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B&H or Adorama

PDH7981PDH7981 Member
edited August 2014 in home
Which company do you favor for camera and related gear purchases? I've really begun to use B&H more these days. The key difference, shipping! These guys price each other almost dollar for dollar on the cost of the items you would want to purchase. B&H has really taken the lead IMHO and made the difference for me on their FREE Expedite shipping option. So, I just wanted to give them a shout-out!

Yes, both companies offer free shipping but B&H will get your items to you in 3 days. Adorama still has a 7-10 Business day option that's free. I don't know about you, but when I know I can get my gear in 3 days vs. 7-10 Business days, I'm going with the quicker option, when all else is equal. Not only do I want my gear quicker for selfish reasons, but the less time UPS/FedEx has my gear bouncing around in the back of their truck... the better.
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Comments

  • NikonguyNikonguy Member
    I think both B&H or Adorama are good and I've used them both. Amazon tends to be my default though. I have an Amazon Prime membership so free 2 day shipping is what I've gotten used to.
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  • PDH7981PDH7981 Member
    @Nikonguy, Interesting. I went to Amazon and checked out their price on an particular item, which was an item that I most recently purchased from B&H, and it is in fact the same price as everyone else. I did see a note that the item in question actually, "Ships from and Sold by Adorama Camera".

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but that doesn't typically qualify for Amazon Prime free shipping in that scenario. I have Amazon Prime and this happens to me all the time. I get to the end and they say this doesn't qualify for Free Amazon Prime Shipping {paraphrasing of course}.
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  • NikonguyNikonguy Member
    Yes, you do need to watch who it's sold by and whether it is prime eligible, but fortunately they show this very clearly on their listings. I would say the vast majority of things I buy on Amazon are prime eligible and usually I limit my searches to things that are.
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  • SkipperlangeSkipperlange Member
    I only buy from B&H. They have everything I need, they can answer my questions and offer great advice, they're friendly, they get it to me fast, and I can return things no questions asked. They know camera gear like no one else. Adorama is good too they're just smaller and I've almost never used them. Adorama has a terrible website. B&H has great website. I wouldn't be comfortable buying something from Amazon. I buy tons from Amazon but not camera gear.
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  • NikonguyNikonguy Member
    You only buy from B&H? I do like to stick with a few trusted vendors too but I don't limit myself that much. Amazon is an authorized Nikon, Canon, etc. dealer, and they have good customer service and return policies on the rare time I've needed it.
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  • SkipperlangeSkipperlange Member
    Right, I only buy from B&H. If I need a book I go to Amazon. If I need a sweater I go to LL Bean. If I need a camera I go to B&H.
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  • StevefStevef Member
    I've only ever traded with B&H for the past 10 years and never had a single problem. They are 10/10 IMO. I live in upstate NY and 2 day shipping usually winds up being overnight in most cases.

    Btw, I've been to their store several times an it's quite an operation to see.
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  • Neil vNNeil vN Administrator
    This is interesting .... and makes me glad that I was able to bring B&H back as an affiliate.
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  • TrevTrev Moderator

    Initially the vast majority of my gear was from B&H, and a couple of other places in the US, as it was very expensive here in Australia.

    eg: around 4 years back I brought a truckload of gear out of B&H, when I switched from Canon to Nikon, and even with shipping (around $500+) it was still $11,800 cheaper, because of the US$ to Au$ ratio back then. Total cost to me here would have been close to $25,000+.

    Their warranty also is excellent as I had occasion to send back a brand new flash which frazzled the very first time I hooked up a battery pack to it, replaced with no questions at all.

    But recently a lot of the gear I now get here in Oz as more and more reputable Australian Online sites come good with pricing and even in some cases cheaper.

    I definitely would retain a relationship with B&H though if things change and I do if I cannot get any particular gear I want here.

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  • JennGJennG Member
    B&H is wonderful and so is Amazon Prime, for fast delivery. When living overseas, I did order from Adorama and it was seamless. They shipped Internationally with no issues. I have used B&H return system as well when I received a smashed polarizer. They was no hassle with them. I think the only reason I would ever order from Adorama was if B&H was out of stock on an item or there was a significant price difference. I buy all the big stuff from B&H and their store is a dreamy wonderland :)
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  • StephenStephen Member
    edited September 2014
    I have shopped at Adorama's and B&H's physical stores and ordered online directly from their websites.

    I found B&H's website better than Adorama's website for finding an item and ordering it.

    B&H's physical store is much larger than Adorama's physical store.

    B&H and Adorama compete closely on price, so it really comes down to in-store customer service and/or online shipping speeds.

    Adorama does list some of its products on eBay and Amazon. However, I have never found any Adorama product on Amazon eligible for Amazon Prime. (Adorama just sells products on Amazon. It does not ship any products to Amazon's warehouses for fulfillment. Only items shipped to Amazon's warehouses qualify for Amazon Prime shipping.)
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