Dissatisfied Express Cameras.com Former Customer

ComplaintsOnline Storesexpresscameras.com

Complaint

0
Edie
Country: United States
My experience with www.expresscameras.com started with my order of a Nikon D200 professional camera kit that included 2GB of memory card, card reader, two batteries, three piece filter, battery charger, and two Nikon lenses, training video, camera strap, carrying case, 2 year extended warranty for $1877.96. This was charged to my American Express card. Keep in mind the Nikon D200 w/ Professional Package started at $979.

This order was placed on July 3rd. The next day, a sales representative called and started his pitch. He played his role as being extremely concern with my satisfaction and started providing some suggestions that I change my order specifications. For instance, he asked that I change the 28-105mm lens to 28-80mm lens saying it is better.

Then, instead of the multicharger, he asked that I change the order to a single charger. After this order, he then advise that the total cost of my total order is now $2497.14. This was quite an increase. His explanation is that he had to add processing fee, retail mark-up, and other related "charges". He added the "bs" explanation that he is providing me with magensium body in lieu of the standard "plastic made in China" camera body. [This magnesium body vs. plastic body was a similar line given by Fotoconnection.com] I fell for the pitch and I am currently regretting it.

In my mind, if I order something based on the initial order, I should be given what I order. This whole experience is making me believe that internet "discount" camera stores such as Express Cameras.com take advantage of amateur shopper. I have learned this lesson dearly, and will never place an order like this again. I will make the seller earn my business by going to my neighborhood shop. At least this way, if I'm not satisfied, I can always resolve the dispute in person.

Comments

  • 0
    Jim
    I also purchased from these guys with the promise that all of their merchandise was USA warranteed.  I tried to register my S5 Fuji with Fuji and was told it was a grey market camera.  I've tried calling to get the RMA but they won't answer the phone.  I purchsed a total of $3535 from them including a Sigma 80-400 OS lens (which was way overpriced).  I've sent them e-mails with a tough word document letter attached (no response) and left my phone on speaker phone for them to pick up (never did).  I'm going to conctact the better business bureau in Edison tomorrow, then I will write the attorney generals office in Trenton, NJ (Anne Milan) to see if they can do anything.  At the end of the day, I think I will own a very good camera that cannot be serviced in the US.  I'm not hurting for cash, but after 30 years of work, I'm still surprised at what makes human beings do the things they do.  I wonder how they sleep?
  • 0
    ALAN SAXE
    THESE GUYS AT EXPRESS CAMERA ARE THIEVES!  THEIR PRICES ARE UNBELIEVABLE BUT YOU WILL NEVER GET WHAT YOU ORDERED!   DON'T EVER, EVER, EVER BUY FROM THEM!
  • 0
    Chico Bob
    I can only confirm that this outfit is a complete scam.  I was charged $2,210.24 for a flash that was supposed coat $389.00.  After spending 45 minutes on hold for a manager I was finally disconnected.  If you have hours to waste on hold and don't want your complete order filled this is the place to do business.  I truly hope they get shut down and jailed -- QUICKLY!!!!
  • 0
    BEH
    Oh the bait and switch nailed me.  I agree with all the above and I am sure those to follow.  Do not order from these crooks, they are a SCAM and good at Bait and Switch, along with high restocking fees and handling fees and oh by the way, the warrantee can not be returned because of..... so I had to eat that amount.  I feel fortunate that this mistake on my part only cost me 250.00 and not the total amount of $2000.00

