Not so positive experience with B&H

[trifid]

I like both bhphoto and adorama, but I do have to point out I wish bhphoto would have a better ETA system. When the Mac Mini 2018 came out, I ordered on bhphoto and while my credit card wasn't charged, my order sat there with no ETA. After a week or so I decided to cancel the order.

 

[F-Train]

I like both bhphoto and adorama, but I do have to point out I wish bhphoto would have a better ETA system. When the Mac Mini 2018 came out, I ordered on bhphoto and while my credit card wasn't charged, my order sat there with no ETA. After a week or so I decided to cancel the order.

B&H has a system for new products that enables you to get immediate notice by e-mail when a product comes into stock. It also has a search function that one can use to determine what is in stock at any given time.

The first function is on every new product page and the second function is on every product page, whether new or not. On the second function, see this post: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-have-the-mac-mini-b-h.2152518/#post-26813771 The e-mail that I refer to two posts above that (#23) is a result of asking for an e-mail when certain versions of the mini come into stock.

With the greatest respect, B&H and other companies can make these tools available, but they can't force people to see them and use them.

 

[trifid]

B&H has a system for new products that enables you to get immediate notice by e-mail of what is in stock. It also has a search function that one can use to determine what is in stock at any given time.

The first function is on every new product page and the second function is on every product page, whether new or not. On the second function, see this post: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-have-the-mac-mini-b-h.2152518/#post-26813771 The e-mail that I refer to two posts above that (#23) is a result of asking for an e-mail when certain versions of the mini come into stock.

With the greatest respect, B&H and other companies can make these tools available, but they can't force people to see them and use them.

Right, so the one I ordered was 'backordered' my thinking was that sure, bhphoto will likely place an order with Apple because it's a custom config and I'll have to wait a bit more but I should start seeing some process going through like "order placed with vendor, waiting shipment" or something like that. The issue is that there was absolutely zero ETA, there was no way for me to know what was going on. After some googling I found a lot of people with similar cases.

Backorder B&H already 5 months...
https://www.velocityreviews.com/threads/backorder-b-h-already-5-months.419840/

How long to wait on a B&H Back-order?
https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/how-long-to-wait-on-a-b-h-back-order.470387/

B&H backorder fulfillment time?
https://www.reddit.com/r/fujix/comments/5okjj3/bh_backorder_fulfillment_time/

Why I’m Losing Faith in B&H Photo
https://williambeem.com/why-im-losing-faith-in-bh-photo/

Anyone else on backorder with B&H?
https://forums.androidcentral.com/asus-eeepad-transformer/80887-anyone-else-backorder-b-h.html

It seems to me either they should communicate better what the status of backorder is, or just not allow placing orders at all. Honestly it's the first time I've come across something like this.

 

[OLDGUYWITHAHIFI]

My rule is if I order something I don't change anything. Color, model, shipping method, etc. I order it as it appears on the site, it arrives as scheduled, never had issues. Never can understand why people complain when they order something and then make changes, and then act disappointed when it does not work out as they expected.

 

[F-Train]

Right, so the one I ordered was 'backordered' my thinking was that sure, bhphoto will likely place an order with Apple because it's a custom config and I'll have to wait a bit more but I should start seeing some process going through like "order placed with Apple, waiting shipment" or something like that. The issue is that there was absolutely zero ETA, there was no way for me to know what was going on. After some googling I find a lot of people with similar cases.


Backorder B&H already 5 months...
https://www.velocityreviews.com/threads/backorder-b-h-already-5-months.419840/

How long to wait on a B&H Back-order?
https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/how-long-to-wait-on-a-b-h-back-order.470387/

B&H backorder fulfillment time?
https://www.reddit.com/r/fujix/comments/5okjj3/bh_backorder_fulfillment_time/

Why I’m Losing Faith in B&H Photo
https://williambeem.com/why-im-losing-faith-in-bh-photo/

Anyone else on backorder with B&H?
https://forums.androidcentral.com/asus-eeepad-transformer/80887-anyone-else-backorder-b-h.html

It seems to me either they should communicate better what the status of backorder is, or just not allow placing orders at all. It's really unusual for them to have this type of system, honestly it's the first time I've come across something like this.

Here are some facts about B&H and the Mac mini...

B&H is at this point a mass retailer that has just finished, or is soon to finish, a new 500,000 square foot warehouse.

B&H was not going to have, and did not have, any configuration of the Mac mini when Apple did.

Its ability to deliver was entirely dependent on Apple's own demand, notwithstanding the fact that B&H is an important retailer that has expended a lot of effort on being seen as an Apple reseller.

This is not different from other high end gear. If I want a Sound Devices audio recorder on day one of its release, I am going to get it through Gotham Sound, not B&H, which will have it anywhere from a week to a month later. You want the latest high-end Leica camera on release day? Don't order it from B&H. You wanted Freefly's terrific Movi Cinema Robot gimbal for iPhones when it was released in May, well I did, and I got it directly from Freefly, not B&H, which had it about six weeks later. By the way, Freefly has just announced that you can now purchase the MCR in Apple stores.

