BUYER BEWARE: LITERALLY THE WORST ONLINE EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE, and its not over… I wish I would have read up on this company before purchase; lesson learned…
Ok, so I ordered a camera and a few lensed from 42nd Street Photo on June 16th, 2015 totaling over $2200. As with many other reviewers, the first transaction was DECLINED, and subsequently processed shortly thereafter. On their website they state that my card would not be charged until the items were shipped, but they charged me the same day I ordered the items. I got a call from them attempting to sell me their warranty for the items, and I declined, not knowing the items were “Grey Market” items. (Read up on Grey Market items if you are not familiar; there is NO factory warranty and often the manufacturer will not even repair the items if you pay for it yourself).
After that phone call, I became skeptical, and researched the company a bit. I found numerous complaints about their customer service, business practices, and grey market merchandise with questionable warranties. The next day I called attempting to cancel the order, and was told that “the items have been processed to our shipping department, and was probably already out for delivery”. I accepted that, as I do not expect to be refunded money for products that are already out for delivery.
My grievance is with the fact that they were not being shipped at the time, and were not even sent out for delivery for several days after my call attempting to cancel the order. I then called my credit card company to see what I could do about disputing the charges, since this appeared to be setting up like a real nightmare. They informed me that I should simply decline the delivery, if possible, and that would help me in the dispute process if it came down to that.
I was at work when the items finally arrived, so I was unable to decline the delivery. On the 42photo.com website, it states that there is a 20% restocking fee for all returned items, and that an RMA number is required to be written on the box or they WILL NOT accept the items for return. I called 42nd Street Photo and explained the situation, and was told that I would have to pay them $452 BEFORE they would issue me an RMA Number, at which point I told them (as nicely as possible) that I was not interested in paying the money since they would not process my return while they still had my merchandise. They informed me that if I were to exchange the items, they would not require the $452, but unless I bought something else from them they wanted the money for the RMA. I politely declined their offer. They arrogantly told me that I was out of luck unless I paid them the money for the RMA Number and that I would be forced to keep the items. I felt as if I was being extorted, and it pissed me off.
I then called my credit card company (again) to ask for advice about how to proceed with the situation, and they recommended that I send the items back to 42nd Street Photo with tracking and a signature delivery confirmation. I did just that, and never even opened the package that was delivered. I gave them copies of the receipts from the return shipping, a letter of explanation, and screenshots of when the item was delivered to back to 42nd Street Photo.
I have yet to receive a refund for the items, and my credit card company is still handling the issue. I typically don’t write reviews other than the obligatory eBay sellers’ review, but I feel that this information should be known and consumers should be informed of things like this.
I hope this helps someone out there, looking to save a few bucks on camera equipment. I’ll never buy anything from them again, despite their low prices. There’s a reason they’re so cheap; there is no factory warranty, and once they sell you their “In-House Warranty” you’ll be paying the same amount as if you bought it from a licensed reseller.
I purchased a camera from their website and learned after doing more research they were selling gray market items and deceptively advertising them as a USA warranty. They also sell an extended warranty, which they administer. Within hours after learning this, I sent them a request to cancel the order. A representative named Robert returned my phone call the next business day. (They were closed when I ordered the item and sent them a request to cancel the purchase). He said he got some sort of email requesting a cancellation and requested a call back.
He said they needed to go over my request. I returned his call and left a message. He called back the following day and asked for a call back. I returned his call after I got off work and he answered the phone. I told him I would like to cancel the order based on my message. He said it was too late and the item had been shipped. While I was on the phone with this New Yorker I got an email message from UPS saying the order had been processed and was ready for UPS pickup. I shared this with Robert and he said it must have been a delay by UPS and the order had been shipped awhile ago. He said I could return the item for a 20% restocking fee.
I asked to speak with his supervisor and he said he didn't have one. I asked if he was the owner, to which he said he wasn't. He said the owner was an absentee owner. He said if I had an issue with the policy I could email customer service at [email protected]. He then said he would receive the email and forward it to the owner (while he was snickering). I said you're going to get it and delete right? He said "Yeah" originally then said he wouldn't.
The bottom line here is this is not a reputable company. You are better off making the purchase from (((competitors' names redacted))).
I called my credit card company and they sounded like they were going to stand behind me.
