Jessops going under (again)

I started photography 5 years ago and have only once been to a photographic store - Wex, this Summer, and that was only to buy an adapter which I dropped on my way to Norfolk on Holiday.

All of my gear, DSLR, Scopes, Lenses, accessories etc. have been bought online because I don't have to spend any effort going out to get them, no parking fees, no petrol spent, no effort.

I can also get cashback with cashback websites.

Returns are much easier I can just hop onto live chat and get return labels emailed etc (if returns are needed)

Items delivered to me with a time window.

It's satisfying shopping around on the Internet finding the cheapest price, in a shop it's much less easier to do so.

The only thing I go out and shop for is food (sometimes) and clothes (sometimes but it's easier finding correct fit in shop), I'm surprised any other store on the high street still exists when you consider the above.

This is how I buy 90% of my things in general, the less people I need to speak to the better :).

Parking in my local town is £3.50 for an hour, plus you often queue to get in and out. I have no interest in spending half my day popping into town, I know what I want to buy and just get it online to be delivered. That way I can spend my free time doing other things I actually enjoy.
 
This is how I buy 90% of my things in general, the less people I need to speak to the better :).

Parking in my local town is £3.50 for an hour, plus you often queue to get in and out. I have no interest in spending half my day popping into town, I know what I want to buy and just get it online to be delivered. That way I can spend my free time doing other things I actually enjoy.

The Shops must love those parking charges (Sarcastic)
They are the reason I don't go out to the main shops anymore that often.
I live in Milton Keynes, when I first move up, Parking was free pretty much every where, the shops where packed. Since Parking charges have been introduced, you can see large areas of car parking empty, these cost £1.50 ph. The further away areas are 50p ph and are near full most of the time, so it does affect where people shop.
We shop at Out of Town places where the parking is still free.
Pete
 
They would have went bust straight away, they can't compete with the likes of W.E.X online, never mind the grey market websites.

The retail stores are very important that's why W.E.X bought out Calumet so they could get there retail stores. Some people still prefer to shop in real life.

The issue with Jessops retail stores is the cost of running them as they are generally based in the town centre and rent and rates costs are huge.

Perhaps they need to take note of how W.E.X's retail stores are generally outside of the town centre so have much lower running costs.

If Jessops where online only no one would use them, with the other options that are available.

The only feasible way for Jessops to survive in any form would be too move their retails stores out of the town centre to lower their costs. They would also need to need to take a long hard look at how their stores are set up, available stock for anything above entry level is very poor. Jessops relied heavily on shifting large amounts of entry level equipment to passing foot flow. If they moved out of the town centre they would need to change how they do business completely if they where to survive, their current outdated way of doing business is finished.

W.E.X are clever in driving people into their stores with free workshops, open days, a good range of used stock instore, etc.

Destination stores need a way of driving people into the store.

Consumers want a shopping experience these days if they are going to buy from a physical shop, W.E.X do that to some degree but could improve, Jessops are just box shifters in their current format.
Park camera are the best.

Only two retail stores and a large presents on YouTube. they are fast becoming the new digital rev of UK
 
It costs a lot to do business in the UK. There's rent, business rates and utility bills to pay before you open the door plus there's often upward pressure on the minimum/living wage and then there's vat. It's not hard to see how a company in the far east where all expenses are much lower can sell you the same product and ship it to you for less but if all we're left with is buying stuff from overseas how are we going to fund the NHS, pay teachers wages and do all the other things that we all want to be better funded in the UK?

I keep remembering a shopping centre we went to in Thailand. There was three camera shops within yards of each other and they looked to have had just about everything we'd be interested in in stock and not only that they also had staff who we're overjoyed to talk and help. I don't know how much that setup costs but I'd guess having a fully stocked and staffed shop in Thailand costs a fraction what it does in the UK.

I don't have a problem with stuff in the shops being dearer than grey market stuff but when local councils actively conspire to kill off businesses I start to think they should be dragged from their cushy council offices and birched in public... either that or replaced with people with a better answer to the problems we face.

Extremely well put. Near where we live is Northwood Hills high street - which was dying a death. Boris pushed through an extensive redesign of the high street when Mayor of london with consultation from the local businesses, transformed the place with 45 degree parking everywhere for free and it's all thriving again. The place also looks better for it.
 
Last edited:
Park camera are the best.
Only two retail stores and a large presents on YouTube. they are fast becoming the new digital rev of UK

I had quite a bad experience using them and wouldn’t use them again unless I had no option.

