"These people are awful.
******** Do not buy from them*****
I got the same run around and the same emails. First this:
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-***-***-**** Ext. 209 Brad
so we may verify and complete processing your order.
If you have already called and confirmed your order, you may disregard this
request.
Broadway Photo is the same thing. Got the same treatment.
Then I get this after I did not buy the extras:
We regret to inform you that by the time your order reached the shipping
process, our inventory on the product(s) you ordered was negative, therefore
your order will be placed on a temporary backorder until we receive the
product(s) back again in stock which will be in about 3-4 weeks.
"
"Without a doubt, a scam and they should be arrested for what they are. On April 30, I ordered from them (on line) a green Olympus Stylus 1030SW digital camera at an advertised price of $150 less than anybody else. I then received an email from them asking me to call "Jason" for them to complete the order. When I called I got pressured (i.e.duped) into ordering a package deal consisting of a 3 year extended warranty and an external professional AC/DC worldwide rapid travel charger at an additional $220, which I later found out was an exhorbitant price.
A month and a half has passed and I am still waiting for the charger.
I have since called them and/or emailed them on at least five occasions. On my last email, I even told them I wanted to cancel the charger order and wanted my money back. So far, they either gave me a bunch of excuses or have not answered me at all."
"Like many if not all of the others, I wish I had discovered this site before placing an order. Like one respondent said, "the best price I found anywhere". That should have been a signal, but you know how it is when you are looking for the best price and pat yourself on the back for having found it. I won't repeat the many reports herein...my was the same. I was told to call back on a certain date to get the tracking information. I called a day earlier to check on the status of my order, and get the pat answer..."it's on back order". Having benefit of this web site, I instructed the rep to cancel the order. I received an email stating the order had been cancelled, your credit card has not been billed, and all your sensitive data were deleted from your system". Hopefully this part is true. Moral of the story: DON'T DO BUSINESS WITH THESE PEOPLE! Is it a scam as suggested by others? Hard pressed to draw any other conclusion. "
"It is a SCAM company. Unfortunately, I did not check here before placing the order. My story is EXACTLY the same as everyone else's. Placed order, received email to "call to confirm", did so, received email telling me that item is backordered for 3-4 weeks. I have no idea why they do this. Probably in order to capture credit card numbers. I called my credit card company and reported them to the Security Department.ADDENDUM: I have just filed a report with FBI regarding the practices of this company. The FBI has an Internet Crime Complaint Center at http://www.ic3.gov/ I encourage all victims of these unscrupulous operations to file a complaint with the FBI at the above address. If more of us would report these perpetrators, I am sure the government will shot them down."
"BE WARNED -- definitely a SCAM. Called to verify my address, and pushed a sale to sell more VERY overpriced accessories (I bought a digital camera and needed batteries, SIM card, filters for the lens). All the "discount" prices on the accessories were double to triple the going rate elsewhere (I later found out). Wish I had checked here first.
DO NOT BUY FROM 86th Street Photo and Video."
"I ordered a Garmin 660 for my husband for Father's Day ($289.00). My order confirmation did not have what I ordered or how much. I thought that was kind of odd, but didn't think much of it. A few days later I got an email stating:
In order to further verify your order, we will need to speak with you on the phone. Please call our Verification department at 1-***-***-**** Ext. 207 Clarke so we may verify and complete processing your order.
I called and was told the month of my credit card expiration date did not come through and they needed to verify it. I did so and then was being pushed very hard to order a memory card. I stated no several times. The pushy lady finally gave up and said goodbye very rudely. Our package arrived a few days later. My order had been updraded to a package deal, Garmin 660 and a 1GB memory card. This added $100 to my order. I called customer svc. I wanted to send the memory card back. I spoke with Rachael, who said they don't take back parts of a package only the whole package. If I send it back, there will be a 20% restocking fee. After telling her that I did not order a package, she told me that the order was modified via phone. OMG - I can't believe this!! After going around and around with her, she finally offered to send several accessories at no cost or shipping. I made her send an email stating this before I hung up. I still will be reporting them to the BBB and every website I can find.
Do not buy from them!!!
Just want to add, I filed a claim with the Better Business Bureau, NY office. The claim went under Wisetronics.com. Beware of this website as well!!"
"My experience went like this. I attempted to purchase a Garmin zumo 550 GPS for $449.00. They said they would contact me after I provided credit card and other information. The next day they did contact me and as the conversation progressed they became more and more displeased with the fact that I wasn't interested in additional products. They had shown the unit I wanted with american maps, in stock and had promised to ship it within 2 days. Three day later they sent me an e-mail stating that they were out of stock and would not be available for over three weeks and then there would be 2 weeks for shipping.
