Called to buy a camera a told them what I wanted. They "bait and switched" me to package that they said was only $19 more than my total already and would get additional items. It turns out they lied about what was in the package, lied about the shipping costs and when I tried to work it out with them they where rude and would not give me a fair settlement. I ended up paying $300 over what the value of the package they gave me. Stay away!!!!! Bad people!!!!!!

Ripped Off

Why don't you place this post to more forums. This will help more people save money and give this firm more warnings.

Why don't you place this post to more forums. This will help more people save money and give this firm more warnings.

Welcome M. This is the proper fourm for the post. Normally, we wouldn't cross post a subject unless it specifically applied to other forums.

Anyone thinking of making a retail purchase should be checking here anyway...

Welcome M. This is the proper fourm for the post. Normally, we wouldn't cross post a subject unless it specifically applied to other forums.

Anyone thinking of making a retail purchase should be checking here anyway...

I purchased a Nikon D100 from Broadway Photo in July 2002 when they first came out. My camera broke in September 2005. When I took it in to my local Nikon repair facility they tried to fix it. After several MONTHS.. they had said they would have to send it to Nikon. I found out today 3 1/2 months after I dropped it off that NIKON will NOT fix it. They told me that my camera was GRAY MARKET.. It is not warranteed in the USA..
Thank fully this evening I found the reciept as I wasnt exactly sure where I purchased it from other then in NY. Well sure enough.. BROADWAY PHOTO.. They are selling products that are from the GRAY MARKET.. the lady that I talked to from NIKON in New York basically told me sorry but they wont touch it.. I will be calling Broadway to see what they say.. but basically I believe I am screwed.. The body alone for this camera in July 2002 was $ 2,100.00 .. VERY SAD.. It has been a awesome camera up to this point.. just wish there were better ways to protect the public.. what did I know about checking thier history back in 2002 ? :(
Will update this after I talk to them but I am sure they will basically laugh me off..
So... BUYERS BEWARE OF BROADWAY PHOTO... dont give them your hard earned money..

Most all the major NYC camera dealers offer grey market merchandise. Nothing unethical about that. It's pointed out to most buyers that the cheaper price comes with a much more limited warranty. That's the tradeoff...

Still, sounds like Broadway may not have made that clear to you, and that kind of stinks.

Reputable dealers like B&H make it very clear that their grey market gear has no US warranty, and they replace that with a version of their own...

I had the same experience with these people. Saw their add in major photo mag and called to place an order for N80 kit. They used the same bait and switch tactic with me and then charge an outrageous shipping fee. I blame myself for allowing it to happen, but will never do business with them again. I should have hung up and gone some where else as soon as they started their spiel.

Beware of the stores with the 718 area code. That is Brooklyn, N.Y. There are only two major camera dealers in Brooklyn that I'm aware of that are legit. . .Abes of Maine and another but cannot remember the name. All others are the same shady practice. Broadway Photo, Digital Liquidators, A&M photo, and I think CCI are all the same operation. They have no storefront here in Brooklyn, but are run out of a private house with the stock kept in a garage locally. I was going to purchase a lens a few years ago from them and wanted to go and pick it up since I live in Brooklyn. They told me to come by the address at a certain time, and cash only if I was not paying for shipping. This all sounded too shady for me, and i rather spend a bit more to support the legitimate dealers than these hoods.

Would give up photography if Broadway Photo were the only dealer in the world. I Tried to order a camera today, lowest prices but………salesman lied about availability of product for immediate shipping. After getting my credit card info, stated I had to buy a premium battery to get the discount because the battery that came with the camera would only hold a charge for 15 minutes. I Cancelled the sale at that point to do a little homework. I called back a few minutes later, talked to another sales rep who stated that the battery was in fact the one supplied by Panasonic (holds a charge for 2-4 hours of continuous shooting). I decided to go ahead with my order….got passed around to 4 people, finally told the camera sold out earlier this morning. Also told me that since I cancelled an order, I couldn’t place another one for 30 days. He got an amazingly snotty attitude when I told him what the other guy said. He was disrespectful, borderline abusive, and Refused to let me speak to a manager. I am 63 years old, this is the worst buying experience of my life, anywhere, anytime, with any purchase.

same here - tried to buy a Sony A100 for the price listed on internet - after they got all my info, the switch began - first off, the salesman not only was a smart alec but lied like crazy too - then, it was going to cost an extra $100 to get the camera you thought you buying - - he was still talking as I cancelled the order and hung up - - also had the same thing happen with a company named Prestige

"BUYER BEWARE" if it sounds to good to be true - - well, you know

I ordered a camera from these guys, then received an email that I needed to phone them to verify the order. After verifying my address, the guy on the phone tried to get me to upgrade the battery to a "four hour model because the OEM battery would only last 30 minute." This tipped me off since I was buying a STILL camera. I said "no" so he then told me that I was ordering an "international version." An American version was $120 more but had an English manual and some additional accessories.
I found this site, read these posts and promptly cancelled my order. I ordered the camera from Circuit City for a little less than Broadway's American version, didn't have to talk to anybody and got overnight shipping for less than the price of the 3 day shipping from Broadway.
Thanks Photography Review...
Jim

To gahspidy:
Another excellent New York electronics store is J&R.
I have bought from them many times over the last 10 to 15 years and have found them knowledgeable, and honest in every way.

BurrHog

Don't Ever Buy From Broadway Photo...they Sent Us A Broken Camera And Then Charged Us A Restocking Fee (to Restock A Broken Camera?). We Spent 2 Hrs On The Phone With The Manufacturer And They Concluded The Camera Was Not Functioning Properly But Yet Broadway Said They Tested It Upon Return And It Worked Fine??? Now They Will Send This Broken Camera To Someone Else Again!!!
Went To J & R And Got The Same Camera (cheaper) And Works Fine!!!

Broadway Is Rude...dishonest....and Deceitful!!!!!

I recently bought a Canon A710 IS digital camera from Broadway Photo. Their website advertised it as a brand-new camera. More than a month later, a problem cropped up, and I had to call Canon Technical Support for advices. Only then, I discovered that the camera was a refurbished item. Never buy anything from Broadway Photo again.

If you have a dispute with Broadway Photo contact your credit card provider. Check time limits to file a complaint. Write out as much detail as you can about your transaction process. Include dates. Names of who you talked to are not important. "Salesman," "Customer service representative," etc., is close enough. Broadway does not record calls and will not discuss details of your purchase online. This is a red flag, for you and your credit card provider. State how you want the issue resolved. State specific amounts for your refunds. Include collaborative material showing situations where Broadway has dealt similarly with other customers. Include URLs. Include the BBB URL for their investigation of Broadway. Document, document, document. Credit card providers loooove documentation.

Read Broadway's Terms and Conditions. This should make you think twice about buying from them. Minimum 5% restocking fee? I believe one purchaser was going to be charged $65 for restocking. Guess how much the product sold for?

I bought a Canon SD 750. Cool little camera. Got a great price. Broadway pulled their little scam about a package price. I didn't purchase it as a package, regardless of their claim of selling it as such. Contacted credit card provider. Resolution was to get my money back for an extra battery and being overcharged. $70 was worth a couple hours of my time. Broadway did not dispute the refund credited from Visa. It isn't worth their time. They are making millions. What if even 10% protest? They still are making suitcases full of easy money from the thousands who do nothing. Don't give up if you've been scammed!

Better yet, simply do not purchase from them in the first place.

Called to buy a camera a told them what I wanted. They "bait and switched" me to package

it's wise to stand on your point and do a lot of home work before tell them your credit card number...

I just submitted a complaint to the Attorney General and advise anyone who has purchased with Broadway Photo to do the same. Fortunately, I have documented evidence that they have lied. They emailed me on November 1st that my item will be shipped. When I spoke to a customer Rep, he told me that it has not shipped and it is shipping this week. It is the end of the week and no word on shipping. I just got hung up on one of them who said I have no right to talk to him "that way" after I told him that they are all a bunch of liars. When I called back, they said the office was closed.

PLEASE - report these guys to the Attorney General if you've had a bad experience. This is the site: http://www.oag.state.ny.us/online_forms/complaint_alert.jsp

This company claimed to sell a refurbished DSC-H2 camera for $177. When I made the purchase online on November 1, 2007, they later called me to tell that I would have to call them to confirm the order. When I finally contacted them a few days later the salesperson on the line immediately tried to sell me several other products that went along with the camera. I told him I did not need them. When he told me he would include 2 camera lenses that were the same value as Sony lenses costing $179.00, I agreed to purchase them. Then he told me that the whole package of products which I did not want but included an extended warranty would only cost $20 more, so I agreed to purchase the whole package. for a total cost of $399.00

Upon reviewing the camera lenses I find that the actual cost of them is $40 (found at another website: http://www.goshotcamera.com/product/LKT005WM2X00143S/Lens_Kit_43mm_Wide_AngleMacro_Telephoto_Lens_for_C amcorders_and_Cameras.html) and the lenses are defective. So I have purchased a $177 camera for a cost of $399 and now am the proud owner of cheap camera lenses that are worthless to me.

I am usually more cautious about my Internet purchases. However this time I had thought this company was reputable because I'd lived in NYC years ago and thought I'd had made some worthwhile telephone purchase from them at the time. Now I see from reading the above and my own experience with them that I have been deceived. :cryin:

I just filed an online complaint as suggested at:

http://www.oag.state.ny.us/online_forms/complaint_alert.jsp

You may also want to do a review at reseller.com

It seems like this place dont really care about customer service or bad publicity. I bought a Canon IXY 800IS in May 2006. I had problems trying to turn it on sometimes it gives me lens error -restart camera issues and consequently turns off by itself. I tried to call Broadway Photo Customer Service during regular hours but no one answers it despite the fact I tried several times throughout the day. When I called the Sales they told me to call Customer Service but during normal hours. I was trying to explained that no one answers but instead of listening he hungs up !

