So how big is your Freestyle order?

[Katie]

Seems everyone just got the new catalog and I'm wondering how much they'll be getting from us APUGers in the coming weeks.

Mine is only at $100 now. I have a sell/buy policy and just sold a tripod to cover my order.

What's your list like?

 

[zsas]

$50 (new silver art paper and a roll of 120), if that paper works more to come....this was an exploration order...had filled up the camera bag and DR a while ago, this was a non-scheduled order but I caved when I saw that new paper!

Buy/sell policy in effect here too....some of my old hockey cards going to the bay soon....

 

[Roger Thoms]

I didn't get the new catalog, think I opted out. But my order is for about $60, a box each of 8x10 11x14 Arista Silver Art paper. Which I now see is expected in on the 17th.

Roger

 

[zsas]

Roger when I spoke to FS the other day, they said the shipment comes by cargo so give or take some days...

 

[Katie]

No paper for me. Mine is all chems - toners (blue and brown), trying out a lith kit, some cool tone developer, some more fixer, and much needed storage bottles.

 

[Klainmeister]

I don't wanna talk about it....







...next three months supply will be a handful of Benjamins

 

[fotch]

I try to optimize the shipping cost in relation to the order. I just ordered $100 worth of Arista Premium film and would of ordered maybe another $25 worth of items but the extra shipping on that $25 would of been 25% ($5) instead of the 8% for the first $100. I will wait till I need more items which should be soon enough.

 

[Wade D]

I'm getting ready to order film, paper and chemicals. On average an order is made 3 times a year. Orders range from a minimum $25 or so if I really need something to around $200 for stocking up. I only live 90 miles from them so an order placed before noon is usually here the next day.

 

[Katie]

They do ship quickly; and would be quicker without the "hazardous materials" I order.

 

[removed account4]

a few weeks ago i bought 2 KG of liquid emulsion, and a large gel tintype kit
but nothing more recently ...

 

[Michael W]

I like the look of the new, cheaper international shipping. Will make it much more practical for me to place small orders.

 

[c6h6o3]

$0.00. Their price for 5x7 HP5+ film in a 25 sheet box ($51.09) is roughly 14% higher than B&H's ($44.95). When you figure in shipping, it's even worse. Freestyle's cheapest shipping is $7.99 for this item while B&H's is $3.99.

I will, however, be trying some of their new papers as they're proprietary items and the price is comparable to Ilford from other sources.

 

[madgardener]

I'm still working on my order, I am getting close to using up all my Legacy Pro and am going to get a selection of films to find another one that I really like. Its not going to be a very large order though, I want to try to keep it under $50. I do tend to order throughout the year though. I haven't gotten their new catalog yet however, hopefully it will get here soon.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I got some Arista ASA 200 film and some 8x10 pages so it was about $180.

 

[EASmithV]

Usually $60-$120

 

[Roger Cole]

My orders have ranged from $60 or so up to more than $400 over the past couple of years, and there have been a lot of them.

I just got my catalog today.

 

[Leigh B]

Zero.

I only placed two orders with them. The added an unexplained fee of about 20% to each one, so I no longer do business with them.

- Leigh

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

I am too close from Freestyle. Very dangerous

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

Zero.

I only placed two orders with them. The added an unexplained fee of about 20% to each one, so I no longer do business with them.

- Leigh

I'm curious. Did you ask them what the fee was for and not get an answer?

Ken

 

[Rick A]

Mine is bigger'n yours!

 

[cmacd123]

I try to only order twice a year because of the shipping, but those order have been creeping up in size since I retired, and my paradoia about being able to buy stuff has inflated my Freezer stock.

 

[Roger Cole]

Never had anything unexplained from them, always great courteous service when I call, prompt shipment and, unlike both B&H and Adorama, they don't make it annoying to get a delivery left at home when I'm not here. I've held off ordering from the big NY stores since getting back into photography (used to deal with them all the time - but they're shipment was different.) I know Helen from Adorama has posted about this and I'll have to look that up, and I also got something from a B&H rep in my email. I'll have to try it for a small film order and see how it goes.

But I'm willing to pay a little more to support Freestyle given their devotion to conventional photography and the fact they carry so much stuff readily available in one place.

 

[newcan1]

I've been a customer since about 1983. I just got the new catalog and it has some awesome stuff. The B&W paper section is probably better than could have been offered in the 1950's or 60's. I'm drooling over it and may well place a largish ($150 or so) order soon. And they are so modest - 100ft 400ASA b&w film "made by a prominent US manufacturer" for $45 or so? How many such manufacturers are there? How much is Tri-X these days? They seem to be very clued in to how to strike deals to perpetuate analog photography on behalf of their customers.

 

[georg16nik]

I'm curious. Did you ask them what the fee was for and not get an answer?

Ken

When You buy online, a physical product from state X while You are in state Y, there are some extra bananas to be collected by the state monkeys.
While, if You buy electronic product - a file, service etc then no bananas

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

When You buy online, a physical product from state X while You are in state Y, there are some extra bananas to be collected by the state monkeys.
While, if You buy electronic product - a file, service etc then no bananas

Ahh... but then those bananas would be explained - not "unexplained" - bananas. They would be tribute paid to the state monkeys.

Leigh seemed upset that Freestyle had "added an unexplained fee of about 20% to each [order]." I was simply curious if he had asked for an explanation. And if so, if he had been refused one. It seemed hard to believe that a retailer could simply add anonymous charges and refuse to explain them. I've never had that experience when purchasing from Freestyle.

But then, maybe I don't know the entire story. That's why I asked.

Ken