B&H ordering/verification/shipping?

Sideburns · Sep 11, 2007

Ok, so I finally splurged on a Canon 70-200mm 4.0L. Not only did it cost a lot of money, I also paid for the $73 Fedex priority 1-2 day shipping.

now, that's all fine and dandy, but they close tomorrow, and they still haven't gotten past the "processing" phase in my order according to their website.

I'm sorry, but wouldn't paying 73 dollars for shipping usually mean that they should process the order before everyone elses who did not pay that ridiculous amount? I would assume that's how it SHOULD work.

OR...

Is it just that they are slow at updating their site?

I'm not losing faith, I'm just wondering because it is semi-important to get it either tomorrow or the next day and that's why I paid for the overpriced shipping. Otherwise I would have paid for the cheap 25 dollar shipping or whatever it is...

Anyone else have experience with this? Is it just that their site is slow to update? Do they wait till morning to ship?

Thanks for any clarification you can provide to a first time B&H customer.

soylentgreen · Sep 11, 2007

What time (EST) did you place the order? I believe you have to place it by 4:00pm EST for them to ship same day on most occasions. I usually call in my orders to be doubly sure. they are fairly good at getting your stuff out fast, especially if you get the express shipping. Check in with them tomorrow and see.

Sideburns · Sep 11, 2007

Oops double post.

Sideburns · Sep 11, 2007

soylentgreen said:
What time (EST) did you place the order? I believe you have to place it by 4:00pm EST for them to ship same day on most occasions. I usually call in my orders to be doubly sure. they are fairly good at getting your stuff out fast, especially if you get the express shipping. Check in with them tomorrow and see.

Well I ordered it around 10 last night. So it should have left by today...right?

Thing is...they close tomorrow at noon or something for rash hashana or however you spell it...and I have a break starting at 12 at school...so hopefully I can call them then.

I'm sure they'll get it out tomorrow, but I'm just wondering how they can justify me paying 73 dollars when they can't even do 24 hour processing?

I could understand if it didn't get out last night, but if I'm getting priority, they should have got it out today, no?

I dono...maybe I'm just stressing over nothing, but I'm sure some people would feel the same way if they paid the extra on top of an already large investment.

S2K1 · Sep 11, 2007

They should have sent it the day after you ordered it since it was 10 at night. Probably just slow at updating. When I'm in a hurry like this though, I always call them to place the order so I know it'll go out on time.

Jeff Canes · Sep 11, 2007

You picked the wrong time of the year to order from B&H they are basically closed till Oct 7, hopefully they get the lens shipped out in time, I just bought that lens last month from them as a backup, you should be very happy with it I am

kundalini · Sep 11, 2007

Did you place the order via the phone or on-line? I have always gathered my wish list together, then called, because I always have a few questions. The phone service reps have been brilliant to date and since I'm such a tight-a$$, I usually go the three-to-five day shipping. I figure that as long as it takes for me to round up the order, I don't need my gear quite so quick. They have not failed me yet and I am expecting a $1500 order tomorrow. I can empathize with your delema, but that could have been resolved via the phone. They make no bones about their holiday schedule.

Carlos Cané · Sep 11, 2007

I bought something yesterday from them and I had the same problem as you. But I contacted them asking for my order status and they replied that it has been shiped and they sent me the UPS tracking number, so Im sure yours will get shipped too

Sideburns · Sep 11, 2007

Jeff Canes said:
You picked the wrong time of the year to order from B&H they are basically closed till Oct 7, hopefully they get the lens shipped out in time, I just bought that lens last month from them as a backup, you should be very happy with it I am

Yes, I realize that but I took their guarantee on the front page that it would ship before they closed if ordered by 11:00pm tuesday...and I definitely ordered it 13 hours before that.

Thanks everyone. At least I have heard some positive feedback and reassurance. I'll call them tomorrow during my break between classes if it hasn't updated on their site by then.

henryp · Sep 12, 2007

Sideburns said:
Thanks everyone. At least I have heard some positive feedback and reassurance. I'll call them tomorrow during my break between classes if it hasn't updated on their site by then.

I'd have liked to assist you with this, but your forum profile leaves you pretty anonymous. We generally ship all orders within one business day, giving priority to orders with rush handling, as is appropriate. Depending on the transaction details and your order history, our Verification Dept (whose purpose is to deter credit card fraud and identity theft) may have intercepted the order. If they need info fro you, they'll phone or email.

Jeff Canes said:
You picked the wrong time of the year to order from B&H they are basically closed till Oct 7,

Not quite! We're closed 9/13-15, 9/21-22, and 9/27-10/6. Our holiday schedule is posted on our site.

Sweetsomedays · Sep 12, 2007

I ordered at like 12 something at night on the 9th was out by 4pm the next day and UPS says it's already in route to Vernon CA (where ever that is hehe). Looks like it's fast to me!

Sideburns · Sep 12, 2007

henryp said:
I'd have liked to assist you with this, but your forum profile leaves you pretty anonymous. We generally ship all orders within one business day, giving priority to orders with rush handling, as is appropriate. Depending on the transaction details and your order history, our Verification Dept (whose purpose is to deter credit card fraud and identity theft) may have intercepted the order. If they need info fro you, they'll phone or email.

Not quite! We're closed 9/13-15, 9/21-22, and 9/27-10/6. Our holiday schedule is posted on our site.

Oh wow. Thank you. I had no idea you had a rep on here...that's awesome.

I called today..I'm on college break right now between classes. It shipped today at 11am according to the rep I talked to. Later than I would have liked, but he said it'd be here in the morning, so I'm happy.

Next time if I have a problem I'll send you a PM.

kundalini · Sep 12, 2007

Hey Sideburns, hope you got it. Not wanting to rub salt in a possible wound, I put in an order on Sunday. The man in the brown shorts arrived just after 2:00pm as usual with my complete order. UPS might try their dead-level best to beat the #!*@ out of the boxes they deliver, but B&H package the parcel so well, there is no damage.

I gonna go out and play with my stuff now.

Sideburns · Sep 12, 2007

kundalini said:
Hey Sideburns, hope you got it. Not wanting to rub salt in a possible wound, I put in an order on Sunday. The man in the brown shorts arrived just after 2:00pm as usual with my complete order. UPS might try their dead-level best to beat the #!*@ out of the boxes they deliver, but B&H package the parcel so well, there is no damage.

I gonna go out and play with my stuff now.

Well, it should be here in the morning...so as long as it's here when I get back from college I'll be fine.

He lied to me though the B+H guy...said it was sent at 11 in the morning...it wasn't picked up till 12:45. An hour after I talked to him...lmfao.

OH well, I'm not gonna be upset much as long as it shows up tomorrow as it is supposed to.

Have fun with your stuff man! I'm glad you got it!

Iron Flatline · Sep 12, 2007

What happens and what shows on the scan are two different things. I got a product from FedEx (deliverable before noon) at 9.15 AM, at it never showed up on the site until much later in the afternoon as 11.20 AM. Go figure.