[Recovered Thread: 58917]

[toymaker]

Visit the link below for an

Index for Album BrooklynStores: Brooklyn Store Fronts. © 2000-05 Don Wiss

Somewhat scary, though B&H must have started somewhere.

This started as a project to post pictures of dealers mentioned in articles posted to the rec.photo.digital newsgroup. I have since tried to make it inclusive of all the digital camera dealers in Brooklyn.

http://www.panix.com/~donwiss/pictures/BrooklynStores/

[solo118]

some of these are actually reputable places to buy cameras why would you post this and try to ruin their businesses?

[rinniethehun]

I'm absolutely devastated! I thought Abe's of Maine was in... like... Maine...

Nice report, toymaker!

the Hun

[JimC]

I'd advise being very careful of where you shop. I always recommend checking out customer reviews for any vendor you consider using http://www.resellerratings.com

I personally avoid any dealers I'm not familar with that have a small number of customer reviews, too (since some dealers have been known to "pad" their own ratings with glowing reviews in the past).

You can't be too careful, especially if ordering from a dealer inBrooklyn, since most of the well known scam artist typeinternet vendorsfor digicams in the U.S. tend to be located there (for some reason, they seem to be able to get away with these "business tactics" in thisarea).

If a price looks too good to be true (as do prices from some of the Brooklyn based scam artists), it probably is. You can bet there is a catch somewhere (grey market cameras,items missing from boxes, high shipping charges, unauthorized charges for insurance, etc.). The most common tactic is asking you to call to "confirm" your order. Then the sales pitch begins to upsell you on overpriced accessories (memory cards, batteries, extended warranties, etc.).

If you don't buy them,then your camera may mysteriously go to backorder status (or worse, you get partial shipments, stuff you didn't order, high unauthorized charges, etc.).

I'veseen a lot of complaints aboutBrooklyn basedvendors using these tactics.

It's a very competitive marketplace. Caveat Emptor if you see prices much lower than competitors. Check outprospective vendors thoroughly.

[solo118]

yes this may be true, but living in brooklyn you make it seem like everyone is a scam artist how will the reputable guys be able to run a business?

also im sure there are also other companies that do this out of ny

[JimC]

solo118 wrote:

yes this may be true, but living in brooklyn you make it seem like everyone is a scam artist how will the reputable guys be able to run a business?

also im sure there are also other companies that do this out of ny

I don't have anything against Brooklyn. But, that is where most of the scam artists type internetvendors seem to operate from. I don't know why they can get away with these tactics in Brooklyn, but apparently they can.

So, yes, I guess this could impact the abilityof a reputable business to do well from this area (since a popular term for Brooklyn is Crooklyn inDigital Camera Forums). Unfortunately,some dealers have given this area a bad reputation.

You can findcustomer reviews of Brooklyn Based dealers indicating thatthe business tactics (to put it politely) usedwere reported to the Attorney General, etc. But, yet, I still see these vendors in business (and many have been around under various names for a long time). If I lived in Brooklyn, I'd blame the politicians for allowing it to continue. If the current laws are not stiff enough to put a stop to it, then pass some new ones (or enforce the existing ones).

[guy48065]

Thank you JimC for the link. I just had an eye-opening experience trying to order a Maxxum 7d from Stargate (aka Starlite, aka Wawadigital). It's incredible to me that obvious scam artists like these can survive. Now that I have some reputable sources, I can finally order my camera.

JimC wrote:

I'd advise being very careful of where you shop. I always recommend checking out customer reviews for any vendor you consider using http://www.resellerratings.com

[photosbyvito]

Don't judge the book by it's cover??

i'm with jim..reseller ratings..

i don't think it's worth saving 20 bucks to risk it..

just order from www.bhphotovideo.com

Vito