For UK Members - Possible Bad News for Jessops

tim_walls · Jul 10, 2009

Paul Jenkin said:
I tend to disagree Tim. I suspect that most employees in the "retail" industry develop a fairly strong dislike of many customers as an occupational hazard. This attitude is, almost certainly, down to a lack of training and poor pay / motivation. However, as their "attitude" is almost impossible to disguise completely, any tuned-in customers are likely to pick up on it and never go back to that store again.

I admire your sunny view of the average punter; unfortunately experience suggests you're wrong.

That said, I don't recall anywhere suggesting you should treat even the most odious customer with anything less than total professionalism. If you can't manage that, you shouldn't be in the job. It's no surprise though that anyone who does actually have a clue gets out of that sort of position as quickly as they possibly can.

jessthespringer · Jul 10, 2009

I think that is a pretty sunny view alright, Paul.

That was my first experience of retail, but I've been working with the public for a long time.
I was surprised at how rude some people are though... I had a woman poke in the chest, because the photo kiosk was out of order, and had to call security on another occasion when a Dutch guy just completely went off on one.

Lots of people come into the store with an attitude, ah, what do these idiots know. Some people seem to assume because you work in a shop you can't get a job anywhere else, therefore, must be an idiot!

(I don't mean anyone here, this is just my experience of people I've met)

Ian is right, the problem is the system and the management. Not the staff.

Dealing with the public can be really difficult. I totally agree with Tim, everyone should do it for a while.

Sirius Glass · Jul 10, 2009

I was working at E. J. Korvettes in Rockville Maryland [for the people in the Washington metropolitan area, that alone will date me, as will the story]. Korvettes used Polaroid film and the Kodak Instamatic Cameras as lost leaders. They were sold a few cents over cost. To get to the camera department one had to pass either handbags and wallets or gardens and tools. Of course this would raise sales in those two areas.

I and my friend, also a college student, handled film, processing and selling Instamatic 104 cameras. We each pulled in over $2,500 a day so things were hopping and we worked really fast to keep the line down. We were paid a commission on the total sales plus salary.

One day an old lady comes in to buy an Instamatic 104 camera for her granddaughter. I spent about 45 minutes explaining to her how to load and use the camera [Note bene: she was not going to use the camera herself.] Finally she decided to buy the camera in the kit which include a roll of film and flashcubes. She also selected two more rolls of film and a box of flashcubes. I ring up each item, telling her what it is and the cost, and place it in the bag.

Suddenly, she grabs the bag from me, tearing it open, grabs a box of film and jams it up my left nostril and shouts, "What is this and what do I do with it?"

I pick up a new bag, load the rung up items into it. Then I take the roll of film and I say to her, "Lady, do you know what you can do with this? Lady, do you know what you can do with this?"

The old lady gets all red in the face and shouts, "What do you mean by that young man?"

The camera department manager was dying and ran over as fast as he could.

I said, "Why lady, you open the back of the camera, drop the film in it, advance the film and the camera is ready."

The old lady says, "Thank you so much, you have been real kind and patient with me." She paid and left.

The camera department manager walked back to the storeroom holding his chest.

Steve

pentaxuser · Jul 10, 2009

Steve Sounds like it was Norman Bates diguised as mother!

pentaxuser

paul_c5x4 · Jul 16, 2009

Went to purchase a box of 10x8 MG paper today... Local Jessops store had one box of 100 sheets which is just what I was looking for. One small problem. It had been opened and the box was damaged. Only £4 discount was offered, and my offer of £10 was rejected. With a list price of £34, I think I'll go elsewhere.

Tom Kershaw · Jul 16, 2009

Paul,

Morco supply next day and will tell you if a product is in stock over the phone. Free shipping over £115.

01623 422828

Tom.

pentaxuser · Jul 16, 2009

paul_c5x4 said:
Went to purchase a box of 10x8 MG paper today... Local Jessops store had one box of 100 sheets which is just what I was looking for. One small problem. It had been opened and the box was damaged. Only £4 discount was offered, and my offer of £10 was rejected. With a list price of £34, I think I'll go elsewhere.

