"Camera Giants AKA 86th Street Camera is a total scam. I made the mistake of ordering a Canon G10 from them because it was the cheapest I could find anywhere. A few days later, you get an email requiring you to phone in to verify your information. Then they try to force you to buy extra batteries or something. Finally, after waiting several more days, they tell you the camera is out of stock and won't be available for 3-4 weeks. These guys are an ABSOLUTE SCAM. DO NOT EVER BUY ANYTHING FROM CAMERA GIANTS aka 86TH STREET CAMERA."
"Very shady! They call you up and attempt to up-sell you on their very expensive and unnecessary accessories and warranties. After you get off the phone after turning down their accessories you will receive an email stating "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)." 4 weeks later I receive another email stating "Your order with our company has been cancelled. Your credit card has not been billed. All your sensitive data were deleted from our system."
Very shady, would not recommend them at all."
"Bait-and-switch: I ordered the Canon PowerShot G10 on 01/25/09 for $239. MSRP $499. On 01/27/09, they raised the price to $269 and required me to confirm my order and two minutes later "Brian" canceled my order stating it was on backorder.
On 01/29/09 they lowered the price to $249. On 02/03/09 I was told I would now have to wait 3-4 weeks for a new supply and my order is still on backorder, not canceled. The message stated, "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)."
On 02/04/09 they raised the price to $419 with a listed price of $799.99.
On 02/17/09 they raised the price to $429 and iterated they have it in stock. When I told them I had an order pending, they then said it is not in stock and canceled my order again.
They also operate as http://www.cameragiantsinc.com. Your order gets canceled at 86Photo and then they bait you shop and buy at a higher price at www.cameragiantsinc.com
Notice that reviewer, "hrtue" cross-posted good comments about both businesses.
I filed a complaint with the FTC online."
"I ordered a Garmin Nuvi 255W for $139.99 which included (according to the website) the windshield mount and car charger. I received confirmation of my order right away but 2 days later received an email stating to call to confirm my order (which I have never had to do with another site ever) when I called I was told that the unit did not come with the vehicle charger and that it was $89... WHAT?? I told them the website stated it came with (and I had bookmarked it so I clicked on it while on the phone) and the very rude customer service guy Brian said "well it doesn't come with it, there was an error on the website". I requested that they cancel my order and promptly received a cancellation email but to be safe I canceled my credit card. "
"Don't waste your time, you're never going to get your order anyway!!!
Same story here - ordered a Canon SD880 for my business - had to call to confirm, only wanted the camera, declined the long list of accessories they insisted I had to have - rep said they would ship out right away. Then received an email a few days later that said..."by the time your order reached the shipping process, our inventory on the product you ordered was negative..." but mysteriously this same item is listed on their site as "In Stock". No results with any follow up calls other than to cancel the order."
"File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
US.BBB.ORG or WWW.BBB.org
You order at a good price,you will get an order number and told it will be shipped within a couple days. Then you will get a message you have to call to confirm your order. If you don't buy the over-priced, UN-NEEDED accessories they want you to buy when you call, you will get a notice they are out of stock and back-ordered.
WHAT A SCAM !
File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
US.BBB.ORG or WWW.BBB.org
"
"I ordered a Garmin Zumo 550 GPS--Priced at $439.00 plus expedited shipping $24.95-Total $463.95--First Phone call was for confirmation and a high sales pitch to buy overpriced accessories example I was told I needed to purchase a UltraSD card to down load maps and updates and that I should purchase an extended warranty for 2 years when I refused both I was told that the item would not ship for 3 to 4 weeks -- I then received an email stating that the item was out of stock and it would be 3 to 4 weeks before it shipped--I called customer service to check on status of this order today 02-10-09 and was told it would ship the 2nd or 3rd week in March--After I finished my phone conversation I checked my email and received an email stating that my order had been cancelled--I wrote to them inquiring as to why my order was cancelled and ask them to honor the price that was stated in there Ad--I also mentioned that the current price for this item had raised to $599.00 and that all indications were that they had plenty in stock???--To be very honest I suspected from the very beginning I was being scammed and I'm quite sure if I do receive a reply it will be as bogus as the rest of my dealing with them and as I have read I'm certainly not alone--STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY AS YOU CAN"
"This company seems to be a scam.. If you order at the advertised good price, you will probably never get what you order. You will get an order number and told it will be shipped within a couple days. Then you will get a message you have to call to confirm your order. If you don't buy the over-priced accessories they want you to buy when you call, you will get a notice they are all out, and it will be back-ordered. Then many weeks later when you try to find out why they don't list your order, They will accidentally cancel your order--although you don't want it cancelled. You will be told you have to reorder at a new higher price. If you really want what you are ordering--go with a more reliable store like Costco. "
"At www.86photovideo.com I got suckered by an online price of $179 plus $10 for 1 week shipping for a GPS (Garmin 265WT). When I got called to "confirm" my order, the salesman told me that I should also get a memory card in order to download map updates, and that he would throw in a carrying case and 3 day shipping. Total for the order: $320 plus $10 shipping. I said no 3 times - but in the end he told me that map upgrades would be impossible without the "special" memory card and I fell for it.
