I
It's Americans OR Democrats
Guest
What you will find is that all of the places mentioned in the article
are owned by orthodox Jews in Brooklyn. A review of "store hours" for
the ones who own stores shows mysterious closings around 2pm on Friday
and no openings on Saturday. This is for obvious religious reasons.
Check out the Wiss site for a visual look at these dens of vultures
whose own religious texts practically order them to rip off non-Jews.
http://donwiss.com/pictures/BrooklynStores/
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/09/camera_hazards.html
Online Camera Stores: Take a Close Look
Rigged reviews, bait-and-switch tactics common
By David Wood
ConsumerAffairs.Com
September 14, 2007
More about cameras
Shopping for a camera today is not like the old days when your choice
was the camera store downtown or the discount store at the mall. The
Internet has created an untamed herd of camera dealers, some
legitimate, many not. Shutterbug beware!
Bait-and-switch swindles can occur in any industry, but many online
camera dealers seem to have made bait-and-switch their routine
business model.
While it's true that prices of film cameras are dropping and digital
cameras and camcorders just keep getting cheaper, you must still be
aware of the very real dangers of shopping online.
Five-star reviews and phony ratings
Smart consumers research a company before making a purchase, and one
way to do that is to read reviews and ratings submitted by other
consumers. This is something that was almost unheard of prior to the
Internet but, like everything else, it has its downside.
The problem is that there are many websites that have very
questionable reviews and ratings, and it can be hard to know whether
you're reading actual consumer comments or phony reviews submitted by
the merchant himself.
Hate to say it, but it's best to look for sites that have a lot of
negative reviews. People like to complain, so a legitimate site is
likely to have a lot more complaints than compliments.
ResellerRatings.com is an established site that includes numerous
reviews of camera stores and allows the store to post a public
response to any user. And of course, you should always check
ConsumerAffairs.com's camera section.
Although reading reviews can be a big part of your research, be
cautious if you see a company with low ratings on numerous websites
and high ratings on only a few sites.
For instance, BestPriceCameras.com has very low reviews at
ResellerRatings.com, along with over 580 complaints filed with the New
York Better Business Bureau.
And yet, the price-shopping website ShopCartUSA has over 4,000
"ratings" that give BestPriceCameras.com an excellent five-star
review. ShopCartUSA did not respond to our requests for comment.
Indeed, many consumers who put their faith in ratings sites now wish
they hadn't.
Lin, of Arlington, Texas, made the mistake of relying on a rating
website when she bought a camera from USAPhotoNation.com, which turned
out to be a Chinese import. "Next time I will definitely be sure to
research the company itself rather than relying on a merchant rating
system," Lin said.
Shopping by price
You're asking for trouble if you shop based on price alone. Using a
shopping or price comparison website can add to your research, but
understand that many camera dealers will use a comparison site for the
sole purpose of setting you up for the bait-and-switch.
One common scenario involves using a price-comparison website where
you'll see seven stores selling the product in one price range, then
three stores that have the product listed drastically cheaper.
Once you submit the order for the cheaper product, you'll likely
receive an e-mail asking you to call and confirm the order. You'll
then be informed this "new" camera doesn't include items such as a
battery, charger, cables, etc., so you will need to purchase them at
an exorbitant price.
If you don't agree to the up-sell, chances are good you'll see your
order canceled.
"BestPriceCameras.com advertised a camera at $519. When I called to
place the order, Mike told me that I had to buy the accessories or the
camera wouldn't work. He then told me that I had to buy the $999.00
package or he will not sell me the camera," wrote Betsy, of
Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Matt, of Cloquet, Minnesota, complained about the treatment he
received from ExpressCameras.com.
"I ordered the Sony dcr-vx2100 for $999. and when I was sent an e-mail
to confirm my order, I called and was bombarded by this guy who wanted
to sell me as much accessories as possible telling me that the camera
could not work without an external battery charger," said Matt.
ExpressCameras.com has a history of problems with consumers, and in
late 2006, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office filed suit against
Express Cameras (a/k/a Save Here Distribution) for allegedly violating
the state's Consumer Fraud Act and Advertising Regulations.
