I, like many of my colleagues am willing to pay extra to buy local, especially when customer service and support are not only needed but necessary. That's exactly what I've been making purchases for many years at Pictureline. But not any more.
The staff at Pictureline is more than willing to help with a purchase but if you have issues with your purchase, you'll get better results hitting your head against the wall. This includes their upper management who have been completely unresponsive to my problems.
If you want this kind of service, you might as well purchase your equipment from one of the big discounters and save a ton of money.
Maybe they are growing too fast. Maybe they are too distracted with their new store. Customer service at Pictureline has gone down the tubes and in my opinion, is not worth the premium I pay over B&H, Adorama, Samys, Beach or any other major player in the market.
It's a bummer there isn't another high end photography store in the Salt Lake area. Maybe there's an opportunity for someone out there.
Pros: Decent selection. Staff willing to sell but . . .
Cons: Terrible customer support. Even Mgmt is unresponsive
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