The biggest problem for me is that the Garmin website indicates that you can buy EXTRA maps ( e.g., Europe) on their memory cards, or use cards to store pictures, extra points of interest, etc. The cards are NOT required for map updates and will not speed up the update process. Secondly, the carrying case sent is for a camera, and way too big to serve for a GPS.
My discussion with Peter Sullivan (grand poobah of customer service) ended the same as for others - they would be glad to refund my $320 less 20% restocking fee ($64). Shipping both ways is $10 x 2, so I would be out $84 and have nothing. No breaking up the "package" deal for a partial refund. My estimate of the actual value of the upgrade is about $20 - 25.
This is my first experience with 86th Street Photo & Video and associated companies and it will definitely be my last. I should have checked these con artists out before ordering."
"I don't know how they sleep at night. They are a complete scam. If you don't buy their overpriced accessory package and your order wil be backordered forever. Unfortunately, they play you along and won't tell you the truth. I just followed up again and was told another 6-8 weeks but if I purchade their package, they will ship tomorrow. Do not do business with this company. They should be shut dowm!"
"They would not sell only the camera (canon powershot sx10 is). i.e. They stated a camera is not available with no accessories."
"I ordered on 01-26-09. They requested a phone call before processing the order. Nice phone call till I refused to purchase any of the very over priced extras they wanted to add on...then Peter S. became rude and hung up. Next thing I get an email that they were out of stock and would get it back in 3-4 weeks. On Feb. 2nd 09 I checked there site and they boast having it in stock. I sent an email asking and they cancelled my order. This company is a prime example of what is wrong with NY camera stores. DO NOT ORDER FROM THESE SCAMMERS."
"With all these horrible experiances & rating, this company has opened their business with new new name, camera giant. http://www.cameragiantsinc.com/. The site was registered 19-Jan-2009. They have modified their look but the site contents are same as http://www.86photovideo.com/ . BEWARE of this scam again. It's really surprising no one in this country has courage to hunt down & put the owner(s) behind bar."
"I ordered a Sony DCR-SR45 online from them and it was said to ship in two to three days once the payment cleared. I then received an email that said I needed to call them in order to confirm the order. When I called them, I got the bait and switch tactic where they tried to sell me other products from batteries, lens, and bags and then even to upgrade the camera. When I said I didnt want to upgrade, after about 5 minutes of telling them that as well, they said my product was on back order for at least two to three weeks. Saying that I needed the product sooner, they told me that it was just going to have to wait because it was out of stock. When I asked to cancel my order, they actually hung up on me. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES before they actually cancelled my order. DONT FALL FOR THESE GUYS! COMPLETE SCAM! And for goodness sakes, dont give them your credit card number... thats why paypal is such a good option, which I dont think they offer."
"Man I wish I had seen this web site earlier,Put in my order online on Dec. 9. My wife got the phone call to confirm order and would not buy the $49 battery for $99. She was told it would be 11 days because of back order. I called back to check on order 23 days later and was told it would be second week in April before it would be sent.Told the person on the other end to cancel my order.He asked if there was anything else he could do for me,I told him "no I don't think you clowns were going to give it to me for that price anyway".He said sir we do record these calls. I told him GOOD then pull up the recording where you told my wife it would only be 11 days before it was sent! I got hung up on."