"The purchase was simple and easy. I even got my lens earlier than expected."

"I do wish I had read the reviews before placing the online order. After reading all the reviews I fully knew what to expect. As soon as Ronald Davis, ext. 234 called, I told him all that I read online and that I want a tracking number, etc. He was pretty nice and I did accept the insurance upsell (which I'm sure was way overpriced) b/c I wanted to make sure the camera would not be backordered forever. Well - after more research, I realized that this would have been a grey market camera. My only issue with that was reading the other reviews about the company not fixing their merchandice correctly, so I certainly did not want to risk that. This morning I called Ronald, confirmed that it was a gray market camera and the American version would be more expensive than Amazon. So I cancelled. That was easy - I got my cancellation email and I just need to make sure they don't charge my credit card. So I'll update this post if I have further issues with that.

I don't recommend them, however if you know what you are getting into and comfortable with gray equipment, and a few extra upsells, then I guess this company would not be so bad.

Having said that, I never actually bought (and kept) anything from them. So take this review as it is. "

"I've been reading these really bad reviews about places like Camera Addict and Sonic Cameras. They've really been trashed on this site. I see very, very few positive ratings. I have an item I purchased from Camera Addict, so I want to let persons know of my experience: YES, they WILL try to talk you into spending more money-that is their job-they are probably on a commission and they act like you should EXPECT to pay more. But listen carefully, you can really get a package including what you want, not just what they offer on their site-to lure you in. The price WILL get you to call-to verify your purchase-the tactic they use to get you to call. No, the battery is not part of the price you see on the Web... maybe they take them out and sell them separately, don't know, but that is how they get you. Their goal is to get a certain amount of money for the product. So, you negotiate what they offer on the Web vs. what you need that they want to sell separately (if you don't want all the stuff they offer in the Web package). I purchased a Canon ZR-850 Mini DV Camcorder/Camera. The Web price was $179. After negotiating the package, my bottom line was $250. Standard battery with long-lasting also, cables, remote-it's all about the package. The camera is fine, works fine, still in warranty; I registered it with Canon and had no problems. If you don't want the hassle of talking to someone, pay a few dollars more, or sometimes less, at Amazon.com. By the time these people finish with you, it works out about the same anyway. I checked the Canon site to see the list price with Accessories-maybe $100 more. They use the low price to reel you in. Although I am satisfied with my purchase, I was on pins and needles before it arrived. I called to check twice; they assured me it was on the way. It did and all is well. So I'll give them a thumbs up. "

"Purchased Pioneer Hp5000DVD In Dec 2008 From them, have had it back for repairs 3 times, for same problem of screen not coming back out. Each time it has been in for repairs for at least 4 weeks, get it back it works for 2-3 weeks then breaks again, this last time, they sent it back without the Radio tuner, it will not work with out the tuner. Each time with talking to them they are rude and A***h****. It has now been 3 weeks and they still have not sent the missing part... Talked to Pioneer service, and found out that they have never had the unit in for repairs. They believe that the unit was probably part of "missing" units. Therefore they did not want to send it in. STAY AWAY FROM THIS STORE.. GO with a honest place of business."

"These guys are shysters. I have been buying items online for years and years and this is the first bad review I've ever had to write.

I ordered a Canon SD-750 from Camera Addict because they had the lowest price. The confirmation email said "for expedited processing" to call them and confirm the order. I had never heard of such a thing before. So I called them and the rep was trying to sell me an extended battery saying that the stock battery only lasts 15 minutes. I began to think he was not being truthful about the battery, I do not believe Canon would sell a camera with a battery that only lasts 15 minutes. I declined the battery, and then he tells me that the model I've ordered is the Japanese version, that is why the battery only lasts 15 minutes, and that all the on-screen menus are in Japanese. He told me that I could order the U.S. version for $199, which is about $70 more than the one I had ordered. Give me a break. I told him that there was no mention of the Japanese version on the website, and there was only one SD-750 even listed on the website. He didn't have an answer. So I canceled the order. Strangely, the phone line went dead right when I canceled. They did cancel the order, though.

My suspicions are that they only have the U.S. version and they bait you with the $130 camera, then tell you it's the "Japanese" version to upsell you on the $199 "U.S." version, as I read another review here where they tried to do the same thing but with a "German" version. They figure that no one is going to go for the "Japanese" version, and that's how they get you to pay $199 for the "U.S." version.

I bought the same model camera somewhere else, and the battery lasts quite a while, not just 15 minutes like this guy was trying to tell me.

Shysters and liars.
"

"These people are a joke, rude, dumb, etc.
They just called me on an order I placed & wanted to confirm my address when they started trying to sell me more stuff & patronizing me. He couldn't even speak proper english. He was a wanna be wiseguy. I told him to just cancel the order & he got smart with me! Pay the extra 5 dollars, and go with a reputable company."

