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Warning about DigitalRev's unscrupulous practices

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Give them a call. It costs you nothing, and it may clear things up with a vendor that many here seem to trust. There is no obligation on your part but it may turn out to be worth your while.
--
Blake in Vancouver
Panasonic Stuff, Canon Stuff. Mac Stuff & annoying PC & Windows stuff.
 
and sadly is a function of internet shopping. In my case I had an order go missing and it took B&H 3 months to re-send the order. I actually wanted some of the gear for a holiday and by the time I received the goods I had been home for two months. I was also given the most ridiculous advice over this incident; they told me not to use USPS for international orders; how was I suppose to know this when I pressed the purchase button as there was no warning!!!

That incident resulted in the loss of future business and I have since used Adorama, however they have not been perfect either. One item had bits missing, when sent back the shipping costs were not refunded. I have also had items with extra bits, which suggests to me that they were floor stock and not new (which is unscrupulous, but the item worked fine).

The B&H incident happened around 4 years ago but I would probably deal with the company now, as I realise such incidents are a function of internet shopping. Internet shopping works well most of the time, but when it goes bad, it goes very bad and leaves one with a very sour taste in the mouth.

FWIW, I have used Digitalrev once and they were ok, although slow to post.

Kind regards
Stephen
Horshack said:
I'm not in the practice of posting unsolicited opinions about vendors, mostly because I've never really had any notably bad experiences in the past. But I guess if you buy camera equipment long enough eventually you'll run into a rotten vendor and DigitalRev qualifies.

They're having their "Big Sale" right now (their biggest ever according to their website) and they advertised several lenses at very deep discounts, including a Zeiss 35mm ZF.2. I ordered the lens and paid with PayPal. I get an email a few hours later saying that my order has been canceled because they don't have the lens in stock and they can't find any vendor who can commit to supplying them the lens in the future. I write back and tell them that I'm in no hurry and ask that they reinstate my order. Before they respond I go back to their website later that night and see that the lens is listed at the original, non-sale price and shows in-stock for immediate delivery. I tell them about the inventory status and ask them again to reinstate my order and ship me the lens that I paid for and that they have in stock. They write back and, incredulously, tell me that once an order has been canceled they can't reinstate it.

So in summary they lied and told me my order has been canceled because the lens was out of stock and couldn't be obtained yet they obviously have the lens on hand for people wiling to pay full price but reneged on my original order/payment. This experience was a big let down for me because I really enjoy their reviews on YouTube (that Kai guy is hysterical) and they seemed like a legit outfit but apparently they're just another New York-style bait and switch shop (I guess Hong Kong has those too).

Buyer beware.
--
Kodak Instant Camera
Kyocera 1MP Camera phone (pre-paid phone plan)
http://horshack.smugmug.com/
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1) They had limited stock of a lens at a cheap price

2) They ran out of cheap items but had stock they bought at a higher price

3) You got an unfortunately worded email that was 100% accurate and you got refunded (they could not find more cheap stock anywhere)

4) You complain in a public forum

5) DigitalRev take the time to post a personal reply here admitting a small mistake their end but nothing that cost you money. No bait and switch

6) Nothing to see here everyone, move on.

Like others, I've used them for many, many years and found their service excellent. Never see others complain about them so can only conclude this is a) unfortunate and b) blown out of proportion.

Given they probably have 1000's of customers a day, you actually got good service compared to many companies.

Yup - it is unfortunate you did not order fast enough to get one of the limited stock items but that's life. If a retailer gets a supply of cheap stock and this is sold at a discounted rate - why on earth would they carry on selling it at a discount when the cheap ones run out and new stock costs more?

Puzzled.

