tmpchaos
Requiescat in pace
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Hoboken, NJ
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| reply to Jodokast96
Re: New York AG after Brooklyn Scammers
Looks like they aren't willing to either collect sales tax on NC purchases or give NC info on purchasers from NC so that the state can go after them for use tax.
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Splitpair
Premium
join:2000-07-29
Cow Towne
 ·T-Mobile US
| reply to Jodokast96
said by Jodokast96  :Just curious, can you find a link to every piece of news you've come across in your life? I know I can't, but that doesn't mean they didn't happen. If it’s local to my area give me 24 to 48 hours and I could probably do it as our two local papers the Sentinel and the Herald have searchable on-line archives going back about 12 years and microfiche for 30 + before that.
While I might not be able to provide a link I would be able to post a scan of the story and in this case that’s really all I was asking for, however instead all I have seen are links to Internet rants (some totally unrelated) or anecdotal “it happened to me” evidence.
Anyone can post anything they want on the Internet but backing it up when challenged becomes a totally different world hence the reason I will not post something without being able to do so.
Wayne
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If you cannot fix it with a buttset and some beanies you ain't a technician |
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Jodokast96
R.I.P Bassman442
Premium
join:2005-11-23
Erial, NJ
 ·Verizon Online DSL
1 edit | reply to tmpchaos
I don't doubt you one bit. But I've also seen Henry shut right up at the mention of this, so it does make me wonder. Still, I have no problems recommending or using B&H.
On a side note, this »finance.unc.edu/news/news/nc-deb···deo.html turned up in one of my searches. Anbody have any ideas on exactly what it's about? |
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Gemologist
Premium
join:2001-11-15
USA
clubs:
| reply to Cliffy
There are threads all over forums like photo.net and dpreview of people who have purchased usa lenses only to receive gray market imports. I know of 4 of these events personally, as happened to friends. Sigma, on the one incident, even confirmed to the purchaser that the lenses were indeed imported and not USA versions. Done on purpose? Just lack of QC? Lazy/sneaky employees? No clue, but it seems to happen frequently, and it is a well documented issue on plenty of forums by many different people.
Also lots of other things, example, selling studio lights as being user replaceable tubes when they are not, quite a few got burned on those, gotta love disposable studio strobes, lol. We got burned on those as wanted a set of cheap portables. By time we realized this was the case it was too late to return them as it was almost a year later. Could have filed legal issues I guess, but would have cost more then they were worth, lol. But we won't be burned again by them, that is for sure.
While plenty of folks have luck with them, there are far too many issues for me to bother with them, especially when better service and cheaper prices can be had elsewhere. In my own personal experiences, they have been less then honest and have shafted us more times then not in one way or another. 
I personally stick with Adorama, far better customer service hands down! Truly cares about their clients and will bend over backwards to help them out as well! Including having actual Manufacturer reps calling said clients to answer tech questions that they couldn't. No questions asked returns, prompt refunds, etc.
As for Henry, he is well known for going around forum to forum slandering upset customers, huge thread on the Pentax forums(or at least was.. Got locked.. May or may not still be there) with him calling customers names and everything, real nice guy, rofl. Not my kind of place and why I stay clear of them.
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tmpchaos
Requiescat in pace
Premium,Mod
join:2000-04-28
Hoboken, NJ
clubs:
Host:
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Digital Imaging
Digital Imaging Te..
| reply to Jodokast96
No, but at the same time there are a couple of people who have been dealing with B&H for many many years (from the time when they were a little hole in the wall), live in the area, and would most likely recall a major issue like that- since it would have directly impacted them.
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***ATMFAQ***DIFAQ***Kitchen Sink*** |
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Jodokast96
R.I.P Bassman442
Premium
join:2005-11-23
Erial, NJ | reply to Splitpair
Just curious, can you find a link to every piece of news you've come across in your life? I know I can't, but that doesn't mean they didn't happen. |
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Splitpair
Premium
join:2000-07-29
Cow Towne
·T-Mobile US
1 edit | reply to Pentaxian
said by Pentaxian : They were busted for false advertising and bait and switch techniques. And again, can you find something, anything what so ever be it a newspaper article, wire story, video etc to back up that statement? You mentioned it was media that exposed the fraud, therefore somewhere that information is archived and it would do you well to find it and post it here.
Maybe it's just me, but before I would go on-line and post something that egregious about a well known retailer I would have something to back up my statement with.
Wayne
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If you cannot fix it with a buttset and some beanies you ain't a technician |
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Stacy
FotoDogue
Premium
join:2001-11-02
New York, NY
 ·RoadRunner Cable
·Speakeasy
2 edits | reply to Cliffy
Re: New York AG after Brooklyn Scammers
It doesn't surprise me that people might feel discriminated against since B&H is one of several Hassidic owned photo supply houses in the City. The 4.3 million dollar claim was that they underpaid Hispanic employees.
Even so, racial or cultural discrimination isn't the same as deliberate bait and switch. One is a labor issue while the other is a consumer issue. If people choose not to shop there because they may discriminate that's their choice but let's try to be clear about exactly what the allegations might be, |
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Pentaxian
Premium
join:2008-01-23
West Milford, NJ
1 edit | reply to Cliffy
Also - I have engaged Henry in the past about this when he tried to stand up for B&H.. As soon as I mentioned this, he went away..