"I placed the order Jan 18th. I received a call from a rep on the 20th wanting to sell me more stuff. I had read bad reviews about the site but thought I'd give it a try anyway. I've checked several times for the status of my order and it has NOT even shipped yet. Today is Feb 1st. I tried to cancel the order and am getting the run around.
I'm not sure why they bother being a store if they like to waste peoples time and theirs. It must cost them money to pay their reps that duck questions plus the charges incurred from having to call their 800 number for order status.
Too bad!"

"Textbook "bait and switch" operation. Could not finalize e-mail purchase without contacting salesperson. Very long waits. Salesperson insisted on purchase of numerous extras at inflated prices to finalize purchase or the order would be cancelled. I had same experience with "sister/alias" outlet Prestige Camera. "

"These people are out and out crooks, and have no knowledge of the equipment they are selling. I ordered a Canon G10 advertised at $369, a great price. I got an email saying I had to call them to confirm. When I talked to the rep, I wanted to confirm that this was not gray market. He said it was, and that the US warranty product was $419. I had assumed that would be the case, and that price was still OK. He started offering various add ons, most of which I had no need for. I was interested in the filters, and he came up with a price of $30 for the filter ring adapter and $50 for the filters. Even though the site says no shipping charge, I was told there was a $20 handling fee. I asked about how the filter ring attached to the lens, and was assured that on the G10, the lens had a bayonet mount on it to handle the adapter, unlike the G9, where the adapter attaches magnetically. I have a G9 without filters and didn't know how the ring attaches, but couldn't believe it was magnetic. Nevertheless, I accepted the order as is, which should at this point have been $520. When it came, the invoice was for $540 (I'm rounding off the pennies). It listed a kit, not individual items, including the camera and a "long life battery upgrade". The battery is the standard one listed by Canon in the owner's manual. There was no filter ring. When I called, I was told I had bought a kit and I couldn't return the filters, but I could return all of it with a 15% restocking fee. They tried to offer me a 2 gig SD card, supposedly worth $80. Now I am a computer reseller, and I know what memory costs. I could buy the card they offered me for $10. After getting transferred to a supervisor, he offered to throw in a 3 year warranty, which is not worth much for a digital camera, since historically they have very few issues. I finally just said yes to that, and that they would ship the filter ring, since I would be out even more ($81) after taking the hit for sending it back. I would NEVER suggest to anyone that this place is worth the hassle to deal with. They are liars and con men. The accessories they sold for $120 were easily found for $50 elsewhere afterwards. "

"On Sunday December 7, after extensive price comparison among online companies, I ordered a Panasonic VIERA TH-50PZ800U 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV from prestigecamera.com. Their price of $1411 was considerably cheaper than other online merchants including Panasonic-Direct, Amazon, Buy.com, and newegg.com. Prestigecamera fully disclosed, and I acknowledged, that shipping would be an additional $199, which did bring Prestige's price closer (but still less than) the other merchants whose prices already have shipping built in.

On Monday December 8, I received an email from prestigecamera.com (I can forward this to BBB upon request). The email stated:
"We are required to speak to you in order to verify your billing information. You may also be eligible for discounts on additional accessories and packages which are available with your product. Please call in at your earliest convenience. Our friendly team is ready to assist you and provide you with a great shopping experience. Our phone number is 1-***-***-****. Please choose Extension 285, when you call."

I made several attempts to call this number on Dec 8, between 9am and 2pm. Busy signals every time, until finally around 2:15pm, the call connected successfully and I was greeted by a customer service agent.

After asking for my order number, he congratulated me on my purchase, and then stated "You will need to buy 3 HDMI cables with that TV." I responded that I did not need any HDMI cables. He questioned how I would have cables without having a HDTV. I replied firmly that I did not need to purchase any HDMI cables. He then said "but you will need the power strip/surge protector." I stated I did not need this item either.

He then asked if I would be placing the TV on the wall or on a table. I replied "on a table". He responded that "You will need the pedestal; that's on sale for $199". I countered that it was my understanding that Panasonic includes a stand as part of this model. I recognized that any wall mounting equipment would be additional cost, but did not concur with his assessment that I needed to purchase a separate stand. I requested to decline the separate stand. He replied "You understand you won't be able to use the TV without the stand?". I countered that I fully expected a stand to be included by the manufacturer, and that Panasonic's website describes this model as being equipped with a swivel stand as standard equipment. He replied "not for $1400, it isn't". I commented that the photograph on prestige's website shows the Panasonic TV with a stand, and nowhere does it disclose that this base/stand is not included with the purchase (http://www.prestigecamera.com/viewproduct.aspx?id=%20%20%209972837)

He responded tersely with "I'll give you a cancellation number. You may re-order in two weeks". I said "thank-you" and the call terminated.