Gray-market goods
While most of us are aware of the illegal nature of black-market
merchandise, the camera industry is notorious for "gray-market"
products.
Gray-market means the retailer acquired the product from a source
other than the official licensed USA importer or distributor. As
opposed to black-market goods, there is nothing illegal about gray-
market products, as long as you know its gray-market.
The problem arises when the store doesn't adequately disclose, in
advance, that the product is gray-market. Buying a gray-market camera
means the menu display could be in Chinese or the owner's manual could
be in Japanese, if it includes a manual at all.
Furthermore, the battery charger could require a different voltage and
to top it off, any warranty could give you real headaches.
USA warranty
It's easy to find an online camera store that proudly proclaims that
all products come with a "USA Warranty." While this sounds impressive,
it's an empty statement that can cause you a ton of trouble.
Let's say you buy a camera from an online store located in New Jersey.
You feel safe because the camera came with a 1-year USA warranty. A
month later, you contact the manufacturer because the camera has a
problem. The manufacturer tells you the camera is not covered by their
warranty.
How can this be? It's quite simple. The seller address is in the USA,
so the warranty can be nothing more than a document created by the USA
seller, or a "warranty" from a U.S. third-party company. This is why
they can legally say the product comes with a "USA Warranty," even
though it is not a true factory warranty.
Before purchasing any camera, you must ask if the camera has a
"Manufacturers USA Warranty." If it doesn't say "Manufacturer", the
warranty can have completely different terms and conditions -- and,
very likely, very poor coverage.
Credit card orders
Many complaints arise from a merchant saying they won't hit your
credit card until shipment, and instead you find the charge on your
statement while the seller says your camera is on "back order."
Iin theory, this should not happen because most credit card companies
have policies that do not allow a merchant to submit the charge until
your order is shipped.
"The merchant can process an authorization request upon receiving an
order, but they cannot send the actual transaction for clearing until
the merchant has shipped the product," said Chris Monteiro,
spokesperson for MasterCard Worldwide.
In addition, Rob Tourt, Vice-President of Discover Network Services,
said, "The merchant cannot send the sales data to Discover until the
merchant ships the product."
Further, a Visa spokesperson told ConsumerAffairs.com, "Under Visa's
rules for mail/phone order and e-commerce transactions, the shipping
date is considered to be the transaction date. Cardholders should be
charged on the date of the transaction."
If you believe you were charged before shipment, report it to your
credit card company immediately. They need to know if their merchant
is violating company policy.
Check them out and ask questions
Common sense dictates that if a website is selling a product, there
should be a physical address listed on the site. For whatever reason,
many camera websites are run from a warehouse or P.O. Box in Brooklyn,
New York. The skeptical might speculate that there is a common thread
tying many of these stores together.
One such skeptic is Don Wiss of New York, who has chronicled the
comings and goings of a seemingly endless series of cut-rate camera
stores in Brooklyn. He has assembled an online gallery of some of his
most prized specimens.
Here today, vanished tomorrow characterizes many of these hole-in-the-
brownstone establishments.
Thus, Rule No. 1 might be to patronize established, well-known
merchants with sterling reputations.
How do you know who has a good reputation? Asking professional
photographers for their recommendation would be a good start. Those
who make their living with cameras and electronic gear usually are
very knowledgeable about suppliers and eager to share that knowledge.
In the photography field, many professionals and serious hobbyists
recommend B&H Photo Video Pro Audio. It stocks a wide range of
products and has salespeople who can answer questions knowledgeably.
Another venerable New York store with a huge stock is 47th Street
Photo. Nowhere in ConsumerAffairs.com's huge database of consumer
complaints are there any beefs about either of these merchants, at
least as of this writing.
In addition, the key to getting a good buy is to ask questions and to
listen closely to the answers. Legitimate merchants don't mind asking
questions. In fact, the good ones invite questions.