--
----------------------------------------------
Michael Gove
http://photosignals.smugmug.com
 
I contacted DigitalRev directly per their request posted here and they offered to sell me the lens for $850 + ~$30 shipping. I can obtain the lens stateside for $900 + free shipping so I suppose this concludes the matter.
--
Kodak Instant Camera
Kyocera 1MP Camera phone (pre-paid phone plan)
http://horshack.smugmug.com/
 
bunyarra said:
1) They had limited stock of a lens at a cheap price
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The lens was listed as in-stock when I ordered and there was no mention anywhere on the site that the price quoted was for a limited number of stock.
bunyarra said:
2) They ran out of cheap items but had stock they bought at a higher price
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See above.
bunyarra said:
3) You got an unfortunately worded email that was 100% accurate and you got refunded (they could not find more cheap stock anywhere)
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Their email said the following:

"We regret to inform you we have experienced a problem with our stock for the Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm f/2.0 ZF.2 (Nikon) and with sourcing more of the item from our regular suppliers. Having tried to locate the item from alternative sources, unfortunately, there is no promising news as of this moment. As such, we must unfortunately cancel and refund your order."

But the lens was in fact in stock all along. By what measure do you ascertain that their email was 100% accurate?
bunyarra said:
4) You complain in a public forum
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As I hope others will do for any vendor that treats them in a manner they feel is unfair or unscrupulous.
bunyarra said:
5) DigitalRev take the time to post a personal reply here admitting a small mistake their end but nothing that cost you money. No bait and switch
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I'll leave it to each forum participant to establish whether this represents a small and innocent mistake.
bunyarra said:
Like others, I've used them for many, many years and found their service excellent. Never see others complain about them so can only conclude this is a) unfortunate and b) blown out of proportion.
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Those are the only two conclusions you can draw from this account?
bunyarra said:
Yup - it is unfortunate you did not order fast enough to get one of the limited stock items but that's life. If a retailer gets a supply of cheap stock and this is sold at a discounted rate - why on earth would they carry on selling it at a discount when the cheap ones run out and new stock costs more?
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Why would a vendor fail to disclose that there are a limited number of lenses available at a given price and then cancel my order stating that they have no stock of the lens and also have no means to acquire future stock of the lens, all while they have the lens in stock? And why would a vendor repeat this same explanation several times in my direct contact with them but then change their story when confronted with a public report of their behavior?
bunyarra said:
Puzzled.
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Me too.
 
Just let it go. So you didn't get the deal you wanted. You didn't lose anything and you've had a chance to vent. You're disappointed and we get that.

However, having read through all the posts in this thread, I agree that you're really making a mountain from a molehill. There was no con as you were not taken in any way, other than not being able to get something at a very reduced price. There was no bait and switch as they did not try to sell you something more expensive instead.

They've tried to respond with an apology and a recognition of a mistake. However, they are under no obligation to take a loss on a sale just to make you happy. If that's poor customer service, then they've lost you as a customer. So be it. If I were you, I'd probably be annoyed too. However, if I were them, with a solid reputation and hundreds if not thousands of happy customers, I'd probably be happy if you didn't shop with my store again. Some customers are just too high maintenance.

May not be what you want to hear but it's just the way things are, so as I said, let it go.
--
Ken W.
ARC - Architectural Photography
http://www.arc-photo.com
http://twitter.com/kenjwan
 
This just comes down to miscommunication - someone made a mistake so that the limits were not clearly posted, and when you got caught out the person you spoke to made a mistake with their understanding of what had happened and the rules of the sale and unfortunately explained this wrongly to you.

The fact that DigitalRev has posted here to clarify that should stand for something - what happened is exactly as should happen - they have a sale to get rid of a certain amount of items to clear stock, once those pieces are gone the price goes back to the standard. Whether those pieces consist of clearing the entire stock of an item, or just selling x amount out of their stock to clear shelf space is up to them. You just got caught in the middle of a software mistake, compounded by the sales rep misunderstanding the situation.

Sadly it happens, and DigitalRev have acted promptly and done what they could - they replied promptly and refunded your money, and have no desire to scam you.
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/narcosynthesis
http://www.illaname.deviantart.com
 
Ken W. said:
Just let it go. So you didn't get the deal you wanted. You didn't lose anything and you've had a chance to vent. You're disappointed and we get that.

