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Robert Palmer wrote:
> For a slightly differnet variation to your idea. Can you give the
> camera
> store an exposed roll of film and a mailer ? The idea is that they
> send
> both to Kodak, you get the next day turnaround but Kodak uses the
> mailer as
> credit for the processing and you don't pay the camera store anything.
>
> Seems like the best of both worlds to me. Does anyone know if this is
>
> accepted ?
>
The problem with that is that the camera store has associated costs
with handling your roll of film for processing but gets no return --
your mailer w/film goes into one of the camera store's standard Kodak
processing envelopes. Sure, the envelopes don't cost the camera store
anything, but their employees have to fill out the envelopes, log the
film out and in, etc., and in general spend time on your film for free
instead of spending time with customers who give them cash.
However -- a good friend of mine dealt with Ritz Camera in
Wilmington, Delaware, and was able to buy his film and mailers from New
York and used Ritz's courier to get the film to the lab and back in 24
hours. It was not uncommon for him to shoot 100+ rolls of film on a
one-week trip. Why did Ritz do this??? The guy was good for one new
Nikon a year bought at their store -- and he filled out the Ritz/Kodak
bags himself. He'd take a pile of them with him on the trip and fill
them out as he went along. Note -- he didn't place the film in the bags
until after the trip if he had to pass through an airport security gate,
otherwise he might have to unseal every bag for inspection.
Also, some camera stores will let you use your mailers with their
courier for a $1 per bag surcharge. This might be best of both worlds -
no more reliance on the U.S. mail, quick turn-around and almost-New York
prices on film and processing.
If you have a very good relationship with a camera store, they might
let you use their courier for shipping film. If I were a store owner,
though, I'd be kinda miffed at someone who wanted to use my processing
courier but didn't want to pay for it.
Steve Barry
Railfan & Railroad
Newton, NJ
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