1wayphoto.com

Hi,

I am posting about 1wayphoto.com because when I came here to look them up nothing existed. So, maybe this will help anyone who is considering buying from them.

I called 1wayphoto.com because there was little information about them and I didn’t want to get caught in the bestpricecameras.com scam. I asked them who owned the company and they would not tell me. That seemed very suspicious. I also looked up the whois on them and found that the url was registered in March 2007. They were definitely new.

They had the camera I wanted for a lower price than normal by about 40% for $1000. I called my credit card company to confirm that I was protected in case it was a scam. When I placed the order for my camera on line there was an issue so I called to see if the order went through properly. I was told that the package I wanted was back ordered for two weeks and only came with a five minute battery (originally 1 hour), and the memory card would not write fast enough. At which point he offered another package for $1500.00 that came with a five hour battery, and a faster card. The price was still ok compared to other places so I went with the deal. After checking around with other dealers like Ritz Camera, I found that there is only one battery for that camera.

When the camera arrived, I opened it and found the package that I bought as a bunch of separate units which immediately made me realize that there was no way the other package could have been on back order. So after all the time I spent pondering and checking into them, as well as the $105.00 spent for shipping, I realized I had been a victim of the upsell as well. I did save about $100 dollars a near as I can figure, but I think that money would have been well spent at B & H or Ritz. I feel that 1wayphoto.com did not come by this sale honestly.

I hope this helps someone else be prepared for the upsell in the future.

Thanks for your posting; I was looking at them for a possible purchase as well, but I'm going to stay away.

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/1_Way_Photo

Always check resellerratings.com before buying anything on line.
I learned about the site in these forums and glad I did.

This company is just starting to show up on review sites. One guy on ResellerRatings.com says they're related to Express Cameras, but that's not really proof.

Warthogtaz -- thanks for the warning, and check your private messages.

1 Way Photo is NOT a business you want to do business with. They bait you with a low price, in my case a canon lens, with the search engine showing it is in stock and when you order it, you need to speak to someone via phone call and then the pain begins.

I was told that the lens is out of stock, but they do have a Sigma lens that is "just as good" that is in stock. I said I didn't want the Sigma lens and he told me he couldn't take my order since they don't do back orders.

I pursued this the next day with a web order and no phone followup to see what would happen and the order was taken and I called Customer service a few days later and was told it would arrive in a week-10 days. I called two weeks later and the same sounding guy says the order was canceled due to their not taking backorders. I then asked when was the last time he had these in stock and he said April and that they would be arriving now in about a month. I then asked to cancel my order and take me off their "call-back" list.

A few tips,
1) If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
2) Don't order from a site that has you needing to confirm the order by phone, this is where they do their bait and switch, immediately cancel the order and terminate the call.
3) Get a one time use credit card number from your credit card provider so you won't be at risk from other sinister things that these people will subject you to. The one-time use numbers should be free, are easy to use and will protect you from very bad things.

Stay away from 1 Way Photo and any other retailers that fit the above profile.

I just created an account with photographyreview.com simply to reply to this thread becuase of how strongly I feel against 1wayphoto. Background: I ordered a Canon XTi and 28-105mm f3.5-4.5II USM Lens through them and had to cancel it two months later when nothing had been sent. They told me that it would be another two months and they'd be happy to cancel my order unless I wanted to order a kit. When I started asking questions about the company I was hung up on twice, and when I got a hold of them the third time I was berated and told that my email address would now be released to all known spam providers along with my personal information on file...!? I reported them to the New York Better Business Beurau asking for confirmation that my personal information is secure (I did actually receive a confirmation of response within two weeks). I would strongly discourage anyone from doing business with 1wayphoto.

seems anyone offering an (insert amount of time here) battery isn't very reputable. Real dealers know that batteries aren't sold in the amount of time the battery will last, as it varies greatly. And a 5 minute battery? yeah....

I feel sorry for everyone who is taken advantage of because they don't know about resellerratings.com. But seriously, if a price is SO much lower than anywhere else, you've gotta think something's fishy...

Thank you all,

I was just about to place an order with 1wayphoto.com when i decided to run one last check and i found this forum.
Another "too good" combo shop is Digicombos.com i was wondering if anyone has any warnings about them?

Thanks again,
Roei.

