86th St Photo And Video
Beware

I ordered a Garmin Nuvi 880 GPS unit after a google search on the best prices. Of course I fell into the trap when nextag showed me they had the best price for the Unit. I placed an order and received the customary Email that my order is being processed. I guess this email has been noted several times by other customers.

I called to clarify my order the day after (I thought I gave the wrong credit card #). I was attended to by a customer sales rep who gave me the same speech about needing several accessories (as was the experience of others who have filed similar complaints) In retrospect, I believe he was speaking so fast in order to put one over me. He told me that the GPS unit would not work without a certain ultra high speed card and that most people order the 2 GB card for $ 269 (which he was going to give me a $50 dollar discount for). He told me that I need this card for the unit to run because that's where rerouting data is stored or something like that. He also sold me the hard case to protect the unit. When he started saying that "you know this unit will not work as soon as you detach it from the cable in the car." followed shortly by an attempt to sell me a rapid charger, I started getting suspicious. I said no.interestingly, because of all the accessories they sold me, the original mailing price of $ 19.00 for 3-5 days became $ 69 dollars. Their justification is that they charge 7-8% of total cost of merchandise for mailing and beyond a certain price, they have to insure the items. I even brought it to their attention that it was somehow ridiculous that by ordering two accessories totalling less than the unit itself, mailing costs jumped up more than 3 times.By this time, I was passed on to the supervisor (probably because of my questions) who apologized that the sales rep was on his first day and did not know how to explain a lot of the things right.By this time, My $ 695 dollar unit $19 shipping) had ballooned to a whopping $ 1038 or so. I still placed the order (should have trusted my gut instinct which has never failed me). After wards I started looking at the garmin boards which basically said any micro SD card would do (not necessarily the ultra high speed error free micro sd card with low power consumption, whatever that is). They were charging me more than $ 200 for a card that everyone else was selling for $ 50 or less! They were also selling me a hard case for $ 69 when all other competitors were selling for $ 29. And need I repeat... By adding those two accessories, my mailing cost went from $ 19.00 to $ 69 dollars! Total RIP OFF. I called the number again, spoke with I think the same sales person and told him I would like to cancel those two accessories. He said it has already shipped out. I told him that after a little research I honestly felt deceived, misled, misinformed, and overcharged. I told him about what the garmin website said debunking whatever they are claiming. The person said, well we can just cancel your order then. I said YES and he said you will receive an email from us and abruptly put down the phone. Minutes after I get the confirming email that my order was cancelled and my card was not charged. (I thought the order had already shipped?)

This company needs to be penalized / fined for the unethical business it does. The whole structure is designed to deceive and confuse a buyer into purchasing accessories that he deos not need and then will grossly overcharge them for these accessories and justify ridiculous mailing charges. What a great business model.

Come to think of it, I should check my credit card statement that they really did not charge my card... If they did... Now that's another battle.

For now I think I have the responsibility to report to the better business bureau. After the misadventures of tons of people here, it is apparent that the problem here is not a clerical one. Its one thing to charge ridiculously more for the same merchandise as other stores, but consciously deceiving people and misinforming buyers and then overcharging them is realy really low. This company needs to be shut down.

Dr xxxxxxxx
Cambridge, Massachusetts
U.S.A.

Company: 86th St Photo And Video
Country: USA
Phone: 8008152040
Site: www.86photovideo.com

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