*** ALERT *** Do not buy from the following store!

[Consumer Advocate]

As a consumer advocate I must make you aware of a store in Alaska that charges extremely high prices. An item was purchased for $150.00. The price paid was to include a 15% discount, because it was considered a floor sample. After further research this same item could be purchased new for $53.99. Within 2 days I noticed that the eyepiece also had a minor defect. Within 5 days of purchase the owner was contacted in hopes of resolving the two concerns.

The owner Ken Hausinger gave multiple excuses for charging high prices. He claims that it cost more for shipping to Alaska. He claims that paying $10 per sq. ft. rate and being open only 5 months per year justifies his high prices. He also said “As for a refund or credit to your credit card, that will not happen.” As for the defect with the product, he recommended sending it to Bushnell.

According to Bushnell, the manufacturer's suggested retail price within the US should be $96.95. They also indicated that should be able to find the product for a lot less than the suggested retail price in stores, but it should not cost more. The box of the $150.00 product had two price labels, one on top of the other. After removing the top label, the original price was marked $95.23.

This type of business survives on tourism and uninformed consumers. I usually recommend to do business with local businesses, but not in this case.

The business where this item was purchased is listed below.

Northern Exposures
365 2nd Ave
Skagway, AK 99840
Phone: 907-983-3767
Fax: 907-983-3757
Web Site: www.northernexposures.2get2u.com
Email: junolab@gci.net

This same owner also has other business in Alaska under the following possible names and address below.

Northern Exposures II
Northern Exposure Digital
NORTHERN EXPOSURE ONE HOUR PHOTO
Northern Exposure One Hour Photo Lab

325 Franklin Street
JUNEAU, AK 99801
907-586-5987
www.northernexposures.2get2u.com
junolab@gci.net

510 Broadway
Skagway, AK 99840

The following business below may have some relations to the owner, Ken.

Alaska Fur Gallery of Vail
227 Bridge street
Vail,Colorado 83657
Phone 907-479-6260

Alaska Fur Gallery
359 South Franklin Street
Juneau, ak 99801-1325
Phone: (907) 463-5588

ALASKA FUR GALLERY
3rd & Broadway
Skagway, AK 99840
Phone: 907-983-3877

Alaska Fur Gallery
428 W 4th Ave
Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone 907-274-3877
1888-7223877.

Alaka Fur Gallery
4th & Broadway
Skagway, AK 99840
Phone 907- 983-3877
http://www.alaskafurgallery.com

[mwfanelli2]

Looks to me like user error.

He had a price, you chose to accept it. Before you buy anything, look around first! A store can charge pretty much anything they want, $50 over MSRP is not illegal.

Checking the return policy is a good idea. Checking the warranty handling is a good idea. This is YOUR responsibility. Nothing shady going on here.

[Photo-John]

Looks to me like user error.

He had a price, you chose to accept it. Before you buy anything, look around first! A store can charge pretty much anything they want, $50 over MSRP is not illegal.

Checking the return policy is a good idea. Checking the warranty handling is a good idea. This is YOUR responsibility. Nothing shady going on here.

I agree with, Michael. This looks to me like someone who didn't do their homework, got burned and now trying to make up in kind. Next time compare prices before you buy and this won't happen.

[idon'tknow]

Uhhhh... hello mr. "consumer advocate." do you think your local grocer pays 69 cents a pound for his bananas and sells them to you at no profit? I don't think so. If I were this Ken man, I wouldn't give your money back either. Obviously, as others have stated, you didn't do your homework.

And.... how can you complain when you get name of the establishment where you made your purchase WRONG??? :crazy:

[idon'tknow]

and you're a beginner photographer to boot. *EYE ROLL*

[EOSThree]

Sorry, but I agree with everyone here.

I also agree with the owner: it is incredibly expensive to have goods shipped to Alaska. The places you mention are all landlocked, they have no option but to have goods either flown or shipped in. The standard shipping services(UPS, FedEx, Etc.)charge a high premium to ship anything to or from Alaska.

Retail space in these tourist ports along the inside passage is incredibly expensive, and the season is pretty short. All of this adds up to higher prices. I am used to just about anything of a niche product costing about retail up here(I purchase a lot online)and I am not surprised that the owner is charging more for his product. You are correct, he's gouging, but like the others have already said, that's up to you to do the research. He's completely counting on spur of the moment purchases.

