Jessops

[Black Pearl]

Thanks all.

High street retail problems aside its a shame the name and stores have gone.

In the North East there is now only 1 camera store (in Sunderland) so essentially if the average person wants to buy a camera, get advice or simply involve photography in their pastime they've had it.

That's goes for me too. When I come to buy my next camera I honestly don't know what I'll do, I won't buy online so I'll be forced into Currys (assuming they still exist) and hope I can get the model I want.

Strange times.

[Guest]

Cant believe they shut the doors that quickly, really sorry BP I hope they make sure the staff get some pay off. I wish you all the best in your search for a new job, not sure what I can do to help from down south but if you think there is anything I can help with then just message me

[NannyFerret]

That was quick.! I wish you and everyone who is looking for a job the very best of luck.

Edited January 11, 2013 by NannyFerret

[annie]

just heard on the news.....i really am feeling for you bp, only those who have been in the position can begin to understand how completely devastating the feeling is. the first time it happened to me i cried for weeks...not only had my job of 15 years gone, along with it went my friends, routine, even the reason i got up in the morning. somehow you have to find the strength to pick yourself up and be positive and get back out there. i hope something comes along for you soon bp xxx

Edited January 11, 2013 by annie

[NannyFerret]

Not sure if this link has been posted here yet.

It is about claims for vouchers, paid orders and repairs etc.

http://www.jessops.com/?aspxerrorpath=/Directory/catalogue.ashx/categoriesLT;jessops_3/categoriesLT;jessops_3_30

[colinb]

not good but a sad fact of current life, I feel for you BP having been made redundant myself in 2008 after 21 years working for the same company again last July (working for Ofsted until the government swopped my job for a web site which is proving to be a bit of a flop). All I can advise you is don't give up, there is work out there but not easy to get (especially at my age). And be wary of depression, I found it hard to admit how hard the loss of my career had affected me, good luck with the job hunt and if there is anything I can do to help just ask. As for Jessops I think many of us will miss the store where you could try stuff hands on and I found them handy for small items like filters etc we still have a branch of LCE in Lincoln but I wonder how long they will last?

Edited January 11, 2013 by colinb

[JohnP]

I'm sorry Robin, I hope something good comes your way soon. I'm glad I've been self employed since 1977, I worked as a self employed electrician until 2000 and then I started doing sameday courier work. I still do this part time, I will do this year and then maybe retire. Once you have been self employed you would never become employed again, is there anything you could do on a self employed basis?

[Black Pearl]

I could try and set up a photography firm but its a dying business as more people have digital cameras.

I'll go hell for leather looking for a job, not proud if it pays the bills.

The other manager at Metro has lots of contacts so there is hope. If he, I, we get in somewhere we'll get the team in with us if earthly possible.

[Kobione]

Robin, I have been keeping up with this, even though I haven't commented much. I do feel for you. Been there, done that, but fortunately have always had another opportunity to move forward. I sincerely hope that something comes your way that you can still get a sense of enjoyment out of as well. Good luck and good wishes.

Have just noted what you said about no being proud re a job, if it pays the bills, (sorry, the reply wouldn't let me quote you), Hubby and I have changed jobs many times and consider ourselves 'survivors'. So be it, survivors live again!

Edited January 11, 2013 by Kobione

[annie]

yeah.....that's the spirit bp......

[Black Pearl]

Off to work I go.....kind of.

I have to go in over the next few days to oversee the return of stock to a central warehouse, making safe the premises and removal of items such as the lab. Bit like clearing a house after someone has died I suppose.

[Guest]

Best of luck BP

[Barbara]

The very best of luck BP

[Guest DaveW]

I think the situation is that mass market cameras are dying as Robin says and you need the mass market to support chains like Jessops was. It was summed up today when I was in a shop buying some bread and somebody in front was talking about all the shops being boarded up when somebody mentioned Jessops closing, whereupon another in the queue said "well nobody uses cameras now do they, they all use mobile phones". I expect we have to face the fact that there's only enthusiasts like us or professionals using them now. The general public will not carry a camera anymore if a mobile phone will do. There will always be a place for niche camera suppliers, but will these be from shops or on the Web in future? Can the camera manufacturers themselves keep going at the size they are on reduced sales or will we see more consolidation with brands merging or being swallowed up by others? The upmarket end that Canon and Nikon supply will continue, but even they may have to downsize by loosing jobs. However most of these firms no longer manufacture much of their product themselves in Japan, therefore the job losses will come in China, Thailand and Korea. http://www.gomonews.com/smartphones-have-killed-jessops-not-online-retailing/ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2166220/Do-smartphones-spell-end-digital-camera-Sales-ordinary-device-plummet-30-years.html http://www.heraldsun.com.au/technology/smartphones/smartphones-killing-digital-cameras/story-fn5ti6kq-1226521961502 Your a good photographer Robin, have you ever thought of looking for a photographers job rather than just selling photographic equipment? The jobs for photographers are probably going to outlast those in shops selling equipment. http://www.steves-digicams.com/knowledge-center/how-tos/becoming-a-professional-photographer/how-to-find-photography-jobs.html

[Alan]

I won't buy online

That's a very silly thing to say. When I bought my 650D it was £100.99 cheaper than the Jessops price buying it on line it came from 1st Cameras Imaging Centre in Newcastle-under-Lyme this is a small shop in the town centre. So get off your high horse and join the real world.

I could try and set up a photography firm but its a dying business as more people have digital cameras.

People will always want good photographers to capture their love ones etc.

You may want to consider renting space in your local shopping centre or sub renting space within a shop and offer children's portraiture at very realistic prices (not jessops prices).

