Neptune Camera: Where Service and Selection Win Out

There still is room in the retail world for the small, independent dealer, as Neptune Camera has proven since 1962. Despite the encroachment of mass merchants and discounters, and the growth of the Internet, this family-owned Garden City business has stood the test of time.

Located at 130 Seventh Street, Neptune Camera offers an extensive array of SLR cameras, digital point and shoot cameras, camcorders, printers, computers, scanners, lighting, tripods, stands and thousands of performance-enhancing accessories.

"There's an excellent chance that if you need it, we have it," says Robert Jacobs, president of the store that his father founded.

The depth and breadth of products is backed by an experienced professional staff with the expertise you just won't find at a discounter or most consumer electronics stores.

"You're paying a little more here but you are getting knowledgeable, one-on-one service, and there is a value to that," Jacobs said.

As technology has transitioned from analog to digital, Neptune Camera has adapted to meet that need. There is much less reliance on film today, for example, and much more in the way of digital products and software applications. Over the years, Neptune Camera has added more services. It built a lab on the premises to do its own custom printing for projects big and small, individuals and businesses.

"It's a different product mix than Best Buy," Jacobs said. "Whereas a Best Buy will cherry pick from a few lines, we have a depth of products in our lines and we have people here who can explain it."

Most of Neptune Camera's staff has been aboard for 10 years or more; some have 20+ years experience. "We have no turnover, I can't remember the last time we lost someone," Jacobs said.

That consistency is important because Neptune Camera has a loyal and consistent customer base, which often refers new customers. "Those are the best customers, the ones who come back and through word of mouth, tell others about us," Jacobs said.

About two years ago, Neptune Camera expanded its services to include one-on-one tutoring. Customers can learn how to operate a new camera, a new function on a product or get up-to-speed on Photoshop or some other software application. If one of Jacobs' staffers can't teach it, he will bring someone in from the outside who can.

The store also hosts free product seminars on certain Saturdays. The sessions, which generally run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., include new product demonstrations and workshops. It's another service that you won't find at big box retailers.

Connecting with customers, whether through tutoring, product demonstration or in-store visits, is what separates Neptune Camera from the mass merchants. "I'd always rather do business with someone I know; I think that one-on-one relationship is important," Jacobs said.

Neptune Camera is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. You can also visit them online at neptunephoto.com or call them at 516-741-4484.