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2011-02-28
1/5
"I really wanted C Crane radios to be great. They weren't. Three C Crane radios. All three failed soon after purchase but after the warranty period.
I purchased the CC Radio SW (149.00) and the CC Radio SW Pocket (49.00 not including AC adapter). Both broke in various ways within six months after purchase. The SW pocket broke three weeks after purchase and was replaced and the replacement broke as well.
What went wrong?
SW (149.00) began to have issues with the AC adapter receptacle. It would disconnect and run on batteries for no reason. Wiggling the AC plug revealed a faulty connection inside. They offered to send another AC adapter, but the problem was inside the radio. The handle is cheap. I have no idea why they brag about it. It's awful and holding the radio by it feels very awkward.
Also, the fact you cannot keep the light on (without holding the Snooze button for 8 seconds or whatever) is ridiculous. I realize battery power is limited, but there should be a simple on/off switch for the display light or remain on full time. The cheapest transistor radio at a dollar store has a display light. Also, the annoying 'beep' is VERY loud. That also needs to be constantly reset every time you unplug the radio. Both of these are not C Crane's fault, since they are design flaws. The radio is basically made in China, re-branded by C Crane (Also, I seriously doubt there is a ferrite twin coil or anything else inside the radio antenna since the original models from China do not contain it). The antenna broke off as well. It broke at the hinge. The metal fork hinge snapped at the base. It was not abused at all.
Both of the pocket SWs failed the same way. The tuning knobs broke. It would turn, but nothing happened. I could tell a physical break occurred since the turning no longer had any resistance behind it. Also, the pocket SW suffers from the same light idiosyncrasy. Ridiculous.
Here's the thing. I have hundreds of radios. I'm also a General HAM radio operator. I know radios. I have had radios since I was a kid. So did my parents and their parents. I have radios my Dad bought when he was a kid that still function fine. I have transistor radios from the 70s, with solid quality, good knobs, heavy resistance on the tuning knob, display light always on, and they last for weeks on a single 9V battery. Most are Panasonic (National) or Sony. Some are American made. But most are from Japan (where the best HAM radios now come from).
The C Crane radios I mentioned were a huge disappointment. Also, their failure affected my family as I got them for my ailing mother who was housebound. I returned to overseas only to hear from her that they broke.
I never got my money back on any of them. Big time FAIL for C Crane company. I won't buy anything from them again. They were polite on the phone and I requested to speak with Bob the owner, several times, since I heard that he is a very kind man, but Debbi (I think her name was) said that was not possible.
Ignore the invoice and date is approximate since I no longer have the invoice."
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Merchant Member
2005-05-06
1/5
"MAY 24 UPDATE: As of this writing, after much deliberation, all is well.
B&H refunded the cost of the computer, as well as the shipping.
Mr. Posner replied to my email inquiry about the delay in issuing the refund, stating that it's normal for there to be a delay in the bank chain. I accepted this explanation. A couple of days after that, my credit card online status showed the credit applied to the account was equal to the cost of the computer and the shipping. So, it took about a month all told from order-to-return-to-refund.
I'm satisfied B&H refunded the cost of item and shipping. It would have been easier and faster for all concerned if the customer's wishes were fulfilled at the outset, however.
Also, it must be noted that Mr. Posner never apologized for the condescending tone he included in his first reply to my review here. That says a lot. The tone he expressed at the outset was a driving force behind my efforts to educate the public here online.
In his opinion, however, he contends there was no condescending tone. Read his first reply, particularly the part about my family friend not "having the good sense" to open a damaged box, breaking the shipping seal, and you might not agree with Mr. Posner's expressed attitude toward the customer. I have no doubt, though it's only my opinion, that if the box were opened, as Mr. Posner seemed to think was best, the return would have been much harder, and possibly confined to a replacement only, rather than full refund.
To reiterate, item was accepted for return, shipping was paid by B&H Photo-Video.
I received no apology.
B&H Photo Video has a good reputation. Better than most. That's why I chose them in the first place. Their good name was built on years of sales and quality merchandise. But that doesn't help you when you are the 1 in 100 who gets burned, and is faced with emails, calls, repeating the same story over and over again, waiting, waiting, waiting over a dispute which may or may not end in your satisfaction. I think as a walk-in shop, avoiding the online store, you would be in good shape. But, in terms of the online purchasing, I would have to maintain my assessment of "not recommended".
Also, in closing, I would like to state that it was my writing to these online review sites (I submitted to over a dozen online sites my experiences with B&H Photo Video) which turned the tide, in my opinion. It was here, at Resellersratings.com that I first saw anything from the apparent head of customer service Henry Posner. And then, it was only to offer a rebuttal to my review. Only after several more reviews and many emails did he contact me personally. If I were in charge of B&H and I saw a customer was deeply dissatisfied and had written a thoughtful and detailed online review of a sale and delivery problem, I would contact that person as soon as possible. I wouldn't send out a rebuttal first without contacting the customer at all until well after that. Also, I would call them personally.
I live in Tokyo, Japan. But I grew up on the East coast of the U.S. I guess I have grown accustomed to excellent service living here in Tokyo. Maybe I'm spoiled. Maybe not. Maybe I'm just remembering an American service industry which was a heck of a lot better in days gone by. (have you travelled by airline lately?)
This would never, ever have gone this far here in Japan. No matter what, I would have had customer service CALLING ME right away, even after hours, long after they've closed, trying to satisfy me to make it all right. I would have had apology after apology. I would have had not only the return and shipping paid, but I would have received a "gift" to correct any bad feelings and clear the air. That's how you do business. That's why Japan is leading the world in product quality and service. Period.
You may be asking, then why didn't I just buy from Apple Japan? (the item was a new iMac G5). Two reasons, either one conclusive.
First, the item was a birthday present for a family friend in Maine, USA, so therefore, buying one here, and sending it there would be out of the question. Secondly, due to Apple's overseas trade agreements, it is practically impossible to purchase a new English language mac in Japan.
Hopefully, sites like this will improve customer service and quality of merchandise in America. I sincerely hope so. Businesses live or die on word of mouth. So, it pays to listen to the customer. Successful businesses will, failing ones will not. It's that simple.
Robert
-----------original review and updates cut for space----"
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henryp from B&H Photo-Video has responded
Posted May-24-2005Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video, Inc.