Canon USA Changes the CPS Program

[Sauropod]

Below is what CPS sent me at 9:36am EST. I am hoping Keithfullermusic's note was from later on in the day and that CPS altered their stance.

Last night I emailed "Does this mean you will start counting the evaluation period from when I receive the lens and end it when I send the lens back? Do weekends count? Lastly will you have a demo pool in California?"

Their answer:
"The loan start on the day it ships and ends on the due date, which is the date we would need it back in our hands. To answer you second question, weekends do count as days toward your loan request. So if we ship on Friday you do lose the two days even though Fed Ex does not deliver on those days. To get the most out of the request the best ship day would be Wednesday for arrival Friday as we use FedEx 2 day service, if the item is available.

Loans will only be shipped and processed through our VA loan facility."

 

[Drizzt321]

Below is what CPS sent me at 9:36am EST. I am hoping Keithfullermusic's note was from later on in the day and that CPS altered their stance.

Last night I emailed "Does this mean you will start counting the evaluation period from when I receive the lens and end it when I send the lens back? Do weekends count? Lastly will you have a demo pool in California?"

Their answer:
"The loan start on the day it ships and ends on the due date, which is the date we would need it back in our hands. To answer you second question, weekends do count as days toward your loan request. So if we ship on Friday you do lose the two days even though Fed Ex does not deliver on those days. To get the most out of the request the best ship day would be Wednesday for arrival Friday as we use FedEx 2 day service, if the item is available.

Loans will only be shipped and processed through our VA loan facility."

Hmmm...sounds like some major confusion is going on. Let me send off an email to see if I can get yet another opinion.

 

[Drizzt321]

Ok, heard back from them (3:06am PT) and got the following:

Thank you for contacting Canon product support.

The 7 days starts when you receive the item. Shipping time is not included in your 1 week of evaluation.

We hope that clears things up for you. Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns. Thank you for choosing Canon.

So another confirmation for 7 days starting when receiving.

 

[Sauropod]

And one more follow up. CPS reads the forum! They recognized my pasted email response from them and sent me a note of clarification which is posted below. I am impressed they took the time to clarify the conditions and I can live with a 10 day total eval. Thanks CR and thanks Canon!

"I came across your post on Canon Rumors and I see there was still some confusion so I just wanted to clarify. The total loan duration for a evaluation loan will be 10 days total. That does include shipping time. So for instance we always use Fed Ex 2day service to you, which means if we ship the lens out on Monday you will receive it Wednesday so you will technically have it on the 3rd day. Depending on your return shipment method, if you decide to ship it 2day or even economy 3day select you would have it in hand for 5 to 6 days to test.
If we ship on a Friday or Thursday you do lose one or two days as Fed Ex would not deliver a Two day express shipment on those days, so that would cut your in hand time.
Please remember we cannot guarantee shipment on a specific day but will try to come as close as possible to the date requested if available and given the proper advance notice. Gold members require at least two weeks notice, Platinum members receive priority loans which can be as little as 2 to 3 days but is also based on availability.
I hope I was able to clear up any confusion."

 

[Drizzt321]

I just got a new CPS announcement. Basically, they changed the Equipment Evaluation to 10 days from shipping. Since they ship FedEx 2 day, that leaves the remaining 7-8 (depending on delivery day) to evaluate it, and then ship it back to return it to them by X date. So 5-6 days of actual use in most cases. Much better than the previous.

Since announcing the changes to the CPS program a few days ago, we have been monitoring feedback from our membership base. Please see below for additional information regarding the upcoming changes to the CPS program.

Effective Date for the New CPS Benefits Structure
The new CPS member benefit structure will become effective for all members on October 1, 2013.

Equipment Evaluation Loan Period
To allow for transit times, the period for equipment evaluation loans will be ten days, starting when the loaned product is shipped to you and ending when we receive the loaned product back.

Handling of Clean and Check Coupons that Have Not Yet Been Used
From October 1, 2013 until the end of your current membership term, the entire annual Canon Maintenance Service (CMS) benefit will be available for you to use (10 pieces of cameras or lenses for Platinum members and 5 pieces for Gold members). Since the number of CMS transactions allowed under the new benefits structure is greater than the previous number of Clean and Check coupons, the coupons will no longer be needed.

Shipping Charges for Canon Maintenance Service (CMS)
Shipping charges for eligible CMS requests will be handled in the same manner as eligible product repair requests. Platinum level members will receive free shipping for both inbound and return. Gold level members will receive free return shipping service.

Annual Repair Limits
From October 1, 2013 until the end of your current membership term, the entire annual repair limit benefit will be available for you to use (15 pieces for Platinum members and 10 pieces for Gold members).

We appreciate your feedback and understanding while we transition to the new program benefits.

 

[tiger82]

Handling of Clean and Check Coupons that Have Not Yet Been Used
From October 1, 2013 until the end of your current membership term, the entire annual Canon Maintenance Service (CMS) benefit will be available for you to use (10 pieces of cameras or lenses for Platinum members and 5 pieces for Gold members). Since the number of CMS transactions allowed under the new benefits structure is greater than the previous number of Clean and Check coupons, the coupons will no longer be needed.

 

[tiger82]

nikon is sounding better every single day...

Uhmmm, have you looked into Nikon Professional Services? Based on your comment, you haven't.

 

[tiger82]

For those of you who blast Canon CPS, please read this: http://www.nikonpro.com/aboutnps.aspx

Canon has always shipped my evals Fedex 2 day, even to my travel location in California.

For my loans, I arrange my loans to arrive Friday then I ship it back the second Monday for them to receive it the following Wednesday. So my loans have gone for nearly 15 days. With the new plan, they ship Wednesday, I receive it on Friday and the 10th day is on a Saturday when they are closed. I will have a case to say the shipping it back on Wednesday for it to arrive on Friday makes it a 9 day loan so I can keep mysame routine.

 

[RGF]

Compared to NPS, I am very pleased with CPS My only major wish is CPS would help us get newly released equipment such as 200-400.

Other than that, I am pleased with the program. It could always be improved, but everyone's desire would be slightly different.

 

[MechE31]

I deal with our Canon equipment at our company and we have always had a rep we deal with. This was around before the CPS enterprise option. He's always extremely flexible with duration on loans.

Do individual CPS members have individual Canon reps that they deal with or just CPS as a whole?

 

[Freddie]

As far as I can tell, we have a regional rep but that person's time is pretty much taken up by his bigger clients. The last time I contacted our regional rep several years ago, he very kindly replied to my message but I have yet to meet him. I would imagine the big spenders get a pretty free rein on time slots.
I just asked for an evaluation loan of the 200-400L lens again. I was given a mid-February time slot so I guess they really are short on those units. They've been telling me more are coming so I may get moved up a bit, not!
Retailers seem to be pretty short on full inventory of these lenses as well.
So, for February, my 200-400 lens evaluation will be done in Bosqué del Apache, NM. It's close enough for us to get down and shoot for a few days and, if necessary, ship back out of Albuquerque on the way home to Colorado. I know what I can do there and I've shot enough with other lenses there to allow a decent comparison.

 

[KarstenReis]

The new CPS page went up today. The evaluation loan period is going to be 10 days, not 7 days like previously mentioned. http://www.cps.usa.canon.com/loans/loans.shtml