Discover Hertford Online Forum

I read that Hertford Camera shop is closing at the end of March. Not a shop I have used personally except it was the best place to get passport photos done!

Noooooooooooooo!!

Not in the least bit surprised. A good example of a business that has completely failed to adapt to the modern retail environment. They don't even have a website. And the current owner is never going to win any cheerful trader awards. Given the challenges that independent high street camera shops face, they couldn't have done less. Just sorry for the two staff who'll lose their jobs.

Steve wrote:Not in the least bit surprised. A good example of a business that has completely failed to adapt to the modern retail environment. They don't even have a website. And the current owner is never going to win any cheerful trader awards. Given the challenges that independent high street camera shops face, they couldn't have done less. Just sorry for the two staff who'll lose their jobs.

Not just because they didn't stock Nikon, eh?

The modern retail environment is Amazon or Ebay, that's the problem. It doesn't add up financially now to have the overheads of running a shop and stocking it with goods for anything that you can buy of the internet at silly prices and next day delivery. People might use the facility of the shop to browse and try stuff out, but STILL go home and look up the cheapest deals on t'internet and buy from there.

Even Jessops, one of the biggest UK camera retailers ran into trouble a while back and they'd become a big internet trader, but weighed down with the overhead of the shops. I guess whoever has taken them over has streamlined the model to make it an on-going business, but I think you would be expecting a lot from a small, independent high street retailer to go into competition with the likes of them or WEX Photographic, the other big name.

Hertford Cameras possibly might have found a niche in the second-hand market, but as it relied on footfall past the shop and probably a lot more stock than the window could hold, then yeah, I guess that was limited as well.

It's still a shame really.

Ted Badger wrote:Not just because they didn't stock Nikon, eh?

I bought a D40 from them a few years back, despite it being cheaper elsewhere

I have to say I went there a while back to get a replacement battery (and charger) for a camera and the staff seemed deeply disinterested in selling anything. Wasn't impressed.

Its a shame it is closing down.

But as stated above one of the members staff would not win awards for cheery trader. Does the owner have shops elsewhere?

GillP wrote:Its a shame it is closing down.

But as stated above one of the members staff would not win awards for cheery trader. Does the owner have shops elsewhere?

Yes

I tried to buy accessories there, when they were in stock - cables, cleaning cloths and lens caps (too many lens caps lost!).
If not in stock or I need Nikon gear I go to Digital Depot in Stevenage old town. A very good place to get camera gear.

I went there once a few years ago. I can't recall why but I found the staff dismissive and condescending and would never return, unless they gave me a free telescope.