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Photo Forum / Digital Photography / DSLR Cameras / April 2006Strange B&H shopping cart handling...
First of all, I love B&H in general. That said, the way they handle orders and items that are not in stock is a bit bizarre. Notice that most online sellers will allow you to place an order (back-order) something that is out of stock, and they'll do some sort of first-come, first-served system. B&H will allow you to register for an email when it becomes available. I'm sort of used to it, but it's annoying. However, something new happened today. I had several small items along with a Nikon lens in my shopping cart, everything was ready to go, then I had to run a quick errand this afternoon, so I took off briefly. When I returned, my session had timed out, so I log back in, and it tells me that the lens has been removed from my cart after I get reconnected. So, apparently the last one got sold during the hour or less I was gone. Fine, but it would be nice if they'd let you queue up for items that are sold out, instead of having a drag race with everybody when they get a few in and the email notification arrives. The way their "system" works, you could potentially go for several cycles like this before ever getting anything at all.  SignatureRandy Howard (2reply remove FOOBAR) "The power of accurate observation is called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw > First of all, I love B&H in general. That said, the way they > handle orders and items that are not in stock is a bit bizarre. [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > for several cycles like this before ever getting anything at > all. Two options: Kill yourself now. or buy from someone that will take your money in advance, but we suspect you would whine more about that- i guess your just destined to not be happy....oh well there's always option one :) [snip] > I'm sort of used to it, but it's annoying. However, something > new happened today. I had several small items along with a [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > for several cycles like this before ever getting anything at > all. That's an odd coincidence! I was online with B+H, today, and I had tried to add a Nikon lens. It said that it was backordered. I got a phone call and was only talking for about 15 minutes, then I got off the phone I went back to the computer. To my amazement the Nikon lens suddenly showed up as "in stock". Go figure. I'm not sure what happened but I'm sure glad because that lens is so hard to get. Bob Bob wrote (in article <4xB3g.3506$DT5.867@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net>): > [snip] >> I'm sort of used to it, but it's annoying. However, something [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > stock". Go figure. I'm not sure what happened but I'm sure glad because that > lens is so hard to get. Which one were you aiming at? SignatureRandy Howard (2reply remove FOOBAR) "The power of accurate observation is called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw > Bob wrote > (in article [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > > Which one were you aiming at? Yes you are probably correct, when the one you had in your cart timed out, he got it. lol || [snip] ||| I'm sort of used to it, but it's annoying. However, [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] ||| I had to run a quick errand this afternoon, so I took off ||| briefly. When I returned, my session had timed out, so I log ||| back in, and it tells me that the lens has been removed from ||| my [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] || || Bob ROTFLMAO Signature-- Read: http://home.swbell.net/bjtexas/SS/ "Maybe it's true that life begins at fifty... but everything else starts to wear out, fall out, or spread out." -- Phyllis Diller > || [snip] > ||| I'm sort of used to it, but it's annoying. However, [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > ROTFLMAO Aint I a stinker? ;-D Bob >[snip] >> I'm sort of used to it, but it's annoying. However, something [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >> for several cycles like this before ever getting anything at >> all. >That's an odd coincidence! I was online with B+H, today, and I had tried to >add a Nikon lens. It said that it was backordered. I got a phone call and >was only talking for about 15 minutes, then I got off the phone I went back >to the computer. To my amazement the Nikon lens suddenly showed up as "in >stock". Go figure. I'm not sure what happened but I'm sure glad because that >lens is so hard to get. >Bob Gee! Imagine that. A store with a computerized inventory that actually uses its computers real time!!! Who'd a thunk it... :-) Seriously, your two stories together make a lot of sense. Their system keeps you from ordering something that you thought was in stock (before you went away) or conversly, allows you to order something that has come back into stock. Sounds reasonable to me. ---- Paul J. Gans PS: As for back-ordering things. Given what we've all seen about the availability (or lack of availability) of various photographic items, I'd rather be notified by e-mail when it comes in so that I can check the price. Paul J Gans wrote (in article <e2rva7$74o$13@reader1.panix.com>): > PS: As for back-ordering things. Given what we've all seen > about the availability (or lack of availability) of various > photographic items, I'd rather be notified by e-mail when it > comes in so that