Sony FX1 + USAPhotoNation.com too good to be true?

Probably a bait and switch. You'll definitely know when you call.

illegalprelude said:

well...whats the deal here?

the Sony FX1 is listed at $3,999 at sony's site i believe or around there. Ive been watching this cam here and there on the web and on avg. the Camera cost on most sites is $2,600ish. Well

http://www.USAPhotoNation.com has it for $2,099. anybody heard of this site? Im going to call them tomorrow...

http://www.usaphotonation.com/produ...0&dept_id=2527&shelf_id=&show=description#box

They say its "Brand New"

I also know alot of sites offer this camera in diff. packages but I mean the basic one is more then likely what Sony has listed on their site right? So i mean, it cant be more basic then just what sony has to offer.

so i dunno

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Search websites like cnet and bizrate to see if this "usaphotonation.com" is legit. I can almost guarantee it's not. Just from looking, I can't find a physical address anywhere... that's not a good sign.

If it looks too good to be true it probably is.

They are probably in the same category as Abes of Maine. Possibly grey market goods and/or there has to be some sort of phone call to "confirm" the order at which point you get pressed to buy some sort of accessories package from them. And if you don't buy the package your order will most likely get "lost in the shuffle" or immediately go on "back order" at which point in time you'll spend weeks e-mailing/calling/harassing before you actually get your camera.

Or everything could go smoothly. But that's a lotta money to play around with.

For big purchases I'd rather pay more at a legit dealer and know that I'm gonna get good service and not get scammed.

Plus, you live in LA. Find a local store and haggle.


Lethal

It's most likely grey market. You'll just get the bare bones camera. No warranty. No accessories. No batteries. No nothing. It's basically a scam.

Look for video cameras at places such as http://www.bhphotovideo.com

Lacero said:

It's most likely grey market. You'll just get the bare bones camera. No warranty. No accessories. No batteries. No nothing. It's basically a scam.

Look for video cameras at places such as http://www.bhphotovideo.com

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bhphoto is my favorite place, though they sell at pretty much retail prices, and you can find cheaper reliable online sources. Just whenever you find a store, make sure it's listed on epinions, and/or bizrate, and then you can see what people rate it. I almost bought a camera for %40 off, then checked epinions... they had a .8 out of 10. A POINT eight. Be smart, do your research, and if all else fails, buy from bhphoto. They'll always come through.

illegalprelude said:

hmm. I see what your saying good call with checking them on bizrate.
So you fig. if sites are listed on Bizrate are fairly legit?

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Not just that they're listed, but that they have good ratings. The ratings are all given by consumers (now, that doesn't eliminate the possibility of stores rating themselves, but that's a whole different story). Basically, if a store isn't on bizrate or a similar well-known retailer rating website, it's a reason to be suspicious. I'll lay out some opinions of mine concerning buying from online stores.

Definitely Sketchy:
No physical address
A 3 out of 10 or lower on Bizrate
Anything involving Western Union

Possibly Sketchy:
Brooklyn-based
Not listed on Bizrate
Consistant 40% or more off products
"Call to confirm" orders
Credit Cards not accepted, Paypal only

Super Keen (I'd buy from em):
8/10 or higher on Bizrate
Physical address is not in Manhattan or a large city
Prices consistant with others online
Linked from manufacturer's website

Good luck with your online shopping!

DO NOT BUY FROM USPHOTONATION.COM!!!!!!

I thought the same thing. I tried to order a Canon GL2 (for a really cheap price...) I then got a call from Ken at usphotonation.com who said that this model is a basic model with no cords, US warranty, batteries, manual, software, etc.... BARE MODEL that is the MALAYSIAN MODEL!!! He then tried to bamboozle me into paying about $770 extra for it "to work in the USA" meaning, buying the right cables, etc....

Ken also said that I would get charged 180 cancellation fee, totally ridiculous!!!!!! I told him I had to think about it then called my credit card company to make sure that there was no "hidden" charge fee like $180 for cancellation. Before I could even call Ken back, he called me back on that Sunday to say that his spoke with his manager and I would also get a 90 dollar filter in this package but I had to get it today.

Canon has a 250 rebate until the end of this month (Sep. 2005) with the rebate this Canon Gl2 would have been $1359 (before rebate) at usphotonation but according to Ken, with the US package included, I was REALLLY looking at $2129 plus shipping........

DO NOT EVER ORDER FROM USUPHOTONATION.COM--THEY ARE SCAMMERS!