First bad experience with B&H

[BobF]

Been a happy B&H customer for many years. Have spent more than my fair share of dollars in the store and online. Sadly, I have my first bad experience with them.

Recently bought a keyboard/case combination for my tablet. Got it home, put the packaging aside and took the case down to my office. Got waylaid on other things so didn't get to check it out right away. In the meantime, without thinking, the next day I threw out the box from B&H which also had the manufacturer's box for the case. Checked out the case today and it's simply not compatible with my tablet. The cutouts for the various ports and toggle switches don't match up at all despite the description on the B&H website. Not sure where the fault lies with that but the fact is it's not compatible. The cutout for the camera isn't positioned properly either. The keyboard is of very poor quality, the Bluetooth connection is intermittent and the button that needs to be pressed to pair the tablet to the keyboard is so small and so recessed that it can't be pressed with a finger. It's just a poorly designed product.

Called B&H and they claim there's nothing they can do without the manufacturer packaging. They're prepared to lose a loyal customer over a 2 cent piece of cardboard and a $50 product. That's sad. Very sad. Guess Adorama will get all of my business now.

[LouR]

To be (kind of) fair, you threw out the packaging before making sure everything was ok. I make a habit of keeping the packages of anything with a warranty, especially if it cost over $100. In a reversal of what you've experienced, I had a Maxor external HD that ceased working only 5 months after I purchased it. I put it in the box it came in and sent it off for repair. When they quoted $1200 (!!) to retrieve the data, I demanded it back. They sent it back in a shabby box and damaged as if someone tried to pry it open with a screwdriver . When I asked why didn't I get the packaging back, their reply was "we receive a lot of items for repair, we don't keep track of that kind of thing." Then when I said I got it back damaged, they wanted me to send it back again! No way.
Back on track: Did you ask to speak to someone "in charge"? While I can understand why they need the original boxes (to send it back for their own manufacturer refund), I can't believe they wouldn't do anything at all. They messed up saying it would fit your situation in the first place.

[BobF]

Yeah Lou, but you're the one who keeps mounds of memory cards as long term storage too. ;-)

Yes, I did throw out the package by accident. Box inside a box thing. The requirement to have all original packaging is bit of a joke though. For some products you can't get to the product without destroying the original packaging anyway.

Without prompting, the person I spoke with put me on hold and apparently spoke with someone else. No idea who that would have been. Did I ask to speak with a supervisor or someone else 'in charge'? No. I get tired of playing that game. Empower front line support people to address issues and truly deal with customer problems, not just regurgitate scripted pablum.

This is more about principle than anything else. It'll cost me nearly as much to send the thing back as I'll get in a refund. It's about doing the right thing and keeping a long time customer happy. Doesn't appear they're interested in doing that.

[LouR]

Yeah Lou, but you're the one who keeps mounds of memory cards as long term storage too. ;-)

Yes, I did throw out the package by accident. Box inside a box thing. The requirement to have all original packaging is bit of a joke though. For some products you can't get to the product without destroying the original packaging anyway.

Without prompting, the person I spoke with put me on hold and apparently spoke with someone else. No idea who that would have been. Did I ask to speak with a supervisor or someone else 'in charge'? No. I get tired of playing that game. Empower front line support people to address issues and truly deal with customer problems, not just regurgitate scripted pablum.

This is more about principle than anything else. It'll cost me nearly as much to send the thing back as I'll get in a refund. It's about doing the right thing and keeping a long time customer happy. Doesn't appear they're interested in doing that.

I started keeping the cards because a few years back, a computer crashed and, since one friend couldn't fix it, he sent it UPS to another and it, with 2 years of photos, got lost. Then I started putting my photos on zip disks-they started to malfunction. I have 3 hard drives that also malfunctioned and, after that fiasco with Maxor, don't want to send them back.
As for keeping the boxes, I cut them up after the warranties are over, except for my camera package.
I always ask for a supervisor if I'm not getting the answer I think I should be getting. I figure they don't know me, so I act just a bit more annoyed than I really am (having this God-awful South Jersey accent helps in those incidences).

[Skipper]

I am surprised Bob. I think you just got a rogue rep. I know on rare occasion I have gripe with B&H but I think it's only been (ironically enough) over flimsy packing/shipping and cushioning of expensive products. One thing I've always loved about B&H is the returns. Never had a problem. I've always been able to send anything back no questions asked. Granted I think I've always had manufacturer's boxes. But I am surprised they did not just say send it back. I'd try again. Especially since it sounds like they erred in your product's description. At the very least if all else fails call used dept. and offer to sell to them. I know it's a distant second place as your options go but at least you'd get something for it. Or eBay, but that's a hassle.

[BobF]

This isn't a product they'd take as used, Skipper. It's a case for a tablet, not a piece of photographic hardware.

[Sandman]

Have you tried to contact Henry Posner at B&H? He seems to be a pretty reasonable person to deal with when it comes to handling disputes between B&H and its customers.

John in, waiting for the big snow storm, NH

[mrchile]

Link to Henry's email Henry Posner

[BobF]

Henry responded to a tweet I made to B&H. His initial response was the standard insert answer A into question B. After I replied to that, he sent me an RMA.

[Skipper]

Success! Perseverance pays off!