sdo (01/05/83)
The week before Christmas I ordered a Minolta X-700 by phone from Willoughby's in New York. They had it advertised at $199 with the USA warrantee. When I ordered it they tried to sell me a case and filter for about double the price I eventually bought them for. I told them to just send the camera. I charged it on MasterCard. Needless to say, I was worried that they would add extra things or take away things or charge a different price or send a grey market camera without the warrantee. I am happy to say that the camera arrived 6 days later by UPS. It had the right lens, a battery and strap, and the right price (even though the price had gone up in the next week's ad). Of course, their ad specifically states that they include these things, unlike less reputable places. The camera even worked! I'm sure they're losing money when they just sell the camera. As I said, they make up for it on the accessories which they try to push. You may take this as a recommendation from a satisfied customer. By the way - the camera was a gift so don't send me mail asking how I like it. From the brief experience I had with it, however, I prefer my Canon A-1. Scott Orshan Bell Labs Piscataway 201-981-3064 houxm!u1100a!sdo
ark (01/05/83)
I have dealt with 47th Street Photo for many years. The only complaint I have had with them is that they once stalled three weeks on an order. This was during a very rushed period for them, and I'm pretty sure the delay was unusual, but I am a little peeved that they couldn't have done better. Now the good side: they deliver what they promise, they take it back if you don't like it (extremely important!), and they seem to have the best prices going. They happily quote over the phone, and so on. 47th Street Photo was one of the first stores in the volume-discount business, and they have stayed in business this long for a reason.
notes@zeppo.UUCP (10/17/83)
#R:u1100a:-27200:zeppo:11000006:000:1222 zeppo!raj Jan 6 09:47:00 1983 Speaking of camera stores pushing their accessories... A friend of mine was looking for a Canon AE-1 Program last year and I was with him when he bought it. The first store we went into had the camera in their window for a good price (I don't remember what it was), but when my friend said he would buy it, the salesman would not sell it without the case, which cost about $40. My friend really didn't want to pay $40 for a case, so we asked why it was advertised in the window for one price, when in reality it could not be purchased for that price. Well, the salesman started yelling and cursing at us (me) for asking such a question. He said that he had to sell the cases with the cameras or else he would be stuck with too many cases. Needless to say we didn't give him any business. If the cases are not supplied with the cameras, doesn't the store have the option to buy cameras without cases? By the way, my friend ended up buying the camera (and a case) in a different store for slightly more money than the first store wanted. I felt bad that he spent more money (although it was only about $5 more) but I was glad the the store whose salesman yells and curses at his customers did not get the business.
wally@cornell.UUCP (Wally Dietrich) (10/18/83)
You asked if the camera store can buy the cameras without the cases.
Of course they can.
Another good question is what should be included for the price of
the camera. Judging from what was in my Canon A-1 box, you should
get the body, battery (if necessary), eye piece hood (the little
rubber thing that surrounds the eye piece), and camera strap.
A salesman at Olden tried to sell me an eye-piece hood (for $5)
at the same time he sold me the body. When I noticed one was in the box
(while he was getting a strobe for me) I told him I didn't want the extra
one so he took it back with no argument. (All in all, my dealings with
Olden have been good.)
By the way which store had the salesman who yelled at you because
your friend wanted to buy a camera without a case? I'll be sure
to avoid that place.
Wally Dietrich