Saturday, September 10, 2011

I adore you Adorama, but...

...I had a few camera supplies to buy, including lens cleaning tissue, so I checked the big two or three on-line sites for cameras and photo supplies. The cheapest on Adorama's website was this 99ȼ packet. But before plunking down 99ȼ, though, I wanted to know what I was getting for the money. A reasonable question, and I took advantage of an "Ask a Question" button that took me to a form into which I could insert my question, which was: "How many sheets per pack?" I assumed someone at Adorama would respond, but over the next three or four days, this is what my question yielded in my email box:

You asked: How many sheets per pack?
BORIS H: There are 30 sheets

You asked: How many sheets per pack?

ALBERTO P: I recommend you to buy microfiber for lens cleaning instead of paper tissues. Each pack has 50 sheets but I don't use it any more.

You asked: How many sheets per pack?
ANN H: I doesn't say on the package - but it looks like about 50 sheets.

You asked: How many sheets per pack?
STEVEN G: The package does not say. They are very thin and a little tricky to count but it looks like about 40. The measure about 2 7/8 x 4 inches.

You asked: How many sheets per pack?
JOHN P: There are 50 soft lens tissues per pack. I purchased these tissues because of their strength and softness. They are great to use because they do not wear away the protective coating found on many high end lenses. I would also highly reccomend (visibledust) brand lens cleaning fluid. It is streak free and the best that I have used to date

You asked: How many sheets per pack?
DENNIS S: I didn't count them, I guess around 40.

You asked: How many sheets per pack?
STEVE B: Hi - I'm not sure how many sheets were in the pack. I've used some; there are still about 40, so I'm guessing there were 50 sheets. Not much help.
It's a small pack that fits neatly into my pack, which is why I bought it.

You asked: How many sheets per pack? 
KEVIN F: There are 50 sheets per pack, I'd buy more than one pack though and its a great price. Just buy some other stuff since you're paying shipping, like lens solution.

As far as I can tell, these are all from other customers whose attention was somehow brought to my question, not from Adorama customer service staff, who might have been expected to have the answer, or at least, to answer consistently. 
Since all those "helpful" answers weren't forthcoming immediately, and I found all the things I was shopping for at Adorama's biggest competitor B&H, I ended up buying a pack of 100 sheets (clearly marked), plus all the other items on my list, from them instead. I paid more than 99, but at least I knew what I was getting.





4 comments:

  1. I hate those web sites where you ask questions and get answers from people who have "found" your question -- somehow. Never trust or use them. Besides their fonts are usually to small for me to read comfortably. Thank you for the Amusing Musing.

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  2. I don't even know why companies put those "helpful" answering forms on their websites. Glad you got your supplies without the ambiguity.

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  3. Funny but revealing about the modern super communication venues available to keep us well connected and informed. Not I suggest to call into to AM talk radio to find out who the real culprit for this idiocy is..... :)

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  4. Dear Veronica

    I was concerned to read of your experience using the new ‘Ask a question' button and firstly would like to apologize for any inconvenience or disappointment that was caused. We introduced it with the idea that our customers would want to use it to ask previous customers about their experiences using products. For example, lenses for different applications, different kinds of tripods, bags etc.

    We still have the 'contact us' button on the website for actual product questions similar to yours. These would all be answered by a member of our customer service staff team.

    However, you have raised a very relevant issue, and we will now be monitoring the 'Ask a question' section more carefully to ensure that customers are not given incorrect information.
    We have also changed the page listing for the Lens Cleaning Tissue Package to indicate that there are 50 in a pack.

    I'd like to show our appreciation for you bringing these details to our attention; would it be possible for you to email me directly: Helen@adorama.com

    Once again my apologies, and I do look forward to hearing from you.

    Helen Oster
    Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador

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