You are right, I'll avoid him, but his practices are nothing new: Charge what the market will bear. If you are in Skagway and decide you need a new gadget, or lens, or binoculars, then he's the only way you're going to get them. He provides a service by getting those goods where you need them, and he'll charge what the market will bear.

As to the refund policy, I am guessing he sold you the product, "as is, no refunds", so I am guessing you knew the policy from the start.

[gotrocks]

Dear Consumer Advocate,
Since you did not fill out info about yourself, and this is your post #1; I can't help but wonder if you may be in business an your report is naming a competitor.

[Consumer Advocate]

Uhhhh... hello mr. "consumer advocate." do you think your local grocer pays 69 cents a pound for his bananas and sells them to you at no profit? I don't think so. If I were this Ken man, I wouldn't give your money back either. Obviously, as others have stated, you didn't do your homework.

And.... how can you complain when you get name of the establishment where you made your purchase WRONG??? :crazy:

[COLOR="Blue"]Some of the comments made by "idon'tknow" could only have been made by the owner. It’s using information that has not been published which was discussed in our original emails.

He is making the same comments on other sites. It only goes to show you how low this place is willing to go.[/COLOR]

[Photo-John]

[COLOR="Blue"]Some of the comments made by "idon'tknow" could only have been made by the owner. It’s using information that has not been published which was discussed in our original emails.

He is making the same comments on other sites. It only goes to show you how low this place is willing to go.[/COLOR]

I had my doubts. But - I checked the ip address for "idon'tknow" and the posts were made from Alaska. It doesn't prove that it's the store owner. But it is suspicious.

[Consumer Advocate]

It's sad to think that most of you disagree with me. While I admit I let my mind go on vacation. We should change our attitudes an expect fairness from our society. If we keep lowering our standards, it will become a sad world. And no I am not a competitor. Below is information about me. This Web site was designed to help and lookout for others. http://www.michaelellenbogen.com/

Look under tips for some of my work. The State of Alaska, Office of the Attorney General, disagrees with all of you, since they have now pursued this case. It’s not about the money. I do this to help other people like you from being ripped off!

And no, I was not told about the "No Refund Policy". I did see it later on the bottom of my credit card slip after I realized I had the issue.

[mwfanelli2]

The State of Alaska, Office of the Attorney General, disagrees with all of you, since they have now pursued this case. It’s not about the money. I do this to help other people like you from being ripped off!.

I would be sad and dismayed if your case as described, or others like it, were the source of the Alaska AG investigation. Please provide the AG case number so all of us may actually look at the complaint.

Thanks.

[Consumer Advocate]

Case number 10-07-3922

[mwfanelli2]

Case number 10-07-3922

I can't find this anywhere! Do you know if Alaska posts case number abstracts for the public? I know some states do...

[Consumer Advocate]

Why are you asking me? You act like you know everything, so I gave you the number you requested. I would assume you can file a "Right to Know" with the office, but I do not know for sure. Sorry if I sound aggravated, but I am just amazed how you act like a jury without even giving someone a chance. The whole purpose of my original email was to insure others did not get taken. This is my last email. I have better things to do, like helping others then to waste my time with this issue. My job is done.

[mwfanelli2]

Why are you asking me? You act like you know everything, so I gave you the number you requested. I would assume you can file a "Right to Know" with the office, but I do not know for sure. Sorry if I sound aggravated, but I am just amazed how you act like a jury without even giving someone a chance. The whole purpose of my original email was to insure others did not get taken. This is my last email. I have better things to do, like helping others then to waste my time with this issue. My job is done.

Wow. You are touchy.

Your website states that you are a consumer advocate. If you have no idea how your own state handles complaints, that says a lot about your expertise.

Complaints to the AG office do not require right to know requests, they are already public knowledge in all 50 states. Again, you should already know this.

My ONLY question was whether you knew if Alaska posts them somewhere on their website. Simple: you could have answered one of three ways: "Yes", "No", or "I don't know." You could have ignore the request altogether. It would have saved you a lot of time, effort, typing, and insults.

Just like too many people, you assume that "if you ain't with me you're agin me." Pardon me, but accepting a deeply involved person's word as absolute truth is NOT a sign of intelligence. Yet once again, as a "consumer advocate" you should have learned that.

You are right in a way. YOU are wasting MY time and that of your web audience. That's the problem: anyone can post a web site, write a book, and call themselves an expert with no real credentials to back it up. Sad.