I also had a less than satisfactory experience the one and only time I went into their London shop, and I won't be returning there, even if I had no other option.
There was a particular lens I was interested in, which they had in stock (and I was seriously looking to buy - it was a Sigma 120-300 f2.8 non IS several years ago). The guy in the shop basically said that I could not try it unless I bought it. He also didn't have a pleasant manner about him. Needless to say, I went elsewhere.

Years later, I'm now a big fan of HDEW and don't mind the grey market tag, as I've bought quite a few things from them without issue. It's hard to argue if looking at (for example) a new Canon 70-200 f2.8 mark3 lens for £1999 from Park or Wex, as opposed to £650 cheaper from HDEW.
 
I also had a less than satisfactory experience the one and only time I went into their London shop, and I won't be returning there, even if I had no other option.
There was a particular lens I was interested in, which they had in stock (and I was seriously looking to buy - it was a Sigma 120-300 f2.8 non IS several years ago). The guy in the shop basically said that I could not try it unless I bought it. He also didn't have a pleasant manner about him. Needless to say, I went elsewhere.

Years later, I'm now a big fan of HDEW and don't mind the grey market tag, as I've bought quite a few things from them without issue. It's hard to argue if looking at (for example) a new Canon 70-200 f2.8 mark3 lens for £1999 from Park or Wex, as opposed to £650 cheaper from HDEW.
I've had nothing but great experience from park cameras and one of the blokes knew me from here!
 
As most above I tend to shop online. However my last big purchase (Canon 70-200 2.8 Mk3) I went to Calumet in Manchester. My main reason was WEX gave me a very good trade in deal for 2 lenses (Canon 70-200 2.8 Mk1 non IS and a Sigma 150-500) for which they offered £970. By going into the shop they assessed the lenses there and then and gave me the full discount. Canon also had a £220 cashback offer so I feel I did well for my new purchase. I am however back to buying of the internet.
 
Pretty much an online business already, presumably what it will end up as.
Some pretty good prices recently at their secondhand arm (Camera Jungle) and expecting them to carry on trading too
 
Pretty much an online business already, presumably what it will end up as.
Some pretty good prices recently at their secondhand arm (Camera Jungle) and expecting them to carry on trading too
I used them (camera jungle ) for the first time with the 20% discount. No issues.
 
Called into the Jessops store in Birmingham on Saturday, nothing telling me that they are in administration...

I couldn't have stayed in the store long enough to purchase anything as it was so hot, I know it's winter but the temperature was unbearable.
 
It's Jessops Property that's called the administrators in, NOT the parent company. Yet...
 
Bought a lens from Camera Jungle last week and got 20% off and 7% cash back from Quidco, although that’s not been paid yet. It says it will be paid on 23 July 2020 - hope they’ve not gone bust by that point [emoji3][emoji3]

Good price on the lens though, once the discount had been applied, better than elsewhere plus it’s mint and boxed.
 
Bought a lens from Camera Jungle last week and got 20% off and 7% cash back from Quidco, although that’s not been paid yet. It says it will be paid on 23 July 2020 - hope they’ve not gone bust by that point [emoji3][emoji3]

Good price on the lens though, once the discount had been applied, better than elsewhere plus it’s mint and boxed.

I wouldn't bank on that cash back given this comment on the camera jungle quidco page:

What will stop me earning cashback?
  • Cashback will not be paid in conjunction with any other offer, voucher or discount code unless listed on this page, or with any other discounts such as staff or student discounts
 
I wouldn't bank on that cash back given this comment on the camera jungle quidco page:

What will stop me earning cashback?
  • Cashback will not be paid in conjunction with any other offer, voucher or discount code unless listed on this page, or with any other discounts such as staff or student discounts

Well, we’ll see. It’s down as being ‘tracked’ on Quidco but I guess they audit these things so it might get pulled. Or they might go bust next week! I’m not going to miss what I never had, so I won’t be losing sleep over it[emoji3]
 
Jessops in the MetroCentre was quite busy on Monday when I walked past, don't know if the customers were buying or just browsing and then nipping on line to purchase though. Funnily enough there was also about 5 staff in as well, although one was a Nikon rep so I suppose he doesn't count. I suppose that particular store might just hang on as the footfall must be pretty good as it is in a really central position.
 
its a shame the high street stores are disappearing. you can actually speak to someone

Trouble is, all the jessops I’ve been into, the staff have no clue what they are talking about and are just sales people.
I struggled not to intervene one time when one of the staff members was obviously pushing a sale of something completely unsuitable To the customer enquiring.
Another time I wanted something specific, and they kept trying to sell me something else and when I bought a new camera from there, I got it home only to find it had already been opened and used. They weren’t slightly apologetic when I took it back and made me feel like I inconvenienced them by it.
 
its a shame the high street stores are disappearing. you can actually speak to someone
As discussed above its the way Jessops does business that's wrong. The owners tried to run it like any other shop on the cheap with minimum wage workforce which won't work in a place where people expect specialist knowledge and customised experience to their needs.

