OT: Sony Repair Problems

jazzmaster wrote on 11/5/2009, 3:37 PM

I have a Sony HVR-V1U which I bought from Fotospirit in Balacynwood, PA. I had a transport gate problem (the gate wouldn't close) and sent it to Sony repair center in LA. I assumed that because I hadn't had the camera for a year, it was still under waranty. Sony told me that FotoSpirit was not an authorized Sony dealer and wanted $500.00 to fix it. I told them to send the camera back to me, which they will.

I don't understand this. How can they sell Sony camcorders if they aren't a Sony dealer? I thought every camera bought was under warranty for a year, anyway. This whole situation with Sony not fixing my camera is unacceptable to me.

I called FotoSpirit and they told me the ARE a Sony authorized dealer.
They will hash it out tomorrow and let me know.

I post this for your thoughts and as a warning to anyone else.

Burt Wilson

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Comments

DGates wrote on 11/12/2009, 3:20 PM

What do you mean you see several posts about B&H selling grey-market goods? I count one post. It's all the other crooks in Brooklyn that sell imports exclusively that should give you pause.

When an item at B&H is imported, they say so, and they make it clear that the warranty will be through them, not the U.S manufacturer.

Outfits like Broadway Photo (and all it's various other names) sell noting but imports, but they don't make that clear at all.

Editguy43 wrote on 11/12/2009, 4:26 PM

Mr. Gates why the attitude to my post, and there are 2 posts one from Farss and one from John Cline.
So 2 could be mentioned as several since it is more than one :-)
I do appriciate the comments, I was wondering about Broadway Photo, but have always thought that B&H was a reliable store.

Thanks for the input.

jazzmaster wrote on 11/12/2009, 5:56 PM

Before I retired I worked as Sales Manager at a pro video production, rental and broadcast sales outfit here in Sacramento, CA. I will tell you this straight out--B&H ruined our broadcast sales business. But the issue was not quality cameras, the issue was taxes. Who is going to buy a $10,000 camera from us when they can save $750 in taxes by buying it from B&H out of state. Within a few months, the whole broadcast sales business went down the drain.

We told the people they were buying a "pig in a poke" and a "box" rather than an authorized dealer who will stand behind what they sell. In almost every instance, we lost out. And because B&H had such a large sales volume, they got a better wholesale price break from Sony than we did.

But, slash and burn competition is the American way...at the lowest price.

DGates wrote on 11/12/2009, 7:02 PM

I wasn't giving you attitude.

Coursedesign wrote on 11/12/2009, 7:08 PM

The online sales tax exemption has had a good run, but it's time to feed the starving states and support local jobs.

Not easy to do, but necessary as 10 states are now essentially kaput.

There is of course the use tax that is due in most states when you buy from out-of-state, but that is rarely "remembered."

Editguy43 wrote on 11/12/2009, 8:25 PM

My bad I read it wrong, I apologize.