Experience says yes, but intuition says no.
Written: Jan 07 '08 (Updated Jan 07 '08)
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Ace Digital is a source for digital, photo, computers and small electronics.
This is a bit of a low budget site. I hate the appearance of their website because they have chosen an gaudy purple and red theme. The font is very tiny and the descriptions become wordy and run together. If you search for a product they don't have a sad face shows.
The site is limited in comparison to other online electronic stores. Professional or customer reviews are a dime a dozen on other electronic sites. I was disappointed to see no further reading about things such as cameras or laptops. It also lacks the comparison button which can be useful when choosing things such as a camera. Filtering is not available on all products so you could be stuck looking through a hundred items.
I suspect they don't have real time inventory online as it is noted on the site to call customer service to verify an item is in stock if you're in a hurry to receive it. Some items do indicate that they are on backorder.
Pricing
I'd have to say that pricing is competitive since we've ordered from their site several times now. In the past I was able to get a better deal at Ace for a camera with bonus items like memory and a stand.
Sales tax is only charged for New York addresses.
Shipping
Items are shipping from New York via UPS ground so the further you live from New York, the longer it will take. The shipping department anticipates shipment within a day or two and in my experiences it always has been. They do not ship on the weekend.
Once an item description is opened there's a shipping bar under the search box to enter zip code for an estimated shipping price.
Some items may require an oversize charge. If so, you'll be notified and have the option to approve or cancel the order.
Special orders may take up to 30 days to ship.
If ordering from the website the billing address must match the shipping address. It is possible to ship to an alternate address by placing the order by phone.
Returns
In perspective, electronics are difficult to return anywhere. This site offers a 14 day money back guarantee on some items as long as it is in mint condition and a return authorization number is on the outside box. A 10% restocking fee may apply.
Orders that can not be returned are: printers, scanners, Home DVD, televisions, VCRs, Theater, Stereo and all Home Audio Equipment, personal digital assistants (PDAs), GPS Receivers, Car Audio Equipment, Shaving Equipment. Consumable, Perishable & Sensitized items such as non-returnable items include film, memory cards, any recordable media, batteries, videotapes, paper, ink, chemicals, lamps & bulbs.
Special order or items over $1,500 can not be returned.
If the order was sent with free shipping and the item is returned, the original shipping charge will be deducted from the refund.
Customer Service
Ordering from the website can be done at any time. The customer service line closes at 5PM Monday – Thursday or 2 PM on Friday. They are not open on the weekend. Though this is not ideal, it should be sufficient for most needs.
I've talked to customer service several times in order to return an item and several times after that to get the item credited back to my account. I spoke with the same person each time which is unusual. He was friendly and and was able to have a conversation without reading a script. My item fell in a gray area for return but luckily they did give me approval to return it. My request required talking to different departments so the customer service rep said he would call me back, and he did as promised.
I had a bit of difficulty getting credit back from the return. After waiting the recommended time for the item to be credited to my account I called to find out what the status was. Apparently they received the item but it was not processed. I had to call back twice for that. Eventually I received an email that refund was in the works and the money was credited to my credit card a few days. The 10% restocking fee was deducted from my refund.
About the company
It concerns me that there is no information on their website about their company. In my opinion these are important considerations when dealing with a company dealing in electronics. They are not a member of the Better Business Bureau however do have a satisfactory rating for the past year and do have satisfactory marks from other customers. I know that they've been around for years which is surprising that there's no information online about their company. They do not display the trusted Verisign, Hacker Safe, trustE, or BBBonline or any other logos. Usually an electronics site has some accreditation of some sort. Just an observation.
Overall
The return policy is very strict. It would be recommended to call about any questions or to verify the availability. With such a return policy and based on my own rocky return experience, I'd only recommended the site to individuals who are 100% certain that they've chosen the correct item.
This site specializes in cameras and digital equipment. There are other huge name-brand competitors that have 30 years of experience and pages of awards. With a cheesy looking site and no company information to back it up, it's really hard to recommend this site over the competitors. Still, I have ordered from them a couple of times and have been satisfied with the products and shipping. If the price was better, I'd order from them again.
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? camera, screen
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About the Author
Location: Nashville, TN
Reviews written: 723
Trusted by: 187 members
About Me: DNT TXT & DRV
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