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Is this camera store almost doing bait and switch?


UstadKhanAli

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I ordered this Nikon 18-200mm DX VR autofocus zoom lens from Express Cameras online for the absurdly low price of $549.

 

I get a call saying they need more info to process my order. I call, and suddenly, a salesman is saying, "I can't believe you didn't order the new 18-200mm lens...yadda yadda...it's much better, etc. etc. and bla bla bla."

 

I said I had never heard of that lens.

 

"Well, it's new! It's brand-new. It's coming out next week! Never been released in the U.S.!!"

 

I commented that if it's coming out next week, how would I have heard of it before?

 

"It's fantastic. Much better than the Nikon 18-200mm DX VR lens!! You won't be happy with that, believe me. I've been a professional photographer for 33 years! I'll tell you what. I'll ship it out to you now. Have a look at it on our website."

 

He directs me to the new lens that he's trying to sell me on their website. I'm looking at it, and it says, $1499, but he says he'll reduce it "by 50%!!" I notice that there's no brand name. It doesn't say Nikon. "It's a Sigma!" he says. "Great lens!"

 

I told him that I want the Nikon lens instead, but thank you very much for the advice. "You're making a mistake," he replies, "I can send you the Sigma for evaluation." I insist on the Nikon again. "Okay, we can send you the Nikon."

 

He then tells me that the the Nikon doesn't come with mounts. Huh? At this point, being early in the morning, I didn't need this. I just canceled the order.

 

Apparently, if it sounds too good to be true...

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Before even reading the other stuff, I was going to tell you that yes, it's classic bait-and-switch. Now you know not to business with these fraudsters at all.

 

I hate scummy, sleazy businesses. I really do. Sure glad we work in an honest, forthright business lke the music industry. :D

 

If you want really high ethics in camera retailing, there's probably no better than B&H.

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http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Express_Cameras

what you have experienced is their standard proceedure.

6 month rating: .91/10

Lifetime ratineg: .80/10

yes, there is a decimal point in front of the 91 and the 80. It CAN'T get much worse. At least they are above their lifetime average in the last 6 months. :(

 

NEVER buy a camera from a Brooklyn camera store that you haven't checked out.

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Before even reading the other stuff, I was going to tell you that yes, it's classic bait-and-switch. Now you know not to business with these fraudsters at all.


I hate scummy, sleazy businesses. I really do. Sure glad we work in an honest, forthright business lke the music industry.
:D

If you want really high ethics in camera retailing, there's probably no better than B&H.

I didn't even have to OPEN THE THREAD to know it was almost certainly a classic B&S...

 

I mean -- it's a discount CAMERA STORE... that's what they do and have done for decades...

 

 

When I bought my little Nikon digi-cam, it was a mostly painless process but when I had to call about some order details (an odd form thing -- I almost wonder in retrospect if it wasn't a way to get people on the phone) they REALLY tried to upsell me to a really stupid "accessories package" -- a hundred bucks for a cam that cost $150... and the BATTERY PRICES!!!! Hoo boy -- between three and four times what I found after some thorough shopping. (I knew not to even consider the batteries from the cam store even before I checked around.)

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That's my first bad experience with a camera store. And usually I check them out more thoroughly, but sheeesh, that was bad. I've purchased from Cameta Cameras in the past (a big eBay store) and have gotten really great service. I've had mostly great luck with B&H also. Great prices at B&H, just one problem I had with them that I think was just a mistake.

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That sounds like a classic bait and switch to me.

Here's a great article from photo.net on avoiding scams:

http://photo.net/equipment/caveat_emptor

 

If you're looking for a camera in NYC, you'd be best served by sticking to the big stores with established reputations.

I've personally had good experiences with B&H, Adorama, Calumet, and Cameta. (I've actually been to all of these store's brick and mortar locations.)

I've also heard good things about KEH (in Georgia) but never used them myself.

I do not work for or have any affiliation whatsoever with any of these retailers.

Good luck!!

--Dan

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If you're looking for a camera in NYC, you'd be best served by sticking to the big stores with established reputations.

I've personally had good experiences with B&H, Adorama, Calumet, and Cameta. (I've actually been to all of these store's brick and mortar locations.)

 

The B&H Store in NYC is worth a trip to the Big Apple just to go shopping. It's awesome. :thu:

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I had purchased a camera from Cameta. They had the Nikon D50 with an 18-70mm lens kit, and I really wanted that combo.

 

Sadly, it was stolen.

 

So, before I went to Ecuador, I figured I'd buy the same camera/lens again, so I called up Glenn at Cameta Camera, and told him that I why I was buying the same camera/lens combo again. He got me a really great deal, much cheaper than before, and was again very nice.

 

I'll buy the 18-200mm VR DX lens that kicked off this fine thread, but probably in a month or two now because my Buzz Feiten/refret job on my guitar is costing a bit more than I thought due to the added refretting job.

 

In the mean time, if you wish to see what a Nikon D50/18-70mm lens can do, check out my brand spankin' new photos of the lovely Santa Ynez Valley. Gorgeous California Wine Country made famous from "Sideways"...and you can see insanely cute miniature horses, alpacas, and other cool stuff as well.

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I forgot this last very crucial part in my complaint about the "bait and switch"/hard well tactic by Express Cameras. The salesman told me that the lens that he was trying to get me to buy (instead of the Nikon 18-200mm) contained a chip that created the same ratio as a film camera. In other words, the Sigma 18-200mm lens on my Nikon D50 would actually be 18-200mm, not 27mm-whatever). This is a very important point, as to the best of my knowledge, no Sigma lens (and certainly not the 18-200mm one he was trying to sell me) has this. And it certainly wasn't mentioned in the ad:

http://www.expresscameras.com/prodetails.asp?prodid=330683&start=1

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