    DO NOT USE EXPRESSCAMERAS
  • 0
    Nick
    I want to thank you very much because I was about to deal with these "crooks".  I thought the price of the Panasonic HVX200 was too good to be true, so i decided to search for people complaints. Thank God that I did!
  • 0
    SHG
    I almost hit the 'buy' button and then thought I should Google Expresscamera to see what others' experiences had been.  Wow!  Thanks for saving me time, aggravation, and, probably, lots of money.  Canon Rebel XTi should cost over $500.  Expresscamera price was $249.  I'm not stupid and I don't let the sales people talk me 'up.'  As usual, back to B & H.  Their prices are higher for some things, lower for others, and I can trust them.  I have spent thousands of dollars with them and have not had problems...maybe snappy sales people but I can deal with that as long as I get what I want.
  • 0
    pooh
    I fell in their trap last year when I purchase a canon 30d and sigma lens 70-300.  First they use the hard sales pitch and I got a $5000.00 order.  I return this after week arguring with them and they did send just the camera that was to come with two lenses, but they said I would not be satisfied and that so I said I would get the simga lens that was advertised for $399.00, but they said it was plastic and I could upgrade to a glass for $700.00.  The worst part is the sigma lens is having trouble so I called the 5 year warranty line and they told me to go to sigma because I had 3 days left before their warranty takes over.  I called sigma and when I said I got it from express cameras they asked for the serial number, and thats when they said it was not theres and that it was a lens from the black market.  I worked 4 months saving what I made to buy this for her for Christmas last year.  I learn when you buy camera supplies buy from B&H or from Dell and Best Buy, or major companies only maybe up front you have to pay 10 100 dollars more, it is worth it in the end. Express Cameras I don't remember exactly how many, but are listed on the internet under 4 or 5 companies.
  • 0
    alex
    a friend saved my [***] from getting scamed from express cameras after reading all these complaints im sure my hopes were gone i knew getting a nikon D80 body for 330$ was far too good to be true its sad that in this day and age there are places like express cameras.com out there trying to screw people over and it really upsets me to all those who have been victimised know that you pain has gone on to do some good and fourms like these save others from being scamed by places like express cameras what we need to do is create a website to alert others about express cameras.com and pay google to rand that site above any google searchs so that people will see the complaints about express cameras before they see express cameras web site that will save a lot of hardships
  • 0
    markth7
    I had a similar experience with expresscameras.cok

    I tried to by a nikon 12-24mm f4 camera lens for $579 which would be a very good price.  The url is:
    http://www.expresscameras.com/prodetails.asp?prodid=127918&display=1
    1. I placed the order
    2. They sent an email with an 800 number to call about an issue with the sale.
    3. I called and was advised that they do not accept AMEX (there WEB site clearly says it does)
    4. They asked for a different credit card (which I gave them)
    5. They then tried to switch me to a SIGMA 10-20MM lens for $879 (this lens can easily be purchase for under $500 almost anywhere)
    6. I told them I wanted the nikon 12-24mm f4 lens as advertised.
    7. I was them told that the nikon 12-24mm f4 lens was not digital ready and the advertised lens has a plastic mount and I would have to throw in $200 for a metal mount.
    8. Both above statements are lies.  The nikon 12-24 f4 lens is a DX lens meaning - digital only.  Also, the nikon lens only has a metal mount (there are no plastic mount lenses of this model)
    9. I ended up bying the Tokina 12-24 f4 from another site for $479.
    10. Cancelled the credit cards I used for the cameraexpress.com purchase.
  • 0
    NJskater3chipfilmerguy
    Ok so I was going to order a sony dcr-vx-2100 for Chrismast time for i could do so filming for my skate video that I was going to make. I order the camera gave them the credit card number and then proceded to call. The guy was talking to my mom and she doesn't know to much about cameras and trying to confuse her. I got on the phone and he told me I need to buy a battery (400) and a charger (200) for it. I then asked him if they could hold the order. He said no, I told him to cancel the order, He said ok and hung up the  phone before I confirmed the transaction was finished. Me and my mom have been checking the bank account statue and no money has been taking out and it seems to be fine. I wouldn't buy from this website it seems sketchy and cheating

    Also websites ran by the same people are thecameraproffesions.com and thiers a few more stay away
  • 0
    gary
    thanks for the posting. i was about to spend a lot of money there. back to b&h or penn.
  • 0
    Mark
    DO NOT BUY FROM THEM BADDDDD PEOPLE .
    NJ State sucks for keeping them in business
  • 0
    marwa
    a complete scam, just like the state of NJ where crookes can make money
  • 0
    John
    Asked for a model # on a Canon lense but the guy wouldn't give me one.said they don't give out the model #'s . wonder why? then I found the hundreds of complaints,  wheeew! close one
  • 0
    Ken
    Ordered canon XT for xmas gift.  It was listed as in stock on the web site.  Then I got the same email scam and when I called they tried to sell extra warranty etc.  I said that it was to be a gift and to just send the camera.  2 days later I got another emailtelling me that it was out of stock and they were cancelling the order as they were not getting any more.  I have been to the site several times over the past 6 weeks an the item has always been listed available and in stock now.  Just as it was hen I tried to order it.