:mad2:
:cryin:
AVOID BROADWAY PHOTO AT ALL COST !!!!!!
I was given a camcorder for xmas and called them 3 days after too exchange, boy was I in for a surprise! The &*%$less pathetic excuse for a human being who referred himself as a representative was antagonistic from the start. After I inquired why I couldn't exchange the gift he said we were too late, b/c it was purchased in november. I asked him "So should I have asked what my mother in law got me for xmas?" He didn't like that, and really disliked it when I inquired why their online prices didn't match the expensive quotes he was giving me over the phone.
Again, he threatened to offer no exchange and I countered that I would see his company in small claims court. And after I asked to speak to a supervisor, he responded "I am the the supervisor", what is this, and episode of the Chappelle Show? Then for the grand finale, I was transferred to the gallows manager, and folks, I kid you not, I started by saying "Hello Gabe, how are you?" and his heartwarming response, "Great, until I had to talk to you."
The facts...
-We contacted our credit card immediately, they were very helpful in helping us getting our money back. Document everything, make copies of receipts, etc..
- Contact BBB and new york attorney general, file a formal complaint
- Blog, let other people know.

If Hitler's henchmen were alive, I truly believe they could find employment at none other than....BROADWAY PHOTO.

I bought a Sony DCR-DVD7 in Jan this year and had absolutely no problem with Broadway Photo. I asked for expedited shipping and got it a day before it was suppose to come. Everything in English. Registered it with Sony. Included everything that was mentioned on the website. Plus it's made good. The rep tried to sell up some like they do at the fast food restaurants, do you need this or that, but it wasn't bad. No more than any other store. I had a very good experience with them. Charges on card were right. I only called them the one time to order. Thank you.

I bought a Sony DCR-DVD7 in Jan this year and had absolutely no problem with Broadway Photo. I asked for expedited shipping and got it a day before it was suppose to come. Everything in English. Registered it with Sony. Included everything that was mentioned on the website. Plus it's made good. The rep tried to sell up some like they do at the fast food restaurants, do you need this or that, but it wasn't bad. No more than any other store. I had a very good experience with them. Charges on card were right. I only called them the one time to order. Thank you.

They have a 1.34 lifetime rating out of a possible 10.0 score. Take a look at the resellers rating at this address and read about them, Jeff

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

Broadway Camera is a "Bait and Switch" operation. They never intend to sell the products they advertise at the advertised prices.

I placed an order with Broadway Camera on January 15th and started takin notes the next day.

January 16, 2007

After placing my order last night for an Olympus E-3 from Broadway Camera, I got a call and a message to call Broadway Photo to confirm my order.

Mr. Diamond verified my address and then went on to tell me that the camera came without a battery. When I told him that the list of included accessories included a battery, he said “That’s only a twenty minute battery; I have the standard battery and the long life battery, which one would you like?”

I replied “Neither.”

He argued with me saying that I could not use the camera for more than twenty minutes without an additional battery. After the battery issue was solved (I didn’t order any additional batteries.) he asked me if I wanted the “USC” version of the camera. I told him I wanted the version that I ordered. He explained that it was the Japanese version and that all the writing and menus would be in Japanese. He then tried to push the “USC” version. He then went on to explain that they carried three versions of the camera: the “USC”, the “grey market” and the “Japanese” version.

I told him I would stick with my order the way it was.

He said (in a snooty tone)“ I hope you can speak Japanese. Enjoy your camera.” And hung up.

Even if I get the product I ordered and everything is in English, this hassle may still not be worth it.

Then I got this message by email:

From: Orders@bwayphoto.com Add to Address BookAdd to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
To: mail@frankrocco.com
Subject: Re: Your Order# W1482928
Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:00:03 -0500
Dear Frank Rocco,

This e-mail is being to sent to update you on the status of your order # W1482928. Your credit card had has not been charged due to the fact that the product you ordered is currently on back-order. When the product arrives we will e-mail you and then process your order.

For updated order status, shipping and tracking information visit the "My Account" area of bwayphoto.com or you may e-mail us at support@bwayphoto.com. Click here to cancel you order

We apologize for any inconvenience.


bwayphoto.com
Staff

This was my reply:

Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:54:02 -0800 (PST)
From: "Frank Rocco" <roccofrank@yahoo.com> Add to Address BookAdd to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Subject: Re: Your Order# W1482928
To: Orders@bwayphoto.com
CC: info@uscp.org


Hello Gentlemen,

Your web site currently reads that this item is in
stock!

http://www.bwayphoto.com/productlistings.aspx?qu=e-3

http://www.bwayphoto.com/viewproduct.aspx?id=9778767

I hope you can resolve this issue or update the web
site immediately.

Thanks,
Frank

I believe this strategy is called “Bait and Switch”. The item advertised is not actually available so they try to sell you another item (in this case the same item at a higher price or with additional, overpriced items).

Two days later the web site still reads that the item is in stock.

Even Now, January 24, 2008, their web site still has the same price and claims that the camera is in stock.

I’m aware of the grey market risk, but would like to buy the advertised product for the advertised price.

I almost got ripped by those bastards too. I won't tell you what they said to me over the phone because of a simple reason: there's nothing more to add. :D

I already blocked my internet transactions on my Visa, but still, one question runs through my head: have anyone of you had drawn money from your cards by Bwayphoto after an experience like this? I mean without having bought anything from them, just providing them the CC info.

Having read all the other shopper's experiences at Broadway Photo, I wish I had researched here before placing my order! Bottom line, I got the same bait and switch tactic and cancelled my order. However, this was the 3rd place I had gotten the same treatment from and I decided I'd had enough. I filed complaints with the FTC, NY Attorney General, NY Department of Consumer Affairs, and the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs. I've heard back from the FTC and the NYC DCA. Folks, these scammers are going to keep screwing the unsuspecting public until enough of us get fed up and report them to the authorities that control their business license. I recommend filing a complaint with the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dca/html/home/home.shtml or www.nyc.gov/consumers
Document everything! I copied the webpages that showed Broadway Photo's deceit and mailed the whole package to the DCA. If they get enough complaints - they'll act!

Thanks for this information. This will keep me away from this business. I also just tried to purchase a point & shoot Canon G9 but from 86th STREET PHOTO & VIDEO. This company is also one to avoid at all costs. They won't honor their published price and waste your time by trying to "up sell" the buyer. In fact, I consider their business practices fraudulent and deceptive. If you think that a fraud has been committed by Broadway Photo, you might want to consider filing a complaint to the FCC at: http://www.econsumer.gov. Unless consumers consistently report these types of companies, they will continue to operate without consequences.

Thanks for this information. This will keep me away from this business. I also just tried to purchase a point & shoot Canon G9 but from 86th STREET PHOTO & VIDEO. This company is also one to avoid at all costs. They won't honor their published price and waste your time by trying to "up sell" the buyer. In fact, I consider their business practices fraudulent and deceptive. If you think that a fraud has been committed by Broadway Photo, you might want to consider filing a complaint to the FCC at: http://www.econsumer.gov. Unless consumers consistently report these types of companies, they will continue to operate without consequences.

Ditto, ditto, ditto! This is the WORST company i have ever dealt with...impossible to get thru to customer service...they call and leave a message to return the call but they never pick up...they send an email requesting you to call and they never answer! i had ordered the Nikon D80....got the email to call about the order...tried on numerous occasions, tried to email, to no avail...i finally had to send 3 emails canceling the order and threatening to contact the credit card company. i finally received and email from THEM saying that, due to my lack of response, they were canceling my order! What a joke! I am just glad that i never did receive the order after reading the comments on this site...wish i had seen this site earlier and hope this helps prevent anyone else from the misery of this company!

Total Scum Bags, Called To Inquire About A Canon Ids Mark3 Said Had In Stock $2,000.00 Less Than You Can Get On Ebay.. Just Was Checking For A Friend Because The Camera Is No Available At Any Reputable Dealer Because Of Demand. Was Treated Like Nebr Been Treated Before. I Have Been In The Business 25 Years Always Buy From B&h. This Guy Jumped Down My Throat For Asking A Question. Where Are The Cops When You Need Them. They Are No Different Than The Guy Robbing A Convinence Store, Un Freaking Belivable. Exchaged A Few Words And Hung Up On Me. Total Scammers. Don't Even Fall For It If You Do , You Get What You Deserve

Don't wait your time with Broadway Photo. Here is why.
I ordered a Sony HDR SR11 camcorder from them 2 days ago. Their reply email asked me to call them to confirm the order (what?) but they called me today to up-sell me a 2-hour battery for $149 which I could get for $60. I told the salesman that I didn't need it because the camcorder came with one even though it may last for twenty minutes. (We had a fight of whether I need one or not. It was one of those "Yes you do, no I don't" kind of fight.) I asked for his name several times, but he did not reply. He then tried to sell me the extended warrantee, which I turned down. He asked me whether I wanted the camcorder in Japanese or English. "English," I replied. He said the price for that was $100 more. (The web site did not mention that it's a Japanese-language version. This is America; why would they assume that they were selling the Japanese-language version.) I refused to pay the increased price. He asked me whether I want to cancel. I had no choice but to say yes. (Even though he did not use any foul language, he was rude most of the time when I turned down his up-sell.) Please check them out on the BBB, and don't waste your time with them.

I have some of the same experiences, my first deal with them went well, when I tried to order my Nikon D300 from them, I got this line about the battery and how I needed to up grade to their better one, told them, just send the camera, I don't need there batteries memory cards or any thing else. That's when the sales man got real snotty with me, so you know all about what you need? Yeah I said. B&H Photo and hung up on them and will never take that kind of crap from someone I'm trying to give my money to.