"There is nothing more scary to me than a customer who thinks they
already know all the answers, so they don't ask. We want our customers
to ask every question they can think of," said B&H's Henry Posner.
are owned by orthodox Jews in Brooklyn. A review of "store hours" for
the ones who own stores shows mysterious closings around 2pm on Friday
and no openings on Saturday. This is for obvious religious reasons.
Check out the Wiss site for a visual look at these dens of vultures
whose own religious texts practically order them to rip off non-Jews.
http://donwiss.com/pictures/BrooklynStores/
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/09/camera_hazards.html
Online Camera Stores: Take a Close Look
Rigged reviews, bait-and-switch tactics common
By David Wood
ConsumerAffairs.Com
September 14, 2007
More about cameras
Shopping for a camera today is not like the old days when your choice
was the camera store downtown or the discount store at the mall. The
Internet has created an untamed herd of camera dealers, some
legitimate, many not. Shutterbug beware!
Bait-and-switch swindles can occur in any industry, but many online
camera dealers seem to have made bait-and-switch their routine
business model.
While it's true that prices of film cameras are dropping and digital
cameras and camcorders just keep getting cheaper, you must still be
aware of the very real dangers of shopping online.
Five-star reviews and phony ratings
Smart consumers research a company before making a purchase, and one
way to do that is to read reviews and ratings submitted by other
consumers. This is something that was almost unheard of prior to the
Internet but, like everything else, it has its downside.
The problem is that there are many websites that have very
questionable reviews and ratings, and it can be hard to know whether
you're reading actual consumer comments or phony reviews submitted by
the merchant himself.
Hate to say it, but it's best to look for sites that have a lot of
negative reviews. People like to complain, so a legitimate site is
likely to have a lot more complaints than compliments.
ResellerRatings.com is an established site that includes numerous
reviews of camera stores and allows the store to post a public
response to any user. And of course, you should always check
ConsumerAffairs.com's camera section.
Although reading reviews can be a big part of your research, be
cautious if you see a company with low ratings on numerous websites
and high ratings on only a few sites.
For instance, BestPriceCameras.com has very low reviews at
ResellerRatings.com, along with over 580 complaints filed with the New
York Better Business Bureau.
And yet, the price-shopping website ShopCartUSA has over 4,000
"ratings" that give BestPriceCameras.com an excellent five-star
review. ShopCartUSA did not respond to our requests for comment.
Indeed, many consumers who put their faith in ratings sites now wish
they hadn't.
Lin, of Arlington, Texas, made the mistake of relying on a rating
website when she bought a camera from USAPhotoNation.com, which turned
out to be a Chinese import. "Next time I will definitely be sure to
research the company itself rather than relying on a merchant rating
system," Lin said.
Shopping by price
You're asking for trouble if you shop based on price alone. Using a
shopping or price comparison website can add to your research, but
understand that many camera dealers will use a comparison site for the
sole purpose of setting you up for the bait-and-switch.
One common scenario involves using a price-comparison website where
you'll see seven stores selling the product in one price range, then
three stores that have the product listed drastically cheaper.
Once you submit the order for the cheaper product, you'll likely
receive an e-mail asking you to call and confirm the order. You'll
then be informed this "new" camera doesn't include items such as a
battery, charger, cables, etc., so you will need to purchase them at
an exorbitant price.
If you don't agree to the up-sell, chances are good you'll see your
order canceled.
"BestPriceCameras.com advertised a camera at $519. When I called to
place the order, Mike told me that I had to buy the accessories or the
camera wouldn't work. He then told me that I had to buy the $999.00
package or he will not sell me the camera," wrote Betsy, of
Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Matt, of Cloquet, Minnesota, complained about the treatment he
received from ExpressCameras.com.
"I ordered the Sony dcr-vx2100 for $999. and when I was sent an e-mail
to confirm my order, I called and was bombarded by this guy who wanted
to sell me as much accessories as possible telling me that the camera
could not work without an external battery charger," said Matt.
ExpressCameras.com has a history of problems with consumers, and in
late 2006, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office filed suit against
Express Cameras (a/k/a Save Here Distribution) for allegedly violating
the state's Consumer Fraud Act and Advertising Regulations.
