Comments on: Texas Sues Broadway Photo for Bait & Switch Scams http://www.photographybay.com/2008/11/30/texas-sues-broadway-photo-for-bait-switch-scams/ The latest in digital photography and camera reviews, news and rumors for Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus and more. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:29:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Scott S http://www.photographybay.com/2008/11/30/texas-sues-broadway-photo-for-bait-switch-scams/#comment-95220 Scott S Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:42:12 +0000 http://www.photographybay.com/?p=3485#comment-95220 If at all interested, please sign up with the Facebook group I created to catalog horror stories about these jokers & as an informational resource to help prevent any more people from being duped like I was. I stand to gain nothing from this other than the satisfaction of trying to fight back. Thanks, http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=56964309273&success#/group.php?gid=56964309273 If at all interested, please sign up with the Facebook group I created to catalog horror stories about these jokers & as an informational resource to help prevent any more people from being duped like I was. I stand to gain nothing from this other than the satisfaction of trying to fight back.

Thanks,

http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=56964309273&success#/group.php?gid=56964309273

]]> By: Mike Washe http://www.photographybay.com/2008/11/30/texas-sues-broadway-photo-for-bait-switch-scams/#comment-59199 Mike Washe Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:39:25 +0000 http://www.photographybay.com/?p=3485#comment-59199 Hmmm. Sounds like this company runs under a lot of different names. I was recently taken in by what I thought was an awesome black friday/cyber monday sale on a Nikon digital camera from "Shop Digital Direct". The advertised price for a D90 kit with the lens was $799, about $350 cheaper than the next cheapest price I could find. I put it on my debt card. When I called to confirm the order they told me that the camera did not come with a battery, charger, or memory card. Their price for the rechargable LI battery that should come with the camera? $205.95 Going rate for an extra? $47.95 The battery charger that should come with the camera? $215.95 Going rate for an extra? $49.95 SD Memory Card - High speed 2 gb (buy one get one free LOL) $245.89 Going rate? $13.88 at Walmart Total price: $1466.79. Far above the going rate for the kit. Needless to say I told them I just wanted the Camera and lens. At this time the rep told me it would be 2-3 weeks and hung up on me. After calling back to customer service, I was told the camera was on back order. Evidently this is part of their MO. Either they tell customers who do not purchase the extras that the product is back ordered and eventually cancel the order themselves, or they charge your card more than the advertised price. http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Shop_Digital_Direct Today I have been trying to call their customer service to cancel the order to no avail. I was on hold for 20 minutes and the automated message says that customer service is closed. My current intention is to keep calling back till I can get the order canceled and purchase the camera from a reputable dealer like Newegg, then cancel my card after that transaction and get a new one to be sure they cannot tap my account at a later date. The old adage remains true. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Not sure if this really is the same company but here are some of the other names attributed to the company I dealt with: Best Price Camera Best Stop Camera C.I.S. Brokerage Inc. C.I.S. Trading System Century 21 CIS Brokerage Inc. CityWideDigital.com Crystal International Services Inc. Digital EBuys Enterprise Photo Hello Camera INF/MRAC/JF Infiniti Cameras Infiniti Photo Infinity Cameras J&K Cameras, Inc. Mr. Accessory PhotoDynasty.com Razz Photo Regency Camera Regency Photo & Video, Inc. ShopDigitalDirect.com Hmmm. Sounds like this company runs under a lot of different names.

I was recently taken in by what I thought was an awesome black friday/cyber monday sale on a Nikon digital camera from “Shop Digital Direct”. The advertised price for a D90 kit with the lens was $799, about $350 cheaper than the next cheapest price I could find. I put it on my debt card. When I called to confirm the order they told me that the camera did not come with a battery, charger, or memory card.

Their price for the rechargable LI battery that should come with the camera? $205.95
Going rate for an extra? $47.95

The battery charger that should come with the camera? $215.95
Going rate for an extra? $49.95

SD Memory Card – High speed 2 gb (buy one get one free LOL) $245.89
Going rate? $13.88 at Walmart

Total price: $1466.79. Far above the going rate for the kit.

Needless to say I told them I just wanted the Camera and lens. At this time the rep told me it would be 2-3 weeks and hung up on me. After calling back to customer service, I was told the camera was on back order. Evidently this is part of their MO. Either they tell customers who do not purchase the extras that the product is back ordered and eventually cancel the order themselves, or they charge your card more than the advertised price.