However, having read through all the posts in this thread, I agree that you're really making a mountain from a molehill. There was no con as you were not taken in any way, other than not being able to get something at a very reduced price. There was no bait and switch as they did not try to sell you something more expensive instead.

They've tried to respond with an apology and a recognition of a mistake. However, they are under no obligation to take a loss on a sale just to make you happy. If that's poor customer service, then they've lost you as a customer. So be it. If I were you, I'd probably be annoyed too. However, if I were them, with a solid reputation and hundreds if not thousands of happy customers, I'd probably be happy if you didn't shop with my store again. Some customers are just too high maintenance.

May not be what you want to hear but it's just the way things are, so as I said, let it go.
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If you accept the supposition that DigitalRev is being honest in their account of what transpired then I would certainly agree with everything you've said here. But I'm hard pressed to accept that supposition based on the facts I've presented. Again, they canceled my order because they claimed the lens was out of stock, I told them the lens was in stock, they refused to address that fact and simply said "canceled orders cannot be reopened". Then they come on this forum and represent a completely different account. Does that really seem forthright to you?

I understand the inclination for some to focus on my disappointment about not getting a lens at a deeply discounted price and then concluding that in the end this is just a story about missing out on a deal. No doubt some are leaning on their own personal experiences of similar disappointments and concluding that if it's happened to them then it's no big deal if it happens to someone else. It's a kinder, gentler form of schadenfreude.

But as I've indicated, this is not about missing out on a deal. It's about a vendor lying to suit their needs. DigitalRev may process thousands of successful, satisfying transactions for their customers when the circumstances and profit suit them but the true test of company's integrity is how they deal with outliers which challenge their self-interests.
 
Look, you didn’t get the deal that you wanted, but Digital Rev have not taken your money, you haven’t lost anything, they have taken the time to reply with reasons why the order was not fulfilled, i don’t really see why you would drag their name through the mud for this?

Internet sellers live or die on their reputation. What if a potential buyer decides not to purchase through DigitalRev because of your negative posting and decides on a less scrupulous company to order some gear, people could loose serious money because of this.

I have no affiliation with DigitalRev at all, except being a happy customer, i have bought from them on separate occasions, in the last few years;

Canon 40D body
Canon 7D body
Canon 5DII body
Canon 70-200L F2.8IS
Canon 100-400L IS
Canon 100 F2.8 IS Macro
and a few P&S as well.

That adds up to many THOUSANDS of dollars with of purchases with not one hitch, every one of them delivered to Australia quickly and efficiently. I wish all internet retailers were as principled as DigitalRev

--
Byron Bay, NSW, Australia
http://gallery.me.com/dp1975
 
Darren Pearson said:
Look, you didn’t get the deal that you wanted, but Digital Rev have not taken your money, you haven’t lost anything, they have taken the time to reply with reasons why the order was not fulfilled, i don’t really see why you would drag their name through the mud for this?
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When a news reporter airs a consumer story about a shady car repair shop, is the reporter guilty of driving their name through the mud? I reported what happened to me in precise terms, including the full correspondence from both sides.
Darren Pearson said:
Internet sellers live or die on their reputation. What if a potential buyer decides not to purchase through DigitalRev because of your negative posting and decides on a less scrupulous company to order some gear, people could loose serious money because of this.
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Are you saying I shouldn't report my experience with DigitalRev's poor practices for fear that I might drive others into the hands of vendors with even worse practices? Better the evil that you know than the one that you don't?
Darren Pearson said:
I have no affiliation with DigitalRev at all, except being a happy customer, i have bought from them on separate occasions, in the last few years. That adds up to many THOUSANDS of dollars with of purchases with not one hitch, every one of them delivered to Australia quickly and efficiently. I wish all internet retailers were as principled as DigitalRev
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I'm glad you received all the items you ordered at the price that was advertised to you. Do you believe that there are just two types of companies, those that treat 100% of their customers well and those that mistreat 100% of them?
 