Years ago this place was ok, now a bunch of scammers, they advertise a Nikon 5300 with 18-140 lens $200 below anyone else on internet, you call from out of state to order and they say not available except at store, will not ship, then they say will ship in 3 weeks - phony nasty ignorant abusive sales person - a time waster. They should be put out of business just based on their nastiness!!!! they sell unwarranted of label good, advertise way below others so you know they are fake, hey, they are not even on 42nd st!!!! avoid like abolla! if you see a good review it is a fake. They probably have a full time fake writting them. they hang up on you if you say you want camera at advertised price without a out side non factory warranty - what a bunch of a**holes!!!!
On April 10th, 2014, I ordered a Canon 70D model with the 18-55 lens and a 5 year warranty. Within 20 minutes, I called back to cancel the order because I found a better deal and way cheaper warranty. The Sales Rep was very rude and Hostile and said I had to keep it because it had already been shipped and was on the way to my home. I called my bank and they said they were unable to help me because the sales rep said it was already shipped. I called 42nd Street Photo back and the rep said that I could return it when I received it for a full refund f I still didn't want it.
A few days later, I received the package. Inside was a camera body with no lens, also a $249.00 SD card that I did not order was included and no lens. I called the sales rep and he said I could return everything but now there would be a 20% restocking fee. Immediately he offered to send me a lens at no cost and I had to keep the card and that the lens that it would be included in the warranty I already had. Now 2 weeks has passed by. I received the Lens but the warranty did not cover the lens. Now I have to take all this time to call back several times and the rep does not answer or return calls. I finally called and asked for a sup. Immediately the rep was available.
I told him to send me a label to send everything back. He insisted that he would send out a NEW WARRANTY. I was unable to use it because it wasn't invoiced properly. I reached out. Another week passed. In that time the rep emailed me the same invalid invoice. Finally on May 23rd, I called to speak with a sup. I started to tell him the entire long and drawn out story and he cut me off and said "I don't Believe YOU"! He also told me the rep had not been in the day before or that day. I explained that I had no reason to lie and he could pull the call from Avia Phone System. He continued to treat me with maltreat and disrespect.
When I got off the phone I decided to do a search on the company and found Google review totally by chance. I found similar stories about other customers receiving unordered Items. So I posted my own story. Not less than an hour passed when the sales rep called and said why did I post that 1 star review. I asked why he was calling me from home. He stated his bosses called him. The entire time he spent trying to convince me to remove the review. Only then did they start to even remotely try to be nice to me. The next day a new sup emailed me now and asked what could he do to make it right. and now this is where it ends... I asked for him to comp me on a new lens. This is the body of the email:
"Consider.... all the time (original order date APRIL 10th) that was taken from me, over a month and a half of another, the insults I was subjected to by your supervisor and salesman, the lack of action by Your sales rep, and the frustration that I have had to endure since my first contact with your company. What you have to understand is that I feel a sense of violation because of ALL the above issues and the discourteous, impertinent, thoughtless, and audacious way I was treated by Your staff. And only then will I feel a sense of absolution and pardon and be able and to with a good dutiful mindset retract my unfavorable review. Not to mention that I will immediately remove the 1 star rating as soon as I have your agreement to this. Otherwise, and you do have a choice, we can call it even and the review stays up."
They did not meet my request. I will never ever do business with them again. My intent was not blackmail or get something for free. They mistreated me and for that I deserve to be taken care of.
This company is a scam. Do not purchase from them. I tried purchasing a Panasonic AG-AC90 as advertised online for $1,379. I called the store to ensure this was a brand new unit and was told that it was. I took their word for it and all the positive reviews and place my order on July 3rd.
I heard nothing back from them for 4 days. I called today 7/7/14 and spoke to a very obnoxious guy “Anthony” who claims to be the store manager. He told me that my order was not processed because I did not purchase a “Retail Unit”. Apparently, I purchased just the body. This was not on their website. He told me that I have to purchase a “Retail Unit” for $500.00 more which includes the battery, cables, charger, etc.
This was a typical bait and switch. I called another store who was a Panasonic “Authorized Dealer” and found out that 42nd Street Photo is not an "Authorized Panasonic Dealer. Therefore, they do not have access to brand new factory seal equipment. They purchase from other 3rd parties and once they get the package, they take out any and all included accessories to resell them as a "Retail Package".
Companies who lie and deceive their customers like this “do not deserve to be in business.” Stay away from them.