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Shop_Digital_Direct

Today I have been trying to call their customer service to cancel the order to no avail. I was on hold for 20 minutes and the automated message says that customer service is closed. My current intention is to keep calling back till I can get the order canceled and purchase the camera from a reputable dealer like Newegg, then cancel my card after that transaction and get a new one to be sure they cannot tap my account at a later date.

The old adage remains true. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Not sure if this really is the same company but here are some of the other names attributed to the company I dealt with:

Best Price Camera
Best Stop Camera
C.I.S. Brokerage Inc.
C.I.S. Trading System
Century 21
CIS Brokerage Inc.
CityWideDigital.com
Crystal International Services Inc.
Digital EBuys
Enterprise Photo
Hello Camera
INF/MRAC/JF
Infiniti Cameras
Infiniti Photo
Infinity Cameras
J&K Cameras, Inc.
Mr. Accessory
PhotoDynasty.com
Razz Photo
Regency Camera
Regency Photo & Video, Inc.
ShopDigitalDirect.com

]]> By: Steve G in Atlanta http://www.photographybay.com/2008/11/30/texas-sues-broadway-photo-for-bait-switch-scams/#comment-58251 Steve G in Atlanta Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:55:14 +0000 http://www.photographybay.com/?p=3485#comment-58251 http://donwiss.com/pictures/BrooklynStores/ Most of the scam stores are owned by the same three families. They have been around for almost 50 years in one form or another http://donwiss.com/pictures/BrooklynStores/

Most of the scam stores are owned by the same three families.

They have been around for almost 50 years in one form or another

]]> By: Dean http://www.photographybay.com/2008/11/30/texas-sues-broadway-photo-for-bait-switch-scams/#comment-58148 Dean Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:39:02 +0000 http://www.photographybay.com/?p=3485#comment-58148 I'm glad that Eric & (other) Eric can name two stores in the whole city of New York that they've had good experiences with. Do a Google search on electronic stores that scam people and let me know how many you find, that are outside of the New York area. I’m glad that Eric & (other) Eric can name two stores in the whole city of New York that they’ve had good experiences with. Do a Google search on electronic stores that scam people and let me know how many you find, that are outside of the New York area.

]]> By: George http://www.photographybay.com/2008/11/30/texas-sues-broadway-photo-for-bait-switch-scams/#comment-58144 George Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:29:48 +0000 http://www.photographybay.com/?p=3485#comment-58144 I was in New York only once and I was blessed that I had time to visit B & H Superstore. I am their buyer since then and order over the telephone several times a year. Delivery to Russia is under two weeks, pity they have increased shipping charges recently. I was in New York only once and I was blessed that I had time to visit B & H Superstore. I am their buyer since then and order over the telephone several times a year. Delivery to Russia is under two weeks, pity they have increased shipping charges recently.

]]> By: Eric http://www.photographybay.com/2008/11/30/texas-sues-broadway-photo-for-bait-switch-scams/#comment-58051 Eric Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:42:25 +0000 http://www.photographybay.com/?p=3485#comment-58051 @(other) Eric - I agree. I shop at both B&H and Adorama and have nothing but good experiences to report back. They are two of the trustworthy retailers that I highly recommend here on PB. Perhaps Dean has never shopped with these great stores before. @(other) Eric – I agree. I shop at both B&H and Adorama and have nothing but good experiences to report back. They are two of the trustworthy retailers that I highly recommend here on PB. Perhaps Dean has never shopped with these great stores before.

]]> By: Eric http://www.photographybay.com/2008/11/30/texas-sues-broadway-photo-for-bait-switch-scams/#comment-58027 Eric Sun, 30 Nov 2008 23:38:38 +0000 http://www.photographybay.com/?p=3485#comment-58027 I'm not from NYC, but I feel the urge to defend two stores there. B&H and Adorama are arguably the two best photography stores on the web. There's no need to lump all NYC stores together just because there are a few scam shops set up in NY. I’m not from NYC, but I feel the urge to defend two stores there. B&H and Adorama are arguably the two best photography stores on the web. There’s no need to lump all NYC stores together just because there are a few scam shops set up in NY.

]]> By: Dean http://www.photographybay.com/2008/11/30/texas-sues-broadway-photo-for-bait-switch-scams/#comment-57747 Dean Sun, 30 Nov 2008 11:33:11 +0000 http://www.photographybay.com/?p=3485#comment-57747 I hope they shut them down. Never buy from New York scum. BTW, If you are from New York and don't like this, MOVE! I hope they shut them down. Never buy from New York scum. BTW, If you are from New York and don’t like this, MOVE!

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