APUG UK Appeal - Please send a message to Jessops!

Jessops have a new website at http://www.jessops.com and would like some feedback on it. The main changes seem to be:

- They no longer trade in secondhand camera equipment or accept trade-ins.
- Traditional photography equipment has been relegated to a very small (and quite hard to find) corner of the site.
- Very little traditional photography equipment is held in stock (check Film SLR's for example).
- They have now started to sell televisions and satnav systems (most of which are in stock).

Now, I remember the days (not all that long ago) when you could walk into your local Jessops store and walk out again a few minutes later with a bottle of Ilfotec DD-X, a few rolls of Delta 3200 (in 135 or 120), a Paterson tank and a pack of 16x12 MGWT FB Glossy. Not as cheap as the internet by any means, but very convenient when you needed the stuff in a hurry!

If you venture in now it looks like a cross between PC World, Curry's and Halfords, and you're lucky if they have more than twenty rolls of film in the shop. Any request for anything other than the most basic of traditional items is met with a bleat of, "Well, we can order it for you..."

It's a long, sad way from the days when 'Jessops of Leicester' was a name that commanded respect in photographic circles.

So I was thinking...

A while back Fuji stated its committment to traditional processes. Quite a few of us wrote in or sent emails to say, 'Thank you!' for that. This actually got noticed at Fuji to the extent that pretty much all of us got, 'Thank you' emails and letters back ourselves and some even received complimentary film to show Fuji's appreciation for the gesture!

This time, I suggest we send a different message to Jessops. They have, after all, asked for feedback!

I suggest we tell them that that if we want a television then we'll go to Curry's or Comet, if we want a satnav system then we'll go to Halfords, and if we want a computer peripheral then we'll go to PC World! I suggest we then ask them where in the high street we're supposed to go if we need traditional photographic supplies! It obviously won't be where we've traditionally gone...

APUG is large enough (and can be loud enough) to be heard. We've proved that. I'll grant you that this probably won't change a damn thing.


Let's do it anyway.


Thanks for reading and thanks to digiconvert and AndyK for raising this issue on another thread (see below).

FrankB


Relevant Threads -

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Don't waste your time on a lost cause. THere are far better companies to support.

Companies respond to customer demands. If we support them with our purchases, they will support us with their offerings. If we look for the cheapest deals and order online, we shouldn't be surprised if they close their doors. It's us, not them. Nikon and Canon turn their backs on traditional photography not because they like to, but because they have to.

I remeber an Ilford survey, where Ilford could not find out why customers would complain about the high prices of chemicals $3 to $8 a unit, even if they only used a unit per anno. But the same customers went out and bought more cameras and lenses costing hundreds of dollars, even if they never used or not needed them.

Customer behavior is hard to predict, but one thing is unfortunately certain, 'cheaper' seems to beat 'customer service' hands-down these days.

Let's make sure we support the quality manufacturers that are left and don't waste our money on the cheap onces. Otherwise, only the cheap once are left, and then, they will dictate the price.

Jessops are following the road taken by Dixons. But selling TV's is a very competitive market to enter - I'd be surprised if they are still around in 5 years time. Personally I'm not going to bother contacting them as I haven't used them for years and won't be starting now whether they sell TV's or not. I will continue to deal with the surviving specialist photographic companies and getting some items on ebay.

To misquote Ralph, support the quality suppliers. If you have any dead daffs left in the garden, gather a bunch and leave them on a Jessops doorstep with a R.I.P. card.

Wish I could help, but being located in the states, I don't think they would pay any attention to me, good luck guys..

R.

This is quite unlike the Fuji situation where we were pushing at an open door. The Jessops door is firmly locked. Reminds me of the old song, a line of which is "I talk to the trees but they never listen to me". About the same chance with Jessops. Alas song lyrics always give away one's age.

It may be my imagination but Jessops now seem to be staffed by personnel under 30 for whom film is an alien product and any inquiry on said subject is met with a similar response to that which you'd receive if you went into a TV store and insisted on a B&W tele. There really is no turning the clock back for Jessops which is how they'd view supporting film.

My advice would be to take advantage of any fire sale you see in a Jessops store with regard to film products and just call it a day.

pentaxuser

Dave Miller said:

To misquote Ralph, support the quality suppliers. If you have any dead daffs left in the garden, gather a bunch and leave them on a Jessops doorstep with a R.I.P. card.

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I was sort of suggesting the electronic equivalent of that...

I sent a message. Nett effect? It made me feel better!

..however, the opinion seems fairly unanimous on this one so I'll let it pass.

With the independents and Jessops going, how do first time film SLR users, i.e. people that may become photographers (amateur or pro.) discover about purchasing stuff unless they are in the education system? I used to use Jessops a good deal a couple of years ago but do not now because there are better (in various ways) places, such as 7dayshop.com, Firstcall photographic, and Silverprint.

