Any Experience with Abe's of Maine? (Page 4): Four years ago I bought a good lens from themt a good price, full warranty, good transaction, no complaints so no experience with returns.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Jonathan wrote:

I found the camera and gear I want to buy at a very good price at Abe's of Maine. Does anyone have experience purchasing from them? Has anyone returned anything to them? It's a new Canon so I ask is it really new? Is it grey market? Is it kosher?

Four years ago I bought a good lens from themt a good price, full warranty, good transaction, no complaints so no experience with returns.
I'd deal with them gain if a good deal on something I wanted turned up.

Dave in SD

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Uuglypher wrote:

Four years ago I bought a good lens from themt a good price, full warranty, good transaction, no complaints so no experience with returns.
I'd deal with them gain if a good deal on something I wanted turned up.

Dave in SD

Within the last 4 years they went bankrupt, reorganized, moved and are no longer authorized dealers for many product lines. Other than the name, it is not the same company you successfully purchased from.

bgl Loc: Brooklyn,New York

Jim Bob wrote:

You're wrong. For some folks it's simply a matter of dollars and cents. If they are willing to take the risk, why should that matter to you?

Unfortunately, "some folks" don't understand the risk. I would like to believe that the vast majority of the members of this forum have something in common which is why so much advice is solicited. To help a fellow member avoid a risk isn't so terrible is it?

machia Loc: NJ

Jonathan wrote:

I found the camera and gear I want to buy at a very good price at Abe's of Maine. Does anyone have experience purchasing from them? Has anyone returned anything to them? It's a new Canon so I ask is it really new? Is it grey market? Is it kosher?

buyer beware! Grey market products abound. Be careful what you buy. This I inderstand is not the original company.
B&H, prices are fair and have excellent advice, absolutely a better place to buy from unless you're on a strict budget.

Jim Bob

bgl wrote:

Unfortunately, "some folks" don't understand the risk. I would like to believe that the vast majority of the members of this forum have something in common which is why so much advice is solicited. To help a fellow member avoid a risk isn't so terrible is it?

I appreciate your sense of altruism. However, it is tinged with a sense of paternalism. You can't force people to be informed no more than you can force them to rid themselves of prejudices. If information is readily available and they simply don't make use of it that's on them. If folks want to buy grey market, let them buy grey market. Grey market is not synonymous with poor quality.

bgl Loc: Brooklyn,New York

Jim Bob wrote:

I appreciate your sense of altruism. However, it is tinged with a sense of paternalism. You can't force people to be informed no more than you can force them to rid themselves of prejudices. If information is readily available and they simply don't make use of it that's on them. If folks want to buy grey market, let them buy grey market. Grey market is not synonymous with poor quality.

Well, Jim Bob, tinge of Paternalism, may be so but irrelevant. However, grey market is a side issue. Abes of Maine is the subject matter (see original post). Asking about Abe is due diligence even if though that should have preceeded the purchase

Jim Bob

Grey market a side issue when it is clearly mentioned in the original post? Go back and read before you come off sounding like an idiot.

bgl Loc: Brooklyn,New York

Jim Bob wrote:

Grey market a side issue when it is clearly mentioned in the original post? Go back and read before you come off sounding like an idiot.

A bit touchy, are we. The headline of this thread is "Any Experience with Abe's of Maine?". So who is sounding like an idiot? What was first at issue had to do with anyone's experience in doing business with Abe's of Maine. As I have no interest in getting into an unfriendly back and forth, this will be my last response to Jim Bob. I'd like to point out you, Jim Bob, that it is entirely possible to disagree with someone without calling names.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

mwsilvers wrote:

Within the last 4 years they went bankrupt, reorganized, moved and are no longer authorized dealers for many product lines. Other than the name, it is not the same company you successfully purchased from.

mwsilvers,

Had no idea!
Many thanks for the update!
i guess I lucked out!

Dave

Tomwils Loc: Crofton, Kentucky

Tomwils wrote:

I ordered a used D7100 from them through Amazon this morning. Their rating was 5 stars for the past 12 months, 92% positive for 18000 ratings. I ordered with confidence, hope I wasn't wrong. This camera is supposed to be a purchase return with zero clicks and accessories still wrapped. Probably won't see it before the 16th. I'll report back at that time. Fingers crossed! Almost forgot, $749 with free shipping.

I was able to register the camera with Nikon after I finally got my password straight. Not gray market after all.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Tomwils wrote:

I was able to register the camera with Nikon after I finally got my password straight. Not gray market after all.

Great, glad to hear it.

bgl Loc: Brooklyn,New York

Tomwils wrote:

I was able to register the camera with Nikon after I finally got my password straight. Not gray market after all.

That is good news! The question remains, if you knew then what you know now about Abe's current reputation, would you order from them?

Tomwils Loc: Crofton, Kentucky

bgl, the short answer is no, and I wouldn't have this time because I knew of their reputation. I did a bunch of research and agonized about this purchase for a month. I bought from the Amazon Marketplace where Abe's of Maine was a used camera outlet with a 92% positive rating. They said it had a zero shutter count as a purchase return. Indeed, the EXIF on the first picture I took was "Picture 1". But, no, I won't buy from them except via Amazon. And probably not even then.

bgl Loc: Brooklyn,New York

Tomwils wrote:

bgl, the short answer is no, and I wouldn't have this time because I knew of their reputation. I did a bunch of research and agonized about this purchase for a month. I bought from the Amazon Marketplace where Abe's of Maine was a used camera outlet with a 92% positive rating. They said it had a zero shutter count as a purchase return. Indeed, the EXIF on the first picture I took was "Picture 1". But, no, I won't buy from them except via Amazon. And probably not even then.

Tom, I think the purchase through Amazon is what got you the good outcome. I can't fault your logic even though I personally wouldn't have taken the chance (I probably have a lower tolerance for risk). I thought I was being ripped off a month ago when an order through Ebay failed to show up. But after a reasonable wait, the seller refunded my money and guess what, later the same day, the product arrived! It was a failure in the USPS system. The seller agreed to a new lower price so I kept the item. Would I have had the same result if the purchase was made outside of the Ebay system dealing with a tiny, mom and pop type outfit?

Tomwils Loc: Crofton, Kentucky

I agree. I skated this time.