Adorama is one of those companies that does everything so well that they've practically set the standard by which other companies should be compared. To begin with, Adorama's stock is quite extensive so I never have to purchase photo supplies elsewhere. But while the stock is extensive it's presented in web pages that are quite manageable, preventing the buyer from be overwhelmed ... Read More
Adorama is one of those companies that does everything so well that they've practically set the standard by which other companies should be compared. To begin with, Adorama's stock is quite extensive so I never have to purchase photo supplies elsewhere. But while the stock is extensive it's presented in web pages that are quite manageable, preventing the buyer from be overwhelmed with choices. And I never have reservations about purchasing something that I'm unsure about, because Adorama has a "no worries" type of return policy. To finish, I've ordered photo prints from several places, but Adorama's prints were the only ones to have accurate colors (i.e., they look exactly as they appear on my calibrated monitor). Adorama's prints were also the only ones to be shipped in sturdy cardboard containers, not cardboard/paper envelopes that others use. If I were a professional photographer, which I'm far from being, I still would use Adorama as my one-stop-shopping for supplies and prints.
Placed order on October 2nd. Paid for 3 day shipping. Inquired about status on October 9th because the order hadn't even been PROCESSED yet. I finally received the order on October 15th - a week late for my scheduled shoot. They NEVER responded to my email inquiry. A phone call to complain on the 15th was met with total indifference. There was no 'How can we make it better?', no 'How can we retain you as a customer?' Customer service here is pitiful. I was shocked that in this economy any company could act as badly and expect to stay in business. I will never order from them again. I would rather pay more somewhere else.
Update 10-26-09: In response to this review, they refunded my shipping charges. I in turn raised their rating.
This review was modified by its author, devildoggy, on
10/26/09 9:53 AM.
My experience of purchasing a Nikon DR-5 Right Angle Finder from Adorama was faultless in every respect. The price was very competitive and the Finder arrived remarkably quickly and in excellent condition.
It was a very wonderful experience. I wanted my purchases to be shipped before they close for the Succos holiday and they did. I bought on the last day before they closed for the holiday. HASSLE-FREE. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS RETAILER TO EVERYONE. I think Adorama and another big New York Photo-video store are owned by one company. Their phone extensions are remarkably similar.
Great selection on astronomy and photography gear. Usually the best price. Do yourself a favor and pay a few dollars for shipping. Free shipping is FedEx SmartPost which is usually a disaster.
Also, these guys tend to close on certain holidays. They were shut down for a week recently with NO MESSAGE on the website during the closure and no warning at checkout. Ended up putting me behind on a project while I waited for an order to ship.
This review was modified by its author, rojadef, on
10/16/09 5:10 AM.
I have been an amateur photographer for 30 years and have always wanted to invest in quality macro equipment. I have done considerable research online to find the right digital camera and supporting "gadgets" for close-up photography, and the only company who had everything I wanted was Adorama, so instead of ordering online, I called and was instantly speaking to a live human!!! The salesman was very helpful as I explained to him that I was new to macro photogaphy and was looking at spending almost $3,000..We went through each item on my list and he suggested alternatives, some less expensive, some with better quality, and we added a couple of items I had completely overlooked (angled view finder). When we were finished, I was completely satisfied that it was money well spent especially after getting excellent customer service from a knowledgable employee (Myer) who really wanted to help me take better photos.
This review was modified by its author, tomfox, on
10/25/09 6:04 PM.
The Customer Service Rep. Julio F. at Adorama was more helpful than I imagined. As I was uncertain which item to order and when to order, Julio helped me work through the pros & cons until I came to a decision. Julio's professionalism with just the right amount of humor made my purchase not only satisfying but enjoyable. Thank you Adorama - Badda Bing! BH from Richmond, Virginia
Fantastic store! I have done business with Adorama both online and in person. They have excellent, fast customer service and unbeatable prices. With this order, I purchased a used camera body and used lens. Both were in -better- than stated condition. The item shipped when they said it would and the packaging inside the box was plentiful to ensure it was not damaged.
I sold my used camera equipment to Adorama for a VERY reasonable price. Jack Gold, the used sale equipment rep. said it is Adorama's goal to make the customer satisfied. Normally companies don't care about their mission, but Adorama takes it very seriously! After some negotiation of price quotes, I was left with the price I wanted and a smile on my face.
I would like to take this opportunity to say that Adorama, & in particular, Al Lefko are excellent at providing customer service.
This morning when I got to work, I realized one of the items in my order was the wrong one. Al helped me find the correct item while patiently asking questions and listening to my needs.
In addition, he helped cancel the order and submit a new one. He also assisted me in dealing with Bill Me Later and helping to make sure they accepted the new order in a timely manner.
I am happy to say that my brother will be receiving his new wedding gift- a Nikon D5000 in time for the big day! This may not be the case had I not received such outstanding customer service!
I ordered a top of the line Hoya UV filter. I chose free shipping, waited for 'the holiday' to end, and got the thing in about 8 days. (NY to FL) It was packed in a white plastic 'padded' (not!) bag. The lens cover is used. It came in a Hoya cardboard box; no outer hard plastic shell that all Hoyas come in, no tissue paper, no protection of any kind inside the plastic disc container - just a scratched filter sitting inside two pieces of plastic, inside a cardboard box that was obviously opened from the bottom.
I had to wait three days for another 'holiday' to get a human on the phone for return instructions. She was rude. I directly asked three times if I would be getting a REFUND, and she would not directly answer me. The third time I asked I was put on hold.
Now I have exceeded the 14 days return policy, which I wasted away working for a living. So, I saved 20 bucks and got a used piece of junk, wasted time on the phone with a rude woman, and still have to drop more cash for the high end filter I originally wanted.
I have learned my lesson and will DEAL LOCALLY where I can look a human in the face and where they care if I come back to spend my money, so they treat me with courtesy and respect and make me want to come back. If that costs 20% more, it is worth it.
I was referred to Adorama by an online photog who raves about it and three or 4 other online vendors. In fact, I clicked through from his site when I ordered - you think the uncaring folks at Adorama would see I was a referral and send me the new product I ordered. If they had, I wouldn't have had to call customer 'service' and they could have saved the trouble of not even pretending to be nice.
I will be purchasing thousands, not hundreds of gear in the next year or so - NONE of it from Adorama.
This review was modified by its author, jokes_on_me, on
10/12/09 7:30 PM.