Horrible! Nightmare! Criminals!

DO NOT USE!!!!! Unless you are looking forward to people taking money from you and you spending hours and hours on the phone trying to get your money back.

I can't believe these people are not locked up. Their business is about coning the customers. Why these people are not in prison is beyond me.

STAY AWAY!!! STAY VERY FAR AWAY!!!

Thanks to this experience it will take me a looooong time before I order anything on-line again. I'd rather pay 20% more and at least get what I pay for.

Companies like these are giving the honest on-line companies bad reps.

You have been warned about theses crooks.

And the hits just keep on coming!
I just got the same bait and switch. I ordered a Canon 720IS last night and got an email this morning that I needed to call them to complete my order. After 8 minutes on hold I was met with a rude gentleman that tried to up sell me on everything from AA batteries to filters. Then he gave me the total price that included shipping and handling, the site had free shipping. I said to cancel the order, he argued that shipping is always included, I said cancel the order, he gave in and said since I didn't know about it they would waive it. I stupidly said fine. Gee I can't wait to see what I get...
Avoid these guys!:mad2:

I can honestly say that I've never felt so stupid. This all happened earlier today.
You see, I was looking for a new camera for my birthday(which was March 2nd, just a few days ago). I first found it at Best Buy, but it cost a little more than I wanted to spend; so, I decided to look around online to see if I could find a better price. After a little searching, the first place I came across 86th Street Photo & Video, and they had the best price. They had the camera I wanted listed as $163, plus shipping, which was over a $100 less than Best Buy was charging. I, of course, jumped at the offer. Then we got the whole confirmation email about having to call them, (exactly like what later happened with Broadway Photo), then they did the whole sales pitch to get us to buy accessories. We declined, then got a mysterious email right after that said the camera was out of stock. After calling them back, they said that it was in stock, but the version they were selling us that was cheaper was the "gray market" version, and that the US version would cost more. So, we went ahead and did the smart thing and cancelled the order.
Then, a few hours later, I found Broadway Photo, which charged $204 for the same camera; and I, like a very unintelligent person, went ahead and told my mother I found it again and sent her the link, and we ordered it. Well, we got the same confirmation email about needing to call them to confirm the order(which, by the way, has never happened to me when I've ordered online, and I've ordered tons of things off the internet), and when we did, yet another sales pitch. My mother was the one speaking to them, but she told me they once again told her that it was not the US version, but either Japanese or gray market. But then they switched it to the US model, and we were so tired of digging around that we just went along with it. So, it ended up costing us $260 something instead of the original $204. The card we used to order it was almost immediately charged. Unfortunetly, we waited until after we ordered to snoop around to see if we could find any stories about the place, and sure enough, we stumbled onto this site. When we called back, we got nothing but an answering machine and hold music. I was finally able to get someone to answer my phone, and my mom told them she wanted to cancel the order. They told her some ******** story about how, since they've already charged the account, it would be a 15% restocking fee(which would have been about $75) to cancel the order, even though we'd placed the order less than 30 minutes prior to the phone call. When we'd been digging around on the internet for dirt about Broadway, we'd found the exact same camera for $240 at Walmart, so we were going to just go get it there. But after we told Broadway about Walmart's cheaper price, they gave us that price(after claiming several times that a price that low was "impossible"), and didn't charge shipping.
I'm extremely upset, and I'm sure you can guess that my mom is too. The people we talked to were so, so rude. They'd belittle you and talk to you like you were 5 years old, as if you didn't know what you were talking about. I wish I lived by these people so I could go give them a piece of my mind, face to face; lucky for them that I live in Texas.

Stay away from any shady online dealer; it's better to just pay a slightly higher price from a wellknown place you know you can trust than risk getting ripped off from somewhere like 86th Street or Broadway. I'm nervous about getting my camera in and having something go wrong. That'll be such a huge disappointment.

After shopping for a Garmin GPS on EBAY for two weeks without winning an auction I decided to go ahead and buy a new one. I surfed the web and found the lowest price at Broadway Photo. I've never had a bad experience ordering on the internet until yesterday and it may not turn out to be a problem at all. When I received an email from Broadway Photo stating that I had to call to confirm my order I thought it was kind of unusual. I did call them and got a hard sell for unneeded accessories and some outright lies. I will have to wait until I receive my GPS to see if I've been had or not. The email from Broadway and my reply follow:

I returned the requested phone call at 3:15PM EST. The customer service representative told me he had to confirm the shipping address and we did that. Then he tried to tell me that the Garmin GPSMAP 76CSX did not come with a memory card. It does! It comes with a 128MB memory card, a USB cable, A lanyard and seveal other accessories. He then told me that it only comes with a hard drive. As I am very familiar with this unit I assured him that it comes new in the box with a 128MB memory card. He then tried to tell me that this wasn't sufficient memory. Thats not even close to the truth. 128MB is more than adequate for handheld GPS use. He then tried to sell me an extended warranty. I declined. His last try was to offer me free annual software upgrades for the unit. These are already free from the Garmin website.

Becoming suspicious I googled Broadway Photo and immediately wished I had done that before I placed an order with you. That said I expect a New in the box Garmin GPSMAP 76CSX with all accessories. I clearly told the customer service rep that I did not want a refurbished unit and he assured me that it would be new in the box.

If you do not intend to deliver as advertised please advise me immediately and I will cancel the order. If the unit is delivered and is not as advertised I will dispute the charges and file every possible official complaint. Please advise of your intentions. I certainly do not want to receive a unit for which the accessories have been stripped or the operators manual is in a language other than english.


Respectfully

John Miller


On Tue Mar 11 15:10 , <Orders@bwayphoto.com> sent:

>Dear John Miller, We thank you for choosing bwayphoto.com as your choice for all your photographic equipment.In order to further verify your order #W1674330, we will need to speak with you on the phone. Please call our processing department at 1-800-307-1148 Extension 296 so we may verify and process your order.
>Store Hours:
>Sunday: 10 am to 7 pm EST
>Monday - Thursday: 8:45 am to 9 pm EST
>
>Friday: 8:45 am to 5 pm EST
>
>Saturday: Closed
>Once again, Thank You for choosing bwayphoto.com.

I don't know how much i can thank you guys.

As you can see, I appreciate this help so much that I created an account just to thank you.

Thank you so much.


Josh

:frown2: Called to buy a camera a told them what I wanted. They "bait and switched" me to package that they said was only $19 more than my total already and would get additional items. It turns out they lied about what was in the package, lied about the shipping costs and when I tried to work it out with them they where rude and would not give me a fair settlement. I ended up paying $300 over what the value of the package they gave me. Stay away!!!!! Bad people!!!!!!

Ripped Off

Hey Guys, Hate to break this to you, but before you purchase something you may want to consider checking the Manufacturer Webpage Nikkon, Olympus,Cannon, Fuji and others. They all have web sites... Theses guys rip you off by selling you accessories at rediculious prices. Your dumb if you don't research it first. I work as a tech rep for Olympus and I have heard these stories all too often!!! Once you make that choice ro buy from these losers there isn't much that can be done from our stand point...

RESEARCH BEFORE YOU BUY!!! :eek: :mad2:

Now I am extremely worried. I ordered an Olympus Stylus 1010. I got the same deal as everyone else. I did go for the package though. I spoke to them to confirm on Sunday, so I figured it would be shipped Monday. The place was in Brooklyn, NY and I live in Nassau County, NY, so I was like 2 days max it would take to get here. Here it is Friday and I have not gotten it yet, so I went to check the website, I was going to e-mail them. And the website does not come up, it says it can't be found. I am really worried. I spent over $400 and I want my camera, I am going to give it a few more days. Next time, they are open is Sunday, so I am going to call and verify at least the place is still there. The reason I found this place is I was searching for the cheapest price, as this is a new camera and it doesn't seem to be in any stores. They did not say that this was Japanese or anything (it better not be). I guess I will try to put an update if it gets here ok.

Wow,

the first time that i did buy something expensive over the internet and did not read forums about the reseller.

I ordered last week at Broadwayphoto.com a camera for over $1000. And yes the ydid an up selling, which is fine this is usual. I am not sure they lied about the battery, but i am sure i would not really need a bigger battery.

I got a shipping confirmation and the camera should be on Monday arriving.
After reading all the posts, i am worried that i bought an expensive SLR camera with no real warranty (which i should need my first camera bought at ritzcamera went out of business after 3 years).
Second i saw as well that their website is off-line since Friday.

I hope i did not make my biggest mistake ever. Does anybody has an idea when the latest point is to inform the Credit Card company to cancel the payment?

i can not afford to have no warranty, this camera Sony DSLR A350 is too expensive.

I was so stupid, to save some money i ordered here instead at Ritzcamera, which is great Service and good products.

Saving money most of the time costs more, this i learned.

Well I am calling them tomorrow. If I can't get in touch with anyone I will be calling my credit card company and canceling the order, because since the website is down and seeing all these horror stories I am really worried

I lived in NJ in the '80s and actually visited some of these NYC camera stores in person to pick up a zoom lens. The feeling you get is the same as going to a used car lot--or a shark-infested pool.

At that time (and it's probably the same today, if these stores are closed on Saturday), they were run by a certain ilk of people who can be quite nasty, possibly above and beyond the usual NY attitude. Now, I'm not trying to be nasty myself--some of my own family members are of the same race--but what is, is. To them you are an outsider, and are treated as such. Bad-mouthing customers, lying and hanging up on them is no way to do business.

I had a similar experience in a souk (market) in the Middle East a few years later with a different group of people, and the disrespect was just as blatant.

It's much safer to pay a little more from a trusted vendor such as major electronics chain stores in your own neighborhood that you can revisit than to try and save a few dollars by mail in the back alleys of Gotham. If the price you see onlnie is too good to be true, well Duh!

