Jessops doomed

[Don Hoey]

Thinking about it I also bought our scopes and bins and a few other bits through our nearest dealer ' Cley Spy '. Sales guys time taken was lots as it was a selection through viewing process. I guess this poses an interesting question.

How would we cope in an internet only shopping only world ?

Try before you buy ................... side by side comparisons ..................... mmmmmmmm

Don

[yelvertoft]

Very valid points Don. I've bought stuff from Jessops, LCE, Camera World (shop), Cley Spy even, as well as internet and good old fashioned mail order before the electronic shopping age. As a Pentax user, I find it nigh on impossible to find shops that hold stock. If it's in stock, and I've had a play with it, I think it only fair to buy from the shop. If a manager has the nerve to stock Pentax, I'm going to show them they aren't wasting their time, it's just a shame that it's so rare.

Duncan

[Canis Vulpes]

I once had trouble buying a glass door for our oven (which I smashed while cleaning) I eventually found one online and unsure it was right I sent a disclaimer with the order. When the new door arrived it was wrong but an incorrect part number to the one I had ordered which was correct.

The company concerned would not take it back without insisting on a 50% restocking charge even though it was their fault they had shipped a wrong part.

I took the case up with trading standards who explained to me that anything you buy mail order which covers Internet purchases as are shipped by mail! All mail order items are of course purchased without seeing them so we the consumer have a right to return without charge. We are liable for return carriage but its our right to return without charge.

So you could buy from Jessops Internet site, tryout the goods and return just like the high street! but cover yourself with a disclaimer as part of sale terms.

If you dare!

[wolfie]

Originally Posted by birdsnapper

Well Jessops deserve to go! All you ever got with them was the chance to look at the product, handle, try it, and even have a bit of practice with your own memory card and study the results on-screen at home (as I did with 20D). Much better is buying on-line, where you buy it unseen and untried and if it's not suitable, send it back and get a credit note which hope you can exchange it for something that you want (as happened with me and lens).

My experience with Jessop.
Three years ago I went into the Lincoln branch with the intention of buying two DSLRs, one of them being for my son.
They allowed me to handle both the Canon and Nikon models, but refused to let me fire off a few shots from both so that I could compare the results. Needless to say I didn't buy from them and have never been back.

[Birdsnapper]

I bought the 20D from Jessops because of the good service I received. Shops provide a service and I expect to pay for it. Likewise, when my wife wanted a new scope we spent 90 minutes at Focalpoint (hi, Paul) trying different scopes and tripods. The one we bought was a bit more expensive than WHE (sorry, Paul) but well worth the extra. Also, like Yelvertoft, I think that it is only fair that if buy the product, you buy it from the place that gave you their time.

[blackmarlin]

Credit where credit is due, I had a nice chat with a young woman in the Northwich branch about a lens I am planning to buy later this year. Sorry I don't know her name but she was very helpful and even pointed me to their discount vouchers in the photography mags. This would mean they will match Wharehouse Express for price, Yes without the P & P. Full marks to a charming young lady.

Alan

[Leif]

Well I've had many problems with Jessops (Guildford, Basingstoke, Slough and Reading) and prefer not to deal with them. Some of the problems were quite serious such as reserving a camera, driving 30 miles to collect it, and finding it had been sold. Or being given a £200 estimate for a camera and lens repair, paying, and then receiving the unrepaired camera and a cleaned lens. That was 10 years ago, and I was recently quoted £130 for a lens clean by a respected company.

When it comes to birding optics, I would always go to a specialist dealer. There is a huge difference between Jessops, and a specialist optics seller. The latter is usually run by the owner and one or two assistants, and they know the items they sell, and can give advice, and let you try. Usually they know the going prices, so are competitive. Even when they are more expensive, it is worth paying a bit more for the service. I bought my scope from the RSPB at Sandy, who were very helpful.

I think the problem with Jessops is that they are a high street brand with high street overheads, shareholders to please, and a huge number of shops. So each shop has a limited number of high end sales it can make. That means they need to make money on small items, which might explain the silly memory card prices. And since each shop is small, with a large range of point and shoot cameras plus higher end items, the staff cannot be expected to be knowledgeable.

Maybe what they need is a chain of specialist photographic shops, with less shops, but more floor space and more range, and some specialist staff. I guess that is the niche occupied by specialist dealers such as Purdeys and Digital Depot, though it is very competitive as I can think of 2 that went bust.

[Joe]

Some of the problems were quite serious such as reserving a camera, driving 30 miles to collect it, and finding it had been sold

Items are usually reserved for up to seven days. In some cases this can be less...were you told this? and, did you ring to confirm your item before setting out?

Or being given a £200 estimate for a camera and lens repair, paying, and then receiving the unrepaired camera and a cleaned lens.

