Pardee's Cameras

Doesn't Recommend

Amber B

Joined 4 years ago

I will be shopping online from now on. The staff at Pardee's was condescending and rude.

I went in, not looking for free advice, but willing to pay for a service and walked out frustrated and angry. I was treated like I was interrupting important work and since I was not entirely sure what was wrong with my camera, I must be completely incompetent.

It is a cute store with a good selection and could do well if they did not continually try to drive away their customers. I am the first to support small local businesses, but will be buying my camera supplies on the web from now on.

Recommends

timqualls

Joined 4 years ago

Great service and. Bought EOS1D and the help was amazing!! I just started photography and they helped me tremendously! I won't shop anywhere else. Great return policy.

Doesn't Recommend

w4cko

Joined 6 years ago

Very poor service, dangerous behaviour in the electronic age of commerce. I came here three times, each time left in a bad mood. The staff are very pushy and commission oriented. They don't want to discuss anything, they just want you to make a snap decision-their decision, and if you don't they get impatient. Hell, I spent money too freely as it is, I don't need their help.

On my second visit I looked at some tripods, and the guy was helpful, but when I indicated that I wasn't planning on making my purchase today, he grew annoyed and told me that the sale is today only. Understandable, but not the way to do business.

I came back and bought that tripod only because it was the same price as Amazon ($300), and I figured I would give them one more chance. I went to the bathroom while they rung my stuff up and gave it to my girlfriend. Once I got home I saw that the decals which have the scale indicators printed on them for the tripod head where falling off. I wondered why, and my girlfriend informed me that they sold me the floor model. I called to ask why they did this, and they said it was probably the only one in the store. They also where very annoyed at the question and stated firmly that this is typical, and expected. I for one don't expect this but won't blame them for what is Bogen's design flaw. What I didn't like is how they gave me a "I am not surprised, what do you want from us?" attitude. I also would like to know when I am buying something used when it should be new. Not a huge deal since its practically a block of metal.

Aside from these experiences, there are a lot of annoying things about all the staff I dealt with. I get the impression of arrogance which can only stem from being a failed photographer working at a camera shop. The younger guys don't fall into this category but have a different problem, they adopt the attitudes of the older ones and are a bit cocky. The service I have received has prevented me from buying my 1D Mark III there. Their loss.