Recommended sites and sites to avoid

Dec 08/Jan 09: I can confirm (re-confirm) FotoConnection (fotoconnection.com) Brooklyn, NY is still way down in the bad list. Ordered a Casio S10 (good price), but item arrived in no retail box and wrong color. Returned (my cost), received a replacement after 2 calls and 2 weeks --- still the wrong color.

Several calls later ... if I return for a refund .... they will deduct 20% plus I pay shipping .... again !!!!

Forget email --- they don't answer.

I threatened small-claims. Their response: You'll fly to NY and sue us? They've got us over a barrel .. and know it!!

The absolute worst company I've ever encountered.. Trust me,,, stay far far away!!

I was going to ask if someone could add "sigma4less" a.k.a. "sigmaforless" to the list. I am not sure if it should be on the bad list or good. resellerratings.com has them around a 7-8 out of 10. Problem is that they are listed out of Brooklin, NY . Prices seem to be too good to be true. Could someone research or add their comments on their purchases from them?

B&H and NewEgg are two of the best. Fast shipping, you get what you ordered, and they never have to 'confirm' your shipping information. Tiger is good too. I returned some RAM to them because it was designed for a different slot, and they took it back. I've gotten a couple of items from BuyDig.com too. They seemed pretty good as well. Avoid Broadway Photo like the plague. They are horrible!

I'm on the hunt for a reputable dealer of the Panasonic FZ28K. I'm considering making the jump from film SLR to digital with this model -- I can't afford a new dSLR kit right now and I need to do some video as well.

My concern is over the camera's audio quality. I haven't received a response yet from Panasonic to my query regarding early vs. later batches and sound improvements, but I've read that the audio on early units was terrible.

Therefore, I'm looking for a vendor who will:
1) give me info that will help me ascertain whether I'm ordering a later, improved unit (such as serial number), or
2) if obtaining this info on the actual unit to be shipped is unlikely, I'd like to know which dealers have excellent return policies regarding customer satisfaction -- I don't need an RMA nightmare replete with return shipping costs (albeit expected) and high restocking fees just to land an "improved" unit.

As for pricing, I see this camera @ $299 shipped from Adorama, Amazon and B&H, and One Call @ $297.88 shipped. Are there other legit dealers selling for these prices or lower that I may have missed? What are your experiences in returning merchandise to any of these vendors?

Thanks.

Just had a bad experience with CloseOutGenius.com. Didn't find out until AFTER I had ordered from them that they are scammers. This past Sunday I ordered a Canon SX10 IS for my daughter's 40th birthday. I googled CloseOutGenius on Monday morning and besides finding their web site (which is what I was looking for), I also found lots of negative stuff about them. True to form as per the internet postings, I got a call from them on Monday afternoon trying to hard sell me on memory card, batteries, charger, and extended warranty. Knowing that I would never get the camera at their $299 kit price, I told them to cancel the order. Received an email note from them shortly after confirming the cancellation. At least I knew ahead of time and was prepared to fend off the hard sell.

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Originally Posted by smarches@warwick.net

Just had a bad experience with CloseOutGenius.com. Didn't find out until AFTER I had ordered from them that they are scammers. This past Sunday I ordered a Canon SX10 IS for my daughter's 40th birthday. I googled CloseOutGenius on Monday morning and besides finding their web site (which is what I was looking for), I also found lots of negative stuff about them. True to form as per the internet postings, I got a call from them on Monday afternoon trying to hard sell me on memory card, batteries, charger, and extended warranty. Knowing that I would never get the camera at their $299 kit price, I told them to cancel the order. Received an email note from them shortly after confirming the cancellation. At least I knew ahead of time and was prepared to fend off the hard sell.

