Remember ... Looks can be deceiving, don't be tempted.
Written: Dec 12 '01 (Updated Feb 15 '02)
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The Bottom Line
At first glance, great prices and a nice website make this company look safe to deal with. After looking deeper, you may think otherwise.
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I can vividly remember how exited I was after I did a search on MySimon and found the digital camera I wanted for almost half of the retail price. The retail [Best Buy, Circuit City, etc.] price was around $1299, and I found it listed at Broadway Photo for $799 (these were the prices around 10/6/01 for a Minolta Dimage7).
Being somewhat of a skeptic, I immediately visited the Broadway Photo website to get all the details and investigate why the camera was so much less. Camera details and specifications on the website seemed to be identical to what you'd expect at any reputable retail source. BUT, nowhere on the website did it say what is NOT included with the camera (this will become relevant later in the review).
Upon reviewing Minolta's website, I learned of all the items and accessories that are typically (supposed to be) included with the camera (Lens hood, camera strap, batteries, software, owner's manual, etc.); so this is what I expected with the purchase from Broadway Photo.
I placed my order online, which was very easy. A few days later, after inquiring through email on the status of my order, they emailed me a phone number I was supposed to call to "confirm my order." Upon calling this number, I was connected to a customer "service" representative (who was actually a pushy salesman). He asked if I wanted to purchase any "accessories" for the camera such as software, batteries, or a case, etc. I stated I did not want to purchase any accessories and wanted to confirm that the camera already came with these items. This person told me all that comes with the camera is the camera body itself - nothing else. All the accessories were overpriced to make-up for the difference of the low-priced camera body.
Once I discovered how this company operated, I asked the person on the phone to cancel my order. He asked me why, then questioned my intelligence and told me I would not be able to find a better deal elsewhere, no matter where I looked. Finally he stated he'd cancel the order and hung the phone up on me.
I had never had such a negative experience with a business. I visited the Better Business Bureau's website (www.bbb.org) and looked this company up. It wasn't much of a surprise that 34 complaints had been filed in the past 36 months (as of 2/15/02). I regret being so gullible for such a good deal, but I definitely learned a lot through this experience.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
teamsporttrac
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Location: Kansas City, MO USA
Reviews written: 24
Trusted by: 3 members
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