"A VERY BAD EXPERIENCE WHICH WAS VERY SIMILAR TO THE OTHER COMMENTS. I AM FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND I ENCOURAGE ALL OTHERS TO DO SO. JUST TYPE IN ATTORNEY GENERAL OF STATE OF NEW YORK IN THE SEARCH BAR AND LOOK FOR THE LINK TO CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. IT CAN BE FILLED OUT AND FILED ONLINE ALTHOUGH I AM MAILING MINE WITH SUPPORT DOCUMENTS."

"This totally sucks. I ordered a Sony DCR-HC40 which was listed at a great price $420. Then after I placed my order online it jumps to $479 which I thought was weird but I was still cool with it. After checking my order status online Friday I was told to call a number for verification purposes. I call and am told that I will have to buy the battery for $150 and I am thinking what the hell is going on. I am now trying to contact them to cancel my order but I am getting the run around. Why the hell didn't I check resellerratings.com first? "

"I placed an online order on Sunday for the Olympus C-5060 Zoom 5.1 Megapixel Digital Camera. I received an email on Wednesday stating that I needed to call customer support in order to "verify" my order. I called the number listed in the email. I got a busy signal. I called several times during the day. Not once did I get thru. I wonder if that number was even valid. So I scoured the website looking for another number, and finally found one. I called it and got thru, but was put on hold for almost an hour. When I finally did get to talk to a real live person, he was nice - at first. He started off by asking if I needed a battery. I was already very frustrated at this point, so I said "No." The guy, whose name I did not get, got very rude at this point. I said I wanted what came with camera. He said it came with nothing - not even the Manu warranty. There was nothing on the website stating it came with nothing. Where then did this camera come from? I was shocked at this point - I told him I wanted the camera at the price the website listed it at - $349. He pretty much told me that I couldn't get it for that. I'd have to pay $469 for the camera that comes with the standard accessories from the manufacturer. At that point I started asking more questions, saying that this sounded pretty shady to me. He wouldn't even let me talk without interupting me. He TOLD me he was going to cancel my order. I didn't ask him to. Then he told me that he had to go to a meeting, and for ME to call him back to tell him he was right when I couldn't find the camera cheaper than them. Of course, within minutes, I had ordered it from another camera store much cheaper than them. I will definitely NEVER order from them again. VERY SHADY."

"A&M cancelled my order, 23047399, by e-mail without explanation. They will not return my calls to Customer Service extension 777. The sales department is rude and not helpful. This is clearly a bait and switch. I ordered a Sony HC30 for $429 including shipping and handling. On Sunday Eric?? in the sales department said the HC30 was in stock and offeered to sell it to me for $599."

"I ordered a digital camera from A&M Photo World for a listed price. They then called and confirmed the price as expected. When I was invoiced by the company they had charged me $21 over the advertised and confirmed price, plus they charged an extra $15 for shipping than had been stated. Their customer service is near non-existant and rude. (Ever time I call it takes me waiting on hold for a minumum of 7 minutes.) They took me totaly by surprise. Needless to say, I will not be doing buuisness with this company again. I will also advise everyone I know about my experience with them. On the plus side, their ADVERTISED prices are really good. "

"I got my Sony DSC-T1 Digital Camera from them about a week after ordering. i went through the whole scam part of it and even with the added on 70 dollars to upgrade it to the "US Kit" it still ended up being 500 with shipping so i still did save 50 off the retail price. Will I ever do business with them again? No chance in hell. I find it funny I upgraded to the US Kit yet the camera is from Japan. The camera has a japanese sticker on it and everything but it still works quite well and i got a deal. So I guess i lucked out. Im not denying they are a scam but I found this site after ordering and nearly had a heart attack thinking i wouldnt get it. So if youre readiing this after already making the order and verifying it. Dont Worry everything will be fine. But I agree with many people here that I wont do business with them again"

"I thoroughly checked the A & M website for mention of non-US merchandise and other 'potholes' and found none, and so I ordered online.

Received an e-mail the following day asking me to call and verify my order.

They told me that the camera doesn't come with a US warranty etcetera, and would take 4 to 6 weeks for delivery because it was being shipped from overseas.

They told me that I had "chosen" the 'International' option, and not the USA option, hence the extras. I don't take too kindly to being scammed so I cancelled right there. The Sales Rap was rude and try to "pursade" me that it is the "best price" and said that I am "threathen" to call the credit card company to close the order if the order is not cancelled.

Yes, we all want to save money, but when these practices aren't announced on their website, it's nothing less than fraud.

Avoid A & M Photo World at all costs.
"

"Terrible return policy. If you buy 3 items and call them to ask about returning 1 or 2 of those items, they tell you that you have to return the ENTIRE order. Of course they are pleasant when you make a purchase, and then are rude when you try to return something. "

"[A & M Photo World] is a nightmare!!!!! I wish I had known about this site and read everyone else's reviews... A & M got my husband fooled completely!!!

