A Warning....

I am writing this article to warn photographers everywhere to be careful where they order equipment from. In hindsight, I should have been more careful too...

Early June, I was preparing for a long foreign trip, I needed a lens, and a flash, among other things. I did a quick internet search, found a company with great prices promising quick delivery. As I wasn't due to depart until 1st July, I assumed there would be no problem with deliveries. Well, how wrong I was! Many phone calls later (and being told to hold the line for anywhere up to 120mins!) and numerous emails promising delivery, and I was still no closer to recieving my goods even though I had already paid for them.

Is this starting to sound familiar? Well, it gets worse. With a week to go until departure date, I decided to cancel the order, and buy the items at my destination. It took three emails to get the cancellation confirmed, then a promise that a refund would be carried out immedtiately. Obviously, this didn't happen. I went on my trip, took 1000's of shots, using my new (bought in a foreign country) lens and flash. I had a great time, and it was over all too quickly. At least, I thought, my money will have been returned by the time I get back.

Uh oh, wrong again! Call me naive, but I honestly thought that after three months away, this company would have managed to sort out my refund. Is that really too much to expect? So, back to the keyboard to send more emails. Same, late, inane, reponses- by customer service 'executives' whose names are never the same on any email, and I have finally taken it up with the bank. I am still awaiting an outcome.

I suspect many will know the name of this company, and I would like to name and shame them, but I don't think they would care in the slightest about negative publicity. Also, I don't want to be accused of libel, but it sounds a bit like simple electrics.

Perhaps, some, a very few, of you have had good service, but judging by the reviews on various sites, most have not.

You have been warned.............