Quote:
Once you start talking about online discount camera shopping, you have to be really cautious about who you buy from.


Boy, have I ever had an education during the past week about this!

I am becoming convinced that online discount camera store is synonymous with sleaze.

I found stores that want to charge me $70 to ship a three pound box, stores where the salesman called me a liar (Actual words: "You're lying to me.") when I informed him that I didn't want to buy his $139 spare battery because I had already purchased one the previous week for $6.95 on eBay, stores that offer the camera I want at an amazing low price, but if you investigate carefully and ask the right questions you find out that what you are getting is the bare camera -- no battery, no memory card, no battery charger, no camera strap, no software, no warranty, nothing but the bare camera. All of the pieces that come pre-packaged from the factory are removed, and sold separately as options at incredibly preposterous prices. I mean, prices like $139 for a $7 battery, $239 for a $12 memory card, $149 for a $14 filter.

I have finally seen the light, and realized that bargain shopping is not the way for me to shop for a camera. I picked a seller with an eBay store who is selling cameras for about $150 more than the bargain-basement sellers, but whose accessories are priced reasonably. I talked with the manager, and he agreed to ship the camera to Alaska for the same price he ships it in the continental US. He was actually happy to talk with me, even though he knew I wasn't going to buy anything today (because I called late and the sales department goes home early on Fridays) and he was willing to be flexible.

I'll be paying about $560 (with shipping) for a camera I had naively thought I would get for about $450. I guess it's really true -- you get what you pay for.

tanstaafl.
_________________________
"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"