Adorama... sadly, don't think I'll be buying from them in the future

[robbins.photo]

So last week I ordered a couple of extension straps from Adorama from their website. I placed the order, the next day I got an email stating they were out of stock.

So I wanted to get these by this weekend, but I thought, well still have time.. so I waited. This week rolls around, still no contact from Adorama, I check and the item is still on backorder with no idea when it will ship. I send them an email to inquire as to when it will ship, didn't receive a response. I didn't really want to wait another 24 hours so I went ahead and cancelled the order. Not a huge deal mind you, I mean sometimes things happen. I send an email explaining that I'm just not willing to wait any longer and that's why I cancelled my order.

But I put in a request to cancel the order and order it from someplace else instead. Then the "customer service" emails arrive. Only they are obviously cut and pasted from a template with my name copied over an [INSERT NAME HERE] section. It contains an apology, which of course is absolutely worthless because you don't cut and paste an apology if it's sincere.

So I respond back and point out that cutting and pasting an email like that really isn't good customer service, and that I really didn't appreciate the apology at all because it was so obvious that this was a cut and paste response.

I get another response back, with the exact same template cut and pasted again. Apparently the didn't even bother to read my response, or take even enough time to scroll down and see that they had already cut and pasted that response to me once before and that's actually what my response was complaining about.

So I respond again, a little more tersely this time, requesting that they forward my email to a supervisor or manager and that someone actually read it and respond to me with something other than a cut and paste email.

This time I get a different cut and paste response about their backorder system and how the website works in regards to back orders, etc, etc. Again it's pretty obvious this is a pre-written, cut and paste response and it did nothing to address my concerns. I was already well past caring about how they handled back orders, I just wanted an actual human being to take 10 seconds to read the one paragraph email I sent and respond to me. That was it.

I sent yet another email pointing this out, and as of yet I have yet to receive a response to it at all. It's now pretty much a full week since I placed my order, and so far I haven't even gotten anyone on Adorama's email team to give me a single, actual response to the issue I wanted to discuss with them - namely the fact that they have yet to actually read anything I've written and respond accordingly, instead they skimmed the email, found a keyword, cut and pasted what they thought was the right response and moved on.

Granted, it's not like I ordered a high dollar item. It's also not like it's the end of the world that they were unable to fulfill the order. In fact if I'd just gotten an honest to goodness, hey, sorry about that I wouldn't be here now. But I guess I'm just not to keen on giving any company my business if they can't even take a couple of seconds out of their busy day to give me an appropriate response when I send them email.

Just my 2 cents worth of course, YMMV

 

[Beatles2]

I think your frustration is it seams they don't give a rats behind. Customer service is not what it use to be. I feel the same.

 

[astroNikon]

So last week I ordered a couple of extension straps from Adorama from their website. I placed the order, the next day I got an email stating they were out of stock.

So I wanted to get these by this weekend, but I thought, well still have time.. so I waited. This week rolls around, still no contact from Adorama, I check and the item is still on backorder with no idea when it will ship. I send them an email to inquire as to when it will ship, didn't receive a response. I didn't really want to wait another 24 hours so I went ahead and cancelled the order. Not a huge deal mind you, I mean sometimes things happen. I send an email explaining that I'm just not willing to wait any longer and that's why I cancelled my order.

But I put in a request to cancel the order and order it from someplace else instead. Then the "customer service" emails arrive. Only they are obviously cut and pasted from a template with my name copied over an [INSERT NAME HERE] section. It contains an apology, which of course is absolutely worthless because you don't cut and paste an apology if it's sincere.

So I respond back and point out that cutting and pasting an email like that really isn't good customer service, and that I really didn't appreciate the apology at all because it was so obvious that this was a cut and paste response.

I get another response back, with the exact same template cut and pasted again. Apparently the didn't even bother to read my response, or take even enough time to scroll down and see that they had already cut and pasted that response to me once before and that's actually what my response was complaining about.

So I respond again, a little more tersely this time, requesting that they forward my email to a supervisor or manager and that someone actually read it and respond to me with something other than a cut and paste email.

This time I get a different cut and paste response about their backorder system and how the website works in regards to back orders, etc, etc. Again it's pretty obvious this is a pre-written, cut and paste response and it did nothing to address my concerns. I was already well past caring about how they handled back orders, I just wanted an actual human being to take 10 seconds to read the one paragraph email I sent and respond to me. That was it.

