V hacked off at the "J" people

G-Dubs · 4 Mar 2012 at 09:21

Never used them before but as I had some gift vouchers and could trade in my Tesco clubcard points I decided to use them to purchase my hearts desire, the Canon 24-70 f2.8. Rang the Lincoln store and got them to reserve one.
"Is it brand new and boxed"? I asked
"Yes"
"so it's not been on display in the shop then"?
"Well yes it has, but it's never been out of the cabinet and the caps have never been off"
"OK" says I that seems fair enough so I make my way over to Lincoln my closest store, but still an hours drive away.
On inspecticg the lens before purchase I see that there is quite a bit of dust on the front and back lenses and also some marks on the front lens which after a few minutes of lens penning refuse to come off, most likely droplets of spit.
The chap I spoke to on the phone happens to be in the shop at the time so I ask him "So how did it get like this if the caps have never been off"?
"No idea he says"
I ask him how he can be 100% sue the caps have never been off and he says he can't be as he isn't there 100% of the time.
I suggest he shouldn't have told me what he thought I wanted to hear on the phone if he wasn't sure

Anyway, I said I wasn't happy and asked them to order me another in, which will mean another round trip to Lincoln

Is this typical of this company?

Rojin · 4 Mar 2012 at 10:28

Well it's the individual that has let you down, it's a poor show and reflects badly on the company. Write them a letter.

GAC · 4 Mar 2012 at 10:53

to be blunt its retail all over on the high street, they'l say anything to get you in the store.

Jay794 · 4 Mar 2012 at 10:54

They are normally pretty good, my girlfriend buys all her stuff from them if she doesn't get it online, a lot better than the fail that is LCE

K.C. Leblanc · 4 Mar 2012 at 10:57

They get mentioned fairly often on the talkphotography forums. It seems they're fairly variable, it's down to the quality of the staff in the individual stores.

Nexus · 4 Mar 2012 at 11:23

To be fair, I think any lens that isn't boxed is likely to have been used for a few instore tester shots by potential purchasers.

With that kind of doubt in your mind you may as well have gone for one that was never removed from its box to get rid of that doubt.

If the lens was looking a bit used, that could also be a bargaining chip for a discount.

dannyjo22 · 4 Mar 2012 at 11:36

And throw the lens pen away.

33L · 5 Mar 2012 at 14:27

I bought my 5DII from them, tbh i have never had better service. I dont know if it was the amount of money i was laying down at the time but they went the extra mile for me and the guy that helped got a letter sent to the branch manager from me in appreciation.

Nexus · 5 Mar 2012 at 14:44

My only real negative of Jessops is when I went into their Oxford Street store early last year on a very wet day. I'd just begun walking around the shop when a member of staff, possibly a security guard manhandled me back to the door, informing me that I was supposed to leave my umbrella in a box by the door. How was I supposed to know that I should be doing that? His tone and the way he grabbed me was that as if I had stolen something!

I'm not sure whether it was some silly health and safety thing about wet floors, or whether they just couldn't be arsed mopping up every time somebody came in. I mean, shoes are wet... they weren't making people take them off!

I told him I wouldn't be putting my umbrella in the box and would take my business elsewhere. I went directly over the road and spent £1800 in Jacobs instead. I'd wished the Manager had seen how customers were being treated... but that was enough for me not to want to use them ever again.

ElDude · 5 Mar 2012 at 16:12

One thing I will say for them, is the store in Wrexham has a great staff policy. I've popped in a few times to buy the odd little thing, like lens pens, and they've split packs for me, etc.

I bought my 60D online from them as they were doing 0% finance. I had a nightmare with them. They never replied to emails, they didn't return calls and when I got through to them they had no idea when their stock was in, or if it had even been ordered. I will NEVER use them again online. I know they had to make massive savings to stay afloat, but they've done it in the background, which results in awful customer service. A company with poor customer service is no company at all.

I now use the main online retailer, that most use. Occasionally more expensive, but I trust them, and have bought a shoulder bag and storm jacket in the last two weeks with no issues.

I'm surprised people use them still, to be honest. I'd rather have the clubcard points