BTW, Google "Broadway Photo" and you can read these same types of warnings in the results...

I feel stupid too because I just ordered from these guys too, and didn't stumble into these reviews until I saw gray market come up and was researching what that meant. I thought I would be smart by going with a cheaper price and spending the savings on buying the warranty - which I'm sure now is worthless.
It was too late to cancel the order, my question is now 'should I take my chances at returning it right away when I get it and take the screw you fees or be better off opening it up and seeing if it is as stated'?

I feel stupid too because I just ordered from these guys too, and didn't stumble into these reviews until I saw gray market come up and was researching what that meant. I thought I would be smart by going with a cheaper price and spending the savings on buying the warranty - which I'm sure now is worthless.
It was too late to cancel the order, my question is now 'should I take my chances at returning it right away when I get it and take the screw you fees or be better off opening it up and seeing if it is as stated'?

I myself am not in a position to give you advice one way or the other but someone else might come along and give you an opinion on your situation, Jeff

It was too late to cancel the order, my question is now 'should I take my chances at returning it right away when I get it and take the screw you fees or be better off opening it up and seeing if it is as stated'?


I was thinking the same thing. I was thinking though, I will open the package when I get it, not the actual camera box and if there is any indication that it is not an American product (I mean it was meant to be sold in another country) as someone had stated that they said the guy on the phone said the manual is not in English or something, I will be just sending it back. But I guess if everything looks ok, I will probably keep it. I'd like other peoples opinion on ths as well.

I went to my bank right away to see what they could do. The money was being 'held' and not drawn out yet, but I had no way of stopping it. I would have withdrawn my money to keep them from getting it, but my overdraft protection would have let it go through. I asked the bank managers opinion on how to handle it in regards to filing a claim with my bank Visa card. She thought it would be best to document everything and try to return it without opening it. Sort of sounds like the only hope of getting my money is going to be through Visa and not Broadway.

Well I got my camera today. I opened the package and everything looks good. The only thing I did not like was the Olympus box wasn't sealed shut. Meaning it possibly had been opened before. Though the camera looks in perfect condition and so do all the other contents. Although they told me the camera didn't come with a battery charger, that I would have to plug the camera itself in to charge the battery. So I had bought the charger. Well it did come with a charger. Since everything looks ok, I am not going to go through a hassle of trying to return it. But I will know not to buy from them again.

I got the same "bait and switch - upgrade" pitch after being told to call to verify my order for a Sony T300 -- I had a bad feeling about it at the time and should have cancelled. Of course, their price online was for an "import" version "did I want the USA version? DUH -- of course. So they upgraded to that for a price but then as you are all finding the "shipping and handling" which is not stated on their website entered in.

Although my order did ship the next day and appears to be fine, they still charged me $20 more than it should have been and the extra battery is not a Sony battery and the camera says it's not compatible.

I usually check these reviews carefully before I buy, but didn't do it this time. My mistake.

They are not worth the hassel of arguing with, but definitely do not buy from these guys.

I was on the Broadway Photo site today and saw they had the Canon EOS Rebel XSI listed as "in stock" and available for two-day delivery. The camera isn't slated for U.S. release until late April. I googled Broadway Photo and found this site. Thus, I guess the camera is either "gray market," an international version, or Broadway Photo is just up to its old tricks. Thanks to all previous users for saving me the headaches. It doesn't erase the frustration you have all experienced, but you saved a fellow traveler. That is worth something, right?

That's a success story at least.
My camera got here and I sent it back figuring it would be better to take the hit than have no warranty on it or all the other problems. 15% restocking fee on an overly inflated price to begin with hurt.

Broadway Photo RIPOFF
I did an internet search last night of the best price on a Pentax A40 camera. Boradway Photo offered the camera for $234.00 plus free ground shipping. Perfect this was $40.00 less than the next best site.
Today I received a call from Boradway Photo thanking me for my order and confirming my address for shipping the camera. Odd but OK.
Salesman: Do you want to purchase the Lithium Battery for the camera as most customers do? (The camera according to him only came with a 10 minute battery.)
Reply: No thank you if I need a different battery I will pick one up local store
Salesman: OK, you will also need to purchase a separate charger for the batter they cost is $79.95.
Reply: No thank you.
Salesman: You will need to purchase a special memory card for the camera.
Relpy: No thank you I have a 4 GB SD memory card.
Salesman: That card will not work properly in this camera and may cause delay or lost photo.
Reply: No thank you
Salesman: Your selection was the international version of this camera is that what you wanted with a United States Shipping address?
Reply. No the website did not indicate this was an international version.
Salesman: If you want the US version, it comes with the Long life Lithium Battery and the power adapter free. The new Total is $299.99
Reply: Cancel my order
I went back to bwayphoto.com to see how I could have been so misinformed. Come to find out I was not. The camera Mfg part number listed 19361 is the same one sold a most US retailers. This company is a trying to defraud customers. Avoid at all cost

Everyone should be aware to stay away from Broadway Photo. I bought a Nikon Coolpix 5000 from Broadway Photo and when it broke 5 months later tried to send it to Nikon for repair, only to find out that it was a "gray market" camera. Apparently it is illegal to sell these cameras which are not intended for the US market in the U.S. without the customer knowing it. This company is a scam and a rip-off.

I talked to Broadway yesterday. They told me many lies and when they were all done quoted me a price $20 higher than on the e-mail confirmation. The charge was for insurance even though they said shipping and handling was included. Their internet ad stated battery and charger included but when I called to confirm the order they were not included nor was the one year warranty they quoted. STAY AWAY

so wish I had seen all this info before my purchase!! BUT...I did just get off the phone with my credit card company and canceled my card so the charges will not go through. My 1500 bill went to 1900 with all "the extras". I was so mad at myself for letting him do that to me! Gonna stick with Adorama. So glad the transaction had not gone through yet. AND so glad I had instincts about the website and the salesman demeanor, all that lead me to research more and when I found all this info on the site...I canceled my order..ASAP!!!! thanks everyone for their input.....

Credit Card Theft at Broadway Photo?

I placed a telephone order with Broadway Photo in New York and made a credit card purchase of a camera (ironically, I looked at their web site and decided that I wasn't comfortable giving all my info to them via the web).

Within two days of calling them, someone was running around the New York, Delaware, Connecticut, and North Carolina area using a counterfeit credit card with my info on it to get a series of cash advances from gas stations in those states. I am working with my credit card provider and hoping for a successful Federal prosecution of whoever it was who was stupid enough to try to steal from me. It may just be a coincidence that I called them and suddenly my card info gets stolen, but my card usage pattern is such that, if it is just a coincidence, it is a truly remarkable one.

these people are outright thieves. same bait and switch was tried on me as well as a 9% handlling charge that wasn't included when i placed the order. i called and canceled the order and was told rudly, 'good luck on finding it cheaper' when I told them the reason I was canceling was that I had no desire to deal with such a disreputable company. I got an email that verified my cancalation (they wouldn't give me a cancelation number on the phone when i asked, but did give me the name of the guy I was talking to 'David'). the cancelation said that if my credit card was charged to allow 24-72 hours to have it reversed. I replied to them that if my credit card was charged it would be rejected immedately without any waiting because they are not trustworthy to believe I'd ever get a credit.

You must have read my mind.On Sunday I placed an order with Broadway Photo for a Canon Powershot A720 and a battery charger with batteries. The next day my husband got a call from them asking for him to "verify" my credit card number. He said the guy on the phone was aggressive in demanding the number. My husband refused to give it and called me at work. The phone number the guy gave was not the one listed on the site and had too many zeroes to sound right. When I called the (same) guy on the phone using the online number, he lied and said he hadn't asked for the credit card number but had asked for verification of my address. Then he went on to tell me that the camera I had ordered was made overseas and not in the US. Talking fast he said I should upgrade to a higher more expensive model. He also told me that the SD cards I had wouldn't work in this camera and that I should buy the high speed kind. Then he told me I shouldn't buy the battery charger I had ordered but a much more expensive one that would cost much more money. The final straw was when he said I would be charged an additional $15.00 for insurance. I told him that charge was nowhere on my receipt and he cockily responded with, "Of course, we have to pay for insurance." He was pushy, rude, and miserable on the phone at which point I told him I was canceling my order. He then hung up on me! What a terrible experience...I'll NEVER buy from Broadway Photo again! This was the ultimate in Bait and Switch I have ever heard of.

I have also joined the ranks of many who have been ripped off by Broadway Photo...I could never recommend this company to any one. On 3/17/08, after having checked on a camera through a local office depot, I got this great idea that I could save on taxes & shipping. W R O N G.....I ordered a Pansonic for about $184.....received an email later for me to call & verify my order. It was on 3/19/08...I called on my cell phone from work...by the time my conversation was over my order was up to $408.....I felt pressured to buy things for the camera which was not needed..I insisted that I wanted to cancel my order...this person I spoke with would not relent...I stupidly agreed to $384 with all the neat things promised...I just wanted to get off the phone....later in the day at about 3:35 p.m. New York time I called to cancel the order...they told me their systems were down and would call me back in 10 minutes...in the mean time I contacted my credit card company and they said they were unable to help me at this time...I had already agreed to the purchase..I called Broadway Photo again and the person I spoke with was R U D E. He told me it was too late to cancel the order as it was shipped out the day before...I told him no way...I had just confirmed the order at about 10:15 A.M. that same day....I even emailed after the telephone conversation...They shipped it out to me at 9:24 P.M. that same evening....I refused the order...After a week they refunded all but $18.11 go figure.

Here's a couple things to add:

Got talked into ordering things I didn't need based on lies.

Tried to cancel the order a couple hours later, but was told it had already shipped.