I would note though, that a recently opened Jessops in a new shopping mall in Norwich carries some film and darkroom related stuff. I have bought a Paterson safelight and a box of ILFORD paper from there at vaguely reasonable prices.

I do however have a theory that people will eventually gravitate towards something I they discover that is what they really want.

I've never been a fan of Jessops, their own brand paper I tried years ago and it was terrible.

Jessops did however put basic darkroom equipment and a good selection of films on the high-street and I'm sure many got hooked on home processing/printing from impulse buying in their shops over the years.

Jessops though have been pushing digital for years now and their analog stock reduced to little or nothing. So sorry Frank but I couldnt care less about them, I hope you aren't too knocked about by them.

If anyone in the UK wants to see a real shop for their darkroom, find Waterloo on the Tube, swing past The Old Vic, and melt your credit card in Silverprint. [If I can find it, anyone can!]

So some of us can think back to pre-Jessop's times and remember when Dixons was a photo chain, own brand cameras, enlargers etc, at it's height it sponsored the UK's Press photographer of the Year Awards, took over great names like Wallace Heaton, then they began selling end of line Hi-Fi & TV's.. . . . . . . . . .

What's new Jessops is no longer a real player in the market place for serious photographers, and will go the same way as Dixons.

Not that many years ago Jessop's prided themselves on their service, and offered all photographers professional or hobbyist excellent prices on all available products. Unfortunately under a new Chairman standards have slipped remakably quickly, to the point where they are they are now possibly thr worst retailer of photographic goods in the UK. Despite a huge catalogue of products.

Perhaps I should add I've had business dealings with Jessop's (head office) and also had a few meetings with their ex-Chairman, both while he was at Jessops and after.

Ian

pentaxuser said:

It may be my imagination but Jessops now seem to be staffed by personnel under 30 for whom film is an alien product

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Very true, but I have to say that those staff in my local Jessops (Plymouth) always bend over backwards to obtain materials for me if they possibly can and do seem to take in interest, albeit an historical one, in traditional products. Perhaps they just feel sorry for me - a poor old sod who shuffles in through their door asking for things their grandads told them about!

Steve

Dave Miller said:

To misquote Ralph, support the quality suppliers. If you have any dead daffs left in the garden, gather a bunch and leave them on a Jessops doorstep with a R.I.P. card.

Click to expand...

What a great idea! Guerrilla action! Go to your nearest Jessops and leave a cheap wreath hanging on their door with a card: 'In memoriam Jessops Photographic'.

My main concern with what Jessops are doing/have done is that the general public will now be convinced there is no longer any such thing as film, and that can only be damaging to companies like Ilford, Fuji etc.

So they are destroying their own market.

Andy K said:

What a great idea! Guerrilla action! Go to your nearest Jessops and leave a cheap wreath hanging on their door with a card: 'In memoriam Jessops Photographic'.

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Interesting idea, I'd also suggest photocopying a page out of the OED for the 'Photography' section so they can work out what you mean .

Andy K said:

My main concern with what Jessops are doing/have done is that the general public will now be convinced there is no longer any such thing as film, and that can only be damaging to companies like Ilford, Fuji etc.

Click to expand...

Only problem is that most people don't even THINK about film or digital , they want a camera and they know digital things are good. I heard a guy in Jessops ask for a digital camera, that's all he knew, they could have sold him a Canon 5D or a jessops £50 P and S and he would have been happy either way.

I did see one comment about this being good for the small independents - that will be the small independents Jessops and Dixons priced out of existence 20 years ago presumably. Isn't market forces a wonderful thing ? Problem is it tends to favour the lowest common denominator !

Andy K said:

My main concern with what Jessops are doing/have done is that the general public will now be convinced there is no longer any such thing as film, and that can only be damaging to companies like Ilford, Fuji etc.

Click to expand...

I was asked for my advice on a camera, the person wanted x, y and z. They also wanted prints especially black and white prints. I offered to do their b+w dev and enlargements and we picked out a Nikon F65 plus zoom. They used a FM when in college so had a preference for Nikon.

Into Jessops [Dublin] they go. Sales dude laughs when they ask to see the F65 in the cabinet, says film cameras are for old foggies. He asks why they want film and he counter argues vice each point they make. Unfortunatly I wasn’t there because none of his points would stand up. They end up with a digital Canon P+S and a dedicated printer, spending 3 times the amount. I get a great laugh when I see the 4x6 prints from this printer, I wouldn’t use them as a beer mat.

