Videomaker wants your purchasing experience feedback!

cfulton
Member

Have you bought something through one of our mail order vendors? We would love for you to review the service you received. Did you receive excellent customer service with a particular company or have a not-so-great experience and want to let other readers know? Then tell us here: http://www.videomaker.com/scripts/feedback_form.cfm. Don't forget to come back and log your experience each time you buy something from an advertiser in Videomaker magazine. Also, coming soon, we'll be adding the ability for you to research a company through customer reviews!

Posted 8 years ago #
nobody
Member

So who is doing this "project"? Have you not already gone into the archives of posts? And what kind of sampling data are you going to use? If one or two people have a positive or negative response, is that fair? Let's discuss this issue privately; you have my email addy.

Posted 8 years ago #
compusolver
Member

There are sites like bizrate.com that do this, but after making an online purchase (through your magazine's ads) myself, I've learned there's one very simple way to weed out many of the outright scam artists - by checking prices.

If an advertiser lists a product several hundred dollars below the reputable companies (test them against B&H) then stay away. I've often wondered why magazines we consider reputable allow these crooks to prey on their readers - do they really need the revenue that badly?

There are hundreds of horror stories online from people who've lost thousands of dollars thinking they were going to get a great deal. These crooks could not exist if not for magazines like yours.

(checkout: http://www.bizrate.com, http://www.resellerratings.com and http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/retailerratings/displaystore.cfm?storeid=444 )

Test it yourself. Just TRY to buy the Panasonic AG-DVC7 for the price advertised on page 63 of this month's issue (price: $709.99). Don't let them know you work for the magazine. Then detail everything that happens in your next issue. I dare you!

By the way, here's a photo of that advertiser's actual storefront:
http://www.donwiss.com/pictures/BrooklynStores/h0006.htm
would you STILL buy from them?

Other than that, keep up the great work!

Posted 7 years ago #
compusolver
Member

Here's some info for you on Abes of Maine -

I placed an order there on December 6th, 2004. Two days later they telephoned to confirm the order & attempt a little upselling. We were told at that time that the camera would ship the next day. Our credit card was charged on December 8th.

Today, December 16th, after long rounds with voice mail (their website does not have shipment tracking info - not even tracking number) we learn that the item (Panasonic C7) is backordered and they can't even estimate when they might be able to ship.

So I told the lady to cancel the order and asked for an email or other written confirmation of cancellation. When she refused, I asked to speak to a manager but I got put on (nearly) indefinite hold. Once, after ten minutes, someone picked up but rudely just told me to "hold" again.

It looks like we're going to have to dispute the charge to our credit card because these people just put you on hold if you want to cancel or speak to a manager. I'll update this if there's any progress.

Update:.. A total of fifty minutes on the phone and I finally got someone claiming to be a manager, David Clearwater. He was way beyond rude, called me "stupid" and a lot of other things. I can't believe that businesses would keep employees who spoke to customers this way! In fact, its scary to think that people are running around loose like that, obviously not taking their medication. ;)

I still don't know if I'm going to get my money back.

I've since found plenty of other negative experiences posted on sites like Fatwallet.com about this company - beware!

New update (Dec 20, 2004) - Finally got a refund, but we had to telephone, record the call, catch them acting very immature, calling names, etc., then explain the steps I would take against them if I did not get a refund. Whew!

Now to try and find a decent place to buy from that actually has a Panasonic AG-DVC7 in stock.

Posted 7 years ago #
compusolver
Member

After prying a refund out of Abe's of Maine, I checked out reseller ratings and decided to try B&H next. A very pleasant buying experience. They even have live 'chat' support and you get instant help. My camcorder arrived yesterday and is 100% what I expected.

One warning about Panasonic's AGV-DC7 though - Panasonic uses that image of the AGV-DC7 with a big ol' add-on mic. That mic does NOT come with the camera, but is $140 extra. The B&H support people advised me that the camera comes with a built-in mic that you can barely see and that picks up the sound of the zoom motor.

I recommend B&H if you're buying mail order or online.

Posted 7 years ago #
Jonathan Decker
Member

I know this is an old post, but I have to say, I was totally shocked when I viewed the pic of Digital liquidator's store front. Though, in retrospect, I'm not really surprised. That guy made me (unwittingly duped) pay extra for parts that came in the box from the factory, like the "included" battery, power cord, and warrantee. Yes, He had taken the warrantee out of the box and planned to sell it seperate. Had I been more well versed in Internet buying I would have seen it as a scam, well I know now.
I've bought nearly everything through B&H since, because of their helpful customer service and trusted track record with previous customers.

Posted 6 years ago #