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And I thought it was impossible to get a lower rating than Broadway Photo but these folks has proven me wrong. Thanks you for taking the time to share your experience. They HAVE BEEN ADDED to the list of sites to AVOID. Thanks again, Jeff

There's an enlightening thread about cameragiantsinc.com at https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?bl...6232566&page=1

One post listed a few more baddies that aren't in your list:

"WARNING !!!! Buyer Beware this is the same company:
www.86photovideo.com
www.ontimedigital.com
shopdigitaldirect.com
soniccameras.com
myrtleelectronics.com
digitalsfuture.com
lensesnmore.com
www.closeoutgenius.com ( GENIUS )
slrgenius.com
camcordergenius.com
projectorgenius.com
plasmagenius.com
allpcgenius.com
cellulargenius.com
receivergenius.com
navigenius.com
cameragiantsinc.com"

Another I didn't see in your list is stopandshopdigital.com

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Originally Posted by Lazy Lens

There's an enlightening thread about cameragiantsinc.com at https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?bl...6232566&page=1

One post listed a few more baddies that aren't in your list:

"WARNING !!!! Buyer Beware this is the same company:
www.86photovideo.com
www.ontimedigital.com
shopdigitaldirect.com
soniccameras.com
myrtleelectronics.com
digitalsfuture.com
lensesnmore.com
www.closeoutgenius.com ( GENIUS )
slrgenius.com
camcordergenius.com
projectorgenius.com
plasmagenius.com
allpcgenius.com
cellulargenius.com
receivergenius.com
navigenius.com
cameragiantsinc.com"

Another I didn't see in your list is stopandshopdigital.com

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I did check out each one of these myself and they are all now on the list of sites to avoid. There will always be sites missing on the AVOID list due to so many of them adding new names for the same people and also adding totally new sites all together each day. This is just my opinion but I wish that members and visitors would concentrate more on finding a reputable dealer with good service than saving a few bucks. I know everyone wants to get the best deal they can and I do to but when people think a little before buying an alarm or red flag should go up when someone offers a price much lower than the average going price. Remember that both lists will never be complete due to changing circumstances but I have personally researched each name on these list before adding or removing them. By choosing someone off the recommended list that members have had good dealings with does not guarantee the same positive results for you also but it does improve your odds of a good transaction, Jeff

Thanks great list

How to find out what sites are scammers?

I think sites from pricerunner price comparison site is legitimate, isnt

It isn't whether those sites are legit or not. Places like price runner only post advertised prices for participating stores. They don't check the legitimacy of stores as far as I know.
If you find a price that you like, your next step is to check here and at http://www.resellerratings.com/ which has the only honest ratings I know of online.
I did a quick search at price runner for a nikon and saw very good dealers, some ok dealers, and some bad ones such as us1photo which has very bad reviews.

Jeff,

I would like to recommend a great photo store in NY that I found a few weeks ago. Cameraland. I think they are a small (maybe mom-pop) business, but their customer service is AWESOME!

Their prices are fair - and they will go the extra mile. They ship the day you order - or the day after if it is late. I think as small as they might be, they are competition for the big guns. Here is their website.

http://www.cameralandny.com/

Jeff - I just want to tell you what a great job you do on this forum. It has grown by leaps and bounds thanks to all of your attention, work, effort - and kindnesses.

Liz

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Originally Posted by Liz

Jeff,

I would like to recommend a great photo store in NY that I found a few weeks ago. Cameraland. I think they are a small (maybe mom-pop) business, but their customer service is AWESOME!

Their prices are fair - and they will go the extra mile. They ship the day you order - or the day after if it is late. I think as small as they might be, they are competition for the big guns. Here is their website.

http://www.cameralandny.com/

Jeff - I just want to tell you what a great job you do on this forum. It has grown by leaps and bounds thanks to all of your attention, work, effort - and kindnesses.

Liz

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Liz, I checked out Cameralandny and found good ratings but only a few from the last six months. I value you opinion highly but I try and only put names on the recommended list that have a long track record of good reviews that I can document before adding them to the list.

I recently bought my Nikon D90 and 70-300VR lens from Calagaz Photo in Mobile AL. They gave me a better price than I could get at any of the recommended on line sites and shipped it to me and I had it the next day due to not being that far from them. The gentleman I talked to was very helpful and knowledgeable and I was very happy with the service. I have made mention of the great service that I personally received but did not add them to the recommended list, not because I don't think they deserve it, but because II cannot find enough reviews to back up my claim over a period of time.

