I have never ordered from them, but they are a reputable company. The reason I have never ordered from them, is because I have always found them to be more expensive than B&H.
From what I remember reading in the past, the Ritz online store, and the Ritz retails stores are NOT the same company. They share the same name, but they are run and owned as independent companies. Either way, I would not have a problem ordering from them, or shopping in their stores, other than I find the prices too high.
"I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters' paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view."
Aldo Leopold
I ordered over the last 2 years ritzcamera online and it was always perfect.
I even ordered something online and returned it in the store. No problem at all. They might be a little on the high price but very trustful.
I just ordered at broadwayphoto.com before i read the forum about them. I could punch myself that i did ordered at them to save money, instead of buying at Ritzcamera.
Be very careful when buying from this retailer, especially if you intend to take advantage of any advertised promotions, such as "Bill Me Later."
I purchased an expensive digital camera from Ritz because I was lured by their free-shipping/no-tax pricing AND their 6-month no-interest/deferred-payment promotion via Bill Me Later (BML). It wasn't until I received my first statement from BML that I realized the transaction had been put through as a regular credit purchase -- in other words, the full amount due and accruing interest from day one.
I first brought the error to the attention of BML, who immediately checked the Ritz Web site, confirmed the promotion, and promised to fix it. A month later, by the time I received my second statement with no apparent corrective action, BML had changed their tune. They claimed Ritz was denying the promotional offer. Ritz took the money, so there was nothing BML could do but keep the transaction on my account as a regular credit purchase.
Predictably, Ritz claimed BML was responsible for the mess-up. I didn't buy it. Ritz got paid by BML, so it was certainly in their power to work with BML to straighten out the matter. Dealing with Ritz customer support was, however, an exercise in frustration and futility. Most of the time, I found myself dealing with "offshore" (by their own admission) agents with American-sounding names but clearly non-native accents. The one agent I finally managed to contact at their Irvine, CA, office was more helpful but ultimately too low in the food chain to do me any good. I was left holding the bag.
While I seek remedy through legal channels, I thought it best that I warn potential buyers about this shady retailer. I suppose it's possible BML is the culprit here or even that BML and Ritz are jointly running a scam. My advice for now is to not do business with either entity.
7 July 2008 Update: This matter has been resolved with the assistance of the Better Business Bureau. I am happy to report Ritz has decided to do the right thing.
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