OT: Check This Out Before You Purchase

birdcat wrote on 6/16/2006, 5:46 AM
Hey Kids -

Found this link on another site but looked at some of these - I have purchased from some of them and it scares me!

These are links to pages that show the actual buildings at the addresses of places selling photo/video/electronics on the web.

Before you plunk down that credit card number, you may wanna look at these:

Brooklyn, NY: http://donwiss.com/pictures/BrooklynStores/

Manhattan, NY: http://donwiss.com/pictures/ManhattanStores/

Other Locations: http://donwiss.com/pictures/OtherStores/

I think I'm gonna stick with B&H from now on.....

Comments

Wes C. Attle wrote on 6/16/2006, 6:09 AM
I always check for consumer reviews and ratings of online shops before I purchase. You always should.

Having said that, I would not worry about the look of the shop. Online shopping is continuing to grow at a high rate. The retail storefront is quickly becoming a thing of the past. A run down shack in an ally way or someone?fs basement business can usually give you a much much better price than the big retail shops.

The big superstores have pretty much monopolized the retail shelf business. These hole in a wall online shops are the little guys answer to the conglomerates. You have to be careful in selecting online shops with good customer service and return policy track records. But I would much rather give these guys my money and save lots of money by doing so.

I live in Tokyo. The same type of shops dominate online shopping in Japan. I have dropped by to pick stuff up a couple times. Usually just a small desk with tons of boxed electronics lying around. But great service. I've also purchased electronics and TVs for my parents and myself from those New York online retailers. Great service and great prices. Just be sure to check the reviews.

Never trust an online shop or eBaytailer with less than 100 customer reviews!
Edward wrote on 6/16/2006, 6:56 AM
too bad google earth can't zoom in reveal these addresses in full resolution.
JJKizak wrote on 6/16/2006, 7:05 AM
Microsoft has contracted for small aircraft to take pictures of everything but I don't know if the resolution is restricted as in Google. This is in competition with Google.
JJK
Dach wrote on 6/16/2006, 7:05 AM
Peter is right on. There is such a small margrin on electronics etc that retailers are having to be creative. The little guy has to have minimal overhead to be competitive and survive.

I have a distribution setup and can get many electronics, cameras, pc components, notebooks, and software.

Its hard to believe, but it is true... After selling a $1000 notebook, less than $50.00 goes into the retailers pocket.

Always if the deal is to good to be true... it probably is.

Chad
Patryk Rebisz wrote on 6/16/2006, 9:50 AM
I like PeterRabby's way of thinking.

Dach, i'm not sure whether your info comes from some statistic but small margin myth usually isn't true. For instance did you know that a migrant worker working a day in the field picking up, say peppers, makes about $100 while generating $2000 worth of goods?
busterkeaton wrote on 6/16/2006, 10:29 AM
It's very strange that he doesn't explicitly point which stores are completely legit. It's ridiculuous that the list of Manhattan Stores, he doesn't indicate that B&H and J&R have been in business for decades and are very trusted names. You can kind of get that opinion from the multiple photos, but B&H and J&R don't deserve to be anywhere near a list of scam artists.

By the way, I got my upgrade to Acid 6 Pro from J&R for $80. $93 after shipping and NY taxes. Very sweet price. I checked back and in 2 days it was double that.

Peter Rabby, online retailers may not have a retail store, but these lists were started because there is a history of Brooklyn camera stores ripping people off online. My favorite is "Abe's of Maine" which is located in Brooklyn. My theory is they are hoping people have heard of B&H, but can't rememeber the exact name. I also suspect some of these are started by folks who worked at B&H or other legit stores and learned the camera business and went bad.

birdcat wrote on 6/16/2006, 2:23 PM
> It's very strange that he doesn't explicitly point which stores are completely legit. It's ridiculuous that the list of Manhattan Stores, he doesn't indicate that B&H and J&R have been in business for decades and are very trusted names. You can kind of get that opinion from the multiple photos, but B&H and J&R don't deserve to be anywhere near a list of scam artists.

Please don't think I am condemning any or all on this list (I actually did purchase from a couple over the past few years and had a good experience). I also am in no way slamming anyone, let alone B&H or J&R (they've both had a good share of my paychecks as well). I just found it really scary (and remember I still live in NY, used to live in Brooklyn) to see the actual storefronts these businesses were using - Just made me think twice about using anyone except for a big (with good rep) supplier in the future.
winrockpost wrote on 6/16/2006, 2:58 PM
these pics been around a couple a years now,, if you regularly buy equipment , find who you trust and if you pay a couple a points more who cares, you know you are safe for returns, getting non gray equipment and everyone is happy. Look in any magazine and anyone showing a cam for 25 - 50% less than B &H or your selected trusted source just run, quickly ,cause you will be screwed
craftech wrote on 6/16/2006, 3:05 PM
I posted this in 2004, but none of it matters because these same sleazoids have been around since I was kid. New York City breeds dishonesty and the slime know just how to get away with it. Not a single Attorney General has ever been able to keep up with them all.
They have graduated from magazine mail order fraud to internet mail order fraud and the internet has turned into wart fertilizer for them.

Other than B&H if you are unsure after using one of the (guilty) low price search engines avoid vendors from NYC at all costs. If you are unsure of where they are from (they ARE sneaky......like Abes of Maine) use a New York zip code when the search engine asks you to type it in for the "lowest price". If tax is charged, even if the vendor is called Morty from Iowa, the vendor is from NYC and you should probably avoid them if you value your money and your sanity.

John
johnmeyer wrote on 6/16/2006, 8:02 PM
I've posted these as well, usually in response to some newbie who can't resist the ridiculously low price some of these people offer. Usually no warranty, and lots of hidden "extras." Fortunately, B&H is the real deal.
busterkeaton wrote on 6/16/2006, 8:16 PM
Other than B&H if you are unsure after using one of the (guilty) low price search engines avoid vendors from NYC at all costs.

As I mentioned J & R is is also totally legit. They are just a few blocks from the WTC and lost a bunch of business for a while.

It's more consumer electronics and computer oriented than B&H, so it's they are not direct competitors. If you shop at Amazon, J&R is often one the choices you can buy from.
busterkeaton wrote on 6/16/2006, 8:17 PM
my comment was directed at you, birdcat, but the guy hosting the photos
craftech wrote on 6/16/2006, 9:03 PM
As I mentioned J & R is is also totally legit. They are just a few blocks from the WTC and lost a bunch of business for a while.
=========
You are right. I forgot about J&R.

John
DGates wrote on 6/17/2006, 12:07 AM
There is so much slime in the NYC photo/video biz. Luckily, there are decent, honest outfits like B&H, J&R, Armatos, etc.