For those of you who think B&H is the greatest place ever, go have a look at the link below.. Maybe that will give you some indication of the type of people you're buying from.. k?
»www.google.com/search?source=ig&···aq=f&oq= |
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Pentaxian
Premium
join:2008-01-23
West Milford, NJ
1 edit | reply to Cliffy
As I said, this happened about 15 years ago and it's not rumors. I suggested that if you really think I would go so far as to make this crap up (for what benefit I ask) then contact channel 2,4,5,7,9,11 in the NY/NJ area and ask to speak to someone in their archives department and see if they can pull it for you. It's totally true and it totally happened over a long period of time. So much so and for so long that people finally started complaining and they eventually got busted for it.
And they STILL do these things today as evidence of that I pointed you to the link at photo.net of thousands of people's experiences with them. There are a lot of good ones, but plenty of bad as well..
So, why would I continue to shop there knowing this? Because I'm not the 'unsuspecting consumer' - I can deal with the theives and crooks. |
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Jodokast96
R.I.P Bassman442
Premium
join:2005-11-23
Erial, NJ | reply to Splitpair
Contrary to popular belief, everything that ever was is
not necessarily on the Internet. |
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Splitpair
Premium
join:2000-07-29
Cow Towne
·T-Mobile US
1 edit | reply to Stacy
said by Stacy :If only 1% of their transactions have a problem that's an awful lot of angry customers. That would work out to about 40 upset customers per day and that's clearly not happening.
Wayne
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If you cannot fix it with a buttset and some beanies you ain't a technician |
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Splitpair
Premium
join:2000-07-29
Cow Towne
·T-Mobile US
| reply to Pentaxian
said by Pentaxian :years ago B&H was notorious for grey market shenanigens - after a few media busts they cleaned up their act. Have some links to back that up with?
I have heard these rumors before but no one can never seem to find or post any real proof of them actually having happened.
For what it is worth I have purchased enough from B&H to buy Miami twice over and never had a single problem or misrepresentation of an items listing or origin.
Wayne
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If you cannot fix it with a buttset and some beanies you ain't a technician |
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Hayward
K A R - 1 2 0 C
Premium
join:2000-07-13
Key West, FL
1 edit | reply to Stacy
said by Stacy :But what I don't understand is, if you really believe they're deliberately involved in some kind of bait and switch or other scams then why would you continue to shop there? Possible bad experience, not dealt with in a timely way. I have not have had any problem even returning USED stuff to B&H with no problem.... again about the only reputable NYC dealer.... HUNDREDS of FAR WORSE, the AG is after
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»haywardm.com (Hayward's Key West)
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Jodokast96
R.I.P Bassman442
Premium
join:2005-11-23
Erial, NJ
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to Stacy
There is something out there, but I'll be damned if I can find it now myself. If I remember, it was little more than a local news channels consumer reporter giving them crap, and it was a rather long time ago. All in all, they are a decent place to deal with, the number of satisfied customers shows that. But they aren't perfect, and haven't always been angels. |
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Hayward
K A R - 1 2 0 C
Premium
join:2000-07-13
Key West, FL
| reply to Cliffy
And just to restate the ONLY NYC metro seller I would trust is B&H.
They actually do honest business even if they are closed on Sat like all the others.... draw your own conclusions.... but honest ones.
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»haywardm.com (Hayward's Key West)
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Stacy
FotoDogue
Premium
join:2001-11-02
New York, NY
·RoadRunner Cable
·Speakeasy
| reply to Pentaxian
Wow. Somehow when you said "They were busted for false advertising and bait and switch techniques" I was expecting something along the lines of a link to a news story, maybe saying they'd been fined by the NYC Department of Consumers Affairs, or something to that effect. I was not expecting a link to another forum where some users state they had negative experiences and Henry Posner tries to rectify. After all this is a fairly serious accusation to levy against a reputable business.
B&H does an incredible amount of business and has an extensive online catalog that must need regular updating and corrections. If only 1% of their transactions have a problem that's an awful lot of angry customers. I don't find it the least bit surprising that someone would be unhappy. And I'd imagine Henry Posner works overtime doing online customer service and support.
But what I don't understand is, if you really believe they're deliberately involved in some kind of bait and switch or other scams then why would you continue to shop there? |
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Pentaxian
Premium
join:2008-01-23
West Milford, NJ
1 edit | reply to Cliffy
Well, it seems they are up to their old tricks...
»photo.net/neighbor/view-one-abou···to+Video
Be sure to scroll the list and read the titles carefully.. Billing and not shipping - Grey market no US scams - etc, etc..
Oh, and I forgot one real doosy of a policy they have.. If you fill out your warranty card (assuming it's a good US one) and you either send it in to the manufacturer, or, you still have it with your information on it, you may NOT return your camera to B&H.. And you can forget it if you simply lost the warranty card.. Most places don't even check to see if the warranty card is there because they'll simply send it back to the MFG and give YOU a new one. Not B&H though. If you send in a defective unit for replacement, they put your crap unit back on the shelf to sell to another poor soul - that's why they need a clean and unaltered warranty card, so the next sucker gets it!! Think I'm full of it? Pentax users watched as returned lenses bounced around from owner to owner who thought they were buying new from B&H.. They were just buying defective lenses that B&H resold.. But I love B&H.. |
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