Tried to return the order once it arrived, but was hit with a 15% restocking fee although nothing was opened. The restocking fee is 30% if you open the box.

Was told that the camera was discontinued, although this is a lie.

Here is my experience with broadwayphoto.

A couple month ago, I tried to buy Olympus E-510. I ordered it on broadwayphoto website and at the time the website said it is in stock. A day or so later, I asked for verification call(you all know that). I did it. Later I got an email stating that the product is out of stock. So I canceled it. -- Not too bad, the problem was just inconsistency between the website and its actual stock.

On 04/07/2008, I am looking for Olympus 1030 SW. The simple google led me to broadwayphoto again. I ordered it online with $306 and free shipping. And again, I got a request for calling them for verification. I called this morning. The other side of the line treat me like kids. First, he told me that the battery coming with the camera would only last 10 minutes and he recommended additional battery for additional 39.99 with very authoritative voice. I did not believe that but the extra battery is not bad so I said yes. Then he told me I would need to buy a battery charger for that. When I questioned him that "should the charger comes with camera in the package", he avoid the question and asked me to forget about the charger. Then he told me that the total price is 399.99. I learned the simple addition in my primary school so I immediately questioned why the total price is that amount. He stated that the extra battery would be 59.99 (which he mentioned it is only 39.99 just a minute ago.). I said that I do not want extra battery. This time he gave me another price which is about 350. Again I asked why it is different to the price shown during my online order. He said the difference is because of shipping insurance and it is non-negotiable. I feel fishy and said I wanted to cancel the order. He canceled the order. I feel that I am really lucky that I canceled the order after I googled the word broadwayphoto and found this site.

BROADWAY PHOTO - DO NOT BUY FROM THIS COMPANY!!

I ordered a Canon Rebel XTI w/ 17-55mm lens because the price was over $100 less then the other companies. This ended up being to good to be true! A couple of days after ordering the product I received a call to "verify" my order. I was pressed hard into buying a battery for over $100 saying that the battery that came with the camera would only last for 15minutes??!! which I thought was odd and raised my suspicions immediately as i had already done prior research on the camera and battery from the actual canon site and even spoke with a Circuit City salesperson. Well I ended up not buying the battery and a few days had passed and no tracking information was on my account! So I called a representative who informed me that the item was out of stock and they would receive it within a few days or so. BS! Their site clearly lists it as In Stock!

I quickly googled their company name just to see if this had happened with anyone else and that's when I stumbled upon this post and many others from different sites. In addition, I came across this article from PC World about what they found at this store and a few others when they went under cover; THIS IS VERY INTERESTING: http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,107855-page,1/article.html

Basically, these New York companies are able to sell these products for so cheap because they are GRAY MARKET products and will also try and get you to purchase more very expensive accessories and if you don't buy them the item is all of a sudden out of stock! THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO ME!

Luckily nothing had been purchased to my card so I immediately canceled the order and received a confirmation e-mail............I will also be changing my card # for my safety, just in case! I will be buying this item from Amazon.com.

So the camera I got is ok as stated prefviously. All the same problems, but like a week after I got mine, I noticed the battery charge they sent me is not the right battery charger for the battery I have. I had called them and stated this and it took me time to convice them that there is NO WAY that the charger could charge the batter as the contacts are in defferent locations and the guy finally said ok I will test it and if doesn't work I will send you a different one. I was very skeptical that he would do this, needless to say 2 weeks later and still no charger. Unfortunately I am no good at arguing with people so it looks like I am out that money and will use the charger that came in the box. Which of course the original call said that the camera did not come with a charger that it had like an AC adaptor that you had to charge it through the camera itself. NEVER AGAIN will I go the cheaper route, I turned out to spend more money than I would have had I gone to best buy or another reputable store. Expensive lesson learned

Reviews and information like this help others not to make the same mistake. Perhaps reviews such as these will run "crooked" businesses out and off the worldwide web.
Your information helped me decide not to buy from such companies.
Great Thanx,
Jimbo

Thanks for all the postings - looking for a Canon S5 is - Broadway was the cheapest, but thought I'd google them and found you guys. Not touching them - they are selling it at $261. Why bother when Dell has a special on for &279.99...

Because of a so-called "5 star rated company" seal of approval from lowpricedigital.com, I placed my order with Broadway Photo, on April 11, 2008. They never sent me any information on my order. I purchased the camera because I wanted to be able to take great pictures at my daughter's graduation from the University of Pittsburgh. I will be leaving North Carolina to drive to Pennsylvania on April 29th. Today I began getting very nervous that5 I had not yet received my camera.. When I called Broadway Photo to check on my order, I had to hold 20 minutes on the phone before reaching a human voice. I was told that my order had not yet gone out because the Olympus SP-570 Camera I purchased will burn up if I use regular AA batteries, that batteries only last 20 minutes in the camera, and that I must also purchase the special charger if I want it to operate properly. Now 12 days after ordering my camera, I am being told my order had not shipped because I must also purchase an additional charging unit. No one from Broadway Photo called me to tell me that they were holding my order. I told the salesman that I needed to contact the Olympus Company about this problem, and did not wish to order a recharging unit at this time. He told me I would get my camera by Friday, but it's hard to trust a company after having my order held up for 12 days, to sell me a charging unit. I have no camera to take pictures of the graduation!!! I called the Olympus Company and they said Broadway Photo was incorrect in what they told me and that they will tell me anything to make a sale. I picked this company because of the high rating it got from Lowpricedigital.com. When I went back to complain on the low price digital site, there was no way to put in my unhappy rating about Broadway Photo, so I think their ratings may be fraudulent as well! I researched for so long before picking this camera, and now it looks like I picked the wrong company to order from!! Broadway Photo has unethical practices, and I am in desperate need of a camera.

Hope you find a camera in time. Always google up reviews and the best places for reviews are, of course, here and also http://www.resellerratings.com/ , which as far as I can tell is the only reliable source on the net besides here.

I found some info on the BBB website, just a heads up when ordering from any of these websites listed as they are all part of Broadway Photo...

Website:
www.bwayphoto.com
Additional Websites:
BuyeRetail.com
www.amphotoworld.com
www.cameratopia.com
www.digitalliquidators.com
www.kingcameras.com
www.preferedphoto.com
www.preferredphoto.com
www.prestigecamera.com
www.regalcamera.com
www.thedigitalexpo.com
www.tronicity.com
www.wilddigital.com

PLEASE SEE EMAIL I SENT ON THUS 04/24/08::

I always send copies of " FRAUDULENT INDIVIDUALS/COMPANIES" to 2 Internet Fraud Email addresses I found which are:

spam@UCE.Gov
OIG.HOTLINE@SSA.Gov

P.S. I did receive an email confirm of my Cancelled order but no other comments about my complaint!!!

QUOTING CHARLEMAGNE LOOSELY-

" IF ANYONE HAS TRIED TO RIP ME OFF, LET HIM DIE THE DEATH; LET HIM BE FRIED IN A PAN;LET THE FALLING SICKNESS AND FEVER SEIZE HIM;LET HIM BE BROKEN ON THE WHEEL, AND HANGED. AMEN"



**********BEWARE OF BROADWAYPHOTO.COM **********
(SEE BELOW)


----- Original Message -----
From: Sal Russo
To: Internet1 Fraud ; Internet Fraud ; Orders@bwayphoto.com
Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 6:11 PM
Subject: Re: Your Order# W1827524


I just had a very "UNCOMFORTABLE" conversation with one of your telephone reps (Mr. Ext 288) in response to this email!!!

1) He tried to sell me a better battery that I dont think I need and appeared to mis-represent the product!! He also told me I could buy it now for 1/2 price but would pay full price at a later date-I dont belive him!!
2) He tried to sell me a memory card because he said the camera takes a new hi speed card-I dont believe him!!
3) He told me the internal memory provided by the manufacturer only gives me 4-5 pix-I dont believe him!!
4) He also told me I was buying a camera with a Japanese warranty-I dont want it!!

********CANCEL MY ORDER IMMEDIATELY AND LOSE MY EMAIL ADDRESS********

BROADWAYPHOTO.COM WILL NEVER GET A POSITIVE WORD FROM THIS CONSUMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I WOULD LIKE AN EMAIL CONFIRMATION OF MY "CANCELLED ORDER"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----- Original Message -----
From: Orders@bwayphoto.com
To: opanomi@optonline.net
Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 10:30 AM
Subject: Re: Your Order# W1827524


Dear Salvatore Russo,

We thank you for choosing bwayphoto.com as your choice for all your photographic equipment.

In order to further verify your order #W1827524, we will need to speak with you on the phone. Please call our processing department at 1-800-307-1148 Extension 288 so we may verify and process your order.

Store Hours:
Sunday: 10 am to 7 pm EST
Monday - Thursday: 8:45 am to 9 pm EST
Friday: 8:45 am to 5 pm EST
Saturday: Closed

Once again, Thank You for choosing bwayphoto.com.

this is my first post. hello all!

gosh, am I glad I found this forum.

I placed an order on Monday for the new Canon Rebel Xsi and received an email confirmation for the order. After 3 days, I noticed I had not been charged for the purchase. I went back to the website and there was a "please call to verify order" message next to my order number. ??????? Since when do you have to "verify" internet orders? Something doesn't seem right.

I googled broadway photo and found this forum, called to cancel my order, was on hold for 1/2 hour, the rep says: "we'll put that through order through right away". I ask: "why did I have to "verify" the order? Rep says: "Just standard security procedure". His voice was as though he was trying to force the order through. I said: "Cancel my order." He says: "You waited all that time just to cancel the order?" I say: "Yes". He says: "You know, if you call 12 other dealers, you're going to end up cancelling 12 orders". We'll see, but I doubt it.

