My wife and I were searching for a new camcorder for my Grandmother's 90th birthday, and we found a great price of $599 on Photodynasty.com (Bestpricecameras.com) for a Sony HDR-SR12 120GB High Definition Handycam Camcorder that was of course too good to be true!!! This camcorder is regularly $1199 to $1399, so at first I thought it was a refurb, but it says 100% new in box. Well, I have looked at this camcorder at a local store and the box comes with a battery, charger and all the cables/accessories you need to get started! Great, same camcorder new in box, with everything for $599, of course again too good to be true!
BACKGROUND: I had placed an order 2 months ago for a similar camcorder from Bestpricecameras.com, Cannon HG-10 for $399, and after the 4-6weeks of waiting the store said it was still on backorder. Turns out after some digging after this fact, Bestpricecamerasa.com and Photodynasty.com are the same darn company!!!
So I placed the order, got a confirmation/order number and confirmation email (not confirming item or its price) and I thought all was well. Next day I received an email from Ken at [email protected] asking me to call his "personal" extension x283 so he can "confirm" my order. The caller answered, "yeah what can I do for you?" and I asked to speak with Ken. He said, "that's me, what do you want?" I told him about the email and gave him my name and order number. He said just a second, put me on hold, and came back "with the order."
This is where it got "ugly." I asked him to confirm the price and he said $769, which of course I replied it was $599 on the website. He said, "well $769 is the price we have here and by the way, this doesn't come with a battery, charger or any accessories." Of course I was stunned to say the least, and replied with saying I thought it was new in the box? He then said, "well yeah it is new but it comes in our own brown box with no accessories, you have to buy the accessories to get it to work..." AH, HAH here is the hook!
I said that is ok, I will look at getting them locally if I need any extra batteries or charger. He replied, "no, you don't understand, this is just the camera without anything, you HAVE to buy the battery and accessories." I again said no thank you, and please just send me the camcorder for $599 as it says on your website with no tax and free shipping. This is where it got good... And he said, "well unfortunately this camcorder is on backorder for 4-6 weeks." Here we go again with the "backorder" garbage!
I was very upset and said, is there anything I can do or "order" to get it here sooner? He said I am sorry it will be 4-6 weeks minimum, as the camcorder is on backorder."
I said cancel my order, and he did, giving me a cancellation number. I have not been charged anything, yet, but I hope for THEIR sake they don't charge my card as that could get messy.
Please, for your own benefit and to hopefully shut down these types of bait and switch (or backorder) stores, PLEASE do not buy for them. I have now been burned twice, stupid me, and will stick to buying for a local store or at least an Amazon/eBay store from now on.
I hope this has helped.
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