I Took the Bait but Not the Switch. Be Very Wary of This Website.
USA Photo Nation
Normally, I go through the whole website I am reviewing and explain how it all works before I get into my personal experience. However, since this experience turned out a little differently than most of the website experiences I have written about to date, I am going start at the end then give you the other info about the site.
My Bad Experience with USA Photo Nation (www.usaphotonation.com)
I have been on the lookout for a Canon EOS 20D camera for my husband for a few months and finally decided now was the time to buy one.
That was the easy part. The hard part was finding the camera for the best price I could. It's not a cheap one and a few hundred dollars difference means a lot to me.
I came across www.USAPhotoNation.com through a website called Shopping Cart or something (I should have gone to shopping.com, of course.). There, they had many listings of websites that sell the camera and their rating/score. USA Photo Nation had well over 700 five star reviews (One or two line reviews that I realize now mean nothing.).
With no reviews listed here (The site wasn't in the database yet), I went with the one line reviews and the five star rating and made my order at www.usaphotonation.com. The price of the camera was excellent - $500 less than most other sites.
The ordering process was simple. I knew what I wanted and I found it quickly using the search button. I read the specs and, while it didn't specifically say what the camera came with, I had spoken with Canon and knew the battery, charger, cables, software, and a US Warranty were all part of the package.
I clicked to order, the camera went into my cart, I declined all the upselling accessories, and input my credit card info and my personal data. The shipping costs depended on the type of shipping I chose, and I went with 3 - 5 day ground, which was $49.99. I was charged tax which hurt but we New Yorkers always get stung with tax charges.
All seemed fine. I did not get a confirmation letter but did get an order number and invoice on the screen which I copied and printed out.
And Then the Trouble Began...
The next morning I received an email telling me that the site was trying to contact me about my order and to call Donald at extension 211. I read and rate almost every website review that is posted here on Epinions and I have read about the infamous "call to verify the order" trick hundreds of times. When I saw that, I knew I was in for trouble.
I called but Donald was on another line. He didn't call back so I called again. He was still tied up.
At last the phone rang and my husband answered. It was the infamous Donald from 211. I had warned my husband not to buy anything or to let this guy talk him into anything else so he was prepared. First, Donald wanted to sell us a battery and charger. He said they didn't come with the camera. Not true. Then he wanted to sell us an extended warranty which we did not want. He then said we needed cables and software and that would be...
At that point, I took the phone. My husband was doing OK but since this was my hard earned money and my decision, I wanted to be the one to put the kibosh on Donny boy.
"You're not going to make a big stink out of this...are you?"
I immediately told him I write online reviews and that I was well aware of the tactics he was using, having read about them so often on the web. He seemed very rattled by that and asked me if I was going to make a "big stink" about the situation. YA THINK?
I said yes I was. I wanted the order canceled immediately. He offered up a supervisor. Right before he switched me to a supervisor, he told me that the cancellation fee was $93.00. Ha!
The supervisor got on the line and I said I wanted to cancel my order and that they were attempting to sell me products that come with the camera which means they are baiting and switching me and I don't do business that way. I told him I would not pay a cent to cancel my order. He started to protest and I told him I was going to tell everyone about the site and their tactics on review websites which are read by people all over the world.
He said to calm down and he would happily cancel the order, no charge, and we would be back to square one, problem free. I said please cancel the order but I felt ripped off and thought that people should know about the bait and switch tactics they employ.
They offered to "do something for me"...
He said he could probably "do something for me that would change my mind" but by then, I was done. I didn't want to make some shady deal with some shady dealer.
I got an email saying my order was canceled right after I hung up the phone. To date, I have not been charged anything but I am watching closely. I have since purchased the camera, at a higher price, at Abes of Maine, which was painless, thankfully (but $400 more expensive). I don't completely trust that site either, however. You can read my review by clicking the blue link.
Lesson Learned
The lesson in this is, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Make sure these salespeople know you are wise to their tactics and you won't be bullied or cajoled into buying anything you don't want or that you should be getting with your initial order at no extra charge.
USAPhotoNation.com Website
This website is attractive in red, white, and blue and sells all kinds of electronics (cameras, camcorders, televisions, home theatre, accessories, etc). They have a wide selection of name brands and you can navigate the site fairly easily by clicking the category links on the left side or performing a search.
Descriptions are good but many leave out exactly what is included when you click on the "BUY" button.
Prices are very low compared to other websites but, as I found out, that is because they take advantage of you by selling a product for a low price, then making you buy accessories that should have been included in the first place, adding charges you don't know about, and inflating other charges. It is one of many electronics websites that employs bait and switch tactics — They sell an item for lower than you could possibly get elsewhere, then pile on the extras until you end up paying the same or more than you would have at a reputable dealer. And you're on your own if you want to return an item or cancel an order.
The shopping system is simple. Click to add items to your cart. When you are finished shopping, you will be prompted to buy more things — accessories and other items that relate to you purchase. If you choose not to add anything, you go to the checkout.
There, you have a choice of six shipping methods depending on how fast you want your order to arrive and how much you are willing to pay for that item to get to you. Shipping costs seem fairly low for such expensive and, at times, heavy items.
Of course, you will get a letter asking you to call them after you make your order and that's when the real charges will add up.
Shipping and Returns
As I mentioned, you have a choice of six different shipping methods. It looks like the shipping costs are fairly reasonable.
The return policy is a bunch of mumbo jumbo. You can return some things in new condition for a refund minus shipping and handling and a 15% restocking fee. You need to get a return merchandise authorization number from www.usaphotonation.com in order to return anything.
Many items are excluded from being returned for any reason. For a full disclosure, check out their "About Us" page which tells all the things you can't return and what you need to do to return things you can.
Contact Information
I strongly urge you to stay away from this site but, if you choose to go ahead with an order, please call it in. By calling it in, you may be able to avoid some extra charges and bait and switch tactics before they happen.
The customer service number is 1-800-872-3143.
You can only call Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. EST and Friday 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. They are closed for phone orders or inquiries on the weekends. This encourages you to use their site to order rather than phoning in an order.
You can email them at sales@usaphotonation.com.
Conclusion
Add this site to the growing list of electronics sites that have low prices items but shady tactics and bait and switch strategies to get you to pay more than you ever thought you would. These people tamper with manufacturers' items, pulling the batteries and chargers and other included accessories from cameras and who knows what from other electronics. They claim their items are not refurbished but, at one point, "Donald" said something vaguely about refurbished equipment.
I wouldn't shop there if everything were one cent with free shipping. I still don't trust them with my credit card information and worry about a random charge showing up at some point.
This site is not reputable and should be crossed off your list of websites to buy from. It's worth it to pay a bit more to get what you want without the grief of dealing with fast talking, upselling, shady salespeople who think you will buy anything because they say so.
Stand up and say NO to these types of sites and shop where the site has a reputation for good service and honest tactics.
I give this site a generous 1 star. Run as far as you can from them and tell all your friends to do the same.
Recommended:
No
