I'm a photographer that moved to the beautiful city of Salisbury. As a photographer I know the importance to have a place where I could see and talk about equipment, a friendly face that would always recommend me the best whenever I needed to change gear.
After spending more than £3000 pounds in London Camera Exchange and half of it only in Salisbury branch in less than half a year I was expecting more from the same guy who attended me every time. I think in this store they lack the knowledge of the returning customer and long term relationships.
I was going to sell my 5d mark 3 to buy the new canon EOS R with the 24-105mm (yes that kit cost more than £3000) but after the average welcome("what can I do for you" without smiling, when I greeted him with: "Hey! how are you doing today?") I didn't tell him that I was going to buy the kit and only told him that I wanted to sell my camera.
I've sold a camera before and they gave me the price and the money there but this time they told me that they needed to send it to Derby and I complained that the last time they didn't need to send anything and their answer was that they had many of 5d mark 3 in the store and didn't want more. HUUUUUGE LIE!! I checked the store and also the website and they didn't have any.
I was a bit angry so I told him to give me a time to think and after half an hour I returned there and the same happened, I entered the store and smiling I told the same guy, "hey I came back" and he responded "what can I do for you" ·__· (his face) and with impatient attitud gave me a paper to sign and that's it, bye!.
I'm very disappointed with this store, I think that after buying a camera body and a canon L lens every store would do an extra mile or at the very least smile you!! I remember that I went to Castle Cameras( a store that is very close to LCE) and I they remembered me only because I bought a cable for my shutter remote. So guess where my £3000 are going to. Yes Castle Cameras will be my place to go. Buying lenses and camera bodies are not the same as buying a bottle of Ketchup, hope you understand my point and change how you treat customers. I'm not saying that you need to welcome someone like a King but at least remember the name and what they bought (after few times buying from you) at least that is how they treat in the rest of places. Why choosing you instead Amazon? Why people need to bother to go to the store instead of doing few clicks, wait a day or two and pay cheaper? CUSTOMER SERVICE and that's why I chose you at the beggining.