good suppliers, dealers and those to avoid
Jan 28, 2012 11:29:42 #
over the past few months, I have buying photo gear on line. A question beside B&H and Andorama, who are the best to deal with on line? Who should you avoid?
Jan 28, 2012 11:32:32 #
I think most Amazon vendors are pretty good. I've had acceptable experiences with Cameta Camera, and Beach Camera. I've also seen reports that Abe's of Maine is good.
Just check with ResellerRatings.com - the problem with the shady outfits is that they can close up shop under one name and just reopen with another.
Just check with ResellerRatings.com - the problem with the shady outfits is that they can close up shop under one name and just reopen with another.
Jan 28, 2012 15:10:32 #
JimH wrote:
I think most Amazon vendors are pretty good. I've had acceptable experiences with Cameta Camera, and Beach Camera. I've also seen reports that Abe's of Maine is good.
Just check with ResellerRatings.com - the problem with the shady outfits is that they can close up shop under one name and just reopen with another.
Just check with ResellerRatings.com - the problem with the shady outfits is that they can close up shop under one name and just reopen with another.
There in lies the problem. Had a few heart aches with one but finally got it as ordered . Tried to switch then tried to tell me that there was going to be an additional charge of $60.00 for shipping insurance. I told them to cancel order and was calling my credit card company to stop charges then they told me it would be shipped as it was ordered..
Jan 28, 2012 15:16:31 #
STAY AWAY from THUNDER Camera...and yes I am yelling!!! shoddy bait and switch practices!!!!!!!
Jan 28, 2012 17:06:36 #
Bunny-Jean wrote:
STAY AWAY from THUNDER Camera...and yes I am yelling!!! shoddy bait and switch practices!!!!!!!
I recently ordered a camera strap from ebay. The order was filled by Tri-State Camera in Brooklyn. I read some customer reviews, and they were awful.
I got an email when they received the order and another when it was sent. The strap arrived in just a few days.
Some people complain too readily, and any company will mess up occasionally.
Just my two cents.
Jan 28, 2012 17:46:21 #
jerryc41 wrote:
quote=Bunny-Jean STAY AWAY from THUNDER Camera...... (show quote)
tough to go wrong if all you're buying is a strap. but if you're after a camera, many of those fly-by-night sellers will pull the bait & switch on you, or try to sell you a bunch of extras you don't need...
Jan 28, 2012 17:50:14 #
Personally, I like Abe's of Maine for commodity items at good prices (archival DVD-Rs for example). Since I do live near a city with several excellent full-service, full-range camera stores, I far prefer using them for any non-commodity purchases (new lenses, new cameras, etc.) because they know me and what floats my boat (or doesn't). Several times I've gone in to ask questions about one lens or another, particularly extremely macro or extremely telephoto and have gotten better deals with equivalent functionality (min speed and F-stop) than the one(s) I was intending to buy. And, more importantly for me, I've been beyond happy with the local folks.
Jan 28, 2012 17:50:44 #
jerryc41 wrote:
quote=Bunny-Jean STAY AWAY from THUNDER Camera...... (show quote)
Hi Jerry, sorry if you confused about my message, it was not about ebay or Tri-State, I have bought and sold on ebay with sucess and Tri-State sounds familiar, my caution was for THUNDER CAMERA, sorry for the confusion...Normally I am not a complainer......
Jan 28, 2012 17:57:11 #
Hunt's, Roberts, Samy's, Midwest Photo Exchange, are a few more good ones.
And I don't buy the "any company will mess up occasionally." Many of those crooks in Brooklyn are just horrible by design. Some of these links are old, but the cautionary tale comes through!
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/11/nyregion/11cameras.html?pagewanted=print
http://thomashawk.com/2005/12/abusive-new-york-camera-store.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/107855/camera_confidential.html
http://blogs.computerworld.com/camera_scams
http://donwiss.com/pictures/BrooklynStores/
http://www.wisebread.com/do-not-buy-a-digital-camera-online-until-you-read-this
And I don't buy the "any company will mess up occasionally." Many of those crooks in Brooklyn are just horrible by design. Some of these links are old, but the cautionary tale comes through!
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/11/nyregion/11cameras.html?pagewanted=print
http://thomashawk.com/2005/12/abusive-new-york-camera-store.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/107855/camera_confidential.html
http://blogs.computerworld.com/camera_scams
http://donwiss.com/pictures/BrooklynStores/
http://www.wisebread.com/do-not-buy-a-digital-camera-online-until-you-read-this
Jan 28, 2012 18:03:18 #
Bunny-Jean wrote:
quote=jerryc41 quote=Bunny-Jean STAY AWAY from T... (show quote)
No, no, no. I just meant that reading a few bad comments by customers doesn't mean that a seller is really that bad.
Jan 28, 2012 18:07:08 #
CaptainC wrote:
Hunt's, Roberts, Samy's, Midwest Photo Exchange, ... (show quote)
You're right about many Brooklyn camera stores. My first D90 was a gray market from such a store, and I returned it for a refund. But being in Brooklyn doesn't automatically make a camera store bad.
I have had excellent results buying from Amazon, B&H, Adorama, Wolf, Ritz, 47th St Photo (since the 70's), and Abe's of Maine - never a problem with any of them.
Jan 28, 2012 18:18:17 #
jerryc41 wrote:
quote=CaptainC Hunt's, Roberts, Samy's, Midwest P... (show quote)
True enough, but it is like playing a reverse Russian Roulette - with six loaded chambers and one empty. The odds just are not worth it. Of course, resellerratings.com should always be something to check for a retailer you have not dealt with previously.
Jan 28, 2012 18:22:53 #
CaptainC wrote:
quote=jerryc41 quote=CaptainC Hunt's, Roberts, S... (show quote)
I like your list of web sites.
Jan 28, 2012 19:49:21 #
B and H photo has always done me good, my D7000 came from Adaroma and all is well. My wife and I use Amazon a lot, especially at Christmas and we have never had an issue that was not resolved to our satisfaction.
Jan 28, 2012 20:33:34 #
I bought my P500 off of ebay from Beach Camera and didn't have a problem with them. They were also on Amazon and had a high rating it's just that they didn't have the camera I wanted located on Amazon at that time, but did have it on ebay.
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