And why would you order a Mac mini from B&H rather than Apple on release day? There is only one plausible reason, which is that you are trying to engage in tax evasion. Either that, or you have some mishigas* idea that B&H will somehow deliver the computer that you want faster than Apple will.

B&H became potentially attractive to a small number of purchasers on 15 November, when it offered certain non-base configurations on what was obviously a limited and transient basis. I already gave you the link for that, see posts 23 and 25: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...d-apple-stores-have-the-mac-mini-b-h.2152518/

If you want to purchase products from B&H that are new to the market, realise that you are going to have to wait a bit and use the tool that it offers you to be notified immediately when the product that you are interested in is in stock.

What this comes down to is people engaging in tax evasion who are bitching that B&H doesn't deliver as fast as Apple.

*A Yiddish word that captures an idea that is particularly appropriate in this discussion, for which there is no English translation. Besides, if any New Yorkers read this, they will smile.

 

[trifid]

Here are some facts about B&H and the Mac mini...

B&H is at this point a mass retailer that has just finished, or is soon to finish, a new 500,000 square foot warehouse.

B&H was not going to have, and did not have, any configuration of the Mac mini when Apple did.

Its ability to deliver was entirely dependent on Apple's own demand, notwithstanding the fact that B&H is an important retailer that has expended a lot of effort on being seen as an Apple reseller.

This is not different from other high end gear. If I want a Sound Devices audio recorder on day one of its release, I am going to get it through Gotham Sound, not B&H, which will have it anywhere from a week to a month later. You want the latest high-end Leica camera on release day? Don't order it from B&H. You wanted Freefly's terrific Movi Cinema Robot gimbal for iPhones when it was released, well I did, and I got it directly from Freefly, not B&H, which had it about six weeks later. By the way, Freefly has just announced that you can now purchase the MCR in Apple stores.

And why would you order a Mac mini from B&H rather than Apple on release day? There is only one plausible reason, which is that you are trying to engage in tax evasion. Either that, or you have some mishigas* idea that B&H will somehow deliver the computer that you want faster than Apple will.

B&H became potentially attractive to a small number of purchasers on 15 November, when it offered certain non-base configurations. I already gave you the link for that, see posts 23 and 25: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...d-apple-stores-have-the-mac-mini-b-h.2152518/

If you want to purchase products from B&H that are new to the market, realise that you are going to have to wait a bit and use the tool that it offers you to be notified immediately when the product that you are interested in is in stock.

*A Yiddish word that captures an idea that is particularly appropriate in this discussion, for which there is no English translation. Besides, if any New Yorkers read this, they will smile.

Which is exactly why I said "It seems to me either they should communicate better what the status of backorder is, or just not allow placing orders at all." Why allow placing order for new items if they will not keep the customer informed throughout the potentially long process? It'd be best not to allow placing orders at all, and instead have customers sign up for email notifications like you said.

 

[F-Train]

Which is exactly why I said "It seems to me either they should communicate better what the status of backorder is, or just not allow placing orders at all." Why allow placing order for new items if they will not keep the customer informed throughout the potentially long process? It'd be best not to allow placing orders at all, and instead have customers sign up for email notifications like you said.

Are you serious?

If you want certain products, such as Heliopan filters, the wait can be several months. B&H has no idea when these filters will arrive. Photographers who have half a brain know that. So you might order now, waiting for the filters to come in, at which point you are at the top of the list, but under no obligation to buy. This applies to a lot of the specialised products that B&H sells.

If I want to order something from B&H, and they tell me that they won't take my order unless it is in stock, do you have any idea what that would do to their business among their professional customers?

Do you know that if you order a high-end Leica camera, whether from B&H or anyone else, it can take up to a year to get delivery, and that the retailer has no idea when the camera will be available?

What do you expect? That Apple should send an e-mail every day to B&H to send to you about a computer that you know perfectly well B&H hasn't got, and that you've only ordered from B&H in the first place because you want to evade paying your taxes?

You know, I've said twice in this thread that my preferred NY photographic retailer is FotoCare. There's a reason for that. They don't do discounts, but price isn't everything. Mass retailers have their place, but maybe figure out that dealing with Apple and a discount, tax evasion assisting reseller is going to be a different experience.

What planet are you people on?

 

[trifid]

@F-Train then I don't think they should treat consumer-grade hardware the same a professional-grade, there was no shortage of Mac Mini or issues with inventory, all I'm saying is I think they could improve the way they currently do things. Like I said before I'm not alone in this, there are a lot of users online complaining about the process.

 

[F-Train]

@F-Train then I don't think they should treat consumer-grade hardware the same a professional-grade, there was no shortage of Mac Mini or issues with inventory, all I'm saying is I think they could improve the way they currently do things. Like I said before I'm not alone in this, there are a lot of users online complaining about the process.

Here's a guide by a New York resident who regularly does business with B&H and Adorama on how to purchase a 2018 Mac mini...

Go to an Apple store. If you think that the specs might work, purchase an i5/8GB/256GB mini. Try it out. If you decide that you want different specs, as I did, go back to an Apple store (doesn't even have to be the same one), return it and order an i7/8GB/51GB.

On Black Friday, in a completely jammed NY Apple store, this transaction took me about 20 minutes.

