|
Forums >
Photography Talk >
Is Alienbees slipping?
Anyone else noticing issues over there? I sent a light to be repaired and it came back with no flash tube and no reflector. They offered to overnight them to me and this morning when I opened the box it still had no flash tube in it. There seems to be an issue in their packing and shipping department. I hope they find it and remedy it soon. They usually have amazing customer service. I'm kind of disappointed. Aug 23 08 10:58 am Link I just ordered a light stand and replacement cords. They showed up 3 days later, properly packed. No company is perfect, my my experience with AB has been as close to perfect as any I've ever had. Aug 23 08 11:00 am Link Danny Does Glamour wrote: And what did they say when you called them about the issue? Aug 23 08 11:02 am Link One experience isn't 'slipping'. Aug 23 08 11:02 am Link SVM wrote: If it were, every company in the history of man kind has been slipping. Aug 23 08 11:04 am Link SVM wrote: It's not one experience. It is two experiences in a row. Packed without a flash tube. I called them and asked them to correct the situation. They mailed a second package and it also arrived without a flash tube. Aug 23 08 11:07 am Link Danny Does Glamour wrote: I spoke with them a week ago and they were very unorganized. I do like the price of there products but that's about it. Aug 23 08 11:11 am Link Danny Does Glamour wrote: He means one experience, as in one person's experience. Aug 23 08 11:12 am Link Karl Blessing wrote: Well that's why I started the thread. To see if anyone else had noticed issues. Aug 23 08 11:15 am Link I recently ordered a good buttload of stuff from them. Everything arrived in perfect condition, everything I had ordered was there and in decent time. It's true that sometimes, something can get screwed up, feel free to call them and make them aware of what happened. Companies need feedback to keep up their service. Certainly don't complain and bitch to them, just let them know that things were repeatedly screwed up. Aug 23 08 11:42 am Link That Look Photography wrote: AB pricing is only good if you're hell bent on new gear. I just won a fleabay auction for a 1600ws (actual ws) LUZ (fully Balcar compatable but more compact) pack with three heads (2 Balcar, 1 Luz) for $202. Aug 23 08 11:53 am Link I live near them  So not sure about shipping, but they are nice people and very helpful. I am thinking what happened was a fluke, I hope they made it right.Aug 23 08 11:53 am Link No problems here Danny... Rick had a B800 go kaput two weeks ago. We swapped out flashtubes, wasn't that. Never have trouble out of mine. Aug 23 08 12:01 pm Link idk idc im still getting them (= Aug 23 08 12:06 pm Link Danny Does Glamour wrote: Could mean they have a bone-head employee. What company doesn't have at least one of those? Aug 23 08 12:10 pm Link I have placed about 5 orders with them in the last 5 months and I can't think of a thing to gripe about. Aug 23 08 12:17 pm Link Danny Does Glamour wrote: They must not like you Aug 23 08 12:33 pm Link I can kinda think why you sent the flash tube, cause you wanted them to check it out. But why did you send the reflector? Aug 23 08 01:16 pm Link LeWhite wrote: Good point. There was a slip on thier end, but unless you were having the reflector repaired, I see no reason to include it. I usually only send the bare minum (cameras ,lights,whatever) to diagnose the issue. Aug 23 08 01:23 pm Link LeWhite wrote: Good point. There was a slip on thier end, but unless you were having the reflector repaired, I see no reason to include it. I usually only send the bare minimum (cameras ,lights,whatever) to diagnose the issue. Aug 23 08 01:24 pm Link A month ago I ordered 2 B800's a 30 by 40 soft box, 2 light stands one of which was a heavy duty and 2 48" umbrellas. This was done on a Wednesday morning. The Items arrived here in good ole Nassau, New Providence Bahamas Thursday afternoon, safe and intact. Needless to say I was very impressed and would no doubt use them again. Everyone slips up every no and again, hell just the other day I was editing some photos from a catalog shoot for a client and accidentally delete one of the photos from the disk that the client liked. Thins happen hmpf such is life. Aug 23 08 01:26 pm Link Never had a problem with shipping from them. Perhaps they hired Summer help for the shipping department. Aug 23 08 05:16 pm Link LeWhite wrote: Maybe to protect the flash tube during shipping. The modeling light has a separate shipping cover but the way they package and ship from the factory the reflector is a big part of the protection for the flash tube. Aug 23 08 05:56 pm Link Danny Does Glamour wrote: They have a hiccup every now and again, as any company does, but their customer service is still outstanding. They once sent me a pair of B400s when I had ordered B800s, but they fixed the problem and had the new lights out to me in just a matter of days, even though I'm all the way out here in Korea. Aug 23 08 08:10 pm Link LeWhite wrote: Simple. I beat them to bloody hell. They only slightly resembled their original shape. So I sent them back so they would swap them out. Aug 23 08 09:13 pm Link JMX Photography wrote: Sounds like a nice deal.. Now, lets see what happens when you need any part or replacements.. Aug 23 08 09:17 pm Link I agree they are a great company guys. I just got a little concerned since it happened twice and the person who helped me explained that it goes through 3 or 4 people to make sure it is correct. So it went through 3 or 4 people twice with the same problem when normally they are outstanding? And the second time it was a special overnight delivery to remedy the problem and they still made a mistake? Sounds like a glitch in the system. I think the guy who says they just don't like me was correct though. That seems to be the most likely explanation. Aug 23 08 09:19 pm Link Happened to me too Danny about a year ago. Ordered some stuff and a flash tube (spare). All came but the tube (packing slip showed it should have been in the box. I called, they sent a new one. But, on the positive side. I had a WL x1600 blow-up on me (sounded like the fan shattered inside the unit and metal was bouncing around inside). Sent it to them. Had a new unit (same serial number) in about 3 days. Aug 23 08 10:09 pm Link I had a bracket from the ringlight break and they replaced it with a new bracket overnight and when an improvement on the reflector became available they shipped it right out. Their customer service department has been outstanding. Forgive this hiccup and patronize them again. Aug 23 08 10:15 pm Link They've always been great with me for pre-sales questions, orders, and repairs. I just sent them an email about a thumb-screw on my ABR800 shearing in half (the bolt that tightens the vertical position of the stem to the base. So if they are slipping, maybe I'll know soon enough... I'm *really* looking forward to trading in those wireless triggers for the new ones they have coming out soon, and getting rid of the telephone cords for good. Aug 24 08 01:46 am Link Lund Photography wrote: It a cost benefit ratio. If you were to buy an equivolent AB system (three heads an a total of 1600ws - actual), you'd spend $999.85 for 2x AB1600's an a AB800. Is it really worth more than 4x as much for a warranty and parts availability? FWIW I do know a guy that works on Balcar products, and there's always the Flash Clinic in NYC, and I know it's expensive. Really, at that price, $200 for 1600ws and three heads, they're almost disposable. Anyways it's a back up system for a bunch of other Balcar stuff I have that's all been comparatively inexpensive, like the time I got two heads and two 5000ws packs for under $400. And Balcar makes good stuff, Arny Freytag's been spotted using it and I've seen the brand in several Playboy setups. Aug 24 08 02:11 am Link Danny I have always had great service from them as well and I have both Bees and Lightings. I have a WL that has a dead test button that I am going to send in for the check and I will let you know what happens on that. I think you just had a string of bad luck, like I have had at the local Wendy's fast food joint. Aug 24 08 08:54 am Link I ordered a replacement VBII bag and they sent me a bag and a new VBII units in two separate boxes... But yea, I shipped the extra VBII back to them. either their shipping department is slipping or becoming generous Aug 24 08 10:41 am Link |