Try one of the other shops like LCE or wex which gives much better shopping experience.
 
London Camera Exchange prospers in Plymouth because the staff really know their stuff, and it seems to attract older customers with money, who are prepared to pay a premium for good advice.

Jessop bugged out of Plymouth years ago, and I realised that their days were numbered long before then. It was the day they cleared out all of the darkroom equipment and chemicals. They didn't seem to realise that digital cameras had become a commodity, and they would be in compitition with places like Argos. The one thing they had on their side was specialised knowlege and advice - which they did'nt deliver.

I have bought several Micro Four Thirds lenses from Camera Jungle and hope that survives a restructuring as a going concern, because my experience has been that they are very good indeed. You get equipment that might as well be new for a lot less money.

However, goverment grandstands, the high street is dead. The only things that bricks and mortar retailers can do any more are services that the Internet can't. Plymouth City Centre, where all the shops are, is turning into a array of coffee shops, betting shops, fast food, barbers, pubs charity and pound shops. Nobody else can compete on price.

I suppose if you want advice today, you have seek it yourself, online and in places like this.
 
Park camera are the best.

Only two retail stores and a large presents on YouTube. they are fast becoming the new digital rev of UK

I had quite a bad experience using them and wouldn’t use them again unless I had no option.

.... Same here! I won't use Park Cameras but shop at HDEW or Wex and any of the small high street shops if they have an online presence. Hilton Photographic in Hull yesterday and they were extremely helpful - Proactive not just reactive.
 
The mini store in our local Sainsbury’s (Didcot) has closed this week, it had become a self-service print hub/click and collect point in recent months with little for sale from stock. Apparently the Argos across the road will be integrated into the space when the lease expires so not sure if this is planned anyway or part of the wider Jessops issues.
 
The mini store in our local Sainsbury’s (Didcot) has closed this week, it had become a self-service print hub/click and collect point in recent months with little for sale from stock. Apparently the Argos across the road will be integrated into the space when the lease expires so not sure if this is planned anyway or part of the wider Jessops issues.
Sainsbury's own Argos. They have an Argos in our local store, so I'd imagine they're planning to have a lot more regardless of the jessop situation.
 
I also had a less than satisfactory experience the one and only time I went into their London shop, and I won't be returning there, even if I had no other option.
There was a particular lens I was interested in, which they had in stock (and I was seriously looking to buy - it was a Sigma 120-300 f2.8 non IS several years ago). The guy in the shop basically said that I could not try it unless I bought it. He also didn't have a pleasant manner about him. Needless to say, I went elsewhere.

Years later, I'm now a big fan of HDEW and don't mind the grey market tag, as I've bought quite a few things from them without issue. It's hard to argue if looking at (for example) a new Canon 70-200 f2.8 mark3 lens for £1999 from Park or Wex, as opposed to £650 cheaper from HDEW.

How do you try the lens before you buy it when shopping on the internet then? I can't see any logic in this outlook.
 
How do you try the lens before you buy it when shopping on the internet then? I can't see any logic in this outlook.

I have "bought" a couple of lenses on the internet, tried them and sent them back under the distance selling rules, most if not all shops are required by law to offer you this. In fact I once bought a used Tamron lens from Jessops in the Metrocentre on the understanding if I was not happy with it I could return it no questions asked and they agreed, FWIW I took it to try for two days and was not happy at all with the edge sharpness and they refunded me there and then with no arguments.
 
I have "bought" a couple of lenses on the internet, tried them and sent them back under the distance selling rules, most if not all shops are required by law to offer you this. In fact I once bought a used Tamron lens from Jessops in the Metrocentre on the understanding if I was not happy with it I could return it no questions asked and they agreed, FWIW I took it to try for two days and was not happy at all with the edge sharpness and they refunded me there and then with no arguments.

And people wonder why shops are going under... how the hell can anyone do business in that kind of climate? On the one hand we clamour for consumer rights, which I agree with to a point, but that kind of consumer practise is unsustainable, as being proven in high streets up and down the country. In short, we have nobody to blame but ourselves for businesses closing.
 
I also had a less than satisfactory experience the one and only time I went into their London shop, and I won't be returning there, even if I had no other option.
There was a particular lens I was interested in, which they had in stock (and I was seriously looking to buy - it was a Sigma 120-300 f2.8 non IS several years ago). The guy in the shop basically said that I could not try it unless I bought it. He also didn't have a pleasant manner about him. Needless to say, I went elsewhere.