I will keep Camerlandny in mind and check in the future along with Calagaz to see if they might be added later. Thank you for the suggestion and I also appreciate the kind words, Jeff

I wished I'd saw this site sooner. The warning to stay away from any seller in Brooklyn New York is a valid statement. I just got burned by a company called NWV Direct.com. (New World Video.com). They pulled the old "Bait and Switch scam on me. Offered a name brand product at a lower price to suck me in. So I got hooked. Then got a phone call offering me a "more expensive upgrade" a the same price because I was "being inconvenienced" and they as well as everyone else were out of this item. So I took the offer. What I got was a piece of cheap junk. The reviews confirmed it. But I'm retired so I got lots of time to screw with these guys. I got a complaint in with NY BBB also a few blog post telling my story. When I'm done every body in the world will know about the scams at NWV Direct.com. Randy:mad2:

Jeff,

For collectable and some used equipment add www,pacificrimcamera.com.

I have purchased several items for Canon FD at reasonable prices, their equipment has always arrived in a timely maner and has always been better than discribed.

I checked them out and can't find enough information, pro or con about them to add them to either list at this time but I do appreciate the suggestion, Jeff

Does anyone know anything about supremecamera??

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Originally Posted by t_hyatt

Does anyone know anything about supremecamera??

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You may want to read the information at this link. It will give you a lot of useful info. I checked and supremecamera has a very low rating, Jeff

You will find this at the bottom of every post I write!
Before buying equipment off the Internet check here
http://forums.photographyreview.com/...ad.php?t=37380

The info about supremecamera can be found here....
http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Supreme_Camera

I always get a 'be careful' gut instinct when I see any name that has things like Super or Best or even photo or camera in their name.
You'll notice that many of the recommended sites have nothing about photo or camera in their common names.....B&H, Adorama, Cameta, etc.

Is there any positive or negative feedback on this site allnewshop ?

They're an ebay seller that I don't recognize but it appears they started in UK.
They have good ebay reviews but the first thing I would ask them is if they are an authorized dealer for whatever brand you are shopping.
I noticed one item that said USA warranty. USA warranty is not the same as manufacturer warranty.

I just ordered a camera from Canoga Camera and I must say the Customer Service was EXCELLENT!!!! They went over and above to accomadate me and process my order. It has only been a couple of days and my package will be here next week and if it is as good as the customer service I would highly recommend this company. They had the best price for the package I bought out of all the other companys you have listed in your forum of companys to purchase from.
I will let you know if the package is as good as their customer service!!!:)

My mom is looking at buying a camera on ebay and I was just wondering if I could trust the "sellers rating" at all? Im a little leery after reading about all the scammers. here is a link to their "store" http://stores.ebay.com/bigeasycameras
They sell a lot of "bundles"-are those as great of a deal as the first appear?

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Originally Posted by amorton1437

My mom is looking at buying a camera on ebay and I was just wondering if I could trust the "sellers rating" at all? Im a little leery after reading about all the scammers. here is a link to their "store" http://stores.ebay.com/bigeasycameras
They sell a lot of "bundles"-are those as great of a deal as the first appear?

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They only thing I found was the buyer ratings on E-Bay and they look pretty good. I have never heard of them before and Resellers ratings doesn't have anything on them. I also did a search and came up blank. as far as bundles I would check them out real good before getting a bundle from anyone, Jeff

Nothing on their site says they are an "authorized" dealer. They are probably selling grey market and the manufacturers will not honor a warranty.
The one I looked at said there was a 'limited 1 year warranty' and did not have anywhere to see what that warranty is.
There are authorized dealers on ebay. Cameta is one and there are others.
Most of the kits or bundles sold by ebay dealers have a decent camera and lens and a bunch of junk. Shaky tripods, bags too small, cheap filters, etc.
Better off getting just a camera and lens and buying other stuff separately.