Was the camera then sent back for a free repair?. It is normal that any missed repair is done for free, and all repairs normally carry atleast a 3 month warranty...depending on the item, the manufacturer or repair agent doing the work.

That was 10 years ago, and I was recently quoted £130 for a lens clean by a respected company.

Repair prices have come down in general...which is perhaps one of the reasons why many small independant repairers don't exist anymore

The latter is usually run by the owner and one or two assistants, and they know the items they sell, and can give advice, and let you try. Usually they know the going prices, so are competitive. Even when they are more expensive, it is worth paying a bit more for the service. I bought my scope from the RSPB at Sandy, who were very helpful

What else do they sell? How long did they spend with you?....if their prices are that so competitive, will THEY be there in years to come?

And since each shop is small, with a large range of point and shoot cameras plus higher end items, the staff cannot be expected to be knowledgeable.

Many of the branches are as large as the Halfords next door!....just how many Jessops branches have you been to Leif? just the inner city town branches I guess??

Maybe what they need is a chain of specialist photographic shops, with less shops, but more floor space and more range, and some specialist staff.

These branches already exist

I guess that is the niche occupied by specialist dealers such as Purdeys and Digital Depot, though it is very competitive as I can think of 2 that went bust.

So, larger branches with greater range and more specialist staff is a bad idea then?? you contradict yourself

Does anyone have anything new to say, or are we copying and pasting comments from the last Jessop related thread?

Boring

[Leif]

Originally Posted by Joe

Items are usually reserved for up to seven days. In some cases this can be less...were you told this? and, did you ring to confirm your item before setting out?

Joe, I rang to ask if they had an F80 in stock. They said yes, so I asked them to reserve it, and stated that I would drive over. As soon as I had put the phone down, they sold it to someone who had looked at it earlier. I drove 30 miles to find it sold.

Originally Posted by Joe

Was the camera then sent back for a free repair?. It is normal that any missed repair is done for free, and all repairs normally carry atleast a 3 month warranty...depending on the item, the manufacturer or repair agent doing the work.

I left the camera and lens with them, and was later quoted £200. So I authorised the repair. When I collected it they had only repaired the lens. What the assistant did not tell me was that the repair was for the lens alone. Now how do I prove that?

Originally Posted by Joe

Repair prices have come down in general...which is perhaps one of the reasons why many small independant repairers don't exist anymore

Jessops are not a small independent repairer. They farm out to Nikon, or at least they did then.

Originally Posted by Joe

What else do they sell? How long did they spend with you?....if their prices are that so competitive, will THEY be there in years to come?

I have spent many hours in specialist birding optics sellers. I find them very very helpful. The RSPB set up Swarovski and Leica scopes on decent tripods outside the office and left me alone to compare. They are not the cheapest but I was happy to pay a bit more. But some are the cheapest. They can do this because they sell a lot, due to good service and a reputation. Kay Optical is one example.

Originally Posted by Joe

Many of the branches are as large as the Halfords next door!....just how many Jessops branches have you been to Leif? just the inner city town branches I guess??

Slough, Luton, Basingstoke, Southampton, Reading (x2), Guildford are all small. I have been to 3 in Leicester namely the original store, the super store and a small store near Fenwicks. And of course one in London is big, and some others are small.

Originally Posted by Joe

These branches already exist

So, larger branches with greater range and more specialist staff is a bad idea then?? you contradict yourself

I do not understand you. I am saying that from a customer perspective larger stores is a good idea. But I am also saying that it is a very competitive world. Actually I suspect that the Jessops price promise drove many shops out of business. It meant they could not compete on price.

Originally Posted by Joe

Does anyone have anything new to say, or are we copying and pasting comments from the last Jessop related thread?

Boring

I'm sorry you find my post boring.

I'll give you another example. I went to buy a replacement part for a tripod head bought at Jessops in London. Assistant: "Where did you buy this". Me: "Jessops". Assistant: "No you didn't, we do not stock them." I found that rude.

Actually I am sure there are many helpful Jessops staff, but in my experience there is something very wrong with the shop (though I have not been for 3 or 4 years so it might have changed).

[Joe]

I'll give you another example. I went to buy a replacement part for a tripod head bought at Jessops in London. Assistant: "Where did you buy this". Me: "Jessops". Assistant: "No you didn't, we do not stock them." I found that rude.

Hmmmm...once again. So, presumably you had a reciept for your purchase or another proof of purchase?
OK, now lets be honest here. That example isn't exactly new here either is it Leif?

I shall attach a link here...just so you don't have to retype your moans and groans all over again

http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...ead.php?t=1799

No doubt there's a couple other threads where you've regurgitated your complaints, but I shall leave those alone, as I shall do with this one now too