Hi, I orderd the new Canon Eos 40D from 1wayphoto.com on line, Yes, you guys are right they did send the email confirmation, but to be honest I actually liked that they did that. It really does kind of give you some peace of mind, that some companys are doing everything they can for security- but thats just my opion. Anyways so yes after they confirmed order they did try to sell me a memory card and some extra batterys- which i have no idea what all you people are complainig about- if you would walk in to a store they would do the same thing, Just like this little pesky kid tried to sell me a lens at Ritz camera, who i think had no idea what he was talking about. Anyways, back to the review, so my overall experience with 1wayphoto, was all positive, they just asked me if i wanted to buy a few things- like batterys etc i polietly said no, and we moved on and i got my camera today. i love it and i saved $300. I will recommand this to my friend and family.

looks like a shill.... sounds like a shill....

No one is complaining about the upsell... it is the method they use to get the upsell. It's called Bait and Switch and it is practiced by the best of the best slimeballs around. You don't offer me a 50% better price than everyone else but then when I order the only way I can get that price is to dance on the head of a pin naked while singing the star spangled banner backwards. Or in this case.. call to confirm an order that I expect has been placed and should be ready to ship.

Any reputable online camera dealer (B&H, Adoramma, Henrys.com [Canadian]) will simply accept the order and ONLY call you if there is a problem and then ask you if there's anything else you need / want. They will NOT lie to you about the equipment NOR will they try to sell you a grey market camera and tell you that it is better than the one from China because you get a better warranty that way.

1WayPhoto is also very dishonest. When I called to "verify" my order on Friday they said it would be shipped on Monday. After reading the postings here I called to cancel on Sunday and they said it had already shipped on Friday. They also told me that the Sony camcorder I ordered has no included facility to recharge the battery and unless I bought a charger I would be out of luck when it ran low. This is not true either. I agree to stay away.

BE WARNED--STAY AWAY! Seriously, do yourself a favor...

I ordered a canon30d, with 2 very nice L lenses from them. They used their high pressure tactics on me and tried to sell me an inferior lens which i refused. They also asked if I wanted the L lenses with the plastic mount or the metal mount. I asked what the difference was, and the salesman said if you get the plastic mount it'll break the first time you use it and the warranty won't cover it. So I was like -- OK, then I want the metal mount, at which point he told me the lenses would each be $200-300 more than the online price. He then told me I'd need a 5hour battery with a fast recharger because the battery that comes with the camera only lasts for 30 minutes. Stupidly I bought it. He also sold me a 3 piece filter kit. Finally he told me the total price, which was more than I had expected but I thought it was the extra cost for the lenses and I didn't add it all up and I went through with the deal.

I got my camera and lenses--but no extra battery or recharger. But get this: when I added things up I realized he added $600 to the total cost. For NOTHING. My total bill was $600 more than the separate items (not including tax & shipping).

Who do they think they are stealing people's money--ripping off their customers? I should have calculated it but he was a fast talker and I don't expect that companies rip off their companies--I didn't think companies could get away with doing that. So, they are closed today but I called my credit card company and I plan to dispute the extra charge but first I have to call them & deal with it and, after reading these reviews, I know that is going to be unpleasant. But it's going to be unpleasant for them, too. So...any advice? I also plan to call my state rep and the attorney general and canon and whoever else I can think of if they don't refund the difference.

STAY AWAY FROM THESE GUYS and any others that offer name brand equipment for 50% less than anyone else.
I tried to buy a Nikon D40 body and a Nikon 80-400 zoom. They had it priced at $279 and $949. When I didn't buy all the addons the guy tried to sell me, I recieved an email saying that these items were out of stock and that my order had been cancelled. I have since bought the items at street prices, ,but have them in hand. Scam artists really suck.

i AGREE...stay away. They told me things like, my camera does not come with a charger, i will have to buy one. Good thing I bought a battery (I intended it to be a spare), since it did not come with one. They were going to add an additional 120.00 for insurance. Extremely rude on the phone. Their address is listed as 5409 18th ave. Brooklyn, NY 11204. I doubt that is real, but if anyone is in the New York area, please report them as well. Bait and Switch has been illegal for decades.

