35mm Purchase Mistake?

snegron · Nov 14, 2013

I recently posted a thread here requesting opinions on the Pentax Super Program. I went to the auction site Shopgoodwill.om and had the winning bid on a Pentax Super Program body. I received an email informing me that I had won, so I went back to the site and paid for the camera. I checked back on the site during the last several days and the status shows that it has not shipped.

I verified with my credit card that the payment to shopgoodwill went through. I called up the Goodwill (Seattle store) to inquire about my order. I spoke with a very curt male individual who told me that they had received payment. When I asked if it was going to be shipped to me he said "Yes. Is that all you wanted to know?" Then he hung up. :confused:

It still shows as "order not shipped". The original disclaimer on the auction page indicated that the item would be shipped within 5 days of receiving payment. I emailed the auction site and Goodwill Seattle, but have gotten no response.

Anyone else here ever had a similar issue with Shopgoodwill auction site? Does it normally take over 5 days for them to ship something out? I am starting to wonder if they even had that Pentax Super program to begin with. I am going to give them a few more days and if I don't get anywhere with them I will cancel the order through my credit card.

True shame as I really wanted to play around with that Pentax Super Program.

Paul Howell · Nov 14, 2013

Each store ships, so the issue is with this one store. I have bought several cameras from Shopgoodwill without issue.

snegron · Nov 14, 2013

PDH said:
Each store ships, so the issue is with this one store. I have bought several cameras from Shopgoodwill without issue.

I got a pretty bad vibe after speaking with that store employee over the phone that one time, so I am monitoring my credit card activity closely. I hope this wasn't some sort of scam!

BrianShaw · Nov 14, 2013

I've not used shopgoodwill.com but bought plenty of books from goodwill via other sites and foundthem to be 100% reliable and almost totally uncommunicative. After the first time I stopped worrying and just waited for my purchases to show up on the door step.

polyglot · Nov 14, 2013

If it doesn't ship, send them a letter of demand. If that doesn't work, reverse the charges through your credit card.

NedL · Nov 14, 2013

I've bought quite a number of items. Sometimes they ship the last day ( 5 days or whatever ), so just patience is needed I think. I've never had any problem at all and there have been multiple good surprises ( better shape than I expected. ) I know it depends on the store, but the cameras have all been carefully wrapped with bubble wrap or packed neatly in foam "peanuts".

I think the Seattle store usually has quite a few photography related items and they tend to start their prices higher ( like minimum $9.99 instead of no minimum or $4 or$5, even for things that are not going to sell for more than $10. ) I think maybe they take a slightly higher handling fee too... funny that you've mentioned them specifically, because I have a tendency to pick a different store too when there is an option... there is some kind of "vibe"...

Good luck I'm sure it will be fine.

brucemuir · Nov 14, 2013

I wouldn't sweat it much.
The guy on the phone hadn't had his Madd Dog yet that day and Goodwill is a pretty reputable outfit.

The real beef I have with them is their exorbitant shipping fees.

vsyrek1945 · Nov 14, 2013

snegron said:
I recently posted a thread here requesting opinions on the Pentax Super Program. I went to the auction site Shopgoodwill.om and had the winning bid on a Pentax Super Program body. I received an email informing me that I had won, so I went back to the site and paid for the camera. I checked back on the site during the last several days and the status shows that it has not shipped.

I verified with my credit card that the payment to shopgoodwill went through. I called up the Goodwill (Seattle store) to inquire about my order. I spoke with a very curt male individual who told me that they had received payment. When I asked if it was going to be shipped to me he said "Yes. Is that all you wanted to know?" Then he hung up. :confused:

It still shows as "order not shipped". The original disclaimer on the auction page indicated that the item would be shipped within 5 days of receiving payment. I emailed the auction site and Goodwill Seattle, but have gotten no response.

