I used to like Jessops

Pete B

Pete B

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Pete
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Their staff were users of cameras or photographers, now they seem to be useless. I asked about a raynox and got the comeback we don't stock it, but would that be for a canon or a nikon. Told em it's kinda universal, they told me to go to my manufacturers site to see if they sell it!!! Then this guy starts talking bla bla about macro and I realise he doesn't have a clue, I asked about a +diopter filter and he didn't know what one was.
I have realised that I don't need anythying that jessops sell now, they used to be a good camera shop, now they're just a sales team, and don't get me started with dixons/currys!!
 
TBF I've never heard of raynox as a lens manufacturer - so I think you are being a bit hard on the guy.
 
I've been put off Jessops by the aggressively pushy salesman in the local branch. I bought my D3100 there recently, and the guy was really irritating in the way he tried to persuade me to buy accessories I didn't want. He simply wouldn't take no for an answer, and I left the store in a bad mood, even though I had a nice new camera in my hand.:thumbsdown:
 
I love Jessops :D

they have saved me a fortune the past couple of months with the reserve & collect at store. Each time I have went in to pick the item up I have never had any pushy sales person, in fact one girl saved me money by doing an order on line at the shop so I didn't pay the window price. (y)

I suppose it depends on the branch you are visiting, some have knowledgeable staff, some don't.
 
to be good in sales you have to know your products, period, if you cant convice the buyer that what he is buying is the dogs your not going to get the sale.

You saw them for what they were Pete, used car salesmen/women
 
Lesco said:
to be good in sales you have to know your products, period, if you cant convice the buyer that what he is buying is the dogs your not going to get the sale.

You saw them for what they were Pete, used car salesmen/women
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A little harsh. There are literally thousands of photographic products out there, you can't expect the shop staff to know everything there is to know about all of them. Raynox is a bit of a niche product and I haven't a clue what a +diopter filter is.
 
Same as any chain of shops, you got you good ones and your bad ones. The chap who runs my local jessops is great, always friendly and happy to help, it can just take one good or bad employee to change the whole impression of a store though.
 
I've always found Jessops staff to be pretty helpful, and most of them are clued up. You can tell if they widen their eyes and smile or make a comment when you ask for something nice!

A few years ago I did ask a girl there if they had a grip for a 400D, she replied "is that Canon or Nikon?". So yeah, some of them have pretty limited knowledge :)
 
I wish I was working at jessops tbh, I would know what I'm doing and make them a fortune.

They need to ask whether people know about photography when they employ because all they ever say is "must have good sales knowledge and we'll give you training" so it's literally all about sales :/
 
Same story different day. I know more than the guy at Jeesops, I am not shopping their again. Even if they are a professional photographer with a turnover of £100'000 they will not know everything about photography.

If they don't know doesn't mean they are rubbish, means you are looking at a niche product usually. Same as comet don't know they in's and outs of everything they sell. It is just life.

If you knew what you wanted why didn't you pick it up online? OR esp. with jessops reserve and collect, as that way you usually get a better deal as they cannot match online prices in store. You didn;t know that, Jeez, you don't deserve to shop at Jessops:puke::D

Not being funny, but just pointing out that no one knows everything about everything.:D
 
I personally don't have that many problems at the couple of local Jessops I use. My most used one I'm now recognised by the manager (hopefully a good thing :LOL:) but he is brilliant and always helpful and willing to go the extra mile to give advice. In the same respect I have been to some branches where the staff seemed to be idiots. But what high street chain doesn't have good branches and worse ones?
 
I worked for them for 20 years. I do feel for their staff as they are low paid and used to be very poorly trained,taking all the flak due to useless bosses. I would like to feed much of the former management to crocodiles but that's another story.I'm still amazed they have not gone bust yet.
 
mastertrinity said:
I wish I was working at jessops tbh, I would know what I'm doing and make them a fortune.

They need to ask whether people know about photography when they employ because all they ever say is "must have good sales knowledge and we'll give you training" so it's literally all about sales :/
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Everyone wants knowledgable enthusiasts working there but it doesn't always happen anymore.

If you wish you were working there, then why aren't you and why haven't you ever worked there? And how many people on here would or have worked for them? Neither of those questions are meant as a jibe/dig btw.