Hello All,
I had read so many sincerely negative blogs about those New York Hassidic online camera retailers that advertise ridiculously low prices for top quality products and then follow up with the lowlife bait & switch thing that I was determined to stay away and avoid the well-documented abuse, grief and disappointment of their obviously well-refined yet unsavory tactics. But a couple of weeks ago I decided it was time to upgrade my first-generation Canon Rebel 6MP SLR camera body, and the plethora of $220 - $350 listings for the 10.1MP Rebel xti (which goes for around $850 - $999 from "reputable" places) were just too tempting for my deal-seeking personality to not give it a try.

So, prepared for the worst, I made a list of all the creepy-feeling places like 1 Way Photo, Broadway Photo, Camera Addict, Razz, Foto Connection, etc. that were advertising those suspicious but enticing prices. Then I plotted my strategy and started calling their toll-free numbers. I figured I'd circumvent the online order >email to call for confirmation > bait-and-switch upsell by just going straight to the source person-to-person.

After a significant amount of time on hold before every answer, I first said Hi I'm Don from California and asked each world-weary, somewhat cynical-sounding salesperson how he was doing. Just that simple courtesy seemed to be genuinely appreciated on the other end and usually elicited a noticeably more energetic and friendly tone from the sales guys with their thick New York accents. Then I typically said I was looking to buy a Canon xti that they had in stock and could ship tomorrow. I usually followed that up by stating that I imagined that their ad for the $220 or so camera had to be a brain-child of someone in their ad department, that there had to be something wrong with that deal, and that all I wanted was the standard shrink-wrapped U.S. consumer product box containing the body, battery, charger, cables and documentation along with the manufacturer's standard warranty, and that if they could give that to me for $220 or thereabouts great, but I want the genuine article and what could he do for me in the real world. I only received one hangup from that approach (from Razz), and subsequently received quotes that ranged from $520 to $596 (including shipping) for the real deal product in the sealed Canon consumer box. 1 Way gave me the $520 quote, repeatedly promised it wasn't Chinese, gray market or in any way a compromised product, and that it would ship the next day from stock which it did. So I got Canon's $900 product for $520, brand new, no problems from 1 Way. I figure that's a pretty damned good deal. Who knows, maybe I caught one good guy on a good day, but he confided to me that the cheapie prices were indeed teasers to bring in the suckers, and besides being on backorder that would never arrive in reality from anyone advertising the cheap prices, the actual camera in question has a Chinese menu (that, he admitted, could be changed to English in the setup menu but that all the button labels, etc. on the camera body were in Chinese as well), that the product wasn't anything near the U.S. model (although it has the actual 10.1 MP CMOS) and that I would indeed be disappointed with it even if it did arrive. And to top it off, he said a few of the cheapie companies are name-only spinoffs owned by one firm (Broadway, I believe) but that 1 Way is not affiliated with any other outfit, although almost all of the camera retailers on "Brooklyn Row" use the same website & email designer,and that even their automated phone systems (including voice and background music) are mostly set up by the same consultant which is why they all look and sound the same. Interesting.

So, all in all, I think these places can be of value by providing good value, provided you're prepared, up front & friendly, and knowledgeable about what you want. I have no doubt that any one of them would try to sell me a $30 battery for $150 or the like and give me the New York rude/hangup treatment if I walked into it, but if you do your homework and order over the phone using your head you can nonetheless get a great deal as I did.

So for one time on one order with 1 Way Photo at least, I had a positive experience and got a great deal.

Cheers,
DMc
:thumbsup:

Take a look at the address below and you will see how 1wayphoto is rated from resellersratings.com and decide for yourself, Jeff

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/1_Way_Photo

I registered just so I could post about my experience with them. Also look at the better business bureau. I have filed there as well as many others.. Please stay away

They had a great price on a Canon 40d. I called to ask if they were in stock. They were. I placed an order. I called back and asked again if they were in stock. They were. I asked for a tracking number, they said it would be available in 24-48 hours.

I called back in 24 hours and requested my tracking number. My order had been cancelled due to the item not being in stock. The guy called me stupid and hung up

I called back to figure out why this guy called me stupid. I talked to kevin (a supervisor) and he said the guy that called me stupid was named scott. Kevin said he would give my info to his supervisor, john, who would review the tapes

I called back later in the day to see if I could get a hold of john, as no one would transfer me to him. I talked with the night supervisor andy who called me fool and said I needed to 'get a girl'.. Not sure where he was going with that one.. But he proceded to get irate.