Anyone else here ever had a similar issue with Shopgoodwill auction site? Does it normally take over 5 days for them to ship something out? I am starting to wonder if they even had that Pentax Super program to begin with. I am going to give them a few more days and if I don't get anywhere with them I will cancel the order through my credit card.

True shame as I really wanted to play around with that Pentax Super Program.

Seattle Goodwill is evidently slow to ship. I won a Starblitz flash unit at their location on 11/5, paid for it on 11/6, and saw the item status finally change to 'Shipped' on 11/13, with scheduled delivery on 11/19.

I had a similar experience with Tacoma Goodwill: won the auction and paid for a Mamiya MSX 500 on October 28, and waited until November 4 for the status to change to 'shipped' with a tracking number. I e-mailed requesting a status update, but received no reply. The MSX 500 was shipped UPS ground, and the trip from Tacoma to Long Island took a solid week. The camera was finally delivered Monday, a full two weeks after auction end and payment.

Why these Washington state offices hold shipments a week after receiving payment is a mystery

By contrast, items from Goodwill of Middle Tennessee in Nashville, Goodwill of Great Falls (Montana), Goodwill of the Heartland (Iowa City, IA), and Goodwill of Central Florida in Orlando were shipped the day after payment, with the Iowa and Tennessee branches shipping via Priority Mail, no less.

I didn't note your location, but the fall foliage peak will certainly have passed before your Super Program is delivered. One bit of advice from personal experience: don't try to dry-fire the Super Program in any other shutter speed than X125 without first verifying its batteries are good (I've jammed up more than one M- and A- series Pentax body that way).

Thanks and best regards,
Vince

ambaker · Nov 14, 2013

I've never had them not come through. I have seen it take two weeks for them to get an order out. It has been the exception, rather than the rule. Thankfully...

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

patrickth · Nov 14, 2013

Seattle is a mad house, lots of people running around and pretty much a central clearing house for a wide net. I wouldn't sweat it. It will get to you. Most of the people who work there probably don't view it as a fast track to management and the big bucks. Someone answering the phone there probably has five people at that counter screaming for attention all at once. That is especially true at the counter they use for what they call "higher end" items.

Tom1956 · Nov 15, 2013

Goodwll undoubtedly is not a place where you'll find rocket scientists and emergency surgeons employed there. As far as a "bad vibe", half the population of the US gives me one of those these days. I just try to ignore it and go on.

snegron · Nov 15, 2013

vsyrek1945 said:
Seattle Goodwill is evidently slow to ship. I won a Starblitz flash unit at their location on 11/5, paid for it on 11/6, and saw the item status finally change to 'Shipped' on 11/13, with scheduled delivery on 11/19.

I had a similar experience with Tacoma Goodwill: won the auction and paid for a Mamiya MSX 500 on October 28, and waited until November 4 for the status to change to 'shipped' with a tracking number. I e-mailed requesting a status update, but received no reply. The MSX 500 was shipped UPS ground, and the trip from Tacoma to Long Island took a solid week. The camera was finally delivered Monday, a full two weeks after auction end and payment.

Why these Washington state offices hold shipments a week after receiving payment is a mystery

By contrast, items from Goodwill of Middle Tennessee in Nashville, Goodwill of Great Falls (Montana), Goodwill of the Heartland (Iowa City, IA), and Goodwill of Central Florida in Orlando were shipped the day after payment, with the Iowa and Tennessee branches shipping via Priority Mail, no less.

I didn't note your location, but the fall foliage peak will certainly have passed before your Super Program is delivered. One bit of advice from personal experience: don't try to dry-fire the Super Program in any other shutter speed than X125 without first verifying its batteries are good (I've jammed up more than one M- and A- series Pentax body that way).

Thanks and best regards,
Vince

Thanks! I'm in southern Florida, so we have no clue what fall foliage peak is (perpetual summer here)! Also, thanks for the tip about dry firing at X125. Just out of curiosity, if the batteries are going bad and the camera locks up, is it a permanent lock up that requires a trip to the repair shop, or will it self correct when you insert a new set of batteries?

