Japanese model

I recently ordered a D70s body on line for a very good price. During the

sale, I found out why the price was so good. The salesman started trying to

sell me lenses, batteries, etc. for outrageous prices, so much so that the

overall price of the system was not such a good deal. I refused and he told

me the camera would be useless without these items (like I couldn�t figure

that out) and when I told him I already had these items, he proceeded to call

me a liar.

 

By all good measures I should have hung up on him, but I was so POed that I

told him I wanted the camera anyway. He reluctantly took my order and gave me

an order number, but didn�t ask for a shipping address. Then he told me it

was on back order until after the first of the year.

 

After I cooled off, I got to thinking that maybe he didn�t even take the

order, so I called back. This time I got a different salesman, but just as

arrogant. He confirmed that the order had been taken and that it was indeed

on backorder but should be shipped out in a week or so. He then stated in on

the same thing as the first salesman. After I finally convinced him I could

use the camera without any additional parts (without calling me a liar), he

told me the camera would be useless to me because it was a Japanese model not

a USA model (trying to switch me over to a more expensive USA model).

 

By now, I am so tired of having smoke blown in my ear, I told him I could

speak Japanese (If I am going to be called a liar, I might as well be one!).

He still did not ask for any shipping info, so I volunteered it. He said that

they would get that information when the camera came in and they would call me

and confirm that I still wanted it. Now I know what is coming.

 

My question is, have I screwed up (I can still back out)? Is there really a

difference between a Japanese model and a US Model?

I bet the shop is based in Brooklyn, NY. No insults intended for those living in this place.

 

You need to device a strategy to get out of this deal. You're wasting your time with these crooks and your money. All you get will be frustrations and stress. And, the savings (if any) you get will not amount to anything close to the psychological trauma you're getting.

 

Call them and cancel the order. Be ready to deal with resistance. And, don't give them anymore personal info ... please.

Hi, Ken,

 

I think that the default setting of the language is Japanese on Japanese models, which should be the only difference:-)

 

By the way, does that shop offer so attractive a price of D70s that you want to call them repeatedly in spite of such arrogant attitude?

?? What kind of sales person was that calling the customer a liar ? Even if the customer is a liar, you don't say that to the customer.

 

I think you have been over-patient with this shop. I wouldn't put up with that kind of attitude/service just to save a few more bucks if I were you.

 

Think about what would happen if the camera was faulty, then you would have to deal with them again. Not worth it IMO.

I hate to write this, but I don't think you will ever get the camera. Post the name of the place and you might find a lot of similar cases.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bait_and_switch

 

http://thomashawk.com/2005/11/priceritephoto-abusive-bait-and-switch.html

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/11/nyregion/11cameras.html

 

http://donwiss.com/pictures/BrooklynStores/

 

http://www.resellerratings.com/

Don't worry, they are not actually going to sell you a D70s at that "attractive" price, anyway. Did you give them your credit card number? If so, I would watch for abnormal charges on it.

frankly ken, you seem to intelligent and articulate to get sucked into such a scam. call immediately and cancel all your dealings with said company and then instruct your credit card company not to accept any charges from them.

 

life is way too short to worry about saving a few dollars like that. if you want to save money on a D70s, I'd buy a used one. Or better, wait a few weeks and buy a D80.

Hm, I thought these things never happen in America. What low life bastards, shouldn't some kind of state-agency (costumer protection? we have it even in Romania) take care of these guys?

Wow � I didn�t expect so may useful responses so fast. Thanks.

 

Arthur, -- yes, that particular shop was based in Brooklyn NY. Have you had dealings with them before?

 

Akira,-- thanks for the info. I assumed that the Japanese settings can be changed to US!

 

To all � the price of the camera was $319 for the body only. That was up from a $299 sale price the previous weekend. I thought that was a pretty good deal. And probably will be if I don�t have to put up with anymore male bovine feces out of them.

 

 

Ken

Ken: what everyone is trying to tell you is that you were scammed.

 

People like you are suckered into believing that they can get an unrealisticly low prices on goods, then get the hard sell on items at inflated prices that they don't want or need. If you don't agree to buy these items the camera will suddenly become unavailable.

 

These are classic moves, we've seen it done for years.

 

Listen carefully: Stay away from these places, period. Don't think they're telling you the truth about anything, and consider what it means for you to be called a liar by a salesman.

 

Buy from a reputable dealer and consider this a lesson in credulity.

 

Also: if you gave your credit card, call the card company, make sure nothing was charged, make a complaint and make sure they will not charge your card.

I am an old geezer and I have had every type of sales tactic pulled on me that has ever been devised including bait and switch. I have the means, the willpower, and the cahonas necessary to give them a real run for their money. What I needed to know was if the $319 price was a good as it gets (for a D70s) and if the camera could be converted to U.S.

 

The place is Royal Camera (royalcamera.com) and today that same camera is on sale for $300. I probably will call them back again and demand the latest sale price. I am a retired GI and they have just messed with the wrong soldier.

