Dear So and So

[Eden]

Eden - could you share the name of the company so the rest of us can give them a wide berth?

It's not bike related, but rather the professional side of my life... but I'm more than happy to let everyone I can think of know to steer clear...

I order a small back drive/viewer (its basically so that I don't need multiple memory cards when I travel - it has a CF reader and you simply dump the card onto the viewer - it stores the photographs and has an LCD screen for looking at them) for my photographs from an online camera store called Tristate Camera. The only reason I went (with reservations) with this company is that I didn't really need or want a huge drive, and this was the only place I could find selling the 40GB version of the brand I wanted. Everyone else has the newest models, which start at 120GB.

They sent me an older model with a much smaller LCD screen (the size of which is entire reason for the price difference and also why I wanted the particular model that I ordered - I wanted the bigger screen...). Not only that the box had been opened (scotch taped shut) and there was an item missing from it and no (but not sure if there ever were any) warranty cards. This model is listed at $60 cheaper than the one I ordered and was charged for (and which is out of stock on their web site now....)

I knew something was up when I had to contact them twice just to get them to ship - and it took 10 days just to get the thing to UPS, then another week to ship..... (I ordered on Sept. 2). I figured they didn't have it and they would make excuses, try to get me to buy something else and cancel the order, but when they did ship it, I had hopes...

I called them on the phone this morning... the guy didn't seem at all surprised or even question me about it being the wrong item.... All he would do is blame "his supplier" and tell me that he was cheated too (actually he tried to say they just get them shipped directly from the manufacturer - which was a blatant lie - the manufacturer isn't selling that model themselves anymore and I called him out on that....), but anyway the thing was shipped with their invoice, from their address so that's a load of bull cocky anyway.....

They offered to refund the difference plus $10 (which is only about 5% of original price) and I said not acceptable - it is not what I ordered, not what I wanted and $10 isn't equal to the amount of hassle that I've been put through, not to mention the opened state of the item, the missing piece.

I told him that I wanted a full refund and that I wanted a pre-paid shipping label and he did at least send me that - but he also sent me return paperwork that only offers a trade or credit (I wrote in refund), specifies a 35% restocking fee and charges for both shipping both ways.... I included a letter stating that it was their mistake and I expect a full 100% refund with absolutely no money deducted period.

We shall see what happens when they get it back... I'm not afraid to get the BBB and Visa involved... I wonder if Visa ever revokes the credit privileges of companies with multiple complaints...

For me... I'm going to suck it up, order a new model off of Amazon... (the 120GB new models are only about $75 more) at least I know I can trust them...

[jessmarimba]

Eek! I've pretty much always used B&H for camera stuff. Thanks for letting us know!

[Eden]

Eek! I've pretty much always used B&H for camera stuff. Thanks for letting us know!

Yeah - I get stuff from B&H too, never any problems ordering from them - unfortunately they don't have any of the smaller drive ones.... they do have the 120GB at the same price Amazon does, so maybe I'll just go with them.

It's not that I don't know that there are a lot of less than reputable electronics/camera goods dealers in Brooklyn....but really, I figured this thing would be relatively safe... it wasn't actually a smoking deal or anything as far as value for the money the new ones are probably actually a bit better, but even the smallest one now has so much more hard drive space that they automatically start at a higher price... it's not an item that you can really up-sell, there aren't (as far I as I know) gray market versions of it... geeze... how wrong can you be...

Sigh.... I didn't really want to to spend $300 on this, when the 40GB drive would do just fine.... I could just chuck it all and buy some more CF cards. One of the reasons that I was going with the drive was that it worked out to be about the same amount of $$ GB per GB as buying (cheap) CF cards and I could use it to show photographs. I do need something though. I'm going away for a whole month and I'm not taking a computer...

[Crankin]

MY DH had a horrible problem with a camera place online a few years ago and I am wondering if this is the same place. It was in NY. He put out some horrible reviews online, somewhere, and received a call from the place to PLEASE stop and they would fix the situation. Maybe you should do this, if you don't get satisfaction.

[Eden]

MY DH had a horrible problem with a camera place online a few years ago and I am wondering if this is the same place. It was in NY. He put out some horrible reviews online, somewhere, and received a call from the place to PLEASE stop and they would fix the situation. Maybe you should do this, if you don't get satisfaction.

Oh indeed - I've been searching down every review site I can find and I'll keep doing it....

I've come up with a solution. I found a used 1st gen 64gb Ipad at a local and reputable dealer. I'll get the camera connection kit and then I'll have my storage and a very, very nice display... It was a bit more expensive than a stand alone store/viewer, but not much... and it will be useful for other things too.

[bmccasland]

Dear Knee,
Would you stop hurting?! I didn't do that much to you today, why the grief? Little bit of twisting to load luggage, then a stroll in the city park. Stop! Enough! I see 800 mg of motrin in my future.

[jessmarimba]

Oh indeed - I've been searching down every review site I can find and I'll keep doing it....

I've come up with a solution. I found a used 1st gen 64gb Ipad at a local and reputable dealer. I'll get the camera connection kit and then I'll have my storage and a very, very nice display... It was a bit more expensive than a stand alone store/viewer, but not much... and it will be useful for other things too.

Very cool! Someday I'd like an ipad, it would make flying so much more entertaining.


Dear contact solution makers:

4 ounces has not been an acceptable travel size for FIVE YEARS. Do you realize how much money you're missing out on? And how frustrated you make all of us contact lens wearers? You pick the ONE thing that I can't just buy in bulk and repackage, and still can't make it right. aowiejfa;iwj;awijefa;oija;oegh.

*sigh*

[Becky]

Dear contact solution makers:

4 ounces has not been an acceptable travel size for FIVE YEARS. Do you realize how much money you're missing out on? And how frustrated you make all of us contact lens wearers? You pick the ONE thing that I can't just buy in bulk and repackage, and still can't make it right. aowiejfa;iwj;awijefa;oija;oegh.

*sigh*

It is....if you go through the hassle of declaring it

Check with your eye doctor. They often get 2-oz. sample bottles. I was able to get a travel bottle of RepleniSH this way. Thankfully my solution of choice, Clear Care, is available in 3 oz. bottles.

[Hi Ho Silver]

It's not bike related, but rather the professional side of my life... but I'm more than happy to let everyone I can think of know to steer clear...

I order a small back drive/viewer (its basically so that I don't need multiple memory cards when I travel - it has a CF reader and you simply dump the card onto the viewer - it stores the photographs and has an LCD screen for looking at them) for my photographs from an online camera store called Tristate Camera. The only reason I went (with reservations) with this company is that I didn't really need or want a huge drive, and this was the only place I could find selling the 40GB version of the brand I wanted. Everyone else has the newest models, which start at 120GB.

...snip


For me... I'm going to suck it up, order a new model off of Amazon... (the 120GB new models are only about $75 more) at least I know I can trust them...

Sorry about your problem. Tristate has always had a bad reputation, as do many of the electronics/photography stores. Starting in 1980 (Yes, I know that's almost prehistoric ), I've ordered a lot of photography related items via phone and internet and the only stores I trust are B&H and Adorama. Amazon has always been reliable too. I hope it all works out okay for you.