Dennis S · Nov 15, 2013

I have bid and "won" articles in Seattle Goodwill and they were very fast with handling and shipping with tracking #'s supplied but have noticed a substantial increase in the shipping costs to Canada. The higher costs must have to do with them shipping the product from Seattle to California before it makes it to Vancouver BC... ?

snegron · Nov 15, 2013

dances_w_clouds said:
I have bid and "won" articles in Seattle Goodwill and they were very fast with handling and shipping with tracking #'s supplied but have noticed a substantial increase in the shipping costs to Canada. The higher costs must have to do with them shipping the product from Seattle to California before it makes it to Vancouver BC... ?

They charged me $16.00 standard shipping from Seattle to Florida. It was almost the same amount I paid for the camera! At this point I'll be truly surprised if they even ship it to me at all. Worst case scenario it will be yet another learning experience for me. Next time I'll stick to reliable used camera dealers I have dealt with in the past like KEH.

fstop · Nov 18, 2013

snegron said:
They charged me $16.00 standard shipping from Seattle to Florida. It was almost the same amount I paid for the camera! At this point I'll be truly surprised if they even ship it to me at all. Worst case scenario it will be yet another learning experience for me. Next time I'll stick to reliable used camera dealers I have dealt with in the past like KEH.

Me too,GW's lack of padding in the box, the shipping charges and long wait make it not worth it. You can win something nice and it will be wrecked by time it gets to you.

wblynch · Nov 18, 2013

Seattle people are not in the best of moods this time of year. Not the "Bluest Skies you've Ever Seen" in November.

No Birds,

No Bees,

No Leaves on the Trees,

No Wonder,

November!

snegron · Nov 18, 2013

fstop said:
Me too,GW's lack of padding in the box, the shipping charges and long wait make it not worth it. You can win something nice and it will be wrecked by time it gets to you.

Great. Now I'm even less enthusiastic about my purchase through Shopgoodwill. They sent me an email message a couple of days ago advising that my order had finally shipped. However, when I click on the tracking info a message pops up telling me

"UPS could not locate the shipment details for your request. Please verify your information and try again later."

I tried several times yesterday and today but keep getting the same message. I'm starting to think this was a big mistake...

Pioneer · Nov 18, 2013

snegron said:
Great. Now I'm even less enthusiastic about my purchase through Shopgoodwill. They sent me an email message a couple of days ago advising that my order had finally shipped. However, when I click on the tracking info a message pops up telling me

"UPS could not locate the shipment details for your request. Please verify your information and try again later."

I tried several times yesterday and today but keep getting the same message. I'm starting to think this was a big mistake...

I had a very similar problem and I was getting seriously stressed, right up to the point where it showed up in my mailbox. I think they generate shipping labels on-line, print them and then collect the packages until they have a bunch to go out. I actually purposely buy a lot from the Goodwill Auctions as I hope I am helping someone out a little bit each time. In all this time I have had dozens show late, but not a single one arrived damaged or came up missing. I guess there is a 1st time for everything and somewhere, someone, has probably had this happen. Just try to relax and remind yourself it is not coming from Adorama or such like.

Dennis S · Nov 18, 2013

snegron said:
Great. Now I'm even less enthusiastic about my purchase through Shopgoodwill. They sent me an email message a couple of days ago advising that my order had finally shipped. However, when I click on the tracking info a message pops up telling me

"UPS could not locate the shipment details for your request. Please verify your information and try again later."

I tried several times yesterday and today but keep getting the same message. I'm starting to think this was a big mistake...