Gray-market goods
While most of us are aware of the illegal nature of black-market
merchandise, the camera industry is notorious for "gray-market"
products.
Gray-market means the retailer acquired the product from a source
other than the official licensed USA importer or distributor. As
opposed to black-market goods, there is nothing illegal about gray-
market products, as long as you know its gray-market.
The problem arises when the store doesn't adequately disclose, in
advance, that the product is gray-market. Buying a gray-market camera
means the menu display could be in Chinese or the owner's manual could
be in Japanese, if it includes a manual at all.
Furthermore, the battery charger could require a different voltage and
to top it off, any warranty could give you real headaches.
USA warranty
It's easy to find an online camera store that proudly proclaims that
all products come with a "USA Warranty." While this sounds impressive,
it's an empty statement that can cause you a ton of trouble.
Let's say you buy a camera from an online store located in New Jersey.
You feel safe because the camera came with a 1-year USA warranty. A
month later, you contact the manufacturer because the camera has a
problem. The manufacturer tells you the camera is not covered by their
warranty.
How can this be? It's quite simple. The seller address is in the USA,
so the warranty can be nothing more than a document created by the USA
seller, or a "warranty" from a U.S. third-party company. This is why
they can legally say the product comes with a "USA Warranty," even
though it is not a true factory warranty.
Before purchasing any camera, you must ask if the camera has a
"Manufacturers USA Warranty." If it doesn't say "Manufacturer", the
warranty can have completely different terms and conditions -- and,
very likely, very poor coverage.
Credit card orders
Many complaints arise from a merchant saying they won't hit your
credit card until shipment, and instead you find the charge on your
statement while the seller says your camera is on "back order."
Iin theory, this should not happen because most credit card companies
have policies that do not allow a merchant to submit the charge until
your order is shipped.
"The merchant can process an authorization request upon receiving an
order, but they cannot send the actual transaction for clearing until
the merchant has shipped the product," said Chris Monteiro,
spokesperson for MasterCard Worldwide.
In addition, Rob Tourt, Vice-President of Discover Network Services,
said, "The merchant cannot send the sales data to Discover until the
merchant ships the product."
Further, a Visa spokesperson told ConsumerAffairs.com, "Under Visa's
rules for mail/phone order and e-commerce transactions, the shipping
date is considered to be the transaction date. Cardholders should be
charged on the date of the transaction."
If you believe you were charged before shipment, report it to your
credit card company immediately. They need to know if their merchant
is violating company policy.
Check them out and ask questions
Common sense dictates that if a website is selling a product, there
should be a physical address listed on the site. For whatever reason,
many camera websites are run from a warehouse or P.O. Box in Brooklyn,
New York. The skeptical might speculate that there is a common thread
tying many of these stores together.
One such skeptic is Don Wiss of New York, who has chronicled the
comings and goings of a seemingly endless series of cut-rate camera
stores in Brooklyn. He has assembled an online gallery of some of his
most prized specimens.
Here today, vanished tomorrow characterizes many of these hole-in-the-
brownstone establishments.
Thus, Rule No. 1 might be to patronize established, well-known
merchants with sterling reputations.
How do you know who has a good reputation? Asking professional
photographers for their recommendation would be a good start. Those
who make their living with cameras and electronic gear usually are
very knowledgeable about suppliers and eager to share that knowledge.
In the photography field, many professionals and serious hobbyists
recommend B&H Photo Video Pro Audio. It stocks a wide range of
products and has salespeople who can answer questions knowledgeably.
Another venerable New York store with a huge stock is 47th Street
Photo. Nowhere in ConsumerAffairs.com's huge database of consumer
complaints are there any beefs about either of these merchants, at
least as of this writing.
In addition, the key to getting a good buy is to ask questions and to
listen closely to the answers. Legitimate merchants don't mind asking
questions. In fact, the good ones invite questions.
"There is nothing more scary to me than a customer who thinks they
already know all the answers, so they don't ask. We want our customers
to ask every question they can think of," said B&H's Henry Posner.