in stock (so we can make alternative arrangements if the items is not). While calling to confirm is always an option, in the long term Adorama would benefit by disclosing "out-of-stock" items on their website. This would help boost purchaser confidence levels while fostering a sense of loyalty among repeat customers. It also creates a more user-friendly and convenient buying environment where back-end customer service issues (and product delays) can be avoided with up-front disclosure. In essence, Adorama's success hinges on their ability to manage expectations.  
 
That being said, Adorama is a high quality vendor and you should not hesitate to purchase from them. If you are concerned, call to verify product availability. Hopefully they will update their website disclosure soon--as doing so makes solid business sense and is a step in the right direction to winning over the hearts and minds of the photographic community.

Very pleased. I phone ordered in a LaCie p/n 130743 PCI-e 4port eSATA card. Cy stated it was in stock, and the shipping was prompt.  
 

Excellent service items arrived as described would definitely use again. Quality products.

Order received promptly and correct as ordered. Will return for future purchases.

Update (3/23/2007):  
Despite my original post, Jerry has been very responsive and helpful in trying to resolve my camera woes. I wish I'd gone to him first! He has personally been dealing with Canon in what I imagine is an annoying process fraught with red tape and bureaucracy. He's confident that Canon will do the right thing, so once they do I'll update again.  
 
Before everything went sour, I was impressed with Adorama's customer service. I ordered a Canon SD700 on February 2nd from their website and soon afterwards someone from the company called to make sure I had actually ordered the camera. It was nice that they took the time to use the phone number I gave them to make sure the purchase wasn't fraudulent. The camera arrived promptly on the morning of February 5th.  
 
On the evening of February 21st I found the camera's picture mode toggle switch (view, manual, automatic) wasn't staying in place. The next morning I called Adorama, spent 5 minutes on hold and was told by a customer service rep that I should send it back in, that "we'll take good care of your camera". They provided me with a UPS shipping label I dropped the package off that afternoon.  
 
Then I waited. I know that Adorama has shorter hours on Friday and isn't open at all on Saturday so I expected to get an update from them about my camera early the next week. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday came and went and I heard nothing. I called on Thursday to see if they'd received the package and was on hold for 25 minutes before I hung up and got back to work. I checked the shipping label I had been sent, plugged in the tracking number on the UPS website and found that the package had been received on the morning of February 23d, scarcely 18 hours after I'd dropped it off with UPS.  
 
I was confused, Adorama had my camera in their possession for 6 days at this point and had not contacted me. I used the customer service email page found at http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?op=process&func=contactus and sent an email saying that I'd waited on the phone for too long at work, that I saw that my package had been received and asked for the status of my return.  
 
Over the next few days I heard nothing. Frustrated, I called again on Monday March 4th and waited for about 20 minutes before talking with a customer service rep. I asked about the return, and she said something along the lines of "I've pulled up your case from your phone number and it looks like we have not received the package yet". I guess got my number from caller id, I didn't say it to her. When I told her it had been signed for on the 23rd, she then said "oh, I see, there's a note, here, let me pull it up, ok, yeah, it's been dropped". When I explained to her my paranoia surrounding dropping cameras and the steps I had taken to avoid such a situation she said "well, that may be, but our technicians have determined it's been dropped". After going back and forth on this issue for a little bit, she asked if I could hold for a second and hung up on me. Since she had my phone number and I assumed hanging up on me was a mistake, I waited for her to call back but that never happened. Five minutes later I called the customer service line again and sat on hold for 10-15 minutes but had to return to work before being able to talk to someone. Later in the day I used the customer service email form again to send a message much like this one which asked for a refund, and again I didn't get a response.  
 
Two days later, on March 7th as I was leaving to go on the vacation for which I'd purchased the camera in the first place, I use the customer service form a third time describing my frustrations with the process thus far and asked for a refund. When I returned on the 12th I found two emails from Adorama (dated March 7th) waiting for me. The first read "as of now there is no posting indicating receipt of your return" and went on to describe how I could place a second order and the first would be refunded when it arrived. The second email, dated 12 minutes later, says that the camera had been dropped and they could either send it back to me or sell it as a trade in. I replied that I had not dropped the camera and would like a refund. I have heard nothing back yet. It is now March 18th, a little over 3 weeks since I sent the camera back, and I'm still in limbo as to what's going to happen.  
 
Basically, Adorama was very responsive when I purchased my camera and quite helpful with sending it back to be returned. But they never told me they received my return, they didn't respond to my first two inquiries from their customer service form, one of their customer service reps hung up on me and didn't call back when I knew she had my number, and they have told me I dropped a camera which I didn't drop but in fact kept very well protected.  
 
I guess what surprises me the most is contrast between the great customer service at the beginning of this process and the frustrating/unresponsive customer service a since I shipped the camera back. I will not be making purchases from Adorama in the future.

This review was modified by its author, rh60502, on 3/23/07 2:04 PM.

I'm the owner of a small computer business. I purchase items online on a frequent basis- carry a small inventory, for future use- sales.  
I ordered Archival Gold- Scratch Armor DVD's from Adorama. Approximately six weeks after receiving shipment from Adorama, I went to use the product I had been sent and found I had received cd-r's. The packaging looks very similar. Long story short, after a couple emails, 4 phone calls, messages left for a manager, Adorama refused to resolve my problem. I never received any returned calls from management. The cd-r's I received were never even opened. At the time, Adorama was one of the few vendors for the product I purchased. So, in my opinion, stay away from Adorama.  
I highly recommend B&H Photo, Tiger Direct.  

This is the third purchase made from Adorama. Adorama has competitive prices and on some items has the low price. All purchases made have been received in excellant condition. It is very difficult to ascertain how many days Adorama takes to process and ship an order. Their shippers will let you know they are to pick up the order and they will report your receipt; however, it is fustrating to track an order within Adorama or with their shippers.

Great service. Prompt shipment. No hassles like from many electronics dealers wanting to sell inflated price add ons. I have purchased from Adorama several times and always have had the same experience.

Very smooth transaction with prompt delivery of product that was exactly as described.