Thanks everyone for posting your experience. I'll pay the little bit extra for the peace of mind, if need be.

I'm new to photography. This will be my first digital SLR camera.

update - they did send me an email confirmation of my order cancellation, immediately.

-Mark

Hi,
As of today, Broadway Photo has not changed its deceiving practices. I tried to buy Panasonic DCM - TZ5K camera from them. 4 days after placing the order online, I received an e-mail that I need to call them, so I can confirm it. When I did, they lied to me that the supplied by the manufacturer battery was good for 10-15 minutes of camera use only and that I simply had no other choice, but to buy an extended-life battery (Talked to Panasonic. They said the battery is good for up to 300 pictures and they had not heard of an extended-life battery for this camera or most of their cameras). When I asked Broadway Photo if they could guarantee the item would be received within a week, they said I needed to pay $40 for shipping, although their website stated $24.99 (considering they promise free ground shipping on their website). They tried to sell me different packages that I do not need and I ended up canceling the order, because of their rudeness and unwillingness to work with the customer.

Who in their right mind would pay for these "kits" of Broadway Photo and other similar companies, when on e-bay a lens cleaning kit is $5, a mini tripod is the same price, a carrying case is $8-10, and a high capacity (1300 mAh) battery is $16.99.

Just a word of advice (which I forgot):
If you use Amazon.com they usually direct you to the best sources at the best prices!!

If you shop often enough during a 48 hr period you may find the same item for less/more but you have Amazon to stand by you!!

Consumers dont need these " Blood Suckers" to get a good price on cameras/accessories!!

Another good source is Overstock.com for everything you need in cameras!!

Let's put these SOB's out of business!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone had an opinion about my situation:

A friend of mine had ordered from Broadway before with no trouble, so when I saw a good price on a camera I bought it from them. I got the whole "call us to confirm" email, so I did and ended up buying a battery, charger, bag, and warranty from them. I guess I wasn't ripped off because I actually need all those things (I film birds 20hrs a day out in the woods) but they sent me the wrong battery and charger (everything else was in perfect condition). My invoice states the entire price as a package and I was wondering if it would work to just return the entire package and if I would actually be able to return anything to them. Since reading this forum I do no want anything from them and would like them to get as little of my money as possible. Any thoughts a suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.

Why don't you give them a call? Anything someone here will say it's useless until you call them and see what they have to say about that.

By the way: what does your camera sticker on the bottom say? Made in China or Made in Japan?

It doesn't say where the camera was made, but it mentions that it is a Japanese camera. "victor company of Japan" to be exact. I just realized that I bought a 2 year warranty from these guys. Is the warranty legitimate in any way? Has anyone ever tried using it?

Another story along the same line:
Bad service as posted by many other fellow customers. They advertise a price way below market then force you to call to confirm the order for phony reasons (mine was that I supposedly entered the incorrect ZIP code which I know was not the case since I have a printout from my initial order confirmation with the correct ZIP code). After finally reaching them many days later (line busy and endless waiting), they offered me overpriced accessories. Once I turned these down I was told that the item is nevertheless in stock and will be shipped the same day (already 4 days after ordering it as 3 day delivery at an extra price). This never materialized and my order status changed from confirm order to item on backorder despite the item (Canon XSI) still being indicated as being in stock in the search result of broadwayphoto and despite the customer service rep explicitly assuring me it was in stock. I cancelled the order and brought the item somewhere else after losing many hours in ordering it and attempting to contact them.

Okay here is some progress report on my situation, in case this can help anyone: I called them and stayed on hold for half an hour, talked to customer service. The guy was very nice and said that he will email me the return authorization number and that I can return everything paying only for the non-refundable shipping fee. I recorded the conversation on my phone as evidence in case they decide to screw me. I also have a lawyer looking into the matter (and the company) in case I want to sue them later. I will update the information as I get it so as to help everyone who has been screwed by BroadwayPhoto.

I just had problems with them myself. On 04/28/08 I purchased a Panasonic HDC-SX5 AVCHD 3CCD. I recieved an email that within 2 days the item should ship and I could call to check on the order which I did 2 days later. When I called the first guy said that he could get the camera shipped out that day but he would have to send me to another extension. That guy told me that my order would not ship until the next day and then tried for 10 minutes to sell me on extended warranty. Which I did not purchase.

The next day I recieved an email stating that my camera was back ordered. I called and spoke to a very rude man who stated "You can either wait until your camera comes in or cancel the order." When I asked to speak to his supervisor he said "I have cancelled your order.' and hung up the phone. Shocked I called back and spoke to someone different who said that my camera was cancelled and it listed "Customer Requested". This man told me that the camera was on back order and it would be up to 8 weeks before I could get one.

I told him to leave the order cancelled. I will never ever do business with this company again.

My experience with Broadway Photo is about the same as all the other posts. They bait and switch, cannibalize the boxes to remove manufacturer supplied items then tell you they are throwing them in for free. When you call to return you are told about their "restocking fee" which in my case was $170.00. My guess is that the restocking fee is greater than the items profit margin. Great business, buy one camera and resell it over and over. I assume everyone out there who is not from NYC knows that Broadway camera is a Chasidic outfit.
My only recourse is with American Express who tells me that since I was not told about the gray market camera when I specifically asked for USA warranty that I may be able to fight the restock charge thru them.

I successfully dealt with Broadway Photo, although it took some patience and some threats that worked. I was, as all the poster stated, a bait and switch victim when I purchase a Canon Xsi camera and accessories. They shorted me a high capacity card, a high capacity battery and a USA warranty.

My first step was to call American Express and stop ALL payment pending the outcome. Amex did just that. Amex is by far the best at this type of dispute and any yearly fees thay may charge well worth it if you are doing business on the Internet.

I called the store to get a return number then was informed that there would be a $170 restocking fee. I told them, or they already were aware of the Amex action. Amex had informed me that they had dozens of complaints against Broadway Photo and that the Broadway Photo Account was being looked at by Amex. I told Broadway that I was returning the merchandise and they could fight with Amex over the $170.

In a few minutes I received a phone call from a Broadway Photo manager who made a deal for me to drop my case. He tossed in an additional high speed battery, an additional 4gb card a full size tripod and the extended 3 year warranty. To go one step farther to make it go away he deducted $100 from the total.

Now the whole transaction included 1 Xsi Canon Digital SLR - 1 2gb + 1 4gb high speed cards 2 high capacity Canon batteries, 1 tripod, 1 3yr extended warranty

With the $100 deduction the total came to $1020.00

All merchandise was new in sealed boxes.

resellerratings.com is no longer accepting reviews of this company, probably because of the bogus positive reviews flooding in. I felt I needed to vent so I am positing my review here:

They say you can’t cheat an honest man. If the price is significantly lower than mainstream retailers, particularly if it is a high demand new camera model, beware!
I was lucky not to get burned by this company. Lured by the low price on the hot new Canon 450D I placed an order online for about $150 less than retail. The “order confirmation call” came the next day (Sunday) and I was told that I had ordered the Japanese version (Kiss X2 Digital). That it did not have a US warranty, did not have an external battery charger (?) and that the manual and camera menus were in Japanese. All complete transparent lies. All versions of this camera have selectable menus languages and external chargers.
Any way I wanted the camera and assumed that they actually had them in stock. After a short but intense haggling session where I deflected a whole grab bag of overpriced extras, we agreed on a stripped price, camera only, $50 below full retail including shipping. Filled with foreboding after I hung up I looked up their rating. Alarm bells went off! Judging by what I had read and my own experience, I felt certain that they had no intention of fulfilling my order properly. I called my credit card company and froze the account. Fortunately the charge had not yet cleared, possibly because it was Sunday, a narrow escape.

I had a similar experience. Placed an order for a GPS online. Received an e-mail back to call and verify the order. After waiting hours on the phone they talked me into a package deal. Extra long lasting batteries and a memory chip that was obviously not included. I ended up paying $ 400 more than I would have with a different company. They also said "free shipping" and charged me $ 88.00 for handling and insurance. Since they were a lot more expensive at the end I decided to return the package. After waiting for hours again to talk to somebody they told me that they have a 5 % re-stocking fee plus extra return fees for GPS's. My invoice ended up being $ 1187 and the credit for returning would be $ 921. Given that I get the GPS at other places for $ 799 this is really a bad deal. I will still return it because with this company it is a total RIP OFF! I will never ever place an order again.
I also called my credit card company to put the amount in dispute and the gentlemen told me that the name Broadway Photo is a very well-known name for disputes. I think that says something.

Having read all the other shopper's experiences at Broadway Photo, I wish I had researched here before placing my order! Bottom line, I got the same bait and switch tactic and cancelled my order. However, this was the 3rd place I had gotten the same treatment from and I decided I'd had enough. I filed complaints with the FTC, NY Attorney General, NY Department of Consumer Affairs, and the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs. I've heard back from the FTC and the NYC DCA. Folks, these scammers are going to keep screwing the unsuspecting public until enough of us get fed up and report them to the authorities that control their business license. I recommend filing a complaint with the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dca/html/home/home.shtml or www.nyc.gov/consumers
Document everything! I copied the webpages that showed Broadway Photo's deceit and mailed the whole package to the DCA. If they get enough complaints - they'll act!

Thanks for the advice. I will certainly do that and hope others will, too!

Just wanted to say that I ordered a 40D through Broadway and, though I had to call customer service due to an opened box the first time, they immediately sent out exactly what I ordered along with a great camera bag, a 5 year extended warranty from RepairTech and a 2gig CF card for my inconvenience.

Not sure I would order from there again unless I did so through Customer Service rather than Sales. That is where the problem was. Once I talked with Customer Service it was all good.

Great deal. It took an extra two days (they expressed shipped it), a little hassle, but with what I received for under $1k, I'm pretty happy.