How do you try the lens before you buy it when shopping on the internet then? I can't see any logic in this outlook.

Perhaps it was a similar experience to the one I had years ago when I went to buy my first 'proper' camera. Roll back to the winter of 1980, I'd been saving up and finally had enough money to buy my dream camera (a Canon A1 with 50mm f/1.8 lens). I chose to go to Comet in my local town, due to their price-matching promise at the time. I'd even taken the Monday morning off work from my first job to go and buy it. I'll never forget, it was a really cold and frosty morning (an extremely cold winter that year) and when I asked to see the demonstration camera I found it didn't work, as the battery was completely flat.

This was a 16 year-old lad that had been saving for round 18 months, had the cash in notes there in his pocket to buy the thing, and was keen to do so, but wanted to make sure that a camera costing around £220 (a lot of money in those days) was going to suit him. The shop assistant wasn't keen on replacing the battery (which must have cost all of £2 in those days!) and called the manager over, and he initially flatly refused to change the battery! "Not unless you're going to buy it?" or words to that effect.

My Dad had driven me to the shop and was looking round the showroom while I looked at the camera; seeing there was an issue he came over and told the manager that there was no way he'd let me part with over £200 without a demonstration of the camera. At which point the manager very reluctantly replaced the battery. On trying the camera it appeared to be everything I'd hoped for, and a price-matched deal was done for a brand new, boxed, camera and lens and I left the shop with the camera I wanted (and I still own it to this day).

However, what should have been a memorable buying experience turned out to be unforgettable for the wrong reason, due to uncooperative, reluctant and seemingly indifferent sales staff. Perhaps this is where some high-street chain stores went wrong?

Why did I go to a chain store like Comet instead of my local camera shop? Well, I tried to get a price from my local camera shop and it went something like this:

"I'm interested in a Canon A1 with 50mm f/1.8, what would your best price be for a cash sale please?". Assistant (looking at me with some doubt): "Is it for you?" Me: "Yes, it's for me". Assistant (looking at me somewhat disbelievingly): "I'll go and ask".

Assistant arrives back: "Our best price for a Canon AE 1 would be....". I'd clearly asked the price for a Canon A1. He'd obviously misheard (due, I believe, to him forming an opinion about the spending power of a 16 year old lad) and had given me the price for a different and significantly cheaper model. After being made to feel uncomfortable, and rather than face the mutual embarrassment of pointing out his mistake (and risk even greater looks of disbelief) I thanked him and left the shop.

Perhaps that's also where some high-street shops went wrong?
 
Last edited:
Assistant arrives back: "Our best price for a Canon AE 1 would be....". I'd clearly asked the price for a Canon A1. He'd obviously misheard (due, I believe, to him forming an opinion about the spending power of a 16 year old lad) and had given me the price for a different and significantly cheaper model. After being made to feel uncomfortable, and rather than face the mutual embarrassment of pointing out his mistake (and risk even greater looks of disbelief) I thanked him and left the shop.

Maybe he DID simply mishear you, you failed to give the shop a clear chance at giving you a price !
 
And people wonder why shops are going under... how the hell can anyone do business in that kind of climate? On the one hand we clamour for consumer rights, which I agree with to a point, but that kind of consumer practise is unsustainable, as being proven in high streets up and down the country. In short, we have nobody to blame but ourselves for businesses closing.

Simon, the point I was trying to make was if a consumer is not happy with the purchase (for whatever reason) then he has the right to return it. In my case I thought that the images were soft (especially the Tamron), I don't think for one minute that anyone on here would accept an unsubstantial product, whether it was purchased on line or in the shop.

If you are paying a large amount of money for a piece of hardware then you want that item to work satisfactorily, if it doesn't then you should be entitled to a refund or exchange whether it be a lens, washing machine, or even a car.
 
Perhaps it was a similar experience to the one I had years ago when I went to buy my first 'proper' camera. Roll back to the winter of 1980, I'd been saving up and finally had enough money to buy my dream camera (a Canon A1 with 50mm f/1.8 lens). I chose to go to Comet in my local town, due to their price-matching promise at the time. I'd even taken the Monday morning off work from my first job to go and buy it. I'll never forget, it was a really cold and frosty morning (an extremely cold winter that year) and when I asked to see the demonstration camera I found it didn't work, as the battery was completely flat.

This was a 16 year-old lad that had been saving for round 18 months, had the cash in notes there in his pocket to buy the thing, and was keen to do so, but wanted to make sure that a camera costing around £220 (a lot of money in those days) was going to suit him. The shop assistant wasn't keen on replacing the battery (which must have cost all of £2 in those days!) and called the manager over, and he initially flatly refused to change the battery! "Not unless you're going to buy it?" or words to that effect.

