Ordered an Olympus Stylus camera (Jul 28 for $201.12 — the deal seemed to be very good, but not "too low to be real"), and no where was it stated the box items are sold separately (as e.G., I had earlier brought from another online firm, two Canon cameras, and got the box with all "the parts"). It was strange that the receipt had a note to call them to confirm, something I've never done before.
HD called me Jul 31 (after several earlier attempts per my call machine) and said the original camera battery is a short-lived demo lasting only 15 minutes (not realizing at the time that "capacity" takes in amp*hours), so I'd need extra long life ones for the camera to work. I could get them and a special charger at such — such a deal; I declined so the agent said he'd send the charger for free, with the hi-life batteries for about $50. As I presumed i needed batteries I accepted. However, the 2nd receipt was jacked to $289.62, an increase of $88.50.
I received the camera box, and read the manual and saw the charger & battery comes with the camera — I knew I had been had. Aug 1st I called HD but there was no answer, so I emailed them (and no response to date). I also called my credit company, as fraud's (in my opinion) involved.
HD was open on Sunday, so I talked to an agent and he tried to convince me the camera's battery really only lasts 10 minutes, but I told him I checked the Olympus site (which I had) and they last a lot longer — 190 shots. He said I needed to call their "service" dept.
August 4th, I first called the Olympus company's tech support (per their site), and was told the camera, listed as made in China, comes with a 740 milli-Ampere-hour battery, that indeed lasts for 190 shots; and it's not right to criticize their battery and then take the same battery & charger and try to resell at double the price (they listed my Case # as %).
I then called HD's office, and at the 1st attempt the phone hung up. The 2nd attempt I got a service agent who told me he did change the inferior camera battery as it came from the Orient, and replaced it with a long life one. I told him I just talked with the Olympus company, and their China office uses an Olympus 740 mAh in the original product, the same battery he sent me (out of the box, supposedly as a high capacity one).
HD should have sent 1 camera, 1 original charger & battery, and a "charger kit" consisting of another charger & 2 batteries; instead, I got the original charger and battery that comes in the box at an additional price of $88.50.
When I called his bluff and said I have the case #, he hung up. I tried recalling, got a female agent 3Xs who farmed me off to another phone; after 40 minutes they closed shop.
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