Complaint / Review
86th Street Photo And Video
Great Prices until you refuse to buy the overpriced and unnecessary accessories - then backordered

My experience is basically the same as others reporting this ripoff.

Great price on a Garmin GPS. Placed the order on-line (thought the over emphasis on terms and conditions was odd - especially the part about taking them to court in Los Angeles, when they are located in NY - that should have been my tipoff)

Received the confirmation email:
"Thank you for your order from 86th Street Photo & Video... Your order is currently: Processing"

2 days later I received the follow up email:
"We thank you for choosing 86th St. Photo & Video as your choice for all your photographic equipment.

In order to further verify your order, we will need to speak with you on the phone. Please call our Verification department at 1-800-815-2040 Ext. 207 Chris so we may verify and complete processing your order.

If you have already called and confirmed your order, you may disregard this request."

In talking with Chris - he asked me to confirm my billing address and that was the last honest words that came out of his mouth.

He proceeded to tell me that I needed to order an AC charger for $69 in order to charge the GPS unit. I asked what cables came in the box (knowing that it comes with a vehicle power cable and a usb cable - both of which will charge the unit). He replied with the only cable that comes with it is a car power cable and that it would NOT charge the unit and if left plugged in would overheat the unit. Yah right...

Additionally, he indicated that I needed to purchase a memory card so that I could save
Waypoints/favorites/locations and other data (specs indicate the following std capability (NO card needed) -waypoints/favorites/locations: 1000)

Once I declined to purchase any other accessories and then again reconfirmed (after he pressed to sell me the AC charger) that I did not want to purchase anything beyond the Garmin GPS unit, he told me that I should be receiving my unit within 1 to 2 weeks.

I immediately checked my order status online and it had changed from 'Verification Required" to "Backordered".

If they really want to rip people off and get them to buy unneeded and over priced accessories, they should at least come up with some better stories than to insult my intelligence with the hogwash Chris tried.

Chalk this one up to 'if it looks to good to be true... It probably is' - I will have to say this is my first time running into this type of scam.