42nd Street Photo Reviews
BUYER BEWARE: LITERALLY THE WORST ONLINE EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE, and its not over… I wish I would have read up on this company before purchase; lesson learned…
Ok, so I ordered a camera and a few lensed from 42nd Street Photo on June 16th, 2015 totaling over $2200. As with many other reviewers, the first transaction was DECLINED, and subsequently processed shortly thereafter. On their website they state that my card would not be charged until the items were shipped, but they charged me the same day I ordered the items. I got a call from them attempting to sell me their warranty for the items, and I declined, not knowing the items were “Grey Market” items. (Read up on Grey Market items if you are not familiar; there is NO factory warranty and often the manufacturer will not even repair the items if you pay for it yourself).
After that phone call, I became skeptical, and researched the company a bit. I found numerous complaints about their customer service, business practices, and grey market merchandise with questionable warranties. The next day I called attempting to cancel the order, and was told that “the items have been processed to our shipping department, and was probably already out for delivery”. I accepted that, as I do not expect to be refunded money for products that are already out for delivery.
My grievance is with the fact that they were not being shipped at the time, and were not even sent out for delivery for several days after my call attempting to cancel the order. I then called my credit card company to see what I could do about disputing the charges, since this appeared to be setting up like a real nightmare. They informed me that I should simply decline the delivery, if possible, and that would help me in the dispute process if it came down to that.
I was at work when the items finally arrived, so I was unable to decline the delivery. On the 42photo.com website, it states that there is a 20% restocking fee for all returned items, and that an RMA number is required to be written on the box or they WILL NOT accept the items for return. I called 42nd Street Photo and explained the situation, and was told that I would have to pay them $452 BEFORE they would issue me an RMA Number, at which point I told them (as nicely as possible) that I was not interested in paying the money since they would not process my return while they still had my merchandise. They informed me that if I were to exchange the items, they would not require the $452, but unless I bought something else from them they wanted the money for the RMA. I politely declined their offer. They arrogantly told me that I was out of luck unless I paid them the money for the RMA Number and that I would be forced to keep the items. I felt as if I was being extorted, and it pissed me off.
I then called my credit card company (again) to ask for advice about how to proceed with the situation, and they recommended that I send the items back to 42nd Street Photo with tracking and a signature delivery confirmation. I did just that, and never even opened the package that was delivered. I gave them copies of the receipts from the return shipping, a letter of explanation, and screenshots of when the item was delivered to back to 42nd Street Photo.
I have yet to receive a refund for the items, and my credit card company is still handling the issue. I typically don’t write reviews other than the obligatory eBay sellers’ review, but I feel that this information should be known and consumers should be informed of things like this.
I hope this helps someone out there, looking to save a few bucks on camera equipment. I’ll never buy anything from them again, despite their low prices. There’s a reason they’re so cheap; there is no factory warranty, and once they sell you their “In-House Warranty” you’ll be paying the same amount as if you bought it from a licensed reseller.
I purchased a camera from their website and learned after doing more research they were selling gray market items and deceptively advertising them as a USA warranty. They also sell an extended warranty, which they administer. Within hours after learning this, I sent them a request to cancel the order. A representative named Robert returned my phone call the next business day. (They were closed when I ordered the item and sent them a request to cancel the purchase). He said he got some sort of email requesting a cancellation and requested a call back.
He said they needed to go over my request. I returned his call and left a message. He called back the following day and asked for a call back. I returned his call after I got off work and he answered the phone. I told him I would like to cancel the order based on my message. He said it was too late and the item had been shipped. While I was on the phone with this New Yorker I got an email message from UPS saying the order had been processed and was ready for UPS pickup. I shared this with Robert and he said it must have been a delay by UPS and the order had been shipped awhile ago. He said I could return the item for a 20% restocking fee.
I asked to speak with his supervisor and he said he didn't have one. I asked if he was the owner, to which he said he wasn't. He said the owner was an absentee owner. He said if I had an issue with the policy I could email customer service at [email protected]. He then said he would receive the email and forward it to the owner (while he was snickering). I said you're going to get it and delete right? He said "Yeah" originally then said he wouldn't.
The bottom line here is this is not a reputable company. You are better off making the purchase from (((competitors' names redacted))).
I called my credit card company and they sounded like they were going to stand behind me.
