DEATH of a camera shop

[Oy]

Originally Posted by jezlee

My view is that if I could find a little shop in my area, staffed with polite, intelligent, knowledgeable staff where you could go and try out various items at your leisure and receive helpful advice, without feeling as though you are being pressured into a sale, then I would be willing to do so.

Me too - and lucky I shop at oen just like that

Mathers in Bolton, Lancs. They have a regular add in Amateur Photographer Magazine - and I've yet to see an online retailer beat them on price for stuff I've bought.

[Bushcraft]

Personally I would rather pay more and have a traditional helpful service, and I do this when and where I can. However chain stores I will try and avoid. When it comes to Jessops I will personally stay well clear, the advice I have been given from them has been awful and their prices are up to £500 more on some items. Until the other month there Sandisk Extreme 3 CF 2G card was £212.99 when I can get them elsewhere for £78.99!!! they have no excuse and when I wrote to them about there massive mark ups they replied and said it was to do with the manufactures, which is complete rubbish! I have run my own business since the age of 18 and I have sold most things by major brands and I know what price I could and can get things for and they would get them a heck of a lot cheaper than me due to bulk buying.

Traditional 'fair' shops are the way to go but sadly I feel in the years ahead it will be the dreaded warehouse that rules, but I have to say the service they provide is very very good in a lot of cases.

OK rant over

[Mark43]

I purchased my camera in Jessops purely because it was the cheapest price anywhere at that time including all online stores but the experience wasn't good.

The guy and girl who served me didn't have a clue...........they were certainly polite but could not answer most of my questions.When i asked about lenses for the camera they told me the ones i asked about didn't exist

Not impressed at all although i hesitate to dismiss all Jessops stores as being the same as that would be unfair.

[Bushcraft]

Originally Posted by Mark43

Not impressed at all although i hesitate to dismiss all Jessops stores as being the same as that would be unfair.

Good point Mark, thats very true. Im still sitting on the floor after you said you found somthing cheaper there though

[Mark43]

Originally Posted by Bushcraft

Good point Mark, thats very true. Im still sitting on the floor after you said you found somthing cheaper there though

Hahaha.........it's not the norm i can tell you.
About a month or 2 ago they had a big discount on all DSLR's and i just happened to be there at the right time.

[Jonny]

Well I bought my sony h1 from jessops, I originally went in (after a lot of research) for a panasonic fz 20, they had one left, which I asked them to put aside for me. When I got to the shop (my local one), the battery was missing, so I did not buy it. They recommended me the sony instead and gave me a huge discount, so I could not resist, had a wedding to go to that day and wanted a new camera. Still not sure if I did the right thing or not...............Jon

[Boddie]

Originally Posted by Jonny

Well I bought my sony h1 from jessops, I originally went in (after a lot of research) for a panasonic fz 20, they had one left, which I asked them to put aside for me. When I got to the shop (my local one), the battery was missing, so I did not buy it. They recommended me the sony instead and gave me a huge discount, so I could not resist, had a wedding to go to that day and wanted a new camera. Still not sure if I did the right thing or not...............Jon

Depends what your first choice was

[Jonny]

Originally Posted by Boddie

Depends what your first choice was

What do you mean ? The camera, the shop or the wedding..............Jon

[Boddie]

Yeah the camera.

[Jonny]

Originally Posted by Boddie

Yeah the camera.

1st choice was the panasonic fz 20, I did a lot of research on the internet and camera mags and it kept on comming out top. Am happy with the sony, though the movie mode has gone up the shoot and it now makes a whirring noise when on, but it still takes good pictures............Jon