GCV

Just wanted to say that I ordered a 40D through Broadway and, though I had to call customer service due to an opened box the first time, they immediately sent out exactly what I ordered along with a great camera bag, a 5 year extended warranty from RepairTech and a 2gig CF card for my inconvenience.

Not sure I would order from there again unless I did so through Customer Service rather than Sales. That is where the problem was. Once I talked with Customer Service it was all good.

Great deal. It took an extra two days (they expressed shipped it), a little hassle, but with what I received for under $1k, I'm pretty happy.

GCV

GCV... this is your first post, you have no profile information, AND you had a positive experience. How are we supposed to believe that this is true?

My suggestion from research and this forum tells me to stay as far away from Broadway Photo as you can, Jeff

It seems like it's getting to the point where there should be a sticky that just says:

"Broadway photo is bad and avoid anything in Brooklyn, just order from Adorama or B&H"

That would save lots of server space, time and effort.

Beware of the stores with the 718 area code. That is Brooklyn, N.Y. There are only two major camera dealers in Brooklyn that I'm aware of that are legit. . .Abes of Maine and another but cannot remember the name. All others are the same shady practice. Broadway Photo, Digital Liquidators, A&M photo, and I think CCI are all the same operation. They have no storefront here in Brooklyn, but are run out of a private house with the stock kept in a garage locally. I was going to purchase a lens a few years ago from them and wanted to go and pick it up since I live in Brooklyn. They told me to come by the address at a certain time, and cash only if I was not paying for shipping. This all sounded too shady for me, and i rather spend a bit more to support the legitimate dealers than these hoods.

I really wish I knew all of this about Broadway Photo! I purchased all of my other photo gear from B&H, over 10 yrs experience with them, absolutely no problems. I decided in April that I wanted the new EOS Rebel XSI as soon as possible, as I wanted to be comfortable with the camera before my baby was born. So I believed the quoted price online, got suckered over the phopne into buying additonal stuff, wound up spending $1799 for a $800 camera package. Didn't get the iSI, got the grey market version, "Kiss," which does not work at all. I called Bwayphoto today, complained, now they want me to send the camera and batteries back for them to inspect it. I am sure I will be scammed in this process. I have the 3 yr warranty, another thing I was suckered into buying that will probably not provide any coverage. I am sure, based on what I read here, that they will find some excuse for not sending me a new camera, or will charge me another exhorbitant price to restock this garbage camera, so they can sell it to someone else. They'll say it works fine, etc. and I will be like everyone else here, no recourse but to write the attorney general etc. In the end, I will not have a camera before my baby arrives (any day), unless I order another, though that is not ossible, as the money is spent. It's almost 2 months since my credit card was charged, so I don't think that route would help. I bought the camera, didnt discover the problem until now (go figure, with a baby due, I had little time to spend time with and test the camera). Now I realize the thing can only take 2 pictures before going dead, get an "Error 99" message. Lesson learned!Stay away from BWay photo!

hat does your camera sticker on the bottom say? Made in China or Made in Japan?

Similar experience, looks like a good deal on-line and hardball up sell when you have to call to confirm your order. They get really mad when you do not bite. But the fun only starts here; when I received my order the extra item I ordered from the up sell was not even in the box, it was on the shipping invoice. But the invoice is one total amount no price by item. Plus, they charges by $45 more than what I agreed and the charged $70 for 2 day shipping, not the $25 on the website. I called the next day and after 45 minutes on hold I got a person. He was actually cool and credited me the difference and sent out the unshipped item.

But the next day when I went to the Nikon site to register it turns out to be a gray camera, so no factory warranty. Pay the extra and stay away.:mad:

It's very interesting to see this forum; but somehow I had a feeling that a forum like this was probably out there simply because of the experience I just had with them. I attempted to buy a Canon XL-H1S that no one seemed to have but Braodway was offering cheaper. When I queried about it and they asked if I wanted the US or Gray, I chose US as I am aware of the warranty difference. I gave the necessary information to the sales person who then proceeded to attempt to sell me accessories and an extra warranty that I already knew I wouldn't buy so I let him know that upfront and then he tries to tell me I am being rude by not letting him finish this high pressure sale. Up to that point I was only being direct...not rude. However, after that it's a matter of opinion.

I believe that they did not actually have the camera in stock as they claimed based on what I am reading here as well as experience from another place called Tri-State that swore they had an item, which they didn't have but didn't want to lose the sale, so they decided to send me the wrong thing despite my having told them I was absolutely not interested in getting put on back order.

The salesman's attack on me for not dragging out a sale was enough for me to cancel the order on the spot and call my credit card company and tell them not to allow any charges from Broadway. This is a good forum but it is apparent that they need to be put on notice that their actions border on fraud.

I understand that you are hurt about being cheated by Broadway Photo and other dealers but not everyone who sells in brooklyn is a bad dealer and deserved to be called "hoods". I live in Brooklyn

Tried to buy a Canon Rebel XTI about a year ago, They tried to sell me the canon battery for 119 even though it comes in the box and can be bought for about $20 on ebay.
Salesman was rude and arrogant.

Beware of the stores with the 718 area code. That is Brooklyn, N.Y. There are only two major camera dealers in Brooklyn that I'm aware of that are legit. . .Abes of Maine and another but cannot remember the name. All others are the same shady practice. Broadway Photo, Digital Liquidators, A&M photo, and I think CCI are all the same operation. They have no storefront here in Brooklyn, but are run out of a private house with the stock kept in a garage locally. I was going to purchase a lens a few years ago from them and wanted to go and pick it up since I live in Brooklyn. They told me to come by the address at a certain time, and cash only if I was not paying for shipping. This all sounded too shady for me, and i rather spend a bit more to support the legitimate dealers than these hoods.

I Am Surprised They Have Been In Business Since 2005!

I have recently ordered a camcorder a couple of days ago. They emailed me stating they still need to complete my order and ask for a phone call back. Then they said the camera I am ordering is in German, not English and if I do want the US one, it would be $60 more. They also said the factory made battery (JVC) lasts only 15 minutes and tried to sell more batteries. I was lucky because I got fed up and canceled the order. Can we report them to BBB or something?

I just ordered a digital camera from Broadway Photo yesterday. Today they called me at work and said they'd give me a good deal on a memory card. I said I didn't want one. So he said he'd give me a half-price deal on a battery. I said I didn't want one. So he got all nasty and said that I was getting my camera in all Japanese and if I wanted the English version I had to pay another $60. I canceled the order and he sort of laughed and hung up on me. I ordered it through Wal-Mart instead -- they have a $1 shipping fee, no restock fee, and 30 days to return it to any local store.

You Can Beat Broadway Photo, There is Recourse

June 17, 2008

If you are one of the many victims of Broadway Photo’s tactics, don’t be let them get away with it, there is action you can take to mitigate the problem. If you take matters into your own hands you should be able to, at best, get your products for a reasonable price and, at worst, get a full refund and put the credit card companies on their backs. I got overcharged 260 USD on a Broadway Photo and Video order and was able to get most of my money back after contacting customer service, using the “iron ass” style of negotiation, threatening to dispute the order with American Express and return the shipment, and constantly repeating five words: “I will not accept that.” Below I’ve detailed my experience in the hope that others who’ve been cheated will have the courage and knowledge to fight back.

I looked Broadway Photo and Video up for a new camera purchase based on a recommendation from a friend. They had the Nikon D80 bundled with a Nikkor 18-200mm lens for under 1,200 dollars, a killer value. Purchasing the Nikon D80 body with the 18-200 lens on B&H would come to about $ 1,470 after shipping. After placing the order with a couple of filters I called Broadway the next day to change my shipping from express to overnight. I was warned that they could be pushy, and oh man, were they ever. I ended up having to pay extra for accessories that should have come with the camera standard, mainly a battery recharger, warranty and rechargeable battery. I upgraded to “multi-layered” UV and polarizer filters and eventually talked the extra battery and recharger that down to just 18.95. They hassled me about memory cards, 278 dollar 3-year extended warranties, camera bags and everything else in the book. Bundled with a one-year warranty that otherwise wouldn’t be included I ended with, what I thought to be a total purchase of 1,450 USD, a price way more than I originally intended to pay, but hey, at least I’m getting all those great “multilayered” filters…

When my shipment arrive by UPS the following evening, I opened the box and the first thing I examined was the invoice. The total was 1,710.99. I was shocked. The invoice was oddly itemized:

Nikon D80 with 18-200 AF lense pack: 1,710.99

Multi filter kit: 0

Cleaning kit: 0

1-year warranty: 0

Extended life Battery: 0

It was obvious that some shenanigans were going on here. The Multifilter Kit was a set of three filters, something that I was pressured to add to my purchase but refused, and here it was in my box. I checked on the internet and my heart sank when, after a simple search, I found story after story, article after article of Broadway’s scams, bait and switch tactics and high pressured rip-offs. I felt like such a sucker, but I definitely wasn’t going to let my money escape so easily.

Preparing the Counter Attack

First I contacted American Express and explained that I’d been overcharged by a rather unscrupulous merchant and asked what my options were. American Express explained that, if negotiations with the company were unsuccessful, I could return the product and dispute the order. Although the payment had already gone through, American Express would happily refund the amount to my account and they would handle getting the money back from the company. I could also dispute the order for just the part I was overcharged and American Express would pay me the difference. When asked how successful they were in getting the money back in disputes like this the rep confidently replied “oh, we win these disputes most of the time.”

