What is B&H Photo doing in Europe?

B&H Photo, the photography and video specialists based in New York, are pretty much a household name, in the industry circles at least. They are the first to get new product information and the first usually to stock those products. There appears to be no photography or video-related gear that they don’t have available.

So you can imagine how unhappy I am that being European based, I cannot really take advantage of such a great store. However, Jason Smolesky was at IBC 2022 manning B&H Photo‘s booth, and DIYP were able to have a chat and find out exactly why a US-based company might be at a European trade show.

“We’re here to let people know about our shipping,” says Jason. “We cover all of the expenses upfront to make it really easy for you,” he continues. “We carry so many products, ” Jason explains, “that some might be hard to get here in Europe.” Ain’t that the truth! Shipping is done via DHL from B&H Photo’s huge warehouse in New Jersey. “We will get it to you as quickly as possible,” says Jason.

And when Jason says it’s a big warehouse, he means it’s a big warehouse. “Amazon would probably say it’s big,” he jokes, “it’s that big!” That means that when B&H say they have an item, it means they actually have that item in stock and it can be shipped almost straight away. That’s a huge advantage for customers.

B&H Photo also prides itself on its customer service. Living in a country where customer service sometimes appears to be the bottom of the priority list, I can say that is a great thing. Good Customer Service is one of those things that you take for granted until it’s not there.

Jason also explains that they are looking to promote business-to-business sales too and maintain relationships with brands who are also exhibiting at IBC 2022. B&H Photo has long established strong relationships with all the major camera and lighting brands. “Those relationships help us to take care of our customers and give them the support they need,” says Jason.

B&H Photo is celebrating its 50th anniversary in business next year. The store was started in 1973 and began life as a photographic film store. The ethos has always been founded upon helping their customers get what they need, holding ethical practices and respect at the fore.

It’s an ethos that has clearly paid off, with a loyal returning customer base. Sadly there’s no talk of B&H Photo starting a branch in Europe just yet. But hey, B&H if you’re reading this, we would welcome you with open arms!

MORE ABOUT IBC

• You can find all our coverage of IBC2022, in this link
• Enter our $12,000 plus cine gear giveaway here!
• DIYPhotography’s coverage of IBC 2022 is sponsored by
  Sennheiser, The Future of Audio
  Sachtler, Producer of professional tripods
  B&H, The professional’s source