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Thread: Anyone else tired of camera scams?

  1. #31
    Junior Member
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    Dec 2008
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    5

    Re: Anyone else tired of camera scams?



    found the site, basically the same people as before except even cheaper


    www.digidirect.com.au

  2. #32
    Junior Member
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    Re: Anyone else tired of camera scams?

    <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"]<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"]<span style="font-size: small;"]<span style="font-family: Calibri;"]I would never recommend Adorama: I emailed Adorama Camera regarding a like-new (purchased early this month) camera with lenses and accessories that I wanted to sell to Adorama&rsquo;s used camera department, possibly in connection with the purchase of a new camera.<o></o>
    <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"]<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"]<o><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"]</o>
    <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"]<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"]<span style="font-size: small;"]<span style="font-family: Calibri;"]In response, I got an email that a UPS label had been prepared for me.<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"]<span style="font-size: small;"]<span style="font-family: Calibri;"]I emailed Adorama saying that if the UPS label was so I could send my camera in, I would (obviously) need some sort of quote and terms first.<o></o>
    <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"]<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"]<o><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"]</o>
    <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"]<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"]<span style="font-size: small;"]<span style="font-family: Calibri;"]I then got a phone call from Adorama, a man who can only be described as high-pressure and sleazy-sounding. He first gave me one price, then mumbled something about 70%.I finally nailed him down; he was actually proposing a *possible* price far below what he first said. When I said I'd need some sort of quote, instructions, etc., he said that he &ldquo;never put anything in writing.&rdquo; I asked if he was proposing that I just put my stuff in the mail to Adorama with no quote or bid, no contract, no confirmation number, no nothing. He said if I wanted something in writing I could send him an email and that would be the writing. He said if I didn&rsquo;t want to do that, I could always spend two years trying to sell it locally; I could just forget he ever called, etc. During our conversation he kept putting me on hold (without saying he was going to), presumably to take other calls. We would talk for a minute, then I&rsquo;d be on hold for 2 or 3 minutes. I assume he was trying to pull the same thing on a couple of other people at the same time.<o></o>
    <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"]<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"]<o><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"]</o>
    <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"]<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"]<span style="font-size: small;"]<span style="font-family: Calibri;"]I don&rsquo;t know what was worse&mdash;his approach or the fact that he seems to take reasonable people for idiots. This is the second bad experience with Adorama (the other was with a laptop computer). High pressure, evasive, very sleazy approach. I won't deal with them again. BTW I've had great luck with Samy's Camera, both online and in stores in the L.A. area.

  3. #33
    Senior Member
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    Dec 2008
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    228

    Re: Anyone else tired of camera scams?



    These people feed off greed. We all want a good buy, but, for as long as I can remember, there have been dealers that advertise false prices and use bait and switch tactics.


    The scammers used to appear in photo magazine ads, they have merely moved online, but its the same old scam. Fortunately, there are many more good and honest dealers than the few scammers mentioned.


    The bad dealers are easy to spot, but greed blinds us.

  4. #34
    Senior Member
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    Vancouver, Washington, USA
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    Re: Anyone else tired of camera scams?



    Photodude, thank you for signing up for this forum and using your very first message to warn us about Adorama. I will never buy or sell anything there again, thanks toyour balanced, trustworthy, and highly informative post.By the way, for some reason your post reminds of me of a recent message from an anonymous poster to a forum for photography retailers:





    Quote Originally Posted by anonymous


    I would never recommend Angelinos: I got an e-mail from one customer in the L.A. area regarding his "like-new"camera with lenses and accessories that he wanted to sell to our used camera department, possibly in connection with the purchase of a new camera.


    In my response, I included a UPS label for him. He came back demanding a written quote and terms before he would even send it in. Of course, my psychic powers only extend half wayacrossthe nation, which is not quite far enough to evaluate the condition of his equipment to give him a price. So instead, I picked up the phone and gave him a polite call.


    The phone call was answered by the Angelino, a man who can only be described as demanding, querulous, and arrogant-sounding. He kept insisting on a fixed price, and got very angry every time I told him that I needed to see the gear first. I thought it might help if I mentioned a few of the possible prices he could get, depending on the condition of the equipment, but somehow that made him even more angry. During the conversation I had to put him on hold several times when he was yelling too loudly.He threatened to log onto various forums and post a long rant trashing Adorama if I didn't do exactly what he wanted, but I didn't worry about that because I knew that it would only get parodied.


    I don't know what was worse--his approach or the fact that he seems to take reasonable employees for psychics. This is the second bad experience with Angelinos (the other was an L.A.-area person with a laptop computer). Demanding, pompous, very whiney approach. I won't deal with them again. BTW I've had great luck with all the other Cali folks, just not the L.A. area.


  5. #35
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    Flagstaff, AZ
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    Re: Anyone else tired of camera scams?



    I am well entertained, thanks, Daniel.

  6. #36
    Member HelenOster's Avatar
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    Dec 2008
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    New York, NY
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    Re: Anyone else tired of camera scams?



    <span style="font-family: Verdana; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;"]I was concerned to read your posting and at this point can only offer a sincere apology; from the description of your experience I am not surprised that you are cross and frustrated. In your position I believe I would be, too.<o></o>


    <span style="font-family: Verdana; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;"]If you can email me the date and time of your call, plus the number you called from, I will be able to listen to the tape recording of the call, and we can take whatever internal action as may be required in relation to the individual concerned.<o></o>


    <span style="font-family: Verdana; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;"]In terms of the process of selling to Adorama; we cannot give quotes without seeing an item, only estimates. Any estimate will be that of the current re-sale value, (within a range to allow for individual perception of cosmetic condition and the fluidity of the market-place); we then take approximately 30% (it could be less) as a commission fee - to cover our overheads such as warehousing, advertising, equipment cleaning &amp; repair, staff time etc. This percentage may be less if a customer is making a purchase at the same time, or an item is in pristine condition, and / or in short supply / high demand.<o></o>


    <span style="font-family: Verdana; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt;"]We send a pre-paid label so that customers can send their items in for appraisal, fully insured, at no cost to themselves. If the price that is offered is not acceptable, we will also ship the item back to the customer fully insured.<o></o>
    <p class="MsoNormal"]<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"]Once again my apologies, and I do look forward to hearing from you with the additional information relating to your call.<o></o>


    <span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"]Helen <span class="goog-spellcheck-word"]Oster
    <span class="goog-spellcheck-word"]Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador<o></o>



    <span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"]helen.oster@adoramacamera.com<o></o>


    Helen Oster
    Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador
    Helen@adorama.com

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