I sent yet another email pointing this out, and as of yet I have yet to receive a response to it at all. It's now pretty much a full week since I placed my order, and so far I haven't even gotten anyone on Adorama's email team to give me a single, actual response to the issue I wanted to discuss with them - namely the fact that they have yet to actually read anything I've written and respond accordingly, instead they skimmed the email, found a keyword, cut and pasted what they thought was the right response and moved on.

Granted, it's not like I ordered a high dollar item. It's also not like it's the end of the world that they were unable to fulfill the order. In fact if I'd just gotten an honest to goodness, hey, sorry about that I wouldn't be here now. But I guess I'm just not to keen on giving any company my business if they can't even take a couple of seconds out of their busy day to give me an appropriate response when I send them email.

Just my 2 cents worth of course, YMMV

I'm sorry but we're too busy right now so please leave a message at the tone ... mailbox is full ... <hangup>

I've actually haven't had any issues with Adorama over the years that I've bought stuff.
Of the few things that were out of stock I had to wait some time to get it .. as they apparently wait until a few orders are in the system before they restock from certain places.

 

[john.margetts]

They are probably delighted that they won't be bothered by you again.

 

[robbins.photo]

I think your frustration is it seams they don't give a rats behind. Customer service is not what it use to be. I feel the same.

Yup, that's pretty much it in a nutshell. I wasn't that bent out of shape by the backorder thing. It happens.

The first cut and paste response annoyed me because it really didn't address what I had written and as a result the canned apology was very irritating.

When I wrote back explaining this and their so called customer service obviously didn't even take 2 seconds to read anything I wrote because they sent me back the exact same cut and paste they had sent before, well at that point I went from being mildly annoyed to firmly convinced these people didn't give a rat's butt about my business.

So I recommend others avoid them as well, since at this point I still haven't gotten anything from them that indicates they actually read a single email I sent.



Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk

 

[robbins.photo]

They are probably delighted that they won't be bothered by you again.

Lol, could be.

Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk

 

[robbins.photo]

So last week I ordered a couple of extension straps from Adorama from their website. I placed the order, the next day I got an email stating they were out of stock.

So I wanted to get these by this weekend, but I thought, well still have time.. so I waited. This week rolls around, still no contact from Adorama, I check and the item is still on backorder with no idea when it will ship. I send them an email to inquire as to when it will ship, didn't receive a response. I didn't really want to wait another 24 hours so I went ahead and cancelled the order. Not a huge deal mind you, I mean sometimes things happen. I send an email explaining that I'm just not willing to wait any longer and that's why I cancelled my order.

But I put in a request to cancel the order and order it from someplace else instead. Then the "customer service" emails arrive. Only they are obviously cut and pasted from a template with my name copied over an [INSERT NAME HERE] section. It contains an apology, which of course is absolutely worthless because you don't cut and paste an apology if it's sincere.

So I respond back and point out that cutting and pasting an email like that really isn't good customer service, and that I really didn't appreciate the apology at all because it was so obvious that this was a cut and paste response.

I get another response back, with the exact same template cut and pasted again. Apparently the didn't even bother to read my response, or take even enough time to scroll down and see that they had already cut and pasted that response to me once before and that's actually what my response was complaining about.

So I respond again, a little more tersely this time, requesting that they forward my email to a supervisor or manager and that someone actually read it and respond to me with something other than a cut and paste email.

This time I get a different cut and paste response about their backorder system and how the website works in regards to back orders, etc, etc. Again it's pretty obvious this is a pre-written, cut and paste response and it did nothing to address my concerns. I was already well past caring about how they handled back orders, I just wanted an actual human being to take 10 seconds to read the one paragraph email I sent and respond to me. That was it.

I sent yet another email pointing this out, and as of yet I have yet to receive a response to it at all. It's now pretty much a full week since I placed my order, and so far I haven't even gotten anyone on Adorama's email team to give me a single, actual response to the issue I wanted to discuss with them - namely the fact that they have yet to actually read anything I've written and respond accordingly, instead they skimmed the email, found a keyword, cut and pasted what they thought was the right response and moved on.