I print my own photos and a 8 x 6 print costs me £0.20 including ink, that's using genuine Epson inks and Ilford Galerie Smooth Lustre Duo. Buying 25 single mounts including backing board with single vee grove from this guy costs me £1.20 each. This brings the total cost to £1.40 for 8 x 6 print and mount.

[Guest DaveW]

I saved about £100 buying my D200 when it first came out on line. There was a waiting list at all the high street shops and my friend had been waiting over a month for his on order to be filled, I got mine in four days from order, including the weekend, from a small firm on the web. He did not get his until a couple of weeks later and paid more than me. Evidently it was the suppliers that pulled the plug on Jessops, presumably they were not being paid and would not risk waiting any longer, or supplying more goods.

"Rob Hunt, joint administrator at PwC, said it was an "extremely sad day for Jessops and its employees".

He added that the decision to shut down the business came after discussions with suppliers "around their support for on going trading", which was not forthcoming."

[Leon]

don't quite know what to say other than what has already been said?

do the likes of Cannon, Nikon, Fuji employ reps (to sell into the likes of Argos, PC world ect), or customer services in the uk? working in the electrical Wholesale industry I do Know CCTv is growing, could you switch to a similar (not really) industry?

[NannyFerret]

I can understand some people no wanting to buy online. I have bought online and in Jessops, and I must admit that although camera's lenses etc. are a lot cheaper online, you get more one to one and advice in a shop.

Only last year I bought my Olympus compact from Jessops after returning a littlte Fuji compact because the door and door spring ewre to fragile and the door was practically hanging off.

The assistant let me have a good play with the Olypus and also opened the battery compartment to show me how robust it was. I will miss this type of customer service.

Edited January 12, 2013 by NannyFerret

[JohnP]

I recently purchased a very expensive pair of Swarovski binoculars and a Sigma ringflash, I did the usual checking of prices on the internet and I eventually purchased both from Clifton Cameras in the small Gloucestershire town of Dursley... not too far from me with very friendly and well informed staff. The cost of both items was very similar to the cheapest internet prices and Clifton Cameras do online sales as well for anyone who can't visit their shop. I made a day of it on both occasions by also visiting the nearby Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust at Slimbridge where I am a member.

[Guest DaveW]

If you don't know what you want, have not researched what is available on line and read several reviews, or are a beginner then no doubt the shops advice may be a godsend. The only drawback is they tend to want to sell you what they have in stock, which is not necessarily what is best for you. Or want to sell you the camera complete with a kit lens rather than body only plus the lens you really need for the type of photography you want, or at least extra to the kit lens which you could have done without.

As to qualified assistants in camera shops I sometimes have my doubts since a friend of mines son worked in Jessops some years ago straight out of school as a spare time job and he was just the usual young hobbyist photographer, though obviously he knew more than a beginner.

Don't know if these are any use Robin or if they may now be out of date now for jobs in photo retail:-

http://www.simplyhired.com/a/jobs/list/q-retail+photography+sales

http://www.creativeskillset.org/photo/careers/retail/

http://www.photographers.co.uk/html/photography-jobs.cfm

Return key is working! but for how long?

[Black Pearl]

That's a very silly thing to say. When I bought my 650D it was £100.99 cheaper than the Jessops price buying it on line it came from 1st Cameras Imaging Centre in Newcastle-under-Lyme this is a small shop in the town centre. So get off your high horse and join the real world.

High horse?

**** you!

I buy from brick and mortar retailers because I value customer service above anything else. Don't get me wrong I'll purchase some things like music and movies etc online because I'm simply purchasing a box and I don't need to talk to an assistant to do so.

But - I would rather buy hardware face to face. All my Hi-Fi comes from a local specialist, they are not the cheapest but they have been there for as long as I can remember and the service I get is outstanding. Last purchase was a pair of speakers. I phoned them to make sure they had them in stock and was asked if I wanted a demo. I did, was asked what my other gear was and would I like it ready at a particular time. I went in, it was set up and I had a good listen with various discs and various cables. There is no way on earth I would have bought speakers online, regardless of the savings as I wanted to hear them first. Reviews and internet sites are no use what so ever for purchases like this but i know the dealer is struggling because of online discounting. It's a crying shame that people (as they did in Jessops) will go in, ask advice, have play and then go away to buy elsewhere. Personally I think this behaviour is disgusting and they should be ashamed.....a concept that is increasingly lacking in todays society.

The electricals in our home have all been bought from local stores, big chains yes but local and with staff that have been brilliant. Our various TV's were purchased after going into a couple of stores to see them, try them and to talk to staff about what we should look for, what constitutes a good product and what they would recommend. Never, not one single time, did I think about buying from the internet because I wanted to see what I was purchasing. I could repeat that tale a dozen times with the same outcome.

Did I pay more?

Don't know and don't care.

To me customer service is king.

[annie]

i got my s2960 in tesco..(which is i think basically the s2950, the '60' being some code special to tesco) .i really wanted the hs20 but my husband was very against me buying it as other than the pentax slr (which came from jessops somewhere in my distant past) i had only had point and shoot camera's. within weeks i purchased the hs20 from amazon. but when it came to buying the canon dslr....i was of to jessops....i needed to feel the thing, hold the beast, talk to someone and understand what i was getting into....and i must say i was in there ages. nothing was to much trouble for the staff, all the pros and cons were pointed out. sometimes, even though you can get a better, cheaper deal from amazon or such, the human, friendly, helpful contact is very much needed.

Edited January 12, 2013 by annie

[KateW]

Did I pay more?

Don't know and don't care.

To me customer service is king.

Hear hear!

[Black Pearl]

Just under three months ago I took a very similar shot to this just before we were about to fill a brand new flagship store with stock.

Today I took this shot only this time we were gutting it ready for the end - such a waste of a fantastic retail experience.

[Guest Lee]

i got my s2960 in tesco

I'll forgive you for shopping there.....but only just!