Canon 200-400 and Adorama

[TAW]

I was lucky enough to purchase a Canon 200-400 a few weeks ago from Adorama. I have completely fallen in love with this lens. With the purchase was a 2% reward which effectively turns into a credit to use later. Somewhere between a few days and a week after I purchased the lens, Adorama started offering a 4% reward – the price of the lens did not change.

My experience is companies will normally match a sale / promotional price for 30 days. When I talked to support, they politely said bad luck but offered I could ship the lens back, get a refund and repurchase the lens with a 4% discount. That seems dishonest to me because I really like the lens and to get an extra $200 discount, they end up with a used lens and the freight carriers make bank.

My Adorama experiences have all been outstanding – including this one. One side of me says just let it go – you got exactly what you wanted for the agreed price and am extremely happy with the lens. My other side (probably my selfish & greedy side) wants to push them just a little (as I stated above, I would not send the lens back just to get the discount) because I think most companies will match pricing for a period of time.

Any thoughts?


Update: The person that took my order (Manny Nunez) sent me an email stating that the 2% has been increased to 4%. It was probably a mistake to start with customer service - I should have went directly to the rep. Regardless, I am happy they honored the 4% and it all happened really quickly.

 

[Jim O]

Consider also the cost of insured shipping back to them, which you will pay since you are simply saying you do not want it, not that anything is wrong with it. Further, they could, under their terms deduct their original shipping cost.

From http://www.adorama.com/help/returnPolicy:

For the first 30 days after your purchase you may return merchandise for a full money back refund, excluding any shipping charges. Simply download and fill out the Return Merchandise form. All returns must meet our guidelines.

[snip]

Items that qualified for free shipping that are being returned will have our standard shipping charges deducted from the refund or credit. The return shipping cost (the cost to send an item back to us) is not refundable.

I believe UPS gets $0.80/$100 for insurance so that will be over $80 by itself one way, potentially double if you wind up paying both ways. It's not worth it.

 

[surapon]

http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/news/canon_wins_three_major_EISA_awards.do?utm_source=newsletter_august_4_13&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter

 

[Helen Oster]

The person that took my order (Manny Nunez) sent me an email stating that the 2% has been increased to 4%. It was probably a mistake to start with customer service - I should have went directly to the rep. Regardless, I am happy they honored the 4% and it all happened really quickly.

It was absolutely an error by the CS rep and I'm pleased to read that Manny put it right for you.

The price effectively dropped within the first 30 days after purchase therefore we would always make an allowance.

The CS Manager has been advised of the error, and he will ensure the team are completely up-to-date with this policy.

 

[TAW]

Thanks Helen. After my last purchase, my wife has a tight grasp on the checkbook! I hope to grab it when she is not looking and "invest" in a few more lenses!

Seriously - I appreciate your follow-up. Another sign of a great company!

tom

 

[dgatwood]

I believe UPS gets $0.80/$100 for insurance so that will be over $80 by itself one way, potentially double if you wind up paying both ways. It's not worth it.

Nope. It's 35 cents per $100 after the first $100. So for a $11,800 lens, the insurance cost is only about $41 each way.

http://www.ups.com/using/services/details/excess_value_ins.pdf

 

[scottkinfw]

My advice:

"pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered". Let it go and enjoy your lens. What if you get a bad copy, or a damaged one. You have to wait, frustration, etc. Enjoy your new love interest and don't look back. Just my 2 cents.

sek

I was lucky enough to purchase a Canon 200-400 a few weeks ago from Adorama. I have completely fallen in love with this lens. With the purchase was a 2% reward which effectively turns into a credit to use later. Somewhere between a few days and a week after I purchased the lens, Adorama started offering a 4% reward – the price of the lens did not change.

My experience is companies will normally match a sale / promotional price for 30 days. When I talked to support, they politely said bad luck but offered I could ship the lens back, get a refund and repurchase the lens with a 4% discount. That seems dishonest to me because I really like the lens and to get an extra $200 discount, they end up with a used lens and the freight carriers make bank.

My Adorama experiences have all been outstanding – including this one. One side of me says just let it go – you got exactly what you wanted for the agreed price and am extremely happy with the lens. My other side (probably my selfish & greedy side) wants to push them just a little (as I stated above, I would not send the lens back just to get the discount) because I think most companies will match pricing for a period of time.

Any thoughts?


Update: The person that took my order (Manny Nunez) sent me an email stating that the 2% has been increased to 4%. It was probably a mistake to start with customer service - I should have went directly to the rep. Regardless, I am happy they honored the 4% and it all happened really quickly.

 

[EncoreWhat?]

Hi! Was having a big discussion with some friends recently about the strange (well, for us Europeans that is 'return/refund' policy in the US, and was wondering how you (US CR members) are feeling about it?
I mean, apparently, you can get yourself a nice Eos-1Dx camera with a few f/2,8L zoom lenses, use them for a friends wedding and then some, send the whole bunch back to where it came from for a full refund, no questions asked...?
Very convenient, I'm sure, but the next customer is not getting a new (i.e. unused!) camera / lens, now is he/she?
I noticed some posts mentioning getting three the same lenses, selecting the one which suits your camera the best (front/ back focussing) and sending the other two back for a full refund. 8) It seems somehow to contradict a bit the sometimes very sensitive (but very justified!) attitude many CR members have towards anomalies on their new / secondhand gear (read: ebay camera had more actuations than seller mentioned or camera body came back from CPS with a bunch of extra actuations on it...those kind of things)? Anyway, sorry for the rather long first post, but I would be very interested in hearing your opinions! (by the way, English is not my native 'speak' so kindly pardon the mistakes made

 

[adhocphotographer]

Nice lens... very jealous!
Nice that Adorama sorted out the problem... there is nothing worse than buying something for it to be reduced the next day!

