Do not purchase anything from these guys. Similiar to this individual, I placed an order, and received an e-mail that said for security purposes I needed to call them back to verify some information. That seemed a bit unusual, but I called them back. I realized later that the whole point of this is so they can sell you overpriced accessories and worthless warranties. I was thinking about getting an extended warranty on the item (Nikon D80) before I purchased it, so it didn't take much to sale me on this. I thought it was a manufacturers warranty. It was from a company called safco, whom I can't find anything about online. I am VERY skeptical now that they would honor their commitment if I have a problem with the camera, and I wish I hadn't bought the warranty. Of course they don't allow it to be returned.
Anyways, the rep also showed me that he could get me a much better price on the lens I wanted (sigma 35-200 VR lens), so I decided to order the lens through them as well, even though I had already submitted an order for a lens somewhere else. Also, he said he would throw in some additional items for free: a screen protector, a camera bag, and a tripod. I thought, well, that's great, I can use that stuff. He told me the price of each item, and the items he was sending for free. In all my order was $1200. Not a bad price for a Nikon D80 plus an excellent lens.
The day before my order is supposed to arrive, I call back the sales rep. He lets me know that the lens is on back order, and I tell him to cancel it because my other lens order cannot be cancelled at this point. He tells me I'm going to be charged $950. Now, with my original order at $1200, and the price of the lens being $300, I should be charged $900, right? When I explained that he said they made a mistake and he would credit $50 back to me.
My camera came on time, the very day I was supposed to get it. I was thrilled. However, several items were missing from the order. A set of lens filters and a free tripod. In addition, I was still overcharged by $50 from what I was told originally.
Here's where it gets interesting. I call the company back the next week, to get my remaining items and the money back that I was overcharged. I am told that the person who sold me my order was fired for doing screwy stuff and that I would not recieve my $50. They said that the items I had ordered and not received would be sent tomorrow. I just called back, one week and two days later from the date I was told the items would be shipped, to find out what is going on with those items. (I've not received any e-mail telling me the items have been shipped). The rep told me the items were shipped yesterday (10/24). When I pressed for what items were shipped, she couldn't even tell me! She says the order status just says "accessories shipped". I was told almost the same thing when I called last week (items will be shipped tomorrow). Do I have much hope in seeing these items ever? No. I said I was going to have to write a bad review about this order experience. She became angry and hung up on me.
Here are a few tips I've learned from this experience:
1) Do not make order changes over the phone, especially from a site you don't absolutely trust.
2) Do not use sites like pricescan.com to find prices, if they do not have ratings from customers who have actually purchased items from these sites. (pricescan says this makes their ratings fair and objective. I think it just makes them invalid). pricegrabber.com on the other hand does show actual customer reviews. They require actual order numbers in order to post these reviews too.
3) While in theory your credit card company will help you get your money back if you are ripped off, it's not as easy as you might think, and it may take a while.
** I apologize, I couldn't find a better Forum category for this thread, but I wanted to stare my horror story **
So I checked out TomTom Go at Circuit City and liked it. I figured, do what I always do - check out the product in the store and order it cheaper online.. So I went to Froogle, BizRate etc.. Find the cheap price at this website www.REDTAGSAVINGS.com - $440 shipped for TomTom Go 510.. Minus $100 TomTom rebate = $340.. That's a steal!
I place and order and everything's ok - just like any other online small stores I've bought a lot of stuff from. Next morning I get a phone call, "there's a problem with your credit card".. Apparently, I chose MasterCard instead of Visa on a purchase form.. Which is odd, first time I've had this problem, but ok - could be a human error. "As long as I'm on the phone," the guy on the other line tries to sell me extended warranty which "can only be purchased at this time." I say no and we part as friends...
I expected the item to come next week, nothing and it still says "Processing" on the website almost a week later. So I call them up and they say you'll get a tracking number via email. I don't get anything, so I call them next day. They say, "Ohh It's been shipped 12/28, you should get it tomorrow". That way Thursday, today it Sunday..
It has now been two weeks since I've placed an order (12/26) and haven't received it yet.
So... I get suspicious, and I google the www.REDTAGSAVINGS.com and want to read through reviews.. and $HITE a lot of people have had the same problems as me: credit card problem and they call customers trying to upsell the warranty or sell accessories. This story like many other Brooklyn-based stores and basically scam artists who advertise low prices and do a lot of shady stuff like sell Refurb. products as new etc.. REDTAGSAVINGS.com is registered under three other domain names because customers complain. I've read and after looking was convinced that they make up false Reveiews @ Epinions.com to have the store look good.
There's a whole article and website here - http://donwiss.com/pictures/BrooklynStores/
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/11/nyregion/11cameras.html?pagewanted=all&ei=5090&en=a33afcdb8319e765&ex=1294635600&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss
HOLY **** - shopping online is unsafe again. I work in an IT industry so I am very PC-literate, but this is the first time I have ever had any problems with online orders.
I am freaked out and tomorrow, Monday I am calling my credit card company (thank god I ordered with a credit card) and disputing the charge.
These people should go to jail and I plan on filing the complaint with BBB.
Regards,
Alex
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