This is your typical, "I am out and about and need something for my camera. Hey, this looks like a decent place!" type of establishment. At first, the sales representatives seem very knowledgeable and personable, but all they are trying to do is hard sell you on other items compatible with your equipment and will make it it seem like you are getting this spectacular deal of about "50% off ticket price." What the representative neglects to do is review the company's "no refund/exchange only" policy.
Furthermore, there is no indication inside of the shop whatsoever that states this — you only learn after the fact when you are read the very small print on the receipt.
On the business cards that are provided, there is absolutely no information regarding who the owner or general manager might be... If you ask two different employees about him, you get two different answers. My boyfriend tried this technique and was informed by one person that he lives in Miami, and then another advised that the owner lives across the country in California. It was also brought to his attention that they do not give out his specific information.
My boyfriend stopped in solely to get a charger for his camcorder battery, but was hard sold on a wide angle lens, a UV protection filter and a new camera bag; all these items came out to be around $820 with sales tax included. Only five minutes after we left the store, he decided he did not need all the extra items, and went back in to try and return them. Naturally, he was denied a refund. What I find also disturbing is that through Amazon.com, I purchased the exact same items and more for only $129.99. The salesperson who conned us into all these extras with his "50% off" pitch tried to show us a catalogue that depicted the "true value" of all the items and was left speechless when I pointed out how little I spent on all my accessories. The representatives in the shop also got very nervous and evasive when we called them out on their poor business practices and threatened to go to the Bureau for Better Business; a course of action which was taken almost immediately.
We actually went back to the store about four days later to work something out with them. He figured that he would take a look around and see if there were any other electronic devices there that he would be able to exchange the lens, filter and bag for. We hoped that if the exchange items came to be a little less, a refund could be negotiated.instead, it ended up being worse. After only FOUR DAYS, he was informed that he was not even entitled to an exchange and that he was simply "stuck" with the items that he originally purchased.
I am rarely a proponent of the philosophy that "the customer is always right, " because I know what it is like to figuratively be on the other side of the counter and I understand that policies are implemented for good reason. This philosophy, however, weighs heavily when policies and procedures are not properly dictated to a customer right at the point of sale.
It takes quite a lot for me to complain about a service that myself or someone close to me has been provided, and this incident definitely took the cake. If anyone bothered to read this, I leave you with these parting words: if you are in the Universal Orlando area and need some accessories for your camera/camcorder/whatever, do yourself a favor and drive the extra few miles up the road to Festival Bay Mall because there you will find stores that have ethical business practices.
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