Photo Continental

[Krzys]

On Monday I went to photo continental to purchase some developer and came across some very old looking Kodak DK-50 developer. Not knowing anything about it I asked the staff who told me to wait (around 15 minutes) till somebody was free. I was then told that nobody in the store knows anything about the developer and they went online to find some information. They eventually came back with some time sheets from digital truth and said that they had contacted the manager who does not know how old the developer is or where it came from. By then I had started talking to an older guy also browsing the section who told me that he used to use DK-50 for extreme pushing back 50 years ago and that the powder in the packets would be long expired. The paper packets themselves were turning a dark brown on the edges, though the staff told me that it is sealed and would be fresh I ended up going home with some D-76 and Microdol-X and a bit annoyed that not a single sales person in the store knew squat about what they were selling. I know photographic sales would be 99.99% digital these days but its not like I'm asking about a niche product in a broad environment - Its the biggest photographic store in the southern hemisphere! (As proudly displayed outside) I kind of have an expectation that the staff would be able to help me regarding any aspect of photography.

On an unrelated note, where can I get Diafine in Australia?

[ricktas]

its not like I'm asking about a niche product in a broad environment

Yes you are

[JM Tran]

no offence, but thats a pretty ancient piece of knowledge in photographic terms you are wanting answers from, not to mention you spoke to a man who used it 50 years ago!?

as a former camera retail person myself, we are quite knowledgeable with a broad range of photography related stuff - but to expect someone to know some niche information is stretching it.

[Kym]

Drive into a Holden dealer with an EH http://www.ehholden.com.au/infhis2.htm#Ehhis and ask them to rebuild the carby etc?
They will have a good look and unless there is an enthusiast you are not going to get any help.

Its just an ancient curiosity to most.

Edit: In reference to the old developer.

Edit2: http://photo.net/film-and-processing-forum/00Mm1a just for curiosity.

[Krzys]

What if it was the biggest Holden dealer in the southern hemisphere to meet any of your Holden automotive needs (proudly advertising)...anyways I don't need to know the chemical compound which makes up the developer or anything special, just granularity and accutance. Eg: 'This developer is good for pushing film with minimal grain' or 'Its only good for slower films'. Simple stuff you can find with a google, as I did when I got home.

Edit: and as you did too Kym:

Simple read and you could say 'most use it for sheet film as there are grain issues'

[Kym]

If I went to a major Holden dealer who said 'all your Holden needs' I would expect that to mean current and recent models - not ancient.
Most manufacturers have parts for up to 10 years and after that first come best dressed.

The real point is that your expectation of the Photo Continental staff was unreasonable.
No one knows everything and when it gets to niche products knowledge gets thin.
This is not going to improve in the film space; in fact it will get difficult to even get product in 5-10 years.

The good news is you were able to google an answer.

[Krzys]

Developer is a niche product?... in a photography store... I know my expectations may be high but that is just appalling.

If a specialty store, photography in this case, is selling a product, I completely expect the staff to know about their products and have an ability to 'sell' it to me. They are on commission in there after all, right?

[arthurking83]

I think your answer is written in your OP:

.... Not knowing anything about it I asked the staff who told me to wait (around 15 minutes) till somebody was free. ....

If you don't know about the stuff, and you're heavily into developing film, how can you expect someone else to know the technical details of about a product that they obviously have forgotten even exists in their shop.. they are after all sales assistants, not information gurus.


Go to a Landrover dealer and ask them about a 1959 series II stationwagon, and what accessories it came with as standard.....

I'm sure you'll get a similar experience!

ask them about stuff that they regularly sell, and they'll most likely know(although that's open to conjecture in itself ) ... stuff that's expired long ago and someone used 50years ago is most certainly a niche product!

There's also the contentious issue that you thought that they were selling the stuff, as opposed to an alternate version of events in that you were looking to buy the stuff.

if it was cheap, you can only try it out I guess?


EDIT:: LOL @ Kym .... as I was typing about Landrovers, he was typing similarly related ideas about Holden cars

[Krzys]

how can you expect someone else to know the technical details of about a product that they obviously have forgotten even exists in their shop.. they are after all sales assistants, not information gurus.

It wasn't on the shelf late last week. So its an old product that is new to the salesmen and new to young photogs like myself. If they expect to sell it then they better know a little something when people ask 'hey Ive never seen that old developer here before'

[Kym]

It wasn't on the shelf late last week. <snip>

At a guess someone cleared out an old store room so they could fill it with shiny new digital gear

[MarkChap]

I kind of have an expectation that the staff would be able to help me regarding any aspect of photography.

That is a big ask of any retailer.

Step into our largest specialty hardware retailer in the country and try and get any help at all, you will then be very appreciative that the staff at PC even bother to try and help.

The perception of the shopping public, that someone in any retail outlet, let alone one as big as PC's, is going to have an intimate knowledge of EVERY product in the store is just totaly UNREALISTIC.

[JM Tran]

That is a big ask of any retailer.

Step into our largest specialty hardware retailer in the country and try and get any help at all, you will then be very appreciative that the staff at PC even bother to try and help.

The perception of the shopping public, that someone in any retail outlet, let alone one as big as PC's, is going to have an intimate knowledge of EVERY product in the store is just totaly UNREALISTIC.

damn straight Mark!

the staff at PC even took the initiative to go online and search and do a print out for you - and PC is not exactly a quiet store, far from it - is excellent customer service.

When any other store staff could have easily brushed u off and concentrate on other customers with better sale potential - than to bother their time and effort with finding something antiquated.

I think in your ideal world of camera retail, each staff member should undergo a bachelors degree in Photographic Knowledge and History - a 5 year uni course before they can commence their casual

[Krzys]

Slow down there. I stated what I expected, some simple information on why the product exists and why I would want to buy it.

the staff at PC even took the initiative to go online and search and do a print out for you

I asked them to do it

than to bother their time and effort with finding something antiquated

well then they shouldnt sell it

[JM Tran]

Slow down there. I stated what I expected, some simple information on why the product exists and why I would want to buy it.

I asked them to do it

and they did it. People would ask me sometimes to go online and search info for them, I just smile and write the web address and tell them do it - I will only do it when the shop is empty and I have no other customers waiting. If I were to spend my time googling info for customers every day, imagine the loss in sales and profit over time.

still good customer service regardless if u had asked them or not

[Krzys]

As far as im concerned if they are going to sell an uncommon product then they should expect to get some questions, as I said before, for example "What is that?" followed by some information as to why the customer would buy such a thing. I can understand a salesman not knowing what its for if they found a load of ancient 31.03mm filters but this is a developer. Something people can and still use and will query about.