Curious about B&H & mkiii shipments

[jwillis]

Thanks to Atomicpunk's post in the Best Buy preorder thread, I'll amend my B&H body-only order info to "cancelled, next day order placed with Best Buy".

[xthebillx]

Given the numbers atomicpunk was able to compile; and assuming all orders placed on 3/2 are for mkiii's, we're looking at 8300 units ordered.
Sure, not 100% of those orders are for mkiii's, but a large quantity are.
Sure, there's this: http://www.canonrumors.com/2012/03/5d-mark-iii-availability/, but B*tches & Hos aren't being very forthcoming about where things are with their incoming shipments etc.
With a 577xx order number, I'm beginning to get skeptical about getting my body before they close for Passover.

B&H customer service aren't giving me any info that hasn't already been posted here by someone else.
Best Buy adds sales tax, bringing it up to $3700, which at that speed I might as well get the kit (which I don't need or want).

Sorry to have diverged from the original intent of the post, I'm feeling frustrated by the lack of information.

Have a great day!

[henryp]

We regret your frustration and appreciate your eagerness. We received a batch of EOS 5DMKIII bodies and body+lens kits last Thursday. We expect another delivery this week. I don't know the day or quantity and if I did I could not say. Macy's does not tell Gimbels after all.

BTW, we do have the EOS 5DMkIII camera + 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens kit in stock.

Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video

[xthebillx]

We regret your frustration and appreciate your eagerness. We received a batch of EOS 5DMKIII bodies and body+lens kits last Thursday. We expect another delivery this week. I don't know the day or quantity and if I did I could not say. Macy's does not tell Gimbels after all.

BTW, we do have the EOS 5DMkIII camera + 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens kit in stock.

Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video

Gimbel's, Henry? That's a great reference.
I did chat with one of your CS rep's a few minutes ago, and they were very helpful; so for that I am appreciative.

[fotonut]

My order number is right in that gap --- 10197546xx, ordered right after midnite PST on 3/2.  Shipped Thursday, supposed to arrive today.

Still need more orders to figure out where First Shipment stopped.

B&H Orders - 5DIII Body Only

10197527xx  First Shipment
10197528xx  First Shipment
10197531xx  First Shipment
10197532xx  First Shipment
10197536xx  First Shipment
10197538xx  First Shipment
10197544xx  First Shipment
10197553xx  0530 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197554xx  0615 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197554xx  0625 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197557xx  0700 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197559xx  0710 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197560xx  0715 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197563xx  0725 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197565xx  0740 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197576xx  0800 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197577xx  0803 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197597xx  1200 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197636xx  1443 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197649xx  1900 EST 3/3  Backorder
10197722xx  1200 EST 3/4  Backorder
10197974xx  0925 EST 3/6  Backorder
10198120xx  1200 EST 3/7  Backorder
10198200xx  1200 EST 3/7  Backorder
10198234xx  1200 EST 3/8  Backorder
xxxxx983xx  1200 EST 3/14 Backorder

[xthebillx]

Thanks fotonut!

B&H Orders - 5DIII Body Only

10197527xx  First Shipment
10197528xx  First Shipment
10197531xx  First Shipment
10197532xx  First Shipment
10197536xx  First Shipment
10197538xx  First Shipment
10197544xx  First Shipment
10197546xx  0300 EST 3/2  Shipped 3/22
10197553xx  0530 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197554xx  0615 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197554xx  0625 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197557xx  0700 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197559xx  0710 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197560xx  0715 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197563xx  0725 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197565xx  0740 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197576xx  0800 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197577xx  0803 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197597xx  1200 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197636xx  1443 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197649xx  1900 EST 3/3  Backorder
10197722xx  1200 EST 3/4  Backorder
10197974xx  0925 EST 3/6  Backorder
10198120xx  1200 EST 3/7  Backorder
10198200xx  1200 EST 3/7  Backorder
10198234xx  1200 EST 3/8  Backorder
xxxxx983xx  1200 EST 3/14 Backorder
[/quote]
[/quote]

[JasonATL]

I think 3/22 was the first shipment.

[echojs]

FWIW, 10197636xx  1443 EST 3/2  Backorder  --  I've canceled and will go a different route.

[xthebillx]

I think 3/22 was the first shipment.

You're right. My missteak.

10197527xx  First Shipment
10197528xx  First Shipment
10197531xx  First Shipment
10197532xx  First Shipment
10197536xx  First Shipment
10197538xx  First Shipment
10197544xx  First Shipment
10197546xx  First Shipment
10197553xx  0530 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197554xx  0615 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197554xx  0625 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197557xx  0700 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197559xx  0710 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197560xx  0715 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197563xx  0725 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197565xx  0740 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197576xx  0800 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197577xx  0803 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197597xx  1200 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197636xx  1443 EST 3/2  Backorder
10197649xx  1900 EST 3/3  Backorder
10197722xx  1200 EST 3/4  Backorder
10197974xx  0925 EST 3/6  Backorder
10198120xx  1200 EST 3/7  Backorder
10198200xx  1200 EST 3/7  Backorder
10198234xx  1200 EST 3/8  Backorder
10198983xx  1200 EST 3/14 Backorder

[hoghavemercy]

We regret your frustration and appreciate your eagerness. We received a batch of EOS 5DMKIII bodies and body+lens kits last Thursday. We expect another delivery this week. I don't know the day or quantity and if I did I could not say. Macy's does not tell Gimbels after all.