Years ago this place was ok, now a bunch of scammers, they advertise a Nikon 5300 with 18-140 lens $200 below anyone else on internet, you call from out of state to order and they say not available except at store, will not ship, then they say will ship in 3 weeks - phony nasty ignorant abusive sales person - a time waster. They should be put out of business just based on their nastiness!!!! they sell unwarranted of label good, advertise way below others so you know they are fake, hey, they are not even on 42nd st!!!! avoid like abolla! if you see a good review it is a fake. They probably have a full time fake writting them. they hang up on you if you say you want camera at advertised price without a out side non factory warranty - what a bunch of a**holes!!!!
On April 10th, 2014, I ordered a Canon 70D model with the 18-55 lens and a 5 year warranty. Within 20 minutes, I called back to cancel the order because I found a better deal and way cheaper warranty. The Sales Rep was very rude and Hostile and said I had to keep it because it had already been shipped and was on the way to my home. I called my bank and they said they were unable to help me because the sales rep said it was already shipped. I called 42nd Street Photo back and the rep said that I could return it when I received it for a full refund f I still didn't want it.
A few days later, I received the package. Inside was a camera body with no lens, also a $249.00 SD card that I did not order was included and no lens. I called the sales rep and he said I could return everything but now there would be a 20% restocking fee. Immediately he offered to send me a lens at no cost and I had to keep the card and that the lens that it would be included in the warranty I already had. Now 2 weeks has passed by. I received the Lens but the warranty did not cover the lens. Now I have to take all this time to call back several times and the rep does not answer or return calls. I finally called and asked for a sup. Immediately the rep was available.
I told him to send me a label to send everything back. He insisted that he would send out a NEW WARRANTY. I was unable to use it because it wasn't invoiced properly. I reached out. Another week passed. In that time the rep emailed me the same invalid invoice. Finally on May 23rd, I called to speak with a sup. I started to tell him the entire long and drawn out story and he cut me off and said "I don't Believe YOU"! He also told me the rep had not been in the day before or that day. I explained that I had no reason to lie and he could pull the call from Avia Phone System. He continued to treat me with maltreat and disrespect.
When I got off the phone I decided to do a search on the company and found Google review totally by chance. I found similar stories about other customers receiving unordered Items. So I posted my own story. Not less than an hour passed when the sales rep called and said why did I post that 1 star review. I asked why he was calling me from home. He stated his bosses called him. The entire time he spent trying to convince me to remove the review. Only then did they start to even remotely try to be nice to me. The next day a new sup emailed me now and asked what could he do to make it right. and now this is where it ends... I asked for him to comp me on a new lens. This is the body of the email:
"Consider.... all the time (original order date APRIL 10th) that was taken from me, over a month and a half of another, the insults I was subjected to by your supervisor and salesman, the lack of action by Your sales rep, and the frustration that I have had to endure since my first contact with your company. What you have to understand is that I feel a sense of violation because of ALL the above issues and the discourteous, impertinent, thoughtless, and audacious way I was treated by Your staff. And only then will I feel a sense of absolution and pardon and be able and to with a good dutiful mindset retract my unfavorable review. Not to mention that I will immediately remove the 1 star rating as soon as I have your agreement to this. Otherwise, and you do have a choice, we can call it even and the review stays up."
They did not meet my request. I will never ever do business with them again. My intent was not blackmail or get something for free. They mistreated me and for that I deserve to be taken care of.
This company is a scam. Do not purchase from them. I tried purchasing a Panasonic AG-AC90 as advertised online for $1,379. I called the store to ensure this was a brand new unit and was told that it was. I took their word for it and all the positive reviews and place my order on July 3rd.
I heard nothing back from them for 4 days. I called today 7/7/14 and spoke to a very obnoxious guy “Anthony” who claims to be the store manager. He told me that my order was not processed because I did not purchase a “Retail Unit”. Apparently, I purchased just the body. This was not on their website. He told me that I have to purchase a “Retail Unit” for $500.00 more which includes the battery, cables, charger, etc.
This was a typical bait and switch. I called another store who was a Panasonic “Authorized Dealer” and found out that 42nd Street Photo is not an "Authorized Panasonic Dealer. Therefore, they do not have access to brand new factory seal equipment. They purchase from other 3rd parties and once they get the package, they take out any and all included accessories to resell them as a "Retail Package".
Companies who lie and deceive their customers like this “do not deserve to be in business.” Stay away from them.