They could fill the positions with passionate photographers, but is it really a job that pays enough to entice someone with enough experience/knowledge to do it? I can't envisage that they have the margins/resources to to that across the entire chain and even if they could, you would end up with the same issue that other specialist industries have where you have a shop full of "customers" who ask all the questions, try a few products out, take all the advice, then go home and order it cheaper online.
 
It's the age old problem.

At the end of the day Jessops staff (like any staff) will be a mix of folk - some will know their stuff whilst others are just doing a job working in a shop.

I went into our local Jessops (Perth) a couple of years ago in the hope of getting a 50mm f1.8 and the guy (who worked there full time) didn't know of the lens and laughed in my face when I explained it was a 50mm prime which should cost about £70.

Eventually he looked on his computer and told me he could get me one in a couple of weeks.

Our Jessops has now closed so we have 2 camera shops in Perth. Both are privately owned and although they are run by 'clued up' Pro's the prices are just too high and one of them simply can't buy from Canon at at a sensible price as they sell so little.

Much as I hated our Jessops because of their lack of know how - at least I could go and buy something at a reasonable price.
 
as far as my local Jessops go I have no problem with them, the 3 guys I will usually talk to know their stuff and they never try to force sell me, in fact its the complete opposite I have been in many times and ended up having a 10-20 minute conversation without the mention of selling or buying.

as far as retail goes this is the problem I seen many times in my 6 years as Warehouse Manager at Dixons.

A) someone would be employed just to just look after the till, take money etc..

B) shop would be short staffed and till trained employee would be asked if they could 'just look after' a customer on photographic/AV/computer etc....

C) till trained employ would do their best but fail

D) till trained empoyee would eventually become frustrated at this and either leave or become trained and have a section, either way new till trained employee would be needed..

E) see step A

:bonk::bonk:
 
Same has happened to Maplin. Used to be a great shop full of people that knew about electronics. Now it is staffed by eedjits. Not been in a Jessops for a few years but they were ok previously.
 
Pog said:
I worked for them for 20 years. I do feel for their staff as they are low paid and used to be very poorly trained,taking all the flak due to useless bosses. I would like to feed much of the former management to crocodiles but that's another story.I'm still amazed they have not gone bust yet.
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This is the problem here folks. And I can pretty much talk from experience.
 
fabs said:
A little harsh. There are literally thousands of photographic products out there, you can't expect the shop staff to know everything there is to know about all of them. Raynox is a bit of a niche product and I haven't a clue what a +diopter filter is.
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No such thing - however there are +DIOPTRE filters. :LOL:
 
Local Jessops here in Chester is quite useless shop... Wanted to buy film, they had nothing else than HP5 and some Ilford Delta. Wanted to buy 85mm 1.8, they had to order one for me, would take them only 4 weeks to get it... Walked out of the shop and bought one on here used :)
 
Pog said:
I worked for them for 20 years. I do feel for their staff as they are low paid and used to be very poorly trained,taking all the flak due to useless bosses. I would like to feed much of the former management to crocodiles but that's another story.I'm still amazed they have not gone bust yet.
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They have gone bust at least once, IIRC.
 
fabs said:
I just copied and paste but I don't think it really matters unless the guy showed it to the assistant on a piece of paper rather than asking verbally. ;)
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Looks like you have a dyslexic version of copy and past :LOL:
 
petersmart said:
Looks like you have a dyslexic version of copy and past :LOL:
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Or, being that we're an international forum, and the correct spelling internationally is "diopter" or "dioptre" perhaps it could have been copied from a non UK English web page?
 
OutLore said:
Have you not heard of copy and past? It copies something, then sends it back in time.
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Ah, the disappearing clipboard. Seen that many a time. ;)

OutLore said:
Or, being that we're an international forum, and the correct spelling internationally is "diopter" or "dioptre" perhaps it could have been copied from a non UK English web page?
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Ah, I see what he meant now. He thought I had posted it originally when I actually copied and pasted from the OP.
 
Lovely young lady in my local jessops let me have a nice feel of a fine body.
 
As been said before like a lot of shops you get a mixture of experiance. Over all I have found my local branch to be helpful and polite, OK my bus stop was right out side so I was in very regularly even if it was just looking. :LOL:

I also have been on the other side as I worked there on Saturdays when I was at college many moons ago. There was one time after I left and went in to get some slide developer and the guy did not have a clue bought me print chemicals then film then black and white all from the same range. It took about four attempts and then I told him which self it was on and one of the other sales guys brought it out for me. :)
 
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