My Dad had driven me to the shop and was looking round the showroom while I looked at the camera; seeing there was an issue he came over and told the manager that there was no way he'd let me part with over £200 without a demonstration of the camera. At which point the manager very reluctantly replaced the battery. On trying the camera it appeared to be everything I'd hoped for, and a price-matched deal was done for a brand new, boxed, camera and lens and I left the shop with the camera I wanted (and I still own it to this day).

However, what should have been a memorable buying experience turned out to be unforgettable for the wrong reason, due to uncooperative, reluctant and seemingly indifferent sales staff. Perhaps this is where some high-street chain stores went wrong?

Why did I go to a chain store like Comet instead of my local camera shop? Well, I tried to get a price from my local camera shop and it went something like this:

"I'm interested in a Canon A1 with 50mm f/1.8, what would your best price be for a cash sale please?". Assistant (looking at me with some doubt): "Is it for you?" Me: "Yes, it's for me". Assistant (looking at me somewhat disbelievingly): "I'll go and ask".

Assistant arrives back: "Our best price for a Canon AE 1 would be....". I'd clearly asked the price for a Canon A1. He'd obviously misheard (due, I believe, to him forming an opinion about the spending power of a 16 year old lad) and had given me the price for a different and significantly cheaper model. After being made to feel uncomfortable, and rather than face the mutual embarrassment of pointing out his mistake (and risk even greater looks of disbelief) I thanked him and left the shop.

Perhaps that's also where some high-street shops went wrong?

An enjoyable read that took me back in time, to when I tried to buy my first car, after passing my test. I was sneered at, and told to get out of the showroom. Salesman probably assumed I was just some silly spotty kid. Well I was a spotty kid, but I had saved my wages up, and had the cash in my pocket, to buy the old second hand car. I ended up buying an old banger from the classifieds, of a daily paper. :)
 
Last edited:
the problem is shops employ the cheapest labour they can. it doesn't matter if they know a product or not. Staff training costs time and money and if customers are gullible enough to accept any BS then shops will continue to sell. I was in a local camera store doing a PX and they tried to say my lens had dust marks inside, a common ploy. when challenged eventually admitted the lens was clean.
Now i always research a product as much as possible on line before going to buy anything. Pays off when you can show you know more than the salesman/woman makes them look silly. Also I never accept the asking price, if they want to make a sale then they will reduce if pressed. A small profit is better than no profit.
As for Jessops I would not touch them with a barge pole after they tried to pass off as new a camera thinking I was another mug to con. so obvious it had been used ,may have been a shop demo. they even had to find a box for it. Needless to say I didn't buy it

John I had the same with a volvo car salesman
My parents had passed away and I had a bit of an inheritance. so walked into the showroom to buy a 240 estate as they were back then. The snobby salesman told me in no uncertain voice " Come back SONNY when you have the money, don't waste my time".
No I was not going to put up with that, not in my nature so I gave him a right mouthful at the top of my powerful voice. The manager came down from upstairs to see what was happening and I told him he should sack the salesman he had just lost a cash (£7200) customer because of his attitude.
got the car from another dealership had a 140 estate at the time.

Had quite a few confrontations in shops ignorant sales people from not having what was ordered and told arrived in stock and awaiting collection. I won't be p***ed about my some snotty nosed kid straight from school who has just learnt to wipe his arse.
 
Last edited:
Jessops in Lord street Liverpool, let me try a Nikon 35mm 1.8G lens, before I bought it. That is the photo below, yes it is a poor photo, but purely my fault. I did buy the lens. This was back in 2012

full



Had they not let me try the lens, I may not have bought it.
 
Last edited:
Maybe he DID simply mishear you, you failed to give the shop a clear chance at giving you a price !
The disbelieving look he gave me said it all. I can remember thinking, "If he's like that about an AE1, he's never going to believe I'm serious about an A1 (which cost significantly more and was the equivalent in the Canon line-up to the 5D iv these days). Besides, after the customer experience I'd had, I don't think he really deserved the sale, do you?

The manager at Comet was lucky to make a sale after that performance too; if there'd been anywhere else local (bearing in mind I'd only got the morning off work and I didn't want to cut my nose to spite my face) then he'd have been told to keep it! I did have the satisfaction of watching him phone head office to get permission to price-match with the advert I'd produced from Amateur Photographer magazine. To be honest, I wasn't sure if they'd match it, as I had a feeling the ad might have been from a grey importer! So that success kind of balanced out the buying experience in the end. :)
 
Last edited:
Back
Top