B&H Megastore --- what the fuck kind of way to run a store is this??

The BBQ Pit
#1

Today for the first (and LAST!) time, I went to B&H Megastore, a giant electronics store near NY Penn which I’ve walked by many times, but never entered. I saw on their website that they had dual layer blu-ray blanks for sale for $7.95 (you can’t get those for less than $12 anywhere else).

I should have known what I was getting into when I saw that they had a “we’re closing early today for Yon Kippur” sign at the entrance…

Anyway, of course they were sold out on the product I wanted to get, but they had a relatively cheap $18 spindle of single layer Blurays, which I decided to pick up as long as I was there. I bring them to the register in the computer hardware section, and the cashier told me that I was supposed to leave the product hanging on the rack, and that it would be brought to me at checkout. I’m already confused. I then take out my credit card and he told me that I pay downstairs, but he needs to process this sale first. I’m even more confused. Then he asks me for my phone #, so I give him a fake #. He says I’m not in the database, and he needs my address too. I ask him why, and he says “internal processing purposes, incase you need to return the product”. I remind him I’m buying blank discs, so I can’t even return them. He says he needs my address in order to complete the sale, so I give him a fake address too. He gives me a receipt and tells me to go downstairs, and then takes back the spindle and told me I will be given the product at checkout.

I do so, and go to the sales cashier area. This is where I give them my receipt and pay. I’m then given a SECOND receipt, which gets stapled to the first one, and am directed to the pickup area. Yes, for a 1 lb box of blank discs.

So I get to the checkout area, and give them the receipt. Surprise, surprise, the discs aren’t ready for pickup yet. I have to wait there another 5 minutes before somebody brings down the same goddamn box which I could have carried down myself.

What the fucking christ is going on with this store??? If this were Best Buy, I would have been out of there about 10 minutes sooner. It’s not just me either - this is how ALL of their business is done. Is this some insane anti-shop-lifting method? Well congrats B&H. You stopped me from shoplifting an $18 product. But that’s the last $18 you will EVER get from me. It’s no wonder nobody has EVER recommended your store to me before, and I will tell all of my tech-saavy friends and coworkers (and I know a TON of them in this city) to never shop there either.

#2

What should that have told you?

#3

That it’s run by a bunch of hook-nosed, money-grabbing jewboys, is what fusoya was saying.

#4

They’re preparing for an attack by Syria?

#5

My understanding is that they don’t have an actual POS system - all sales, including those at their warehouse, are done through their website.

#6

Actually, the premise of the OP seems to be that their system is a POS.

#7

That they don’t know how to spell.

#8

Wait, so are you telling me that when I was at the first desk, that cashier was logging into their website and placing an order for me??? Screw that shit. I’m already HOLDING the product I want to buy.

Yes, with emphasis on BOYS. One more reason I’ll never shop there again. Come to think of it, I don’t even remember seeing any women CUSTOMERS there…

#9

Naw, they were closing early for a Kippur way over there.

#10

Also, apparently, that they can’t read a calendar, since Yom Kippur starts tomorrow.

#11

I’ve been to that store many times. Their process is… unique. But they have a great selection and usually good prices. They do keep Orthodox Jewish hours though, so no sabbath business. Here’s a YouTubevideo that shows the store and their “system” for moving the products around the store.

#12

Sounds like a store we had in NY called Service Merchandise, which I think is long out of business. When you wanted something you had to bring a slip to the check out, get a receipt and then go wait for them to send it down the chute where the worker would get it and match it to your receipt. Crazy.

#13

I’m still waiting for the OP to explain what this is supposed to mean:

#14

It’s just not the place I’d go for a small purchase like that. But for a big purchase (expensive binoculars you’ll use for a lifetime, etc.), it’s ideal. For that kind of item, one doesn’t mind taking a few extra minutes to deal with their unusual purchasing system.

#15

It means that a good portion of the NY population is Jewish, and yet this is the first and only general-interest store I’ve ever seen outside of Borough Park that keeps sabbath hours (I thought it was strange that even their WEBSITE is closed on Saturdays), so I knew things were going to be run differently than most NY stores on the inside too. Just like my neighborhood has stores, and then it has the POLISH stores…

I can understand the back room distribution process for large and expensive items. J&R (which I DO WHOLELY recommend as a great NYC electronics store. So don’t confuse the two!) does that as well. But J&R still keeps their shelves stocked with the inexpensive and small items, and lets you carry them to a cashier where you can check out without being sent to two other parts of the store first.

It’s just bullshit how I can’t just walk up to a register, pay, and walk out with my purchase, especially considering it was sitting on a metal rack on a wall, and not behind glass. And I thought the “having to give your name, address, phone #, SSN and blood type to buy batteries” was something that Radio Shack phased out back in the 90s.

The prices aren’t THAT good that it’s worth my hassle to go over to 9th Ave and go through these shenanigans. When the time comes that I’m ready to buy my next $500 camcorder, I’m sure J&R (or newegg) will give me just as good of a price.

#16

In the early 1980s --when I began buying serious photo equipment-- the best prices were from the east coast stores that advertised in the back of Modern Photography.

The print was microscopic and every ad had to be read carefully because every store seemed determined to screw the unwary consumer.
–There were unlisted shipping rates.
–There were prices that only applied to Fujinon mount lenses.
–There were off-brand lenses trying to sneak by as brand name lenses.

There were a dozen merchants that apparently viewed that business model as holy writ. And then there was B&H Photo.

Amid 20 pages of dodgy deals, B&H played it straight. No tricks, and shipping charges listed in the ads. So, I ordered from them and never had a problem.

Now, 25 years later, they’re the most successful of the east coast dealers, and according to their (so-so) Wiki entry, America’s largest non-chain camera business.

It makes me believe in the power of good over evil.

I don’t care for their extreme religious diligence, and it sounds like the OP had a bizarre shopping experience. But in general, I view B&H as the Good Guys.

#17

B&H is fucking awesome and the OP is a gigantic retard.

Yeah, their system takes a little getting used to, but it moves the merchandise quickly and efficiently. It also allows you to buy many things from many different departments without having to lug all the shit around. Each department is staffed by experts in that area who can point you to the right product or order up an obscure part from the warehouse and have it delivered directly to the checkout.

Also, their used department gave me a fairly good deal for a bunch of old Leica and Mamiya lenses I had laying around.

#18

I deal almost exclusively with newegg - even though I have to pay sales tax since they have warehouse in NJ.

They are not bleeding edge in terms of what they carry, but damned close. When a new line of chips comes out, they may not be the first to have them in stock, but they will within a couple of weeks and at pretty near the 1000 lot price.

You still need to comparison shop for items that are not solidly within their computer-related bailiwick. I grossly overpaid for a couple of desk lamps for example. But they save my invoices back till the beginning of time and they are completely searchable. that has come in handy when reselling computer parts or just trying to figure out where all my money went.

#19

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is over four days - Thursday through Sunday. And their very expensive show floor space is roped off on Friday afternoon and closed all day Saturday.

#20

Oh, I get it. B&H only wants me as a customer if I buy LOTS of stuff? Go to hell. There’s no good reason why you can’t have an express lane cashier.