I tried to call them every day for a week and always got a message "due to the holidays we are currently unavailable". I used star 67 to with hold caller ID and then I was able to contact them. I pretended to be a new customer and asked if the product was in stock and they said it was. Then I gave them my confirmation number and asked when I would be getting mine. The man called me a liar and said that was the reason he was cancelling the order. So, while other companies compete fairly in our free market economy they by-pass this American system using a variation of bait and switch. This is one dirty company. I am concerned about the information I gave them. And I have nothing to show for it. "
"DO NOT ORDER FROM 86th STREET PHOTO!!! I ordered a digital camera back in April and received a call "to confirm the order" and didn't get back to them right away. I then received a email saying they were out of stock (even though their website said in stock)and that it would be 5-7 weeks for delivery. They had a great price so I decided to wait it out but emailed them for status yesturday and they told me that it would be an additional 6-8 weeks!!! After reading the other reviews here, it is evident that this company is running some sort of scam.
STAY AWAY!!!"
"This is a terrible company. I ordered a GPS 8 weeks ago. They called to harass us about getting a extended warranty 3 days later. 3 weeks later we got an email saying it was on backorder and it would take 5 more weeks. I called today (8 weeks from ordering) and they told me it would be 5 more weeks. I canceled because I don't think it is ever actually coming. DON'T ORDER FROM THIS COMPANY!"
"Stay away from this seller I ordered a Canon Camera and got confirm order # . 1 week later I went back to their web site to check my order status.It shows "No Orders To Show " . I called and ask them why my order is not showing up in my order history. The customer service told me the item is backordered. Later on I received an e mail informing me my ordered was negative.It will be temporary placed on backorder for about 3-4 weeks . I'm been waiting for more than a month and still hear nothing from them . I called back and it's still backorder . I cancelled it. They are definitely liar. Don't bother to order from them .
H Phan"
"I placed an order for a camera because they had the best price I could find. After they recieved my order, they called me to sell me additional accessories that I did not need, I Declined.I then got an email stating that yhe item was not in stock, (which the site had stated WAS in stock), & would not be in stock for 3 weeks, 4 weeks later, nothing. This was obviously a bait & switch routine. I would not reccomend this store to anyone, they are unethical."
"Thank goodness I read the reviews here. I placed an order with them, but can canceled it after checking them out. Still received the 'ol bait and switch e-mail though:
"Order # XXXXXXXXX
Dear Jane Doe,
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-***-***-**** Ext. XXXXXXXXXXX
so we may verify and complete processing your order.
If you have already called and confirmed your order, you may disregard this
request.
Business Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 09:30AM to 08:00PM(EST)
Friday: 09:30AM to 05:00PM(EST)
Saturday: CLOSED
Sunday: 10:30AM to 06:00PM(EST)
Once again,
Thank you for choosing 86th St. Photo & Video."
At least canceling the order wasn't too big a deal,
except for long hold times.But be advised- just steer clear. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
"
"The ABSOLUTE worst customer service I’ve ever experienced. I ordered a camera on line, needing it to be delivered in a timely fashion, and willing to pay the extra postage to have it in time to leave for vacation. Two days later I received an e-mail asking me to “call us to further verify the order.” I called but their website says they don’t open till 9:30 EST. So I called at 9:40, only to be told by their voice message that they don’t open till 11. I called after 11. The first person was helpful, took the additional information then passed me on to shipping, who told me it would be 5 WEEKS for my order to be processed because they were out of stock. When I asked why they didn’t tell me this when I ordered on line they said that between the time I ordered and the time I spoke with shipping they ran out. When I asked if there were any other options, or any way they could help me, or if they were willing to take any responsibility on their part to inform the consumer AT TIME OF PURCHASE that an item was out of stock, they said, “the order’s been canceled, thank you for calling, have a nice day,” and hung up on me! I advise strongly: don’t use this company. They are a sad excuse for a customer-oriented service organization."
"Story is the same. Wish i read your reviews, before ordered from them. I refused to order any accessories and I still did not receive my order - it is not in stock, even there was no word about it when I placed an order or called to confirm it. Now they say - 6 weeks. I am going to cancel it. Worst interenet order experience ever. "
"SCAM SCAM SCAM! we went to order a panasonic lumix from them before our trip and paid extra for 3day shipping. we got the confromation email like the others and went to call. They then tried to sell us batteries for like a million dollars and tell us that the order would not be in within 3 days. We asked to speak to the manager and he was rude and told us they didn't even sell the camera when it was on the website for cheap, of course. We then were fed up and cancelled the order. I bet if we didnt we would have been told it was going on back order. They did not care we were not pleased.
THEY ARE RUDE LIARS!
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME!!!!"