In another shop [not Jessops], a sales guy told me that he got a verbal warning on his first week for pushing film cameras, he was told a digital camera was a sale that would be repeated every 12-18 months and to use his expression the demise of film is down to the greedy, the impressionable, the insecure and the impatient.

"Companies respond to customer demands. If we support them with our purchases, they will support us with their offerings. If we look for the cheapest deals and order online, we shouldn't be surprised if they close their doors. It's us, not them."


Thats exactly the wrong way round in my book, and how do I give them business when they don't stock what I want. If Jessops want business from people carrying out film photography, they have to first demonstrate that they are worth it and to provide some sort of incentive not to buy on the internet/phone. Their failure to hold adequate stocks, failure to employ and train decent staff so they can converse sensibly with a photographer, and a decision to offer competitive prices only where a potential customer first finds a better deal elsewhere speaks volumes for their intent. If they can't be bothered then I'm absolutely right to give them as little business as possible.

Ian Grant said:

So some of us can think back to pre-Jessop's times and remember when Dixons was a photo chain, own brand cameras, enlargers etc, at it's height it sponsored the UK's Press photographer of the Year Awards, took over great names like Wallace Heaton, then they began selling end of line Hi-Fi & TV's.. . . . . . . . . .

Click to expand...

Yeah I remember Dixons...they werw staffed even then by spotty faced youths (they must have invented them) and their after sales service was crap.

Stick with the good guys: Silverprint, Retro, Ilford, Fuji etc..



Richard
(dreading the possible demise of Reflections lab in Norwich)

There will always be photographers for whom digital does not work. I am one of them. I have a very good digital slr which has sat in the cupboard since last summer. The slow deliberate way you have to work with large format makes me take better pictures and the style I prefer (long exposures) I can do on film in a way digital is incapable of (I tried). I am only a film user because I wanted to shoot panoramic - I always had a love for the shape. All my peers think I need a straight jacket - a 33 year old who went 'backwards' into film is almost unheard of.

The fact is since no-one on the high street will show the new photography user what is good about using film, it must be up to us. We have to write in to high profile magazines (not specialist film mags) with our pictures and stories and get published in as many places as possible showing and telling what is good about our branch of photography. We should be offering to go to schools and colleges to show students what our cameras are capable of. Nothing beats digital propaganda better than cold hard facts - prints of exceptional quality that demand respect - so go show them what we can do!

As for Jessops (Belfast), when I first started film, I left 4 120 roll films in for processing. They were 6x17cm. 1 month later (they were sent away for processing) 1 roll came back with drying marks, 2 came back with scores up one entire side where their rollers had obviously not been cleaned in addition they had been folded diagonally during transport, and only one picture of the final roll came back at all, all the shots of bluebell woods had mysteriosly evaporated before they reached the store. Don't go near them with a very large barge pole!

I gave up Jessops as a lost cause a while back - all sorts of reasons - I think they're too huge and too far gone to influence, if that's not being too defeatist, although I also think it is a shame, simply because they have such a presence on the high street. Staff there are quite capable of telling new photographers to buy digicams because 'film will be soon be unavailable' (well, it will be unavailable at Jessops). They've decided the market they're going for. The only branch still worth using for me is the one in New Oxford Street, but I haven't been there for a long time and even that could well have lost it's medium format/second-hand/darkroom bit by now.

I have bben using Silverprint for a while but recently they had run out of ddx at £11.75 litre..
Popped into my local Jessops who did not have it i stock but were pleased to order it in from another branch at £10.99 litre !!!!
Just another slant on it.
Regards
Vince:confused:

Well this was from their UK site on the homepage "why go digital?":

"Digital photography doesn't use the toxic chemicals that often end up flowing down the drain and into our streams, rivers, and lakes"

If anything write to them and ask how e-waste is great for the environment & why they assume we improperly dispose of the toxic stuff.. :rolleyes:

vincedixon said:

I have bben using Silverprint for a while but recently they had run out of ddx at £11.75 litre..
Popped into my local Jessops who did not have it i stock but were pleased to order it in from another branch at £10.99 litre !!!!
Just another slant on it.
Regards
Vince:confused:

Click to expand...

I went into my local (Plymouth) branch of Jessops on Monday to buy a bottle of stop bath. They didn't have any, but told me that their working stock of B/W chemicals is currently one 250ml bottle each of their own brand dev, stop and fix! (The dev is "universal")

Steve

The Newport, Isle of Wight branch isn't too bad. They always have Ilford fixer when I want it and a variety of developers, stop bath, etc. and a selection of Ilford paper. However, the film which used to be on display (some in a refrgerated cabinet) is now kept in a drawer under the counter.

Steve.

I've just ordered and received from my local Jessops a ton of Kodak hypo clear agent because they are so cheap. Took a while to come through, (5 weeks), and the assistant had no idea what I was ordering.