Granted, it's not like I ordered a high dollar item. It's also not like it's the end of the world that they were unable to fulfill the order. In fact if I'd just gotten an honest to goodness, hey, sorry about that I wouldn't be here now. But I guess I'm just not to keen on giving any company my business if they can't even take a couple of seconds out of their busy day to give me an appropriate response when I send them email.

Just my 2 cents worth of course, YMMV

I'm sorry but we're too busy right now so please leave a message at the tone ... mailbox is full ... <hangup>

I've actually haven't had any issues with Adorama over the years that I've bought stuff.
Of the few things that were out of stock I had to wait some time to get it .. as they apparently wait until a few orders are in the system before they restock from certain places.

The backorder thing really wasn't a huge issue. The we don't care, we don't have to, we're the phone company attitude of there customer service reps was my problem. Sorry guys, you've got just way too many competitors out there who will read and respond to emails to be.pulling that kind of crap... lol

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[SquarePeg]

hmmm - any chance they are suddenly using an automated system to respond to inquiries? I've had many excellent experiences with them including a few returns and some very fast and free shipping. I prefer them over B&H (labor issues that make me not want to shop there) and Cameta (weird follow ups to confirm I was me when I had already provided all my credit card details accurately) and KEH (don't like their website at all).

 

[robbins.photo]

hmmm - any chance they are suddenly using an automated system to respond to inquiries? I've had many excellent experiences with them including a few returns and some very fast and free shipping. I prefer them over B&H (labor issues that make me not want to shop there) and Cameta (weird follow ups to confirm I was me when I had already provided all my credit card details accurately) and KEH (don't like their website at all).

Honestly, no idea. If they are using an automated system hopefully they'll pull the plug post haste because it's awful.

If they have humans skimming these emails then they need serious retraining or replacement with people who actually care.

Either way I won't be back. Way to many other places I can buy from that actually pretend they give a crap. They may not, but at least they put forth the minimum effort required to appear as if they do...

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[beagle100]

I think your frustration is it seams they don't give a rats behind. Customer service is not what it use to be. I feel the same.

Helen Oster used to be the Adorama representative active on photography forums - Helen@adorama.com
Don't know if she still works for Adorama

 

[robbins.photo]

I think your frustration is it seams they don't give a rats behind. Customer service is not what it use to be. I feel the same.

Helen Oster used to be the Adorama representative active on photography forums - Helen@adorama.com
Don't know if she still works for Adorama

Not sure really what she could say that would matter at this point. Maybe if there customer support would contact me, assure me they read my email and won't be repeating that nonsense in the future that would be something. In the meantime I can't in good conscience do business with or recommend them to anyone. Not with such a substandard customer service on such a simple issue.

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[annamaria]

Sorry about the awful customer service. Glad you let us know I'm totally appreciative. Customer service it's not what it used to be.

 

[jubilee]

I had a similar experience and I was talking to customer service agents directly over the phone. I received a lens that did not work, returned it immediately for exchange and it literally took over 6 weeks to get the replacement.
The last straw was when I had already confirmed that they had received the returned item (confirmed by multiple agents that the item was received, unpacked and examined) and had verbal "promises" and "you have my word" and this is a "guarantee from Adorama" and " I will personally make sure this item ships..." from multiple agents and then the supervisor told me they could not find my returned item so they would not send a new one.
I had a few choice words for them and the end of that story is that a new kit was on my doorstep by 10 am the next day
I thought I was the only one!!

 

[tecboy]

I think what had happened is Adorama is probably understaff. They have to communicate over a million of people throughout the country and perhaps around the would. That is why they give cut & paste apology letter to save times.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I've cancelled a back order with Adorama a couple of times, but just a small item I ordered along with the main item I was buying. Do you have an online account there? Seems like all I did was sign in, and - cancel the backorder. I don't remember exactly but seems like it was as simple as that.

Best thing I did was get a regular customer service rep there. Just whoever I'd happened to talk to and was happy with, then called the same rep next time. Now if I order online I can put in the rep's name where it asks 'who helped you with your order'. Even if I ordered it myself online instead of calling (and didn't necessarily get help from anyone) I put in the rep's name, then he gets the order, and sometimes is able to make a little price adjustment (not always, it depends).

After a couple or so emails, next time I'd call so you don't go thru a convoluted mess like this again.