I had the misfortune of ordering a canon ef 70-300 IS lens that this company posted online at a price that of course was too good to be true. The next day a Sonic Camera representative called me and asked for the 3 digit security code on my Credit Card which sent the first flag up. He then told me that I would require an adapter for this lens in order to use it with my canon digital XTi. I had done some research but did not know definitively either way so I deferred to the advice of this salesperson who then, of course, suggested another lens that would be even better and not require an adapter. He provided a link to his own web site that showed this lens model that was listed for almost $700.00 but said he would sell me special Japanese version that they just got in stock that would end up saving me money. The salesman was so slick and I was so adroitly maneuvered toward my purchase of this lens that I now feel stupid and ashamed for falling into their switch & bait trap. Googling the company reaps scads of consumer horror stories that offer a litany of consumer fraud practices by this company that include: offering tremendous deals on stock that does not really exist in their inventory, switch & bait tactics, deliberately lying and presenting misinformation about products like the apocrophyl "adapter" for the canon lenses they are alleged to be selling, aggressively selling up customers accessories that are extravagantly overpriced or not even needed, draconian return policies that are often dictated on the fly in order to impede and or prevent returns, hidden costs like insurance that inflate the final bill that ends up being much higher than originally quoted prices, and the list just goes on and on. I unfortunately did not start reading all the complaints and horror stories till later that evening after I had placed my order and discovered that the lens I had purchased for $527.00 typically sells for half that price and, to add insult to injury, because the "fancy" Japanese version of the lens I has purchased would end up being a grey market lens without any valid warranty in the United States with documentation not in English. Oh boy. I had read so many stories about how rude, refractory, and insulting their customer service was that I decided to just call them the following morning at 9:00 am their time to tell them I was canceling the order, period, and that if they did fulfill my order for this lens and send it I would refuse shipment. I then called my credit card company and told them I was formally disputing the charge. I do have fraud insurance but don't know how all this will resolve yet but I just refuse to pay these crooks a dime because they outright lied to me and their fraudulent and slick sales tactics have left me feeling completely conned and abused. Never, ever buy anything from Sonic Cameras! If the deals to good to be true then it IS too good to be true and, if you have enough camera knowledge to call them on their lies and make them stick to your original order you'll just get the reflexive e-mail notification a few days later informing you that "they're sorry to report that the product you've ordered is mysteriously now on back order and no longer available." It's all just a scam to set up the old bait & switch.
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