Viva GB

[Baxter Bradford]

I've placed two orders with Retro and they handled them both very well, with a fast and reasonably priced service. Advice was freely given over the phone, even recommending alternatives to me, to help save me money.

I will be ordering from them again. I might even be qualified to purchase some Efke 25......

 

[Edwardv]

It should not make any difference as to who the buyer is even out of country and if he/she is willing to pay the shipping cost. The issue that really needs to be address is selling the product to a customer who wants it now and not for some regular customer who may want it six months down the road. It is in the interest of the store to sell the product ASAP so the manufacturer can stay in business; if there is no sale of the product then the manufacturer suffers Should the product be reserved for a buyer then thats a different matter.

 

[Andy K]

Why? I hope you're not a bad payer because that would be a valid reason.

G

My Ebay ID is Minitar1, go look at my feedback to see if I am a bad payer.

 

[argus]

My Ebay ID is Minitar1, go look at my feedback to see if I am a bad payer.

Andy,
I hopy you did see the smiley I put behind that sentence. It's the only known way to me to show that I was joking about the bad-payer allusion.

G

 

[Andy K]

No worries Argus, I figured you were kidding, but I thought I'd make the Ebay reference all the same just in case others got any silly ideas!

 

[Claire Senft]

Andy, are you saying that you do not mind being inconvenienced for the sake of others..even minorities?

 

[Andy K]

If I called a company and asked for a product, and they said to me, "We have some, but what we have we are reserving for our regular customers" I would move on and find what I want somewhere else. I wouldn't go crying my eyes out about it to everyone who would listen. That is the behaviour of spoiled brats who have never been told "No."

 

[BrianShaw]

Andy, are you saying that you do not mind being inconvenienced for the sake of others..even minorities?

I don't know Andy, nor do I know you Claire, so maybe there is more to this question than appears on the surface... but this is the kind of post I'd expect from an Idaho red-neck (Hayden Lake, specifically) rather than a lady (I hope) from WI.

WTF?

 

[Nick Zentena]

Some shops won't sell to you if you aren't in the trade. Whatever the trade.

Some won't sell to you if you don't open an account.

Some care about thier loyal customers and try to look after them. They'd rather keep the people who come back then the guy who only shows up when it helps him.

It's a two way street.

Of course I also have the habit of walking out of any shop that doesn't treat me right.

 

[Andy K]

Andy, you're free to take offense at Curt's post,

I have not taken offence. I just think it's a bit silly to get your knickers in a twist because someone said no.

 

[Andy K]

Last time I was in the US I saw signs in many shops. 'We reserve the right to refuse service...'

 

[Dave Miller]

Those native to Great Britain of a certain age will remember a time when it was common for commodities in short supply to be reserved for regular customers, and kept “under the counter”. The last time I can remember this occurring was about 1975 when there was a chronic sugar shortage. The difference then was that if you weren’t recognised by the shop assistance, you were politely told that they had none available. The approach being discuss here seems to be whether this retailer should be castigated for being open and honest; or encouraged to lie in the future. For my part I have always received exemplary service from Dead Link Removed, and will be happy to continue using them; because I now know I can trust them implicitly to be open and honest with me.

 

[markbb]

Quite, David. I do wonder whether all this is due to U.S. incredulity that a foreign website doesn't want to sell to customers outside of Europe. Nigel gave a perfectly honest answer to a query. Isn't that enough? Is Ilford wrong not to sell ULF film outside of the U.S. ? How come the local Kodak film-processing franchise wont handle my 10x8 Provia? Irritating perhaps, but who is anyone on here to critisise? If you think you can do better, go ahead & start your own business. I look forward to your proposed service. If you can't - shut it.

 

[Andy K]

If you can't - shut it.

As an ex-pat South Londoner (Merton born, lived in Wandsworth, South Fields, now living in Essex) this cracked me up!

 

[Curt]

My name is Curt Jackson; my grandparents were from England and Ireland. I need a couple of rolls of Adox/Efke 25 for an job I was lucky to get. JandC has no timeline for the availability so I ask retro photographic ltd for some.
Here is their reply.

Curt,

We only have a very small quantity of the 50 which I prefer to keep for regular UK customers. I am sure that J&C will get some in due course.

retro photographic lated


Andy, nothing you have said has had anything to do with what I posted. You just started in with attacks. What's wrong with you?

Quit trolling this thread and let it go, get over it.

 

[Andy K]

Andy, nothing you have said has had anything to do with what I posted. You just started in with attacks. What's wrong with you?

I agree with Mick. They were honest and upfront. No excuses, no lies. That has guaranteed they will get my business in future. I like dealing with honest companies.

How is that trolling? How is that an attack?


Get over yourself and unbunch your panties Curt. Now that WAS an attack.

 

[Andy K]

Ps. If you want some Adox/Efke 25 go here. Now don't say I never do anything for you. Btw, JandC sell it too. It is a Dutch site but the seller speaks English and is trustworthy. He might even be able to understand you Curt.