That always happens. Several days after it was shipped is how I found it was shipped here Seattle-Vancouver BC via California. All the times I never had a problem with any Goodwill. Slow yes but never lost (knock on wood).

gone · Nov 19, 2013

Well, so much for good will! And I agree, stick w/ KEH, although I've had good luck w/ Collectible Cameras too. Unlike KEH, they will grab the gear off the shelf and tell you what's up on the phone. One day someone named Will answered the phone there, and I swear he sounded like the same guy that once was at KEH, so maybe there's a connection. And of course, both of these places know cameras and are knowledgeable, unlike thrift store workers. As for the shipping, that's just how it is. I don't think it's that much cheaper anywhere else to ship a camera these days, as a USPS medium priority box is about $13, and that's w/o the peanuts, bubble wrap, time to pack it, etc.

Pioneer · Nov 19, 2013

Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. Please do not bid on any more camera deals at ShopGoodwill. Hopefully this will keep things a bit less expensive for me.

Dennis S · Nov 22, 2013

Not having an expert to tell how much an item would be worth is one of the best reasons to shop Goodwill. Several years ago I purchased a Canon FL 55/1.2 from Seattle Goodwill because they thought it would not sell because it was so old and heavy. I got it for a very small sum. Both parties were happy. Caveat emptor

vsyrek1945 · Nov 22, 2013

snegron said:
Thanks! I'm in southern Florida, so we have no clue what fall foliage peak is (perpetual summer here)! Also, thanks for the tip about dry firing at X125. Just out of curiosity, if the batteries are going bad and the camera locks up, is it a permanent lock up that requires a trip to the repair shop, or will it self correct when you insert a new set of batteries?

Sometimes they cleared with fresh batteries, some times the camera needed a little "help" in the form of a firm smack on the base plate. One only came clear after "help" from a rubber mallet [After all, I didn't want to leave any dents] A couple didn't recover at all, and wound up in the "eBay parts/repair" box.

alienmeatsack · Nov 25, 2013

If I may toss in a thought to add to all of your comments on this subject.

I also purchase from SGW.com and enjoy having them as a source for cameras and accessories. I don't like that their shipping and handling is sometimes a bit expensive. But I also realize that it is a charity who's purpose is not to save you money, but instead to help enrich the lives of others, give them work and job skills and to help out those in need.

So that $50 camera you purchased for $10 and paid $12 for shipping on still cost less then what it would have otherwise, you helped a good cause and ensured that a camera found a good home and a person/people who might not otherwise have work had a job.

Isn't that more important then complaining that your gear costs a few extra dollars to ship or isn't packaged with 100% perfect packing materials?

Just food for thought.

snegron · Nov 25, 2013

Update:

I finally got my Pentax Super Program from Shopgoodwill.com today. From the time of purchase to the delivery day was 16 days.
It arrived in a well packaged box (I will give them credit for doing a good job on the packaging as it was inside a plastic bag in the middle of several layers of bubble wrap). As for the camera itself; it works!! It does have a couple of tiny dings on top of the prism near the hot shoe plus the usual signs of slight ware on the bottom plate. It came with a digital data back and a body cap (even the finger grip is still on the camera). Only issue is that there were batteries in the data back and they were a bit corroded. No big deal as I have never been a fan of data backs anyway, so I don't really care much if it works or not. I tested the shutter speeds, metering and shooting modes; all appear to work well except for the frame counter. Frame counter is stuck on 36 and will not reset.

Overall impression? I don't feel they took advantage of me (I got what I paid for; nothing more, nothing less) and the camera is pretty much as I expected; somewhere between KEH's BGN and EX grade.

My gripes:

- Definitely # 1 gripe is the lack of communication. I don't feel I should have to have emailed and called them so much to find out about the status of my order.

- # 2 would be the long time it took to ship the camera (from purchase to arrival).

- Overall price I paid wasn't that much cheaper than if I had purchased it from ebay or similar.

- It would have been nice if they had mentioned the frame counter was not working before I spent any time bidding on this camera.

Will I buy from shopgoodwill.com again? Not sure. Probably if there is a camera I like available for local pick up, then maybe. Will I bid on anything from the Seattle store? Maybe if they offer a Leica M3 single stroke for under $200...

35mm Purchase Mistake?

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