    These guys are a scam .. looked them up on BBB and they have many complaints about the bait and switch etc.
  • 0
    Jac
    I decided to order a speed-light for my camera (a flash). I did some research, talked to some friends who are pro photographers and decided I wanted the Nikon SB800. I found it online at expresscameras.com for $280 - this was a good deal; but there were other sights selling it for around $300 - so it wasn't a CRAZY deal. The price comparison site that I found it on (shopcartUSA.com) on google gave the site a good rating and it had good reviews. I ordered the flash - that was a Monday night (about a week and a half before Thanksgiving). When the confirmation page came up it said I would be getting a confirmation e-mail. 24 hours later that hadn't come, so I e-mailed them. They didn't respond, so the next evening I e-mailed again. Then I realized they had left a voice mail asking me to call to confirm. I called the next morning (Thursday morning) and dialed the extension from the guy the night before, got his voice mail. I hung up and called back in and just chose to go to customer service. The rep I got said that I had to speak to this one guy, he was a supervisor, he would be in in 15 minutes. I called back, he answered, asked me to hold please and I sat on hold for 20 minutes before hanging up. I called back in to customer service and said I was not going to wait on hold, I needed to either confirm the order or cancel it. This time they transferred me to him and he picked right up, no apology though. He said he just needed the code off of the back of my credit card, so I gave him that and was about to hang up. Then this conversation took place:
    Him: What camera do you have?
    Me: The Nikon D70s
    Him: Hmm. Did someone recommend this flash to you?
    Me: Yes. (assuming he was going to tell me the SB600 was all I really needed, I am used to sales people who are actually looking for what is best for their customers...)
    Him: Oh. Well you know, Sigma has just come out with a new flash that is MUCH better than this Nikon. It has a better guide number (I don't remember what he said specifically), the refresh time is a second shorter. It is the best flash on the market now in the price range.
    Me: (typing info into google, looking) - I don't see that one on line.
    Him: Yeah, it has JUST come out. No one really carries it yet. I can give it to you for just $90 more than this flash.
    Me: Does it have a port so that I could tether external flashes to it like you can with the 800? I really need that.
    Him: Yep, it has that. You can do it wirelessly too if your other flashes have that capability.

    Like an idiot I ended up doing it. When the flash came I was a little uneasy about it. I asked a few friends and they hadn't heard anything about a brand new Sigma flash and they couldn't imagine it being better than the Nikon and worth $90 more. Then I went to one friend's studio and discovered that it does NOT have the ability to tether, only work wirelessly. So he out and out lied to me.

    I went home and did more research. Then I mentioned the store on the photo board and they gave me links to complaints about this company. I decided I wanted to return the flash (I had had it about 3 weeks at that point). When I called they hung up on me 2 times. When someone finally didn't hang up on me I was told that I was outside the SEVEN DAY return window. I also really researched the flash and found that the guide number is WORSE than the Nikon I had originally ordered. I called Sigma and spoke to them, they told me that they had not come out with a flash since the summer, that one is readily available (and the one I got) and retails for $260 - I paid $370. I called again and spoke to customer service, explained that they had LIED to me. I said I wanted to return the flash. That since I was gullible enough to fall for their scam I would settle for them refunding me $120 - $250 seemed about the price that most online stores were charging for this flash that I got. They refused. I put the charge in dispute with my credit card company.

    But, since there is NO paper trail, I have pretty much no case. I can not prove that they told me it was a better flash. I can't prove any thing. I have the e-mails I sent them saying I hadn't gotten the confirmation. And another e-mail I sent at the beginning of January (suggested by my credit card company) giving details of the conversation and asking one last time that they give me a return authorization. They responded to that e-mail, "please call our customer service number."   Still unwilling to put anything in writing. I did call, they said, "you are outside of the return window. We can't help you."

    UPDATE:  I WON the dispute with my credit card company!  I got the RMA from expresscameras last week and have sent the flash back.  I sucked it up and paid for the shipping - small price to pay IMO!  I went ahead and ordered my Nikon flash from Beachcameras.com and got it with NO problems!  I am now considering closing that credit card account just in case the crooks at Express cameras kept my info...

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