 

[cid]

Hi! Was having a big discussion with some friends recently about the strange (well, for us Europeans that is 'return/refund' policy in the US, and was wondering how you (US CR members) are feeling about it?
I mean, apparently, you can get yourself a nice Eos-1Dx camera with a few f/2,8L zoom lenses, use them for a friends wedding and then some, send the whole bunch back to where it came from for a full refund, no questions asked...?
Very convenient, I'm sure, but the next customer is not getting a new (i.e. unused!) camera / lens, now is he/she?
I noticed some posts mentioning getting three the same lenses, selecting the one which suits your camera the best (front/ back focussing) and sending the other two back for a full refund. 8) It seems somehow to contradict a bit the sometimes very sensitive (but very justified!) attitude many CR members have towards anomalies on their new / secondhand gear (read: ebay camera had more actuations than seller mentioned or camera body came back from CPS with a bunch of extra actuations on it...those kind of things)? Anyway, sorry for the rather long first post, but I would be very interested in hearing your opinions! (by the way, English is not my native 'speak' so kindly pardon the mistakes made

well in European union we have 7 day return policy [applicable to almost all online orders in all member countries ]...so basically no problem to "buy" camera and lens for wedding and then return it
http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/shopping/shopping-abroad/returning-unwanted-goods/index_en.htm

as I remember lot of reputable seller resell these used lenses/bodies with note that packing has been already opened, or it's 'like new' with small discount, so you should be fully aware of that gear has been already used

 

[Jim O]

I believe UPS gets $0.80/$100 for insurance so that will be over $80 by itself one way, potentially double if you wind up paying both ways. It's not worth it.

Nope. It's 35 cents per $100 after the first $100. So for a $11,800 lens, the insurance cost is only about $41 each way.

http://www.ups.com/using/services/details/excess_value_ins.pdf

Interesting. But, sadly, incorrect. I wish it weren't. At http://www.ups.com/media/en/value_added_pricing_daily.pdf they quote $0.85/100 (it was $0.80/$100 in 2012). I called the number in that link you provided and discussed this with UPS Capital, evidently the successor to Glenlake Insurance Agency, Inc which is listed in that link. I asked how I could get such a rate. I was told they offer rates like that to entities that at least $1,000,000+ in annual insurable volume. If you take your package to the UPS store, or if you ship with an ordinary discounted UPS account, as I do, insurance is $0.85/$100. Insurance would be over $90 each way if you insure the lens fully.

 

[EncoreWhat?]

Not a very nice debut.......... :'( :'( :'(

 

[shashinkaman]

Not a very nice debut.......... :'( :'( :'(

Poor EncoreWhat... You know, this is a GEARHEAD website, so you should ask things like: "Which lens to shoot my finger mails?" or "I have a lot of monet to burn, but don't know anything about photography, so what should I buy?" kind of questions. You would get much more replies!! Can't help you with your enquiry cause I live in Japan...SORRY!

 

[insanitybeard]

You know, this is a GEARHEAD website, so you should ask things like: "Which lens to shoot my finger mails?" or "I have a lot of monet to burn, but don't know anything about photography, so what should I buy?" kind of questions. You would get much more replies!!

And yet here you still are. Burn monet? Heresy, I tell you!

 

[TAW]

Thanks to everyone that replied. As I said before, it got taken care of quickly and a few people from Adorama contacted me - I felt like their most important customer! Sek - the "pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered" is right on the mark - Thank you. I also feel much more educated about insuring packages

Now its time to have some fun with the new lens!!!

Thanks again everyone!
tom

 

[Jim O]

Now its time to have some fun with the new lens!!!

Enjoy it Tom. 8)

 

[RGF]

Glad to hear that Adorama came through for you. It is a great lens -enjoy it

 

[KitsVancouver]

Glad to hear that Adorama came through for you. It is a great lens -enjoy it

My last few purchase have been through Adorama because their customer service has been pretty good. The other big NYC retailer has, in my experience, been a lot more "too bad, so sad" with me.

2% more might not sound that much but for such a large purchase that, for me, would be a bit of an emotional purchase, it is the difference between feeling really good every time the lens is used vs. a reminder once in a while about the missed out money.

Good job, Helen.

 

[RGF]

Glad to hear that Adorama came through for you. It is a great lens -enjoy it

My last few purchase have been through Adorama because their customer service has been pretty good. The other big NYC retailer has, in my experience, been a lot more "too bad, so sad" with me.

2% more might not sound that much but for such a large purchase that, for me, would be a bit of an emotional purchase, it is the difference between feeling really good every time the lens is used vs. a reminder once in a while about the missed out money.

Good job, Helen.

Understand about the importance of the 2% and how it can make you feel valued by the Adorama.

 

[Helen Oster]

My last few purchase have been through Adorama because their customer service has been pretty good. The other big NYC retailer has, in my experience, been a lot more "too bad, so sad" with me.

2% more might not sound that much but for such a large purchase that, for me, would be a bit of an emotional purchase, it is the difference between feeling really good every time the lens is used vs. a reminder once in a while about the missed out money.

Good job, Helen.

Understand about the importance of the 2% and how it can make you feel valued by the Adorama.
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We will always do our best! And, as always, if you ever need any additional advice or support with an order from Adorama, you are most welcome to email me directly: [email protected]