S: Never do business with Best Price Cameras

Airencracken · 08-02-2006, 11:00 AM

http://www.bestpricecameras.com/welcome.asp

So a week ago I order a Panny DMC-FZ30 from this website. First off they never send me a confirmation e-mail. Then on Sunday morning a representative calls from their website to confirm the order and try and sell me a bunch of accessories. Then this representative informs me that the black model is out of stock so he'll have to give me the silver one. Now this morning I get a call that they're all out of stock of all of them and they'll have to refund my card.

I look online for another place to purchase the camera right? One retailer comes up as having a good price a la pricegrabber. One Stargate photo (http://www.stargatephoto.com/) and this time I don't do a web order, I call and ask if they have the camera in stock and they say yes. I then proceed to tell them my horror story with the other retailer and the guy asks, "Who did you order from" and I tell him and he says "oh, actually, we don't have that model in stock". Wow, what shysters.

So eventually I ended up ordering the damn thing from amazon. I have less than a week till my road trip and I had to get expedited shipping. I hope to hell it comes in time.

mcs328 · 08-02-2006, 11:14 AM

Aren't these the fly by night retailers based on NYC? They do exactly what you described, close shop once they are found out and open again under a different name. Rinse and repeat.

InfiniteNothing · 08-02-2006, 11:20 AM

Oh! my bad dude. I found them on google with an irresistable price. Thought I'd point them out to you. In my experience Amazon is VERY fast.

Markel · 08-02-2006, 11:23 AM

I remember seeing a web page somewhere where the guy posted pictures of a number of these "stores". It was pretty revealing.

I came accross this forum thread discussing these stores.

Cubsfan · 08-02-2006, 11:30 AM

Here's a horror story where digg.com actually helped out (vigilante thing)

http://thomashawk.com/2005/11/pricer...nd-switch.html

Airencracken · 08-02-2006, 11:37 AM

YUP! It was a NYC based business. They'd better refund my card correctly. Either way I'm glad I used my AMEX card. I've had great experience in the past with their customer service (AMEX's that is)

MikeD · 08-02-2006, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InfiniteNothing

In my experience Amazon is VERY fast.

You're good to go. Now just get Amazon Prime and you won't have to worry again.

CornMonkey · 08-02-2006, 12:56 PM

BBB report for Best Price Cameras
BBB report for Stargate (starlight) Cameras

when it comes down to it, never ever buy consumer electronics from stores based in Brooklyn, NY. they're almost all these bait-n-switch types of business fronts. if you don't buy the ridiculously priced accessories, your item is suddenly out of stock.

warning signs:
- price is almost too good to be true (because it is)
- merchant ratings are really good (because they boost their own ratings...pay particular attention to any and all negative reports)
- based out of NY

when in doubt, always check BBB first...and take note of all their other aliases.

Airencracken · 08-02-2006, 12:57 PM

Yeah I guess now I know for the future. Damn I feel like an idiot.

avlena · 08-02-2006, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CornMonkey

BBB report for Best Price Cameras
BBB report for Stargate (starlight) Cameras

when it comes down to it, never ever buy consumer electronics from stores based in Brooklyn, NY. they're almost all these bait-n-switch types of business fronts. if you don't buy the ridiculously priced accessories, your item is suddenly out of stock.

warning signs:
- price is almost too good to be true (because it is)
- merchant ratings are really good (because they boost their own ratings...pay particular attention to any and all negative reports)
- based out of NY

when in doubt, always check BBB first...and take note of all their other aliases.

why NY? do they have really lax online retail laws or something?

utcpal · 08-03-2006, 05:44 PM

Whoa.. Warning to all of us, who buy stuffs from an unfamiliar websites..

08-02-2006, 11:00 AM	#1
Airencracken Admiral Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: California Posts: 6,681	S: Never do business with Best Price Cameras http://www.bestpricecameras.com/welcome.asp So a week ago I order a Panny DMC-FZ30 from this website. First off they never send me a confirmation e-mail. Then on Sunday morning a representative calls from their website to confirm the order and try and sell me a bunch of accessories. Then this representative informs me that the black model is out of stock so he'll have to give me the silver one. Now this morning I get a call that they're all out of stock of all of them and they'll have to refund my card. I look online for another place to purchase the camera right? One retailer comes up as having a good price a la pricegrabber. One Stargate photo (http://www.stargatephoto.com/) and this time I don't do a web order, I call and ask if they have the camera in stock and they say yes. I then proceed to tell them my horror story with the other retailer and the guy asks, "Who did you order from" and I tell him and he says "oh, actually, we don't have that model in stock". Wow, what shysters. So eventually I ended up ordering the damn thing from amazon. I have less than a week till my road trip and I had to get expedited shipping. I hope to hell it comes in time. __________________ "I remember my first orgasm, I just wish someone was there to share it with me..."11-05-2003 05:33 AM - Topane They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, & the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opiate of the masses. - Karl Marx Hell is other people - Jean-Paul Sartre

08-02-2006, 11:14 AM	#2
mcs328 Admiral Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 6,578	Aren't these the fly by night retailers based on NYC? They do exactly what you described, close shop once they are found out and open again under a different name. Rinse and repeat. __________________

08-02-2006, 11:23 AM	#4
Markel Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 11,733	I remember seeing a web page somewhere where the guy posted pictures of a number of these "stores". It was pretty revealing. I came accross this forum thread discussing these stores. __________________ stay low... keep moving...

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08-02-2006, 11:20 AM	#3
InfiniteNothing Chief of Naval Operations Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: San Diego Posts: 10,086	Oh! my bad dude. I found them on google with an irresistable price. Thought I'd point them out to you. In my experience Amazon is VERY fast.

08-02-2006, 11:30 AM	#5
Cubsfan Rear Admiral Lower Half Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Colorado Posts: 2,743	Here's a horror story where digg.com actually helped out (vigilante thing) http://thomashawk.com/2005/11/pricer...nd-switch.html

08-02-2006, 11:37 AM	#6
Airencracken Admiral Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: California Posts: 6,681	YUP! It was a NYC based business. They'd better refund my card correctly. Either way I'm glad I used my AMEX card. I've had great experience in the past with their customer service (AMEX's that is)

08-02-2006, 12:56 PM	#8
CornMonkey Rear Admiral Lower Half Join Date: May 2000 Location: in front of my computer Posts: 2,503	BBB report for Best Price Cameras BBB report for Stargate (starlight) Cameras when it comes down to it, never ever buy consumer electronics from stores based in Brooklyn, NY. they're almost all these bait-n-switch types of business fronts. if you don't buy the ridiculously priced accessories, your item is suddenly out of stock. warning signs: - price is almost too good to be true (because it is) - merchant ratings are really good (because they boost their own ratings...pay particular attention to any and all negative reports) - based out of NY when in doubt, always check BBB first...and take note of all their other aliases.

08-02-2006, 12:57 PM	#9
Airencracken Admiral Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: California Posts: 6,681	Yeah I guess now I know for the future. Damn I feel like an idiot.

08-03-2006, 05:44 PM	#11
utcpal Lieutenant Commander Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 654	Whoa.. Warning to all of us, who buy stuffs from an unfamiliar websites..

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