We all rely on Google. com and tend to trust it as a site of high integrity. I will attempt to show why that assumption of their integrity needs to be called into question.
Look at the first page of this search:
http://www.google.com/search?q=canon+digital+rebel+xti&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

The first of the 'Sponsored Links' on the right-(Google gets paid for this) is a link to a consumer "search". But look at the 'featured dealers' on this page from ShopCartUSA.com.
http://www.shopcartusa.com/P_Canon_Digital_Rebel_XTi_(Body_only)_1236B002/PT_Y/?ic_campID=98

Broadway Photo, Camera Addict, and Best Price Cameras.
Now look at the Better Business Bureau report on the last dealer named above:
http://search.newyork.bbb.org/reports.aspx?id=12668&pid=44&page=0&FindStr=best+price+cameras&SearchBy=company&Address=&City=&Phone1=&Phone2=&Phone3=&MembersOnly=False
It's one of the brotherhood of crooks that is centered in Brooklyn, NY!

In fact the 'featured dealers' at ShopCartUSA.com are all crooks!
And Google is not above foisting these dealers off on us!:rolleyes:

Care to guess what the next 'Sponsored Links' consumer assistance link gives us? take a look
http://www.everyprice.com/item.asp?item_Id=142318&partner=g123&keyword=canon_digital_rebel_xti&gclid=CIratI-Pu5ICFRI9IgodUVZiZA
More Brooklyn brotherhood! Yeaaaaaaaah! hooooooo!

Here's a suggestion-why don't those of us who have had bad experiences with the Brooklyn Brotherhood contact Google and ask them to change their ways? Ask Google how they can ignore the BBB ratings and the thousands maybe hundreds of thousands of customers who have been ripped off as Broadway Photo proudly says, for over 31 years.

Anyone?

I can only assume these companies are on the payroll to be so ignorant and partaking of the swindling of America.

I'm with you, I just don't use them and everyone that will listen will hear about them, I usually move on down the list if B&H or Amazon doesn’t have what I’m looking for.

I agree but am skeptical about the outcome of protesting.
My son works for REI and just attended a conference/meeting on how to get their company to the top of search engines.
Every one knows the tricks and takes advantage of them and I'm not sure that it is google's or any other search engines responsibility to monitor every site.
Good point though!

Google is a business and just wants to get paid. I don't believe they make any claim that they are directing us to honest Web dealers. It's the buyer's responsibility to do the checking. And most of the sleazy dealers have been around for decades. I remember many of them from ads in in the back of Popular Photography and Shutterbug magazine back before the Internet existed. In the end, I think the responsibility lands on the shopper. Because things just don't seem to change. What I did was add this forum to the site so that people can share their experience with dealers and check up on dealers they're considering buying from. And the Dealer Feedback forum is often our busiest in terms of viewers. So obviously people are doing their reseach. I'm happy it's so popular.

It was true in anciennt Rome and it's true now - Let the buyer beware...

Thanks to everyone who replied so far about my concern with Google.

I'll just say I respectfully differ.

Google can and will do something if enough people complain. I've been inside and outside the retail business for thirty five years and I've seen business owners change their opinions and their ways of doing business-after lawsuits were threatened. The owners evaluated the cost of defending unfair and unethical (note the difference between illegal) business practices and decided to change because the overall costs (not just $) of continuing down the same road were not worth the price.

Thanks again.

Ray

Seems this thread is closing out due to lack of interest; the subject has been around on the internet for almost eight years.

My point seems to have been missed:

1. What we allow, we teach.
2. We are teaching ourselves, our friends, and those who we lead into posterity, that bullies and crooks, who currently run the world, will continue to.


Regretfully,

Ray

Ray-
I've watched some of these same dealers manage to get away with the same practices for about 20 years now. I don't know how they legally manage to do it. The real power, in my opinion, lies with money and education. So I won't buy from those dealers and do my best to steer people to dealers I know are trustworthy. And I provide this forum where people can share their experience and learn where it's safe to spend their money.

It's possible that Google could be convinced to the weed out bad dealers. But I don't really see it being in their business model or even their best interest. And that's why we're here. It's focused community sites like PhotographyREVIEW.com that help people make informaed decisions. Google probably broght you here. And here's where you'll learn the truth and make an informed decision. I appreciate your hopefullness on the subject. But like I said, I've been in and around the photography business for quite a while and - call me jaded - I don't think it's going to change. These companies need to be prosecuted. That's the only thing that will make a real difference.