WARNING TO PROSPECTIVE BUYERS FROM ONLINE CAMERA STORES
Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2005 12:07 pm
Recently I had a winfall that would have allowed me
to purchase a better digicam and so went about
researching the various cameras, prices and stores
online.
I decided on a Nikon D70s - the evolution of last
year's award winning D70 and a grade up from the new
civilian model D50.
I found a great price on a package
athttp://bestpricecameras.com/229995-23 ... 0-&-70-300)-PLUS-EXTRAS.html
Granted, $799 for all that (the lenses they say are
Sigmas) seems like too little money I admit, so I
really asked questions. I was then treated like a tool
by two different salesmen and eventually a "manager"
named Dennis.
It all started over batteries. This "kit with extras"
does not include such basic "accessories" as
batteries, charger or a manual - they'll sell you the
book for $80 and allegedly the cheapest batteries they
have to offer are the nikon EN EL3 which are the very
ones that come in the package directly from Nikon and
the recommended ones from the Nikon website which
claims they last up to several weeks and 2,500
shots...BUT...BestPriceCamera.com claims (verbally)
that their cameras are hybridized by the Nikon factory
before they reach their warehouses, and that they only
use (insert generic name here) batteries which start
at $200 (the charger is even more). The guy went on to
tell me that the EN ELs are crap that Nikon made too
many of and are now trying to foist upon the public.
Also, you must be very careful to check the shipping
prices at these sites...theirs started at over $45 for
UPS ground (10-14 days) and in one day went up to $60.
They also stated on the link to buy "just the camera
body" that if you upgraded to a package that shipping
would be upgraded to express free of charge. After I'd
given my cc info to "Ted" he informed me that that was
only for "deluxe packages" not any old generic package
as it states PLAINLY on their site:
see here: http://bestpricecameras.com/227265-0-1- ... y-USA.html
When I started asking these hard questions each of the
people I spoke with became more agitated, then
aggressive and then downright rude and even a bit
threatening. The last words from the last guy before
he hung up on me (Dennis, the "manager") were: "Lady,
look at our prices...think of it this way..you can't
get a Mercedes Benz for $10k and if you can, let me
know, I'll take a dozen....You get what you pay for"
After I added up all their additional costs for
"accessories" the price is more than going to Circuit
City and buying a starter kit with a standard US
Warranty, lens and (surprise) a freaking manual.
Whew! At least I was able to hammer them down to the
truth before I made a $1000 mistake.
Please pass this warning along to any and all others
who might be drawn in by these "unbelievable prices."
The guy as much as admitted that these cameras are
crap and not legitimate Nikon D70s as they are hawked
on their website.
Caveat Emptor and happy shooting.
Kimberley
http://www.pbase.com/khtaylor
to purchase a better digicam and so went about
researching the various cameras, prices and stores
online.
I decided on a Nikon D70s - the evolution of last
year's award winning D70 and a grade up from the new
civilian model D50.
I found a great price on a package
athttp://bestpricecameras.com/229995-23 ... 0-&-70-300)-PLUS-EXTRAS.html
Granted, $799 for all that (the lenses they say are
Sigmas) seems like too little money I admit, so I
really asked questions. I was then treated like a tool
by two different salesmen and eventually a "manager"
named Dennis.
It all started over batteries. This "kit with extras"
does not include such basic "accessories" as
batteries, charger or a manual - they'll sell you the
book for $80 and allegedly the cheapest batteries they
have to offer are the nikon EN EL3 which are the very
ones that come in the package directly from Nikon and
the recommended ones from the Nikon website which
claims they last up to several weeks and 2,500
shots...BUT...BestPriceCamera.com claims (verbally)
that their cameras are hybridized by the Nikon factory
before they reach their warehouses, and that they only
use (insert generic name here) batteries which start
at $200 (the charger is even more). The guy went on to
tell me that the EN ELs are crap that Nikon made too
many of and are now trying to foist upon the public.
Also, you must be very careful to check the shipping
prices at these sites...theirs started at over $45 for
UPS ground (10-14 days) and in one day went up to $60.
They also stated on the link to buy "just the camera
body" that if you upgraded to a package that shipping
would be upgraded to express free of charge. After I'd
given my cc info to "Ted" he informed me that that was
only for "deluxe packages" not any old generic package
as it states PLAINLY on their site:
see here: http://bestpricecameras.com/227265-0-1- ... y-USA.html
When I started asking these hard questions each of the
people I spoke with became more agitated, then
aggressive and then downright rude and even a bit
threatening. The last words from the last guy before
he hung up on me (Dennis, the "manager") were: "Lady,
look at our prices...think of it this way..you can't
get a Mercedes Benz for $10k and if you can, let me
know, I'll take a dozen....You get what you pay for"
After I added up all their additional costs for
"accessories" the price is more than going to Circuit
City and buying a starter kit with a standard US
Warranty, lens and (surprise) a freaking manual.
Whew! At least I was able to hammer them down to the
truth before I made a $1000 mistake.
Please pass this warning along to any and all others
who might be drawn in by these "unbelievable prices."
The guy as much as admitted that these cameras are
crap and not legitimate Nikon D70s as they are hawked
on their website.
Caveat Emptor and happy shooting.
Kimberley
http://www.pbase.com/khtaylor