I called back the next day and was immediately transferred to john the manager after being on hold for about 10 minutes. He said he was manager of the entire corporation. He reports to himself, he doesnt even report to the owner of the company. He called me an Idiot, ****, moron, thickheaded, stubborn, and others.

I told him I thought they were doing fake advertising and the ole bait and switch, he denied both. He said they get new stock of the item i ordered daily, and that I should keep checking back. I asked him if they shipped a Canon 40d at the advertised price today. He said he didnt know. I asked if they shipped one in the past week. He didnt know. I asked if they shipped one in the past month. He didnt know.

He said I received an email cancelling my order. He did not have the time that email was sent and could not prove they sent it. He then hung up on me.

Just after our conversation, they sent the cancellation notice via an email.

Also - They all have different stories as to how long they have been in business. Any where from 6 years to 16 years. Very fishy, and not worth the time to do business with.

1wayphoto.com .......HA, ONE WAY it is that's for sure. These guys lie, as simple as that. Place an online order for a camera (their price posted is lower than anyone else so you might) for a camera that they don't even have in stock. Their price is lower than they are even able to sell for. So far your happy.... then you get an email that states that you must call them to "confirm your order for security purposes". You then get this hard sell from a guy that talks to you like you are an idiot that doesn't understand that you need to buy more accessories from them (at HIGH prices that is). You complete the order. Then you get an email that says that the camera is NOT in stock and ships in 3-4 weeks (they are waiting for their price to come down). You call them back and the same guy says that you must have talked to someone else and he states that he CAN ship the "Japan" version of the camera but it costs $600 more. LIARS. You don't need a bad experience when you are spending over 2 grand. STAY AWAY from these liars. A waste of your time and/or money.

Online research about these guys reveals the same method for most people. Liars. A shame, there used to be a higher caliper of retailers online. BEWARE!

Thanks for your posting; I was looking at them for a possible purchase as well

Hey DonzoDog,

Nice attempt at a shill! One post and it is a glowing review of a camera shop that other wise has a shoddy rep?

Also I only know of one primarily Hasidic run camera dealer (B&H) and they are the best there is. So please don't associate religion and business practices.

This is not an honest company to do business with. I ordered online and then received an email to verify the order. After verifying the credit card information, I was offered other items to purchase and then offered a completely different camera. I wanted to order the Nikon D300 and he offered me the D80 with a "better lens." He told me "they are basically the same camera...not much difference".

About 20 minutes after the call, I got an email stating the items are not in stOck and it will be 3 - 4 weeks. I called them and canceled the order and then called the credit card company to cancel the card and make sure nothing had been charged to the card.

DON'T DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY. THEY ARE NOT HONEST.

Yeah, I was kind of skeptical when I saw them advertising a Nikon D80 for $449. That just sounded way to cheap... so I checked the BBB (Better Business Bureau) site and boy oh boy do these guys have a crappy record with them. Stay away from 1WayPhoto.com!!! Check it out:

http://search.newyork.bbb.org/report...age=1&id=96503

"...Nature of Business
Complaints filed with the BBB indicate that 1WayPhoto employs bait and switch tactics in order to sell extra merchandise or higher priced merchandise to customers. Consumers report that after they place an order on-line they confirm their order over the phone and that while confirming the firm offers lenses, chargers, and warranties to “upgrade” their orders. When consumers decline to purchase the extra products, they are told the item they wanted is on backorder even though the website maintains that the item is in stock. Consumers who do complete their purchases allege that they are grossly over-charged for their orders. They are sent an incomplete invoice without an itemized list of charges making it impossible to know what exactly they are being charged for.

Customer Experience
Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau because it failed to substantiate or modify advertising claims.

The company's size, volume of business, and number of transactions may have a bearing on the number of complaints received by the BBB. The number of complaints filed against a company may not be as important as the type of complaints, and how the company handled them. The BBB generally does not pass judgment on the validity of complaints filed..."

i've never ordered from 1wayphoto.com but a really important thing to pay attention to with most of these deals on their products is the FEATURES review of these items.

if you click on any item and check the features section, you'll notice at the very bottom they list, very specifically, if it's a JAPANESE or CHINESE model and then usually the material content.

in my case i was looking for a deal on the canon 40D. the original canon model has a body made of magnesium. the japanese version 1wayphoto.com sells has a Polycarbonate body. the main difference here is obvious.

beyond that, polycarbonate plastic will soften at 150*C - if you leave this puppy in your car for too long on a hot summer day, expect to find it completely misshapen and probably not working properly.