BTW, we do have the EOS 5DMkIII camera + 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens kit in stock.

Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video

is there a possibility of getting some kind of a voucher or a discount for a 5D Mark III grip if mine does not arrive when you close for Passover, I'm in no hurry to get mine since I pre ordered on the 14th. but i;ve been scouring the web for availability.

[canonuser]

I'm with you, xthebillx. I'm getting really frustrated here, too. I'm on the list as the earliest pre-order that has not yet shipped. The 2 times I've reached out to Live Chat, I just get generic "we don't know" messages.

I'm seeing in other threads that other resellers have been shipping second batches already for people that ordered...LAST WEEK.

Something is really wrong here and I wish I knew what it was. Is it that B&H really has not received a second shipment? I find it hard to believe if other competitors have.

Some speculation:

1. Canon really dropped the ball here and is not distributing the product fairly. Why two shipments to a competitor that clearly has less demand? Perhaps B&H never did get a second shipment, but the situation is getting increasingly suspicious. I'm starting to think it's one of these latter situations:

2. B&H favors "time-off" - case in point that they only take online orders when it's convenient. Not common for online retailers. In this second scenario, I could see them sitting on a huge stock and getting around to it when they feel like it.

3. B&H is being unfair to their online customers. Perhaps there was so much walk-in demand, they did receive a second shipment and they are trying to make their face-to-face customers happy and selling to them until demand dies down and then finally deciding to pay attention to their online customers. If this is true, B&H, please don't penalize those of us that are not in NY and that have been loyal customers for years.

Is there anyone that has been buying from their New York store that can report on this? What kind of in-store stock have they been having?

I really like B&H's prices, and their phone staff is knowledgeable. This experience, however, has taught me to never do a pre-order through them again.

[GeorgieGirl]

B&H is a highly reputable organization IMHO....if you ever have the opportunity to visit them in NYC you will be so overwhelmed with their operation that you will want to find a case study on their operation but probably won't. It's amazing and probably closer to Top Secret than anything we could ever contemplate.

Having said that, there is a well known common understanding of the benefits from being a loyal B&H customer and the balance of their own mission statement; a knowledgble and insightful open minded point of view on how and when they do business and what to expect is required....look into the bigger picture. (wink)

[canonuser]

I agree. I have had great phone conversations with them on the phone in the past. Not only courteous, but friendly, patient, and knowledgeable. I do like them as a company and I am one of those loyal customers.

I'm not sure what "benefits" you speak of, but as an online loyal customer, I don't have access to them. I'm "just a number" and happen to be one of those that is being kept in the dark.

It's really too bad that we as a community have to do our own investigating to figure out who ordered what and when and how many shipments have gone out. They shouldn't have to make us work this hard for clarity on the situation. More transparency would be nice so people don't feel as though their patience is being taken advantage of.

[peederj]

I can't conceive of a universe in which a leading online retailer would sit on stock or mislead its customers for convenience purposes.

Suggesting that their observance of their religious tradition is a matter of "convenience" is a 100% unacceptable slur.

I am certain Canon has limited their stock and has tried to prop up its mom-and-pop channel instead with inventory. It's Canon you should be hating on.

but even then remember there essentially is no working software yet. There are workarounds that are satisfactory but these are the early days.

I ordered as early as I could from them, while you were "conveniently" asleep, and I have mine in perfect working order. I am so sorry you were unable to provide a strong customer response to their sales offer, clearly you need to examine your procedures and efficiency.

[dbherman]

I'm with you, xthebillx. I'm getting really frustrated here, too. I'm on the list as the earliest pre-order that has not yet shipped. The 2 times I've reached out to Live Chat, I just get generic "we don't know" messages.

I'm seeing in other threads that other resellers have been shipping second batches already for people that ordered...LAST WEEK.

Something is really wrong here and I wish I knew what it was. Is it that B&H really has not received a second shipment? I find it hard to believe if other competitors have.

Some speculation:

1. Canon really dropped the ball here and is not distributing the product fairly. Why two shipments to a competitor that clearly has less demand? Perhaps B&H never did get a second shipment, but the situation is getting increasingly suspicious. I'm starting to think it's one of these latter situations:

2. B&H favors "time-off" - case in point that they only take online orders when it's convenient. Not common for online retailers. In this second scenario, I could see them sitting on a huge stock and getting around to it when they feel like it.

3. B&H is being unfair to their online customers. Perhaps there was so much walk-in demand, they did receive a second shipment and they are trying to make their face-to-face customers happy and selling to them until demand dies down and then finally deciding to pay attention to their online customers. If this is true, B&H, please don't penalize those of us that are not in NY and that have been loyal customers for years.

Is there anyone that has been buying from their New York store that can report on this? What kind of in-store stock have they been having?

I really like B&H's prices, and their phone staff is knowledgeable. This experience, however, has taught me to never do a pre-order through them again.

Couple of things. First of all, as someone else just mentioned, saying that taking time off for a holiday as convenience is completely out of line. B and H is owned and operated by mostly orthodox Jews, they are taking time off because it is their religion and faith, not just for vacation.

Second, they have not sold any in store from my knowledge, I was there earlier this week and the gentleman i talked with said all shipments are going towards online orders.