Next, I researched all the stories on the internet about Broadway to familiarize myself with their tactics. It was obvious these guys were machines and ran by a system of pressure under the assumption that customers can be easily worn down and tricked. They lured people in with impossibly cheap deals, then rip them off with accessories and “deals” claiming that products are back ordered for those customers that refuse to buy anything in addition to the camera. Many victims were threatened with a 15% restocking fee and others just gave up after their protests went nowhere. Broadway claims to record the conversations and will look them up to prove their claims. Others were scammed into accepting the order with a few added-on extras to “increase the value” of the order. However, there were a few who stood their ground and were able to get refunds after much headache and hassle, so there was hope.

I talked to some of the people around me who had successfully resolved similar situations from internet purchases and learned that if you’re persistent and unwilling to be deterred by their pressure tactics, you can win most of the time. Companies like Broadway, while unscrupulous and manipulative, are companies in legal standing and do not want to face the Better Business Bureau and lawyers from credit card companies if they can avoid it, especially since the undoubted mountain of disputes and complaints on their records put them at a disadvantage from the start in any legal dispute. They can be persuaded to negotiate.

The next step was to itemize what I should’ve paid, and what kind of amount such a deal would cost from reputable sources. I used B&H and Wolf Camera as benchmarks. I wrote everything down and worked out exactly what I’d been overcharged, how much other companies charge for the same thing, and decided on a maximum amount that I would accept the order for, which was about 100 dollars more than I originally expected to pay, but 175 dollars less than what I paid. Of course, I could’ve just returned the camera, but since I live internationally, being able to find the camera for a reasonable deal would have had to be put off. I wanted to use my new toy.

The Battle

With all information laid out in front of me I was ready to take on their frontline of soldiers. I knew that the fact that I specifically refused the three filter kit added on was going to be a major card in this match. Since I definitely didn’t order it, I had every right to return it.
The following Monday morning I called up Broadway. Once directed to customer service I was put on hold for 30 minutes. Eventually a rep answered and I explained that I believed I’d been overcharged for an order. He asked what the order was and how much I’d believed I’d been overcharged. I gave him my order number told him what I purchased and how much I think I should’ve paid for it. Just as a disclaimer, I’m paraphrasing what was spoken and can’t guarantee word for word accuracy.

“Well sir we have here that 1,710 is the amount agreed upon by both parties.” He said.
I argued that this was not the amount I agreed on and asked if he could explain the price breakdown of the order. “I’m sorry sir but it says here you bought it as a package so I can’t bring up an itemized order.” I responded by breaking down the order as I saw it. “Are you getting those prices from our website?”

M: “No, these are the prices that we talked about on the phone.”

B: “Well sir it says here that both parties agreed upon this price.”

I calmly replied “I’m sorry but I did not accept this price, I did not order this filter kit included, but ordered a UV filter and a polarizer separately. I will not accept this and will be forced to dispute the order with the my credit card company and return the shipment if I’m not refunded.”

B: “Sir, this is the amount you agreed upon and it cannot be changed.”

M: “Then I have no choice but to contact my credit card company and return the order.”

B: “Sir, it says here you agreed on this price. We record all conversations like this one now. Let me go back and check the recording. Could you hold for a minute?” I agreed to hold.

I was the put on hold for about ten minutes, the Broadway rep would intermittently interject “just a sec’ every now and then. Eventually, he came back. “Sir, you definitely agreed upon 1,710 as the total. Do you want me to play it back for you?” Of course I did. I then heard my own voice talking to the original sales rep. They had indeed recorded my phone call from the week before!

The part he played was towards the end of the conversation after I’d been exhausted by his aggressive pitches over the course of the long conversation that was originally just a simple call to change my shipping. The salesman spoke in this low, grumbling voice. It was as if he was making a sale after being woken up at three in the morning. “Sir we can give you the extra battery as a package with your current purchase for an extra 18.95 will that work?”

“Uh, well…yea. Yea, that’ll work” my voice said.
In a hushed but hurried voice he replied “OK so that’s sixteen forty-nine and with the battery we’ve got seventeen-ten, is that fine sir?”

M: “Yea, yea that’s fine” my voice replied. The final price was spoken so unclearly I had to get the recording repeated. But then I understood it. I’d been tricked, on tape, to agreeing to pay 1,710 for the set. He had me! I could almost see the customer service rep’s smug look on the other side of the line. Even though the equipment we had been talking about didn’t come anywhere close to 1,649 dollars he arbitrarily raised the price in the last sentence, hoping I wouldn’t catch the mistake. Then he didn’t just add 18.95 to that imaginary amount, but whopped on an extra 40 bucks betting, correctly, that in my impatience I wouldn’t do the math and trust his sum. Ah, I was such a sucker! But I was determined not to fall easily.

I disputed the 1,710 saying that you couldn’t really tell if he was saying seventeen-ten or seventy ten. It could’ve been seventeen dollars and ten cents.

B: “It’s definitely seventeen-ten. This is the price you agreed upon, we have proof of it on the recording.” he was starting to get aggressive now.

“Mmm, I don’t know about that. I’m sorry, but I will not accept that price. That’s not how I saw the agreement.” He then agreed to refund the 40 dollar difference admitting that was Broadway’s fault but wouldn’t refund the money I wanted. We kept going back on the issues. When asked how the 1,649 dollars broke down he was unable to give me any details since it was a “package.” Finally I calmly said to him. “I’m sorry but I will not accept this price. I did not agree on this price and did not order the extra filter kit of three filters but ordered two filters, no package. If we can’t cut a deal, I’m prepared to dispute the price and will be forced to return the shipment and file a complaint with my credit card company.”

B: “Sir, American Express will not accept this, we’ve had it happen before. We have your recording agreeing to this price—“

M: “I’ve already talked to my credit card company extensively on this. If we can’t reach an agreement they’ll happily reimburse me. Then it’s between you and them.”

B: (agited now) “Sir we have the recording and will fight this. All you’ll get after you’re reimbursed is then get charged by the credit card company again when they see that we’re in the right—“

M: “But you’re not in the right, I didn’t order the filter kit and I did not agree on this price. When you look at the items we talk about on the phone, it is clear I’m being overcharged. I will not accept this.”

B: “OK, so to return it I’ll have to give you a confirmation number. There’s a restocking fee as listed in our Terms of Service that you agreed upon when making the order. We’ll refund you 1,450 dollars but the difference will be the restocking fee.”
M: “That just ridiculous. I will not accept that.”

B: “It’s in the terms of service that you read and agreed on! We have the right to charge you a restocking fee and that’s all you’ll be able to get. American Express won’t refund you.”

M: “Are you kidding? I’m not going to pay an outrageous restocking fee for stuff I didn’t order at a price I did not agree upon. I’ll send it back to the address it came from and let American Express deal with it.” We went back and forth again and again, mostly with him repeating the above and me calmly repeating “I will not accept that.”

B: (Sigh) “Let me put you on hold while I talk to my manager.” I listened to the pretty music for a few minutes.

Let’s Make a Deal

When he came back on the line his tone was more positive. “Ok Sir, since the sales rep overcharged you we can reduce the price and even add some items to add value to the package.” His tone was rehearsed, I knew when I called that they would try to add some useless junk rather than refund the money. “We value you as a customer and can add valuable services and accessories to your order, even increasing its value beyond what you originally paid. This can--”

“Just tell me what you got.” I interrupted. He offered to knock the order down to 1,650 and add in an “extended life battery” and a 3-year extended warranty. Not acceptable, but on the right path. We negotiated back and forth, me still maintaining my iron-ass negotiation tactic and the sales rep continued to act as the aggressor. I told him I was not interested in add-ons only in refunds. Eventually he brought it down to 1,550 USD, ten dollars within what I was prepared to pay.

“Make it 1,545 and you got a deal.” I said. After a short pause he agreed. He asked that I reply to a confirmation email that he would send with the renegotiated deal. The refund would take five business days to show in my credit records. This was consistent with what the credit card company told me.

In the end I got the D80 body, the awesome 18-200mm Nikor AF lens, a UV filter, a polarizer filter and a fluorescent filter (WTF?), a “cleaning kit” (some q-tips and shammy wipe in a plastic bag), one of those tiny bendable tripods, two extra batteries, an external battery charger and a 3-year warranty with overnight shipping and a s&%#load of hassle for 1,544.99. Not a “great” deal, but assuming that the warranty, batteries and filters are adequate (quite presumptuous of me, I know) I’d call it a “fair” deal. Part of me wonders how much farther I could have driven down the price (and I’m confident I could have gotten an extra 50 from them), but I had more pressing issues at hand, like hanging out with my family and relatives while I’m still in town visiting them.

While the whole event caused me a lot of disappointment and stress, the actual confrontation was fairly painless. I felt calm and in control the whole time, and anyone else in this position should feel the same way. Broadway is not an offshore scam artist, just an unscrupulous NYC based company run by humans. They have to abide by US laws and know that they only stand to lose, in reputation and directly in revenue, from disputes with credit card companies, complaints to the better business bureau and complaints to the attorney general. Credit card companies are only hurt from companies like this due to returns and the expense in resources involved, so you can bet they do everything possible to win such disputes as to deter other companies from doing the same. You don’t need to be a hard-nosed negotiator, you don’t need to yell or sacrifice your integrity to beat them. Just know your options, lay the information out and be persistent, they’ll always strike a deal or be forced to accept your return if you hassle them enough.

But if you really want to be a winner, don’t shop at Broadway in the first place. It’s just not worth the hassle, especially since there are so many better companies that deserve to receive your business. In my internet search I found the following websites to comparing prices from reputed companies. Companies with dubious reputations like Broadway are removed from their price listings. They also have a valuable feature for examining the reputation of businesses. Broadway, of course, is a one out of five in customer satisfaction.

www.pricegrabber.com
(http://www.pricegrabber.com)
www.resellerratings.com (http://www.resellerratings.com)

Here are some good articles from PC World on what to beware of when shopping online. Broadway photo comes up many times.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,107855-page,5/article.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,107855-page,1/article.html