Thanks for the advice! My mom was impatient and just had me order it for her (she is not very computer savvy) and a week after payment I called to check on tracking and they kept saying "you should have a tracking number in 7-10 business days... Not that I would have the camera, but a tracking number? Just seems really... odd.

And they get positive feedback?
Should have a tracking number in one day.....two at most.

Another update about the camera from Big easy cameras on ebay. Finally recieved the package after 2 weeks. My mom had me get it to check it out first and then give it to her. The "extras" that were sent were pretty cheap over all. the extra lenses and stuff they sent were actually pretty decent quality and after a little google search to check retail price of them, I did find that had we bought everything separately, it would have been well over $1000 for the camera and the 2 lenses that came with it, and for $779 she got the camera, kit lens, 2 extra lenses, tripod, camera bag (that is actually big enough), a UV filter and the other "crap" she wont use lol.
Sorry its so long, but overall I feel its a decent deal, the shipping was a bit longer than I felt we should have had to wait for it, but its relatively good stuff-good enough for her uses, and after calling Canon in regards to the warranty they said it is still covered under their manufacturer warranty-I am really happy about that.

Good to hear and glad you got a decent deal.

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Originally Posted by amorton1437

Another update about the camera from Big easy cameras on ebay. Finally recieved the package after 2 weeks. My mom had me get it to check it out first and then give it to her. The "extras" that were sent were pretty cheap over all. the extra lenses and stuff they sent were actually pretty decent quality and after a little google search to check retail price of them, I did find that had we bought everything separately, it would have been well over $1000 for the camera and the 2 lenses that came with it, and for $779 she got the camera, kit lens, 2 extra lenses, tripod, camera bag (that is actually big enough), a UV filter and the other "crap" she wont use lol.
Sorry its so long, but overall I feel its a decent deal, the shipping was a bit longer than I felt we should have had to wait for it, but its relatively good stuff-good enough for her uses, and after calling Canon in regards to the warranty they said it is still covered under their manufacturer warranty-I am really happy about that.

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Glad to hear you are happy with your purchase and everything seemed to work out OK, Jeff

Hi Jeff,
I don't have any feedback to offer right now but just wanted to say thanks for all your hard work maintaining this list.
I use it often when doing my research for a purchase.

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Originally Posted by Singletracklovr

Hi Jeff,
I don't have any feedback to offer right now but just wanted to say thanks for all your hard work maintaining this list.
I use it often when doing my research for a purchase.

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Bob, as Eeyore, one of my favorite cartoon characters from Winnie the Pooh says "Thanks for Noticing Me", Jeff

You got a lot of time for surfing .And i never check this so frequently .

wow, who knew. i read all feedback. i love amazon though and rely on the feedback. my favorite place to shop is b&h though.

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Originally Posted by NaturalWoman

wow, who knew. i read all feedback. i love amazon though and rely on the feedback. my favorite place to shop is b&h though.

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I personally have never hear of them but this is what I found when I did a search on Google. Click on the link below, Jeff

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP...k&myworld=true

Thanks Jeff for the great list!

According to BBB, there are 3 more you may consider to add to avoid list:

PhotoDynasty.com
Razz Photo
BEST PRICE CAMERAS

They are same company of CityWideDigital.com. Check out the link below:

http://search.newyork.bbb.org/reports.aspx?id=12668

Thanks for your information. Consider to avoid list is too larger than the recommended. http://www.sharepic101.com/img/d/N.gif

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Originally Posted by foolmelon

Thanks Jeff for the great list!

According to BBB, there are 3 more you may consider to add to avoid list:

PhotoDynasty.com
Razz Photo
BEST PRICE CAMERAS

They are same company of CityWideDigital.com. Check out the link below:

http://search.newyork.bbb.org/reports.aspx?id=12668

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Thanks, I checked them out and up dated my list. I already had Best Price Camera on the list and I added the other two, Thanks again Jeff

Hi!
I was reading your comments about the ebay store Big Easy cameras. I just bought a Nikon d5000 from them. I havent received it yet but I am a little worried about the extras. What can you tell me about it?