This highlights one of Jessops' flaws and one that may finish them someday. I suspect there was no local autonomy in offering only £4 reduction and there is no local input into some ridiculous prices and yet when head office decrees that certain lines must go, it practically gives them away.

A couple of years ago it was the remaining stocks of Ilford's student offer of 120 sheets of 10x8 for the price of a 100. Suddenly the price was dropped to way under £10. I bought several through the online ordering system which allows pick-up at a store local to the customer.

I'd like to see the head marketing person explain the pricing policy to Duncan, Peter and Theo in the "Dragon's Den" It would be more entertaining than Christians v Lions in the old Roman days and just as bloody

pentaxuser

paul_c5x4 · Jul 16, 2009

Thanks for the info Tom - All I want at the moment is a box of paper, so once p&p is included, it gets kinda expensive. If I run out before I go down to London for a shopping trip at Silverprint, I have an alternative source (WarehouseExpress, also a bit pricey, but local).

Tom Kershaw · Jul 17, 2009

Paul,

Can you pick up materials and chemistry from the WarehouseExpress store?

Tom.

paul_c5x4 · Jul 17, 2009

Tom Kershaw said:
Can you pick up materials and chemistry from the WarehouseExpress store?

If the stuff is in stock, then yes - Now the showroom is in the same building as the warehouse, can even order over the counter.
That said, with recent price increases, much of their film/chemicals/paper is no longer competitively priced so I only go there when I need something *now*damit.

ajuk · Jul 22, 2009

Has anybody else noticed a sudden and rather huge price hike in B&W film at Jessops, Occasionally I would get a roll from them if I really needed it as unlike most of their other film it was reasonably priced, I went in to get HP5+ but I decided not to as it had gone from about £3.30 to £5.50!!

Tom Kershaw · Jul 22, 2009

It's true: Dead Link Removed

Is this another ILFORD price hike or more likely the result of Jessops odd pricing strategy...

Tom.

ajuk · Jul 23, 2009

It's gone up on 7dayshop to but not by nearly as much.

Matt5791 · Jul 25, 2009

Re Ilford prices. Therer have been NO Ilford price increases recently - for some reason Jessops have suddenly doubled the price of loads of stuff - problem is it is makinh people think Ilford have put up the price!

pentaxuser · Jul 25, 2009

Matt5791 said:
Re Ilford prices. Therer have been NO Ilford price increases recently - for some reason Jessops have suddenly doubled the price of loads of stuff - problem is it is makinh people think Ilford have put up the price!

I wonder if the same is true of Ilford paper? If so such retailers are letting Ilford down badly but are at least providing enterprising retailers the opportunity to put "clear water" between them and the others.

It has been noticeable that other than individuals selling "secondhand" paper on e-bay the "power sellers" are all asking higher prices than the regular web based mail order sites.

Maybe they think that bidders/buyers assume that all e-bay sellers offer bargain basement prices by virtue of it being e-bay. A simple trawl of the market place will soon destroy that illusion.

pentaxuser

Matt5791 · Jul 26, 2009

pentaxuser said:
I wonder if the same is true of Ilford paper? If so such retailers are letting Ilford down badly but are at least providing enterprising retailers the opportunity to put "clear water" between them and the others.

It has been noticeable that other than individuals selling "secondhand" paper on e-bay the "power sellers" are all asking higher prices than the regular web based mail order sites.

