Jessops Review

Overall Rating

Lots of stock.

They don't want to price match, despite their price promise... Love to point out the small print, even have the sentence "within 20 miles" highlighted in the catalogue on the counter.

Unfriendly and aggressively treated as soon as I mentioned a price match. They are not sensitive to those customers who don't want to pay more than the global street price. "Rip off Britain" at work.

Members' Comments onGrasshopper's Review

• Musicman on 28th Feb 2006

  I have worked in retail for a number of years and the one thing that really got my back up was the large number of customers who think dealers make a huge mark up on products and then should give them away. Everything is now very cut throat and discount this and discount that. It needs to be sorted. What will we all do when the supermarkets take over the dedicated photo, video and audio stores? There will be no specialists to help people like you! Just think why some shops have higher prices and don't want to do price matches. The have purchased the goods, keep them in stock for a few weeks or so, trained their staff and they need to pay them, pay electric, water, rent etc. and make a proffit!!!! If you don't want to pay these prices go and open an account with Canon, Nikon, Sigma or Pentax etc. and see how you get on (minimum of £20K needed I think). I bet you would't sell a camera at £750.00 and make £50-£60 proffit because thats what the dealer makes. Trust me, I've been there. And it's tight fisted people who have introduced price match in to the high street and just remember "what goes around comes, around".

• Grasshopper on 1st Mar 2006

  Musicman, quite obviously you are not aware of the profits being made by manufacturers and retailers like Jessops in the UK. I cannot believe gear prices are higher in the UK than the rest of the world without someone making more profits somewhere along the line. Jessops is in a strong position to fight for a good deal for people in the UK, if they can't smell the coffee and put pressure to bear on manufacturers, then they have failed the ordinary shopper. And before you make any comments about people who object to paying more than people in other countries (& that includes Japan, China, Thailand & Taiwan - the major manufacturing centres), please be very sure about your facts. Retailer who perpetuate the rip-off Britain culture is not serving the buying public, their employees or themselves. Short-term gains in profits will turn into long term loss in goodwill. I also work in retail, and I am also involved in the photographic business. In fact, I have the privilege to occupy a fairly senior position in a national chain of retailers, and proud to be getting a better deal for my customers from major manufacturers than Jessops. I welcome those customers who shop around, because they give me a chance to champion a good deal for them. Grasshopper, your customers don't owe you a living, get them a good deal before they find a better deal elsewhere.

• stigofthedump on 29th Jul 2006

  Grasshopper, after you were so critical of Jessops, you revealed in your comment to Musicman that you occupy a fairly high-up position in a company also selling photographic equipment.... you wouldn't be using this board for commercial purposes would you, to nobble the competition? Apologies if I've got that wrong...

• phatbacktyre on 18th Feb 2007

  Jessops - most of the staff I have come across seem to be working hard to get the right deal for the customer. There are one or two who don't care though. As far as prices go, I have seen camera shops disappear one after the other over the last 5 years on the High Street, and continued pressure on profits has been the reason for most. The web is not a marketplace to compete with, unless you are on equal terms. If you want a shop to try out stuff, shop with Jessops - very few other stores have the range, and have you ever gone into the other 'national large retailer' who sells cameras? (and microwaves and dishwashers and iPod's and SatNav and TV's etc.) - not a great place to visit!