Ffordes

Andysnap

Andysnap

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Andy Grant
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Just thought I would give some praise where it is due.

Whilst we were in Cornwall Jan's Nikon FG stopped working (its with Uncle Miles being repaired at the moment) so she decided to buy another one from Ffordes. As they did next day delivery, not bad from near Inverness to Cornwall, it arrived at lunchtime on Tuesday, unfortunately the lightmeter was not working properly and so it would only fire at 1/90th for most of the time. When we got back I phoned Ffordes and they asked me to return it which I did, they then tested it, replicated the problem and offered another FG that they had in stock as a replacement. This was a black not a chrome one and was £10 cheaper so they refunded the difference and once they had thoroughly tested it sent it to us without charge and it is in superb condition as well.
I think you can tell a lot about a company when they sort out problems, especially when they do it without getting grumpy, the service was pleasant all the way through and I am very happy to recommend them to anyone.
Well done Ffordes. (y)
 
Good to hear Andy
 
Have always had great service from Ffordes, they are top of my secondhand suppliers list.
 
I really like the fact that they are quite prepared to just have a natter about cameras, real enthusiasts.
 
Ffordes are always the first place that I look when I'm after a camera. Everything I've ever had from them has been exactly as described and has come really quickly. I always think that how a company handles problems is the real measure of how good they are, so I'm pleased that they were able to sort everything out for you so easily! :)
 
Have bought from them and sold to them many times over the years, and am sufficiently local that I can pop along there to have a look at kit. Buy with confidence! (y)

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I do peruse their used section online quite a bit and sometimes find it to be competitive, but haven't pulled the trigger yet! Would love to visit the shop :)
 
I have bought and sold with Ffordes on a number of occasions always had very good service, well worth a visit if you are anywhere near.
 
I usually prefer to see and examine used equipment before parting with the cash so I tend to use Mifsuds or LCE since they're local BUT when Ffordes had exactly what I wanted/needed (an f/2.8 UWA prime, in this case a Tamron 14mm AF), I ordered it from them. Having not seen it, I didn't know exactly what to expect (every dealer's rating system seems to classify things differently!) but I needn't have worried. IIRC it was described as Ex++ but other than the fact that it wasn't boxed, I would have put it as M or higher. Good price too!
 
So far I think they've given me more money than I've given them...
 
Whereabout's are they based Chris? I feel a plan for a F&C weekend away coming along...
 
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I've bought from them before and had great service from them. It's good to know one that they're still offering such a good service.
 
i find they are not as competative in the price dept they always want top dollar for there goods
mpb for me or london camera exchange
 
holty said:
i find they are not as competative in the price dept they always want top dollar for there goods
mpb for me or london camera exchange
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I hear what you say but that's not always the case. The last two items I bought from Ffordes (Fuji XT1 and a 35mm f2) were cheaper than both MPB and LCE which is why I used Ffordes.
 
The Pentax-M zoom lens I bought from them recently (and love) was way cheaper than the BIN prices on fleabay, and not available anywhere else I could find...
 
Mix bag of service, some times they are too good and sometimes more of a hit and mis!

500CM arrived over the weekend, Was described as Excellent+. its no where close to that.

However i have bought some fantastic stuff from them in the past including Canon EF 50mm F/1.0L :)
 
I have bought a few things from them in past. I don't like that they charge for delivery but the worst part is they don't refund it if you return a faulty item. Had to return a lens because it was terribly decentred, they refunded the cost but not the delivery. Not to mention I had to post it at my cost too. Lost nearly £20 through no fault of my own.
 
I think that with any organisation where personnel are through-putting volumes of stuff, there will be occasional mis-descriptions / failures to log faults. This will apply to dealers in anything, and if it's only occasional doesn't turn them into rogues.

Buy anything anywhere, new or secondhand, and there's an element of luck, n'est pas?

But I've done allright with Ffordes, including commission sale, and they've been there a long time.
 
Playing devils advotw*t for a moment though; Paying for delivery is a burden everyone takes on when buying online. You are paying for a service that a third party is offering, for which the seller has no obligation to cover the cost of. For the sake of maintaining profit margins, and hence likely staying in business, why should they be obliged to cover outward delivery costs just because you don't like it? Now, don't get me wrong, most people are probably more likely than not to shop with a company that does indeed offer free delivery, but if you don't like it, shop elsewhere. After all, one doesn't go to tesco, buy a weeks shop and ask for a refund for your return travel fuel bill at the till.

Now, the fact they didn't pay for return delivery given that it was faulty, that's a bit much in my book because that IS an unforeseen cost that, assuming it wasn't as described, they should pay if they are at fault.
 
Not paying for return delivery when the item is faulty is contrary to consumer rights from what I remember. They are based in Scotland so you'd have to check it is enacted the same way. Under the DSR outward postage was fully refundable and you did have the right to return something if you change your mind. One lot of the postage was refundable but not both. The consumer rights act has superseded the DSR (distance selling) I think so it may all be written differently now.
 
Well, like I said at the beginning, they refunded the difference between the 2 cameras and sent the replacement freepost so I'm not too bothered about shelling out £4.50 to send the non-working camera back to them. I have bought a good few things from Ffordes and I do a lot of research before buying anything and they have been on all occasions within a gnats nudger of being the cheapest.
 
Woodsy said:
Playing devils advotw*t for a moment though; Paying for delivery is a burden everyone takes on when buying online. You are paying for a service that a third party is offering, for which the seller has no obligation to cover the cost of. For the sake of maintaining profit margins, and hence likely staying in business, why should they be obliged to cover outward delivery costs just because you don't like it? Now, don't get me wrong, most people are probably more likely than not to shop with a company that does indeed offer free delivery, but if you don't like it, shop elsewhere. After all, one doesn't go to tesco, buy a weeks shop and ask for a refund for your return travel fuel bill at the till.

Now, the fact they didn't pay for return delivery given that it was faulty, that's a bit much in my book because that IS an unforeseen cost that, assuming it wasn't as described, they should pay if they are at fault.
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Well I wouldn't stop shopping with anyone because they charge postage. After all I pay amazon £80 a year for next day delivery service.

As mentioned above distant selling for electronics is different to buying in shop so I wouldn't compare it to shopping in tesco or other high street camera shops. When you buy a lens I think its fair to hope that it is not decentered. So I had to return it due to no fault of my own. hence should have been refunded at least one postage if not both (my preference is obviously both :p ).
 
Ffordes don't have Excellent+ as a category/description. There is a key at the bottom of each page of the stock list clearly showing the Ex symbols as:

Ex 'Obvious signs of use'
Ex+ 'Signs of use'
Ex++ 'Slight signs of use'

Those descriptions also appear on screen when you hover the mouse over the symbol in the listing.
 
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I think they are amazing.

I live locally so pop in from time to time when I need something. Having a place where you can actually go and see equipment, hold it in our hand and inspect it is a rarity these days and i try support them whenever I can.

They hold a lot of local events for photographers to attend for free too - last year we had Leica up with a heap of cameras and they arranged for some vintage Jags to arrive on set to be photographed.

They will price match wherever they can and Ive often had toys home to play with (Fuji GFX last time) for the weekend.

Great bunch of guys.
 
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