READ THE PRODUCT FEATURES SECTION BEFORE MAKING ANY PURCHASE ON THIS SITE OR PAY THE PRICE!!

OK, so I'm not sure if Donzodog is a shill or not (as pointed out above)...
But this site has the D90 body for $699.00, about 300 cheaper than anywhere else...

Too good to be true right? It's too tempting to not give it a shot... what's the worst that can happen? I cancel my order?

I want to try what he had mentioned and make sure it's the US factory sealed box with all the included accessories.
Someone else had mentioned to check the Features section and scroll down to the bottom where it notes that it is the Chinese or Japanese model. I have seen that on other cameras on this site, but it didn't mention that for the D90... which leads me to believe this is in fact the American D90 body...

What do you guys think about it? About Donzodog?
I made an account on this forum to ask this question...

I also have Skype and will probably call them with it so that I can record the initial phone conversation... I'm not going to place the order online.


Thanks,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KillerB

OK, so I'm not sure if Donzodog is a shill or not (as pointed out above)...
But this site has the D90 body for $699.00, about 300 cheaper than anywhere else...

Too good to be true right? It's too tempting to not give it a shot... what's the worst that can happen? I cancel my order?

I want to try what he had mentioned and make sure it's the US factory sealed box with all the included accessories.
Someone else had mentioned to check the Features section and scroll down to the bottom where it notes that it is the Chinese or Japanese model. I have seen that on other cameras on this site, but it didn't mention that for the D90... which leads me to believe this is in fact the American D90 body...

What do you guys think about it? About Donzodog?
I made an account on this forum to ask this question...

I also have Skype and will probably call them with it so that I can record the initial phone conversation... I'm not going to place the order online.


Thanks,

---

My advice is to Avoid using Donzodog! I would take some time and read a hundred or so of the posts in the "Camera Dealer Feedback Forum" with the same question about buying from a place that sounds too good to be true and the horror stories that follow. :cryin: :cryin: If someone offered you a $100.00 bill for $69.99 wouldn't a little light go off in your head warning you to ask WHY? If someone is making a living selling something MUCH CHEAPER than everyone else, you have to ask yourself how is this possible? Save yourself a lot of headaches and aggravation :mad2: and stick with dealers with proven records.

I will tell you that we do have room on the site to add your story of regret to the long list we already have. Good luck, :thumbsup: Jeff

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU......I can't say THANK YOU enough for this site and the folks posting on here about 1 Way Photo...I am much to old not to remember that if it sounds to good to be true, it probably isn't....I almost made the fatel mistake of ordering the D90 Nikon thru these scam artist and because of ALL you good folks that gave me honest insight I am going else where to purchase....I personally think we should all use their 800 number 10 times a day, each and everyone of us and call them the names they did to some of us out here....Nothing more it will clog up their lines so others not as fortunate as me might give up getting thru to them and go else where as well....Thank you all again....Goshawk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Goshawk

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU......I can't say THANK YOU enough for this site and the folks posting on here about 1 Way Photo...I am much to old not to remember that if it sounds to good to be true, it probably isn't....I almost made the fatel mistake of ordering the D90 Nikon thru these scam artist and because of ALL you good folks that gave me honest insight I am going else where to purchase....I personally think we should all use their 800 number 10 times a day, each and everyone of us and call them the names they did to some of us out here....Nothing more it will clog up their lines so others not as fortunate as me might give up getting thru to them and go else where as well....Thank you all again....Goshawk

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Welcome to our site! We have a lot of great members here that contribute, share information and help each other with information and experiences about different sites that are very helpful when making a buying decision. You will also find the many other forums we have on this site fun to read and learn about photography. It is a great place to come to just to hang out and share photos and knowledge with each other. Welcome aboard, Jeff

I have read a lot of bad reviews about 1wayphoto.com. I bought a Nikon 60 and a couple of lens from that site. Now, I know I am just a beginner photographer, but I am a seasoned comparative shopper. I got a LOT more for my money at 1wayphoto and a great camera. In fact, I am sorry I can't find them to purchase more goodies.
I had a great experience with them. I am guessing that those with bad experiences are more likely to post.

1wayphoto has less than a 1 rating on a scale of 1 to 10. This is just about the lowest rating you can have. My suggestion is to stay clear of them, Jeff