interesting email that i got tonight look at this it talking about camera and stuff

This newsletter topic was originally sparked by an email that I received from a reader who asked what I thought about ordering a camera from SonicCameras.com. I had never heard of this retailer before his email, so I went to the site and immediately had a bad feeling. After clicking on some of the cameras, I noticed that prices really were too good to be true.

While this story is not necessarily targeted toward Sonic Cameras, I will use them as an example throughout the email. Just keep in mind that there are scores of other online retailers on the same level as Sonic Cameras.

The "Deals"
When I originally looked into this in January 2009, Sonic Cameras was advertising on its home page a Nikon D300 for $979.00 and a Canon Rebel XSi for $319.00. At the same time, Amazon.com sold the Nikon D300 for $1468.95 and the Rebel XSi for $629.99. What gives?

Many of you may already know where this is heading. There's an old saying, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." That is most certainly the case with Sonic Cameras . . . and any other online retailer which purports to offer such a deep discount on digital cameras.

My measuring stick for "good deals" involves a comparison of three photo retailers that I trust and shop with regularly - B&H Photo, Adorama and Amazon.com. Readers outside the US may not be familiar with B&H Photo and Adorama, but I would recommend comparing "deals" that you find online with a trusted retailer in your country.

If you're still wondering about the prices from Sonic Cameras, consider the price of some of their accessories. For example, a "Lithium Ion Rechargeable Battery" for the D300 from Sonic Cameras is $199.99. My guess is that this is not a Nikon battery, but rather a cheap generic. A genuine Nikon battery for the D300 will run you about $35 at Amazon.com.

Same goes for the battery charger - Sonic Cameras charges $289 for a "Rapid AC/DC Charging Unit". Nikon's AC charger should only set you back $40. If you want an AC/DC charger, Nikon offers a kit that includes a charger and 2 genuine Nikon batteries for about $115 - again on Amazon.com.


Sonic Cameras' Track Record
I point out these price differentials to highlight the catch point of retailers like Sonic Cameras. While I have no direct experience with Sonic Cameras, hundreds of others have reported their experiences on ResellerRatings.com:

www.resellerratings.com/store/Sonic_Cameras

A review of just a few of these ratings quickly reveals that Sonic Cameras is a typical bait and switch retailer. Essentially, they get you to make your purchase online and the "follow up" with a phone call to tell you how much you need a battery, charger or memory card. If they can get you to bite on the marked up accessories, then you get the deal on the camera but they make up for their "deal" and then some.

Here's just one customer's unedited example from ResellerRatings.com:

"This store is nothign but a scam,I placed an order fro a camers package Nikon D90. When the comfirmation came through and chose not to but the battery and charger I received an email telling me that my order was over sold and that I was put on a notify list and would receive notification when the Camera was avaiiable. I treid to order over the phone and was told that the product was in stock, but when I declined the accessories upsale I was told that the product was not available. After reading some of these reviews, I am finding that Sonic Camera is not a reputable company and I would warn anyone against using them ever"

Not a resounding endorsement, is it? It's one of many - each with a little bit of variation, but the same bad experiences.

If you have a story to share regarding a photo gear scam, please feel free to do so in the Photography Bay Forum.

In the mean time, be careful when dealing with online retailers with whom you are not familiar. If you are unsure about a particular retailer, then check them out of ResellerRatings.com before ordering your camera or other electronics gear. I recommend sticking only with trusted online retailers like B&H Photo, Adorama and Amazon.com.

Best regards,

Eric
PhotographyBay.com


i thought you guys would like to see this maybe we all can learn from it too

this email is very interesting that for sure because i am still doing a lot of research on all the web pages too