I can check the price. The problem there is it gets to be a drag-race. Plus, I've discovered that the email notifications don't always arrive. For example, an item you are on the "notification list" for may show up in stock in small quantities, so you never get the email, but if you check the site it is there. There must be some quantity level they look for before they actually send out the email, so the notification system is fairly useless on high-demand items. I'd much rather pre-order, and the way other businesses do it, when you pre-order, you have a locked in price when it comes in. That works fine. SignatureRandy Howard (2reply remove FOOBAR) "The power of accurate observation is called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw > First of all, I love B&H in general. That said, the way they > handle orders and items that are not in stock is a bit bizarre. [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > for several cycles like this before ever getting anything at > all. You poor thing. JTS Brown wrote (in article <tyC3g.20298$tN3.8399@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net>): > You poor thing. I'm so sorry, I didn't realize this was the Pollyanna and Sycophants Only newsgroup. SignatureRandy Howard (2reply remove FOOBAR) "The power of accurate observation is called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw > JTS Brown wrote > (in article <tyC3g.20298$tN3.8399@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net>): [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > I'm so sorry, I didn't realize this was the Pollyanna and > Sycophants Only newsgroup. Well you are here aren't you? So which are you Polly Anna or the Psycho Fant . > So, apparently the last one got sold during the hour or less I > was gone. Fine, but it would be nice if they'd let you queue up [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > for several cycles like this before ever getting anything at > all. Look for it on Amazon.com. Often their queue is shorter (they are selling some camera equipment direct now) and they allow you to queue on a first come first serve basis. SignatureThomas T. Veldhouse Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1 > so I took off > briefly. When I returned, my session had timed out, so I log > back in, and it tells me that the lens has been removed from my > cart after I get reconnected. That's perfectly normal, you don't get it till you check out. Would you rather it let you check out something that didn't exist? Someone beat you to it. That's how ours works. Paul Furman wrote (in article <8mM3g.76613$dW3.73323@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com>): >> so I took off >> briefly. When I returned, my session had timed out, so I log >> back in, and it tells me that the lens has been removed from my >> cart after I get reconnected. > > That's perfectly normal, you don't get it till you check out. Understood. > Would you rather it let you check out something that didn't exist? As I said in the part you snipped, yes. Sure, it wouldn't ship right away, but at least you could be "in line" for the next one when available. > Someone beat you to it. That's how ours works. Take a look at how Amazon handles this same issue, you may find they have been pretty successful with it. :-) SignatureRandy Howard (2reply remove FOOBAR) "The power of accurate observation is called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw >Paul Furman wrote >(in article <8mM3g.76613$dW3.73323@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com>): >>> so I took off >>> briefly. When I returned, my session had timed out, so I log >>> back in, and it tells me that the lens has been removed from my >>> cart after I get reconnected. >> >> That's perfectly normal, you don't get it till you check out. >Understood. >> Would you rather it let you check out something that didn't exist? >As I said in the part you snipped, yes. Sure, it wouldn't ship >right away, but at least you could be "in line" for the next one >when available. >> Someone beat you to it. That's how ours works. >Take a look at how Amazon handles this same issue, you may find >they have been pretty successful with it. :-) Yes, but B&H doesn't have that system. As far as I know they never have. If you'd like to suggest to them that they install one, e-mail them directly. It has nothing to do with your sudden need to go out to the store while shopping on line for photo equipment. ----- Paul J. Gans Paul J Gans wrote (in article <e2rvh9$74o$14@reader1.panix.com>): >> Take a look at how Amazon handles this same issue, you may find >> they have been pretty successful with it. :-) > > Yes, but B&H doesn't have that system. As far as I > know they never have. Exactly the point. It would be a nice improvement. > If you'd like to suggest to them that they install one, > e-mail them directly. Since I've seen that B&H employees monitor some of these groups, I didn't think it would be necessary, but it's a good idea. > It has nothing to do with your sudden need to go out to > the store while shopping on line for photo equipment. I never implied that it did, apart from the end result because *I* chose to hurry out the door instead of completing the order made me wish I had the ability to pre-order after *I* screwed up. SignatureRandy Howard (2reply remove FOOBAR) "The power of accurate observation is called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw |
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