Maybe they think that bidders/buyers assume that all e-bay sellers offer bargain basement prices by virtue of it being e-bay. A simple trawl of the market place will soon destroy that illusion.

pentaxuser

Very true. Apparently there is a school in Scotland who, recently, were worried about how they were going to finance the paper for the course because the price had gone up so much - they were being charged £37 for a 100 sheet pack of MGIV RC by a particular retailer! (not Jessops, although I think they are charging something like this now). Now you could say they should have shopped around, but I think this is just fleecing an academic institution.

pentaxuser · Jul 26, 2009

Matt My sentiments in spades. Unless Ilford have hiked prices quite ridiculously in recent months then it is some retailers who seem to be charging prices that can't be justfied. Quite frankly Ilford should be concerned. I can think of few better ways to dissuade newcomers to analogue photography. I forget Ilford's exact slogan but paraphrasing it means it intends to be the last company still supporting trad B&W work. If current trends were to continue( a box of Ilford WTFB 8x10 at nearly £70 plus postage on e-bay!) then the being the last( as in the sense of finished for good) may come true rather sooner than it was planning on.

pentaxuser

Tom Kershaw · Jul 26, 2009

( a box of Ilford WTFB 8x10 at nearly £70 plus postage on e-bay!)

- or around £50 from a retailer.

Tom

Stan160 · Jul 27, 2009

Tom Kershaw said:
- or around £50 from a retailer.

Tom

Which retailer? I've not seen it for less that about £60 anywhere recently.

Ian

Tom Kershaw · Jul 27, 2009

I've not used Ag Photographic yet, however:

http://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/mgiv-fb-8x10-gloss-100-387-p.asp

Silverprint:

http://www.silverprint.co.uk/ProductByGroup.asp?PrGrp=1171

Tom.

Stan160 · Jul 27, 2009

Tom Kershaw said:
I've not used Ag Photographic yet, however:

http://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/mgiv-fb-8x10-gloss-100-387-p.asp

Silverprint:

http://www.silverprint.co.uk/ProductByGroup.asp?PrGrp=1171

Tom.

The previous message was about Warmtone FB. If you can find that for £50 I will be very happy!

Ian

pentaxuser · Jul 27, 2009

Stan160 said:
The previous message was about Warmtone FB. If you can find that for £50 I will be very happy!

Ian

There was WTRC from a powerseller in Sheffield(Sheffield Photcentre) on e-bay selling WTRC at £38 per 100 sheet box in the 8x10 size at a time( late April ) when the other major powerseller was asking almost £54. It obviously sold quickly and I haven't seen any since. However even if it was a one-off stock I am sure he wasn't selling at a loss. Seffield photocentre may have obtained it via a bargain basement deal and not from Ilford directly and it may not be in the business of selling paper normally or at least not on e-bay. However the quantities on sale suggested that it was a "wholesale item" and not just a few boxes obtained at fire sale prices from a one man business who was going under. Had it have been, then the one man business could done better via e-bay himself

It really raises the question of what is the price that gives the stockist a reasonable margin having bought from Ilford?

We are far from the economist's perfect competition scenario unfortunately where prices settle at about one level that allows "normal profits" only.

There's a roaring trade on e-bay in secondhand paper and it is hardly surprising given over the counter prices for new stock. Given the risks involved with old paper and unspecified dates and opened boxes no-one would ever bid other than a derisory amount if the difference in price between new and secondhand was reasonable but it isn't in my opinion.

pentaxuser

Simon E · Aug 19, 2009

More bad news

"Jessops releases another disappointing trading report, sales down

Sales at Jessops continue to fall as the UK's largest photographic retailer released another 'gloomy' report."

http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=867733

Tom Kershaw · Aug 19, 2009

pentaxuser said:
It really raises the question of what is the price that gives the stockist a reasonable margin having bought from Ilford?

pentaxuser

I'd have thought that as different dealers will have varying overheads, and may get the product from Harman at varying price levels, a 'reasonable margin' would be rather difficult to establish.

Tom

mmcclellan · Aug 19, 2009

How typical - the new CEO "leads" the company into crippling debt and gets a 500K pound bonus! He sings all the way to the bank, the company goes belly up, thousands lose their job, and he goes merrily on his way.

For UK Members - Possible Bad News for Jessops

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