ABOUT BATTERY: The sales rep, whom my husband talked to first, made him believe that a regular battery will come with the Sony DSC T-1 that he bought for me, and sold him ANOTHER better battery to have as an EXTRA in my purse. The sales rep told my husband that THE EXTRA battery was $70. I opened the box and found ONE battery, Sony NP FT-1, which is sold for $59.99 at Sony's official site. I called A & M Photo World and asked them what was going on. Their answer was, "$70 was for upgrading from the original TRIAL battery which lasts only for 10~15 minutes to a better one which should last for 2 hours or so." I said, "Why should we pay $70 to upgrade for a $59.99 battery??" And the rep had the nerve to tell me, "Oh, there are 2 kinds of Sony NP FT-1 batteries. One for $59.99 and another one that is more expensive. You got the expensive one." I said, "If so, wouldn't Sony put different names on those 2 batteries to separate one from the other for the customers and you guys to know what they are dealing with??" His answer was, "Ah... I'm not sure. I'm not a customer service rep. You need to call us back." What they are telling me makes no sense what so ever! Are they doing this because I'm not a native English speaker and they can tell over the phone?

ABOUT OWNER'S MANUAL: Why is it a copied version? They didn't even try to make it look good either. Cheap work!! Their answer? "Oh, that's how Sony sends it with all their products." Yeah, right...

I'll let you guys know how they will react after I'm going to have my husband call them back tomorrow. I bet they will say something silly again. How do they go to bed at night after lying and tricking customers to get a little more commission?

To be continued..."

"Another very unhappy customer from am photoworld. If you are reading these reviews before you buy consider yourself lucky, and DO NOT SHOP HERE. We ordered two great priced cameras online. When we called to confirm our order we were lied to about the battery life and talked into upgrading our camera cases into ones which didn’t fit. We couldn’t return the cases without returning everything, because it was considered a kit. Another reason we couldn’t return the cases is because apparently camera cases are considered “digital and video,” and only seven days are allowed to return digital and video items. If we returned everything we still would have had to pay a 10 percent restocking fee and an inflated shipping charge which would have come to 128 dollars. We ended up spending 80 dollars on extra batteries which we didn’t need, 60 dollars on cases which didn’t fit, and another 60 dollars on limited warranties which Sony provides standard in their boxes. The extra batteries and warranties doubled our shipping cost from 30 dollars to 60. We didn’t know that the shipping cost is based on cost of the order, not the weight of the package. It took us many stressful hours, long arguments on the phone, and hundreds of dollars but we finally learned our lesson. "

"The worst customer service I have ever worked with, rude, harrassing. Just spent an hour and one half trying to return a Canon 10D "USA" Kit. INternational kits sell for $1000.00 less but we did not know and the rep said he informed my husband. To return it would have cost 360.00!!! Do NOT purchase from these people. In the course of our conversation, the rep stated my elementary education did me well that I could add so nicely! Rude!!!!! Hidden cost!!!!!!!!!!!Buyer beware, these folks are out to get your money through hidden charges."

"FRAUD!!STAY AWAY!!BAIT & SWITCH LIARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WILL TELL YOU ANYTHING BUT IF YOU REALLY WANT SOMETHING FROM THEM YOU WILL PAY HUNDREDS MORE.. "

"DO NOT BUY FROM THESE SCAMERS!

I found a Sony Handycam DVD Camcorder for a low price of $669.99 through PRICE GRABBER & IN STOCK.
I go to the A&M web site and the price jumps to $869.99 & is "IN STOCK"
I am very confused about the price jump so I email A&M and here is what I get back:
Currenty this item is not in stock. Next delivery is within 6-8 weeks. We apologize for the inconvience. Feel free to email us in the future for availability.


Any more questions, please contact me

Victor

WHAT ABOUT THE $200 PRICE JUMP!
THESE PEOPLE NEED SHUT DOWN FOR FRAUD!
DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT BUYING FROM THESE SCAMERS!"

"I thoroughly checked the A & M website for mention of non-US merchandise and other 'potholes' and found none, and so I ordered online.

Received an e-mail the following day asking me to call and verify my order.

Although I had placed my shipping address on the site they started by telling me I hadn't done so. Then it was on to the big revelation that the camera doesn't come with a battery and warranty etcetera, and would take 4 to 6 weeks for delivery because it was being shipped from overseas.

Silly me had chosen the 'International' option, and not the USA option, hence the extras. Those options don't exist by the way, plus they then tried to sell me all the standard additions to the camera which should be included anyway. I don't take too kindly to being scammed so I cancelled right there.

Another supplier will ship UPS ground for $16.35, whereas all of A & M's shipping options are $40 plus.

Yes, we all want to save money, but when these practices aren't announced on their website, it's nothing less than fraud.

Avoid A & M Photo World at all costs.
"