Cameras Online? How The Shysters Work

earlylate writes "How do certain photo and electronics dealers thrive despite widely-circulated warnings by unhappy customers? According to a new investigative website "many apparently separate and competing dealers are actually jointly owned and run" and "go to great lengths to conceal their locations and management." Further, some comparison-shopping sites "are in effect marketing partners with their affiliates," the very dealers they rate. There's a contest based on the suspicious "flood of similar, glowing reviews some dealers receive," as well as links to several sources of information and advice for the careful online shopper."

Comments

It's all the mob!

[ahsile]

Don't mess with them... I tried once, it wasn't pretty. I still have to move every couple months so they don't find my location...

This post alone will give me away, I need to move again... but I needed to warn you all!

Re:It's all the mob!

[llamalicious]

There you are you little shit.

*Hey Dom!! Grab the bat and some tie-wraps, we got that little rat-bastard now!*

Re:It's all the mob!

[algodon]

and SAX, get a battery and some clamps!

Re:It's all the mob!

[llamalicious]

I can't believe I laughed at your post.
I'm such a nerd.

Fear

[GweeDo]

They made it so I couldn't order online anymore! Don't make them mad!!!

Vigilante justice

[0110011001110101]

Someone should go around and take pictures of all the proprietors and store-fronts of these scammy camera salesman and post them on a website somewhere so the rest of us can be informed....

If you'd like to volunteer, let me know, I have a great camera I can give you for a low-low price, that would be perfect for the job.

Re:Vigilante justice

[ergo98]

Someone should go around and take pictures of all the proprietors and store-fronts of these scammy camera salesman and post them on a website somewhere so the rest of us can be informed....

I believe they're talking about websites. Maybe people could take screenshots and post those, and we can be informed!

Seriously, though, there's a practical reason why vigilante justice is discouraged: Every a-hole who's mad that he couldn't get an otherwise reputable and service oriented business to cater to his every whim imagines himself in the same category as the guy who thought he was buying a Digital Rebel XT, but got an old, scratched Billy Idol CD in the mail. Thus you end up with the noise of a lot of ridiculous complaints alongside the real ones, and the last thing you want is to encourage these people to "take action". Just as there are dirty, scumbag shopkeeps, there are dirty, scumbag, sociopath customers.

Anyways this whole story is a lame spam for some lame website. So they're telling us that there are shady businesses, and that anonymous reviews aren't trustworthy? Egads, what a revelation! Thank you for informing me, 503 Service Temporarily Unavailable website!

Re:Vigilante justice

[raider_red]

I was going to do this, but the bastards have had my camera order tied up for three months.

Re:Who You Buy From

[BushCheney08]

Sure I look for deals but it's a matter of balancing that against buying from someone reputable.

That's why I only shop at Best Buy.

<trying hard not to burst out laughing>

What are you,

[2names]

the British Mob?

Henchman, "I say, that scoundrel has surfaced in the United States. Shall we whack him?"

Don Worcestershire, "Quite."

PriceRitePhoto = Bad / BestBuy = Nice ?

[Easy2RememberNick]

To think that in light of this, BestBuy stores seem like a nice place to shop!

  I'd never trust a store who couldn't spell "right" correctly anyway. All you Grammar Nazis were right.

Re:Lots of scams out there...

[dekemoose]

So, every time any individual has a slightly ulterior motive they should tattoo it on their forehead so that the sheep know better, is that what you are saying?

Good luck with that.

Yes, Brooklyn is packed with honest folks

[jasongetsdown]

Well, since I live in Brooklyn I guess I'll just trot over to my friendly neighborhood Priceritephoto...

Re:It's pretty easy to identify the unscrupulous..

[greg1104]

Hey, don't knock lesbianteenelectronics.com They may sometimes sell products as new that are in fact slightly used, but I've found that pictures already on the memory card more than make up for it.

Re:Finding good reviews

[Jaster Mareel]

Sir Bedevere: There are ways of telling whether she is a witch.
Peasant 1: Are there? Oh well, tell us.
Sir Bedevere: Tell me. What do you do with witches?
Peasant 1: Burn them.
Sir Bedevere: And what do you burn, apart from witches?
Peasant 1: More witches.
Peasant 2: Wood.
Sir Bedevere: Good. Now, why do witches burn?
Peasant 3: ...because they're made of... wood?
Sir Bedevere: Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?
Peasant 1: Build a bridge out of her.
Sir Bedevere: But can you not also build bridges out of stone?
Peasant 1: Oh yeah.
Sir Bedevere: Does wood sink in water?
Peasant 1: No, no, it floats!... It floats! Throw her into the pond!
Sir Bedevere: No, no. What else floats in water?
Peasant 1: Bread.
Peasant 2: Apples.
Peasant 3: Very small rocks.
Peasant 1: Cider.
Peasant 2: Gravy.
Peasant 3: Cherries.
Peasant 1: Mud.
Peasant 2: Churches.
Peasant 3: Lead! Lead!
King Arthur: A Duck.
Sir Bedevere: ...Exactly. So, logically...
Peasant 1: If she weighed the same as a duck... she's made of wood.
Sir Bedevere: And therefore...
Peasant 2: ...A witch!