The cancellation was not initiated by me, and caught me a little off guard. After the call ended, it became apparent to me that Prestige was practicing bait-n-switch, or upsell practices. I believe he chose to cancel my order because I did not purchase certain "mandatory" accessories which would have dramatically increased their profit margin. I was extremely shocked, after the call, to go back to prestige's website and check their price for HDMI cables. They wanted over $127 to $233 each for HDMI cables. (this price was never disclosed to me on the phone). These prices are considerably higher than similar cables which can be purchased for under $20 at most retailers. Had I fallen for their tactic, my $1411 TV would have ballooned to $2190 ($1411 TV + $199 shipping + 3($127 cables) + $199 stand/pedestal), a price considerably higher than the other online merchants and a price which definitely would have precluded me from considering prestigecamera.com for this purchase.
"

"This company is a fraud, first they send you an email with your order number asking you to call them back. You call them and their "800" phone line is busy, you keep trying and then when it works, you press ext. 241 and stay on hold for 25mins or more.

When someone finally comes to the phone and tells you that the item you ordered (I ordered Sony BRAVIA KDL-46S4100 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV) does not have the necessary accessories like remote control. I then asked the fraudster to tell me who else sells brand new TV with no remote control, he then explains that this TV was distributed for wholesale. I then again asked him, does the TV come in a factory sealed box and he answered yes, I then said I don't understand how it does not have a remote control inside (may be some from Sony can better explain).

Finally, the fraudster tried to upsale me by offering the remote control, TV stand, etc. I said no to the upsale and asked them to cancel my order.

There must be lots of dummies that fall for this Bait and Switch business. Where is NY Attorney General's office? I will try contacting the NY AG's office in this regards and many of you need to..."

"RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!

I ordered a Canon EOS Digital Rebel xSi with lens kit plus another special Canon lens that was over $300. Both said FREE regular shipping.

I knew I might get a call to try and sell me accessories, but I would just stand firm on my two items.

The total in my shopping cart was a few cents over $818. However, I did not see any total at all during checkout, and no total in my order confirmation email. I decided to give it a try anyway. Their 800-numbers were constantly busy, but I kept trying. As expected, the salesman wanted to sell me accessories, but he also flat out LIED to me. He said that the battery in the Canon camera kit would only last 15-20 minutes. I asked if that was with or without flash, and he was like, "either way." Their special battery was $89 with a camera purchase. I said no. Then he asked if I had a memory card. I told him I did, an SDHC card, and he tried to tell me that it was not high speed for the camera, that it was only high speed when transfering to my computer. I told him I trusted this memory card, and no thanks.

Then he said my total was $891... I said "What?!" He said there was a charge for insurance, which was over $73 additional. I asked how they shipped, and he said UPS. I told him that I ship UPS and I know insurance doesn't cost that much. I said I wanted to decline it. He said it was mandatory. Again, I told him that it couldn't be that much, and he said it was either that fee or 12% of the order total. He also tried to make a claim that insurance was high because they ship a high volume.

I told him I wanted documentation of the insurance cost. He started babbling something and also said it was on their website, that there would be additional fees for insurance. I demanded to be shown where in the shopping cart, checkout process, or in my confirmation email it told me this. He said it was in their About page**. "About page?" I said. "Your ABOUT PAGE?" To which he replied that it was my job to do my research on their company.

I demanded to skip the insurance again, and he said he could not place the order without it. So I finally told him to go F himself.

The only good thing is that my credit card had not been charged at all.

I think they don't show your total in checkout or the email again so you forget exactly how much it was, and when you hear the total on the phone (they never mention insurance was added either), you aren't sure if it's the same.

** Insurance and handling fees are mentioned on the About page, but not in any great detail, and it is unclear when they might be applied. In one place it says that orders with more than one item may have additional fees, and in the "Free Shipping" policy section is says handling and insurance fees are additional.

*** Incidentally, Prestige Camera has the EXACT SAME policy page. Their prices are higher, but I don't think I want to order from them either! http://www.prestigecamera.com/about.aspx#Shipping%20Fees%20and%20Policies"

"I stupidly ordered a Nikon Cool Pix P80 from this company. The weirdness started at checkout when I was not able to print a copy of the order confirmation. Then I received an email from them saying that I had to call them before the order would ship. All of their numbers were constantly busy and only one email address from their "contact" page worked. After reading all the horrible reviews here, I sent a cancellation email to the one email address that is not currently bouncing emails. Went ahead and ordered from another company that I have done business with before. Paying more than what camera addict advertises on line, but have peace of mind. Hopefully I will be permanently done with them...

K. J. Washington State USA"

"THE WORST EAST COAST SCAMMERS AROUND!!!!!

BEWARE...... DO NOT ORDER FROM THEM!!!!!

SCAM-SCAM-SCAM- Horrible customer service.....

Called to check stock..... Then spoke to them over the phone after 3 hang ups.... BEWARE, Then got a backorder e-mail!!!!!!!!!"

"This "Company" Stinks and is just a bunch of dishonest people, Tried to purchase a GPS system from them and like many of the other people here they added on a bunch of stuff that should be part of the standard equipment (according to the Garmin website) They put high pressure that you NEED this stuff, when they know its not the case. STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY, I am fighting with them thru my credit card company to get my over charge back!!"