Camera Wholesalers — Local services in Stamford

Stated objectively and without emotion, this place needs to be investigated by the CT Dept of Consumer Protection as well as the BBB. I will likely be filing complaints with both. I can't let this go anymore.

The facts: I purchased a camera from a 3rd party vendor. Brought it to this store for a CLA. The store owner, to his credit, did warn that it could take "a few months", as they needed to ship the camera to a servicer who was backlogged with work. I said no problem, I had time, and paid for shipping. This was January 2023.

No word until April, when I was contacted with quote to start CLA repairs. I'd already paid nearly $50 for roundtrip shipping, so I approved. I'd have a CLA-ed camera retuned to General Working Order (GWO), as per the receipt. I paid in advance for the work, quoted at $280. Couldn't take that much longer right?

Starting in June - after not receiving any word - I began calling the store every 2 weeks for an update. Every single time I called, the same response. "The servicer hasn't gotten back to me. Let me check with them again." This went on from JUNE through the END OF SEPTEMBER. They never called me with updates. I had to hold them accountable and call them. Every single time. They have my money. They have my camera. They won't contact me, and they won't make an effort to get this resolved. I'm left completely in the dark the whole time, and it was clear and obvious that they couldn't care less about getting this resolved.

Mid-October, my persistence finally pays off and camera is returned. 9 months after I dropped it off. 9 months. This was 2 wks before I was to go abroad for an extended period. I was relieved at the time to have a camera for my travels. Frustrated at the experience, but I let it go. I had my camera back.

I go abroad. The first roll of film I shoot, the exposure counter dial stops turning and won't advance. How many frames do I have left? Far worse, the film advance lever advances the film, but when returning to resting position doesn't permit the shutter to fire, so the shutter is stuck. In order to fire, I have to pull the advance lever again and again, often 30, 40, 50 times until something in the body "catches" and the shutter is ready to fire - every single shot. (This is not the same thing as the advance lever being intentionally locked, so as to prevent accidentally firing the shutter. That's not this.) What kind of General Working Order is pulling the film advance lever 50 times per shot, crossing my fingers the next pull will actually allow the shutter to fire? This was supposed to be the primary camera for a great travel experience. Instead, I'm lugging around an unusable, worthless chunk of metal.

I waited over 9 months and paid $330 for.....what service was provided?

There's absolutely no way I'm going to exercise the warrranty option - what, so I can give them the camera back for another year, with zero communication the whole time? Or perhaps that's the intended scheme - take the customer's money and then deliver such a horrible experience that when the service provided doesn't hold water the customer is so demoralized and exhausted that they have no faith remaining to exercise the warranty.

Go ahead and look at reviews on the CT Better Business Bureau. They've already been reported by others, and will see another report...

I do like to spend locally, when possible. I suppose these folks are just bone-tired of loosing sales to all the other forces out there, but you'd think they'd want to take full advantage of the fact that they have actual humans to talk with and objects to handle before purchasing - and not have to trek to the inhumane environs of NYC (imho) to do so. But the treatment I got today was strange and uninviting. One example (only one of a few) was that the phone rang as a salesman and I were talking. Mid-sentence (my sentence) he RAN to the phone 25 yards away to answer it. There were at least 2 other salespeople that I could see that may have been busy, but were were not mid-conversation with an actual customer in the store! Really? One more: When I asked how long it might take for them to receive a model they did not have in stock, the immediate and UNapologetic response, before answer my actual question, was that I would have to cover the postage. What? Really? A retailer is going to charge the customer to receive from their wholesaler something that is just a different model from what they happen to have on hand? No. Really, really no! If I'm going to pay postage AND tax, I'm taking my business on line - obviously - particularly since they showed no interest in me. I do not understand the principal of being in business and not wanting to stay in business. They're one of a dying breed of camera shops. Where there were hundreds, there are just a few. So it is strange and a little disturbing. Oh, and one more. Sorry. When I mentioned that Google Maps took me to their location where they had moved from (evidently) a couple of months ago, the apathy was palpable. He said, "Yeah, we've talked about that." Sure. Meanwhile, when I got home, I personally clicked on the option in Google Maps to "suggest an edit," and moved their location pin to the correct spot. I suppose that will take some time to verify, but it at least I did my part even if I won't patronize...

This place was highly recommended by my photography teacher whom I respect. I went here to develop two rolls of film. I was not sure what was on the rolls and was curious to find out. First off it took almost two months to get them back and they charged me over $35 to process. I understand that they do not process their own film anymore and have to outsource it. So six weeks later, I come in to pick it up and the films turned out to be blank. They opened the cartridge and whoever developed it saw that it came out blank. Now, they did not make prints or anything of blank pics so the “labor” could not have been that intensive. Camera Wholesalers said they paid the same $35 plus fee to their processor and don’t make a dime on it so why have to charge me. By the way, they make you pay upfront before you can drop off your films. I find it hard to believe that a store is going to charge me the same that their outsource developer is number one, and number two if you won’t refund me the money, at least split the difference with me. And what about the outsourcer? Apparently they have been working with this developer for 67 years as one of the “elders” at the store told me. Well after 67 years don’t you think someone should call it a wash? Meanwhile, they keep my $37 and Say sorry, “ that’s the way it is.” I have a message left for the owner Arron. I wonder if he will have the decency to call me back and come to some kind of agreeable decision. I really wanted to like it here and was planning on getting more equipment, but now I would rather make the trip into NYC (I just moved to Stamford 6 months ago from NYC) and deal with B&ah. At least there, you know where you stand and they are fair. I feel as if I should have just ripped up my money and through them in the air. Very upset. I will not recommend anyone coming here. It’s the principal. This store is not filled...