Wait less than a week for the new mini. Silence for a few days, followed by detailed updates. Specific ordering/shipping details here, from post #90: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mac-mini-shipping.2152361/page-4#post-26838136

Greet the FedEx guy who shows up at your door with your new computer. Know that if there is any problem with it, you have 14 days to return it, no questions asked. After that, if there is a problem, take it to an Apple store, which in my experience will deal with it. If you purchased AppleCare, as I did, they will deal with it until 2021.

Wonder why on earth anyone would purchase a Mac mini from B&H or Adorama unless he or she:

1. had an urgent need for a spec that one of these stores happened to have in stock; or
2. wanted to evade paying tax on the purchase.

 

[sclawis300]

After waffling back and forth regarding 8GB vs 16GB (and waiting for the i5 16GB/256GB to come into stock at B&H), I finally bit the bullet when that exact model briefly showed in stock and same day expedited shipping at B&H yesterday.

I quickly ordered it for expedited shipping, my CC was authorized for the full amount and I received an order confirmation. After I ordered, I noticed that the exact model was no longer showing as in stock, so I figured I must have gotten the last one they had for the day or maybe it was even the only one they had for the day.

After realizing that my wife and I may have scheduling issues later this week, I decided to change the shipping from free expedited (expected delivery Friday) to 1 day saver shipping for $30 (expected delivery today). That way, if delivery was attempted and no one was at home, I'd at least have a couple of business days to try and be available for the delivery. I made this change by chatting with B&H CSR online. He confirmed that the delivery would be Wednesday (today) and promptly authorized my CC for the $30.

Anyway, checking order status yesterday, it was stuck at processing with "order sent to the warehouse" all day. I figured this is normal as a tracking number, etc. probably wouldn't be generated until later in the evening or even the following morning (ie, this morning).

But, I got up this morning and the order status hadn't changed and my order still showed as being "cancel-able." So, that's what I did - I just went ahead and canceled it.

I can't remember if I had ever ordered from them in the past, but I have a feeling I hadn't b/c I had to set up an account, etc.

Anyway, not sure what happened here - maybe they had an inventory issue and my order was placed right when the configuration went out of stock again but it's going to make me wary of ordering from them again, no matter how good the deal. If it was an inventory issue, then if they would have just communicated that to me right away, I wouldn't have minded at all.

So you didn’t even contact them to ask? You just cancelled it? I don’t understand. Never had anything other than a great experience with them. I understand that doesn’t mean every experience is perfect but it doesn’t seem like you even gave them a chance.

 

[Cat-toy]

I actually as an NYC resident opted to pick my mini up at the Greenwich CT.(Apple) store. I work in Larchmont. saving about 2% tax over nyc but more importantly it's just more convenient to get to driving

 

[DVD9]

I get it that it can be frustrating for some but I bought a 2018 Mini for the amazing price of 999$ from Androma on Black Friday. It was back ordered but only took 3 days to finally be marked shipped. Their "free" shipping was really next day delivery. I was amazed and will happily buy from them again. My simple rule for ordering online is don't order unless you want to keep the product. Any vendor selling stuff makes the cancel process awkward.

Best Buy has the i5 Mini for that price right now. Amazon briefly had the 15" Macbook pro base model for $2,099- a week back.

 

[maflynn]

[MOD NOTE]
A number of posts were removed, this thread isn't about Adorama's issues with the MacBook Pro, please stay on topic

 

[Strider64]

It's been hit or miss for me with B & H Photo for me, but fortunately the misses have been minor. By minor I mean packages that looked like they were reused or the expensive camera equipment looked like it was boxed by a 2-year-old. It was probably just luck that the delivery guy(s) were careful when they delivered the package(s) that it came in one piece. All online retailers must now have the states sales tax figured in with the purchase, but before that I didn't feel too guilty not figuring in the online purchases when it came to my states taxes. Though to be honest until recently I been either to broke to purchase anything expensive from B & H Photo or I purchase elsewhere that had the sales taxes included. Michigan in 2017 had a surplus of 650 million or so and I sent them an email asking why don't they use some of that money to fix the crumbling roads? Their response was the surplus is meant for a "rainy day". I did a hand slap to my forehead when I read the reply. I personally would consider crumbling roads to be a "rainy day" type of situation. . Sorry about going off-topic a little, but I was just trying to point out that I don't think people buy from B & H Photo now are trying to avoid paying taxes for B & H has to figure in the sales taxes now.

 

[Fishrrman]

My experience with B&H was good enough, ordered a camera from them, it came within 2 days.

Earlier this year, a friend ordered a custom-configured iMac with SSD from them. They had it in stock and again it arrived in 2 days, actually earlier than expected.

I believe B&H is now charging sales tax to Connecticut purchasers, so there's no advantage there any longer. Same with New Jersey (they have a warehouse there).

 

[DVD9]

B&H employs illegal labor.

Google it. I saw a demonstration of their workforce on Democracy Now!

The more you look at B&H the more crimes you see that exceed tax evasion.

 

[dogslobber]

Best Buy has the i5 Mini for that price right now.

It’s a great price especially if you buy in a free state like DE.