 

Lock and load

<I>What I needed to know was if the $319 price was a good as it gets (for a D70s) and if the camera could be converted to U.S.</I>

<P>

Ken, you will not get a new D70s at $319 today in any fair purchase and there is no Japanese model to begin with. Therefore, there is no such thing as "converting" it to US. You can demand it at $319 for all you want, they'll simply tell you that it is "not in stock."

If this had not actualy happened to a real person, i'd think this was funny. I've always wondered what would happen if someone just insisted on buying the camera without all that other overpriced stuff. Well, now I know.

 

You see all these "reviews" on low cost sellers "they were the best", "good service" , "quick shipping" etc... It appears that search engines with phony reviews may just be fronts to direct people to these places in NYC.

 

I would call the credit card company and alert them...and please beleive the people on this forum about deals sounding too good to be true.

 

Good luck.

Thomas, -- you are right, it is funny, or at least fun to me. and Peter, the perverted pleasure I get is besides being a computer geek and amateur photographer, I, being retired, have nothing better to do.

 

So here�s what I did. I called back again to check status. This time I get a third salesman who was much nicer. I told him that the first salesman had called me a liar and that I didn�t appreciate that, and that the second wasn�t much nicer. He confirmed that the camera was indeed on order and informed me that the difference between the Japanese model (he referred to it as the import model) was the warranty (if it broke I would have to send it back to Japan). He agreed to cancel the $319 order and give it to me for $300.

 

When he started the bait and switch, I did my own lying. I told him that I had an old D70 which had broke and it would cost more to repair than buying a new body and all I needed was the body only (which is almost true � I am upgrading from a D50).

 

The new D70s should be shipped in two to three weeks. If I do not hear from them within that time, I�ll be calling back. They have the so-called US models in stock and if they can�t deliver the import model, they will be looking at shipping me a US model.

 

My credit card has not been charged yet, so for now, I�m going to hang in there.

 

PS The D50 is on for $255.00 but they were not advertising a D80 yet. Look at:

 

http://www.royalcamera.com/digital-cameras-nikon.html

 

When in doubt, aim low.

One shot, one kill.

Lock and load.

Quick! Call again! It's now showing $269!! This is a much better imaginary deal than yours, and equally likely to be honoured...

you might get shot in the end ken, even before you can lock and load.

a lot of the 'spotters' in this forum have asked you not to deal with them.

1. Nothing's for nothing. 2. If it sounds too good to be true ... it probably is. 3. There's no free lunch. 4. How many times did my mother say "And if your friends were going to jump off the bridge [brooklyn] would you do it too?" 5. So ... I have this really nice deal on a bridge to buy... in Brooklyn.

 

Can you tell us where and which store this is so that everyone else can avoid the same aggravation? Sometimes paying a little more or at least what all the big photo stores are charging makes sense. After all where does a relatively unknown business come by "cheap" camera equipment? And would you trust where it came from any more than I would buy film without some assurance that it had been kept properly.

 

I feel the pain. If you see a good deal on a D80, I'm all ears.

Ken, I sure hope that you are not in any kind of hurry. The $319 (or $300, $269 or whatever) imported model has never been in stock and never will be. So Royal Camera will call you back in a few days and try to sell you a regular one at regular prices. Maybe by then the D80 will be out and you can get a slightly better deal on the D70s old model.

 

I guess it is ok to play this kind of game if you have all the time in the world and nothing better to do.

'5. So ... I have this really nice deal on a bridge to buy... in Brooklyn.'

 

Also available online:

 

http://www.richard-seaman.com/USA/Cities/NewYork/BrooklynBridge/ForSale.html

 

'Can you tell us where and which store this is so that everyone else can avoid the same aggravation?'

 

From Ken's link, it looks like these guys:

 

http://forums.photographyreview.com/showthread.php?t=3858

 

http://www.resellerratings.com/seller1895-p2-s1-d1.html

 

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff122683.htm

 

http://www.complaints.com/directory/2004/december/9/23.htm

 

http://www.photo.net/neighbor/view-one-about?id=2&about=Royal+Camera+%28NY%29

 

http://donwiss.com/pictures/BrooklynStores/h0009.htm

Hi Ken,

 

For additional advice about similar experiences, you might search photo.net for its list of 1,120 "Gray Market" threads!

 

Sincerely,

 

Dave

If anybody here wants a good laugh today, check out royalcamera's website. They've got a 5D body for $1415! I'm still laughing.

See also:

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00EVj5

I've noticed that Japanese models, for the most part, are not able to converse in English very fluently so it isn't just an issue of changing some setting. Rather it's always a good idea to take them out to dinner and buy them a few drinks first.

 

I'm really not sure what this means.

 

Dave

You might find this interesting, Ken:

 

http://www.ripoffreport.com/results.asp?q1=ALL&q4=&q6=&q3=&q2=&q7=&searchtype=0&submit2=Search%21&q5=Royal%2BCamera&submit=Search