Horshack said:
I'll leave it to each forum participant to establish whether this represents a small and innocent mistake.
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Good, then. I hadn't really considered making a purchase from DigitalRev before, but now that I've read this thread of yours and seen evidence of their responsiveness, I probably will at some point in the future.

Thanks, Horshack, on their behalf, for the free advertising.

--
'Passion will make you crazy, but is there any other way to live?' —Kara Saun

http://www.oqlus.com/
 
What would you call it. Advertise a price, get an order, out of stock, increase the price, suddenly it is in stock at a different price? If it walks like a duck...........
K10D said:
Never had a problem with Digitalrev, to compare them to a "bait and switch" operation is ridiculous.

--
Bob

Perth, Western Australia
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--
Bob

'I can look at a fine art photograph and sometimes I can hear music.' - Ansel Adams

 
It seems quite simple.

Digital Rev had older stock Zeiss they wanted to move on cheap.

They sold out.

They couldn't fulfill your order at that price as the old stock was gone, so they immediately refunded your money.

They have responded on a web forum and reached out even though they've done little wrong.

Quit whining. You got your money back promptly. No one got hurt.
 
I think I'll stay clear of DigitalRev. There are lots of honest suppliers that will honor a deal.
 
Osiris Ani said:
Good, then. I hadn't really considered making a purchase from DigitalRev before, but now that I've read this thread of yours and seen evidence of their responsiveness, I probably will at some point in the future.

Thanks, Horshack, on their behalf, for the free advertising.
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Don't mistake responsiveness with honesty. The New York chop shops are responsive too; they'll keep calling to sell you overpriced filters and accessories until your phone battery runs dead.

If DigitalRev gets more customers as a result of my thread then more power to them. Perhaps the extra revenue will preclude their further need to partake in underhanded practices as a means to drive traffic to their site. Good luck to you nonetheless, regardless of which vendor you choose for your future purchases.
 
I've used DigitalRev for the following over the years:

Canon 24 TS-E
Canon 1Ds Mk I
Canon 1Ds Mk III
Canon 24-70L (two of them)
Canon 17-40L (two of them)

Not a single problem and saved me a load of money - especially as the UK has such rip-off prices.

You may have had a bad experience due to mis-communication, but it doesn't make DigitalRev any worse than other high-profile companies. I've had bad experiences with High Street names (e.g.: Amazon, WarehouseExpress).

One purchase problem doth not make a bad company. Nor do I think they are "unscrupulous" as you claim. If they'd just blown you off or ignored you completely then you might have had a case, but not in this instance.
 
Horshack said:
Don't mistake responsiveness with honesty. The New York chop shops are responsive too; they'll keep calling to sell you overpriced filters and accessories until your phone battery runs dead.

If DigitalRev gets more customers as a result of my thread then more power to them. Perhaps the extra revenue will preclude their further need to partake in underhanded practices as a means to drive traffic to their site. Good luck to you nonetheless, regardless of which vendor you choose for your future purchases.
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Sheesh! "unscrupulous", "underhanded" - I don't normally care about defending companies and their reputations (especially if I'm not a shareholder or have other vested interests), but I think DigitalRev is worth defending in this case. Your comments reflect more badly upon you than DigitalRev.
  • you didn't lose any money
  • you got refunded promptly
  • they even apologised in a public forum (what big brand name would do THAT?!)
Frankly there is no case to answer. One only has to have a look at the customer feedback on eBay to see that DigitalRev are pretty good when it comes to internet retailers. The follow-ups on here supporting DigitalRev only further strengthen my belief that it's actually a good company to do business with.
 
Hi guys,

We do not charge your credit until your order left our warehouse. However if you use PayPal there is no 'pre-auth' function available and the payment is charged immediately. We have talked to PayPal about this but apparently there is no solution at the moment.

If you don't want your card charged immediately, please use your credit card directly rather than via PayPal.

Best regards,

--
DigitalRev
 
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