 

[Claire Senft]

There seem to me to be three entities in this situation: Curt, J&C and Retro Photographic Ltd.

Curt was unable to do an unanticipated job do to not having a couple rolls of Efke 25. Curt is responsible for what results from not keeping a couple of extra rolls of Efke 25. If he uses this film with regularity then he has perhaps learned that there is some value in invenmtory control on his end.

J&C was unable to fill an order from Curt of a couple rolls of Efke 25 film. If Curt makes regular purchases of this film from J&C then J&C not having it on hand has put themselves in the position of not being able to supply a reasonable request from a customer..a couple rolls of Efke 25.

Retro Photographic has the film and is saving it for regular customers in their UK market. Hey, finally someone has the film. Their regular customers should be happy they have a supplier that is considering their needs over getting new customers elsewhere. Retro Photographic only has a very limited supply
of this film. It would be better if the had a much more adequate supply of this film if they wish to aquire new customers that buy Efke 25 and others products. People do not universally enjoy being denied what they want in favor of others. Some take offense to the situation which I consider well within normal human nature.

I do not know anything about buying or using Efke 25. There are probably other films that are more in the mainstream, readily available, and can do Curts job equally well.

I think that we are to see more of problems with getting supplies and each should act as far as possible in their best interests.

We make choices and can not avoid living with them.

It is true. Hard as I try I find myself unable to be the lady others wish me to
be, I will not comment about whether I was kicked out of NOW.

 

[Ian Leake]

For my part I have always received exemplary service from Dead Link Removed, and will be happy to continue using them

I too have always had excellent service from Retrophotographic. Fast fulfillment, they've let me know when things aren't in stock, and they're helpful when I have questions. I too will continue to shop there.

 

[John_Brewer]

My first 3 and only orders with Retro were for sheet film and an error was made every time. On each occassion I returned the film at my expense. On the third time they gave me a free pen! I now use JandC and have done for some time. JandC did make a packing error on one occassion but sorted out the problem at quickly and at their expense.

 

[Brac]

I think whats been overlooked in all this is that Retro Photographic in the UK are the UK distributors for Efke/Adox and in the USA it is J & C who play that role. Both of them seem to be linked (partners?) with Fotoimpex in Berlin who I suspect has some financial involvement in the Efke/Adox business. From other threads, I've gathered that if you are in the US and try to order these films from the Berlin company you get referred to J & C in the States. So my guess is that these three companies have agreements not to sell in each other's terratories. That's quite a normal commercial practice so I can well understand why Retro don't want to encourage orders from the US as they would be treading on J & C's toes. I've never tried to order from J & C but I suspect if i did I might get referred to Retro (whom I have dealt with).

This all seems rather a piffling storm in a teacup (or coffee cup if you prefer) and it's a pity the thread has got the heading it has as this is nothing to do with national characteristics (whatever they are) but all to do with commercial arrangements.

 

[Aggie]

Good God Curt you have one big axe to grind at first J&C then any other supplier of efke. If you are that hard up I have 2 rolls of efke 25 in my freezer and as in another thread you still need the efke 25 in 4x5 I have a box of 50 sheets. I will let you have them for the listed price at J&C plus postage. BTW the rolls are 120. I have no earth shattering need to have them right "NOW"! I can certainly wait the couple of weeks that it will take to get the new supplies in from J&C if it takes that long.

Makes me wonder if this is all some sort of media hype just prior to a competitor of J&C announcing they have efke film available. Sure smacks of a smear campaign.

 

[ADOX Fotoimpex]

Brac wins the price !

Also let´s not forgett that Curt inquired for 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 sheetfilm.
Not CHS 25 or CHS 50 KB or 120.
2x3 is something we really only produce once a year and every partner in the line gets a years supply.
JandC can supply CHS 100 and Classic 200/400 in 2x3.

Do Americans really expect from a dealer to stock 2x3 film in a way that without any delay they can always get EVERY speed anytime ?

If so I am glad I am living in Germany. If someone walks in our Berlin store and asks for 9x12cm film he asks me which films I have got and is usually very happy I´ve got some at all. I never had someone bitch at me if out of 5 speeds we had only 3 for immediate supply.

Can soemone please turn off this thread ?
I think all points are clear now.

Mirko

ADOX FOTOIMPEX, BERLIN

 

[eumenius]

What, is 9x12 European standart format so rare and unusual today? We got here in Moscow all Ilford line, plus Foma and Forte in 9x12...

Zhenya

If so I am glad I am living in Germany. If someone walks in our Berlin store and asks for 9x12cm film he asks me which films I have got and is usually very happy I´ve got some at all. I never had someone bitch at me if out of 5 speeds we had only 3 for immediate supply.

 

[ADOX Fotoimpex]

Zhenya,

we have Foma and Forte as well but 9x12 makes up about 5% of all sheetfilm sales.

I was only refering to our own brand ADOX which is made in 9x12 but not all speeds are always in stock.

What´s the temperature in Moscow right now ?

A friend just called me and they are freezing like hell

Mirko