bait and switch at cameragiantsinc.com

[lab42]

I purchased a Canon SX10-IS from cameragiantsinc.com. Their web site states list price: $599.99, our price: $225.00, you save: $374.99; condition: brand new - US model. The next day after placing my order, I received an e-mail that said that I had to call to confirm my order. I called and was told that I had to also order a battery pack for this particular camera. I stated that I didn't think so, but if he was sure, than please include it. After hanging up, the battery thing still nagged me, so I logged onto Canon's web site and found out that this model takes standard AA batteries. I called the merchant back and told him that I did not want the battery pack, just send my original order of the camera only. He informed me that his computer was down at the moment, but would make the change to my order as soon as his computer starting working again. When I received the camera, the packing slip showed I was charged $499.99 on my credit card. When I called the merchant, he stated that the camera that I had ordered for $225 was not a US model, so he "replaced it with the same thing that I would get from Circuit City". He said that if I was not happy with the merchandise at the cost of $499.99 that I could return it (at my expense + I would have to pay restocking fees) because he had only made $12 from my purchase anyway. I told him that I would be calling my credit card company because I didn't agree that he could change my order and that he was refusing to honor the internet price. He informed me that he had me "on tape" agreeing to the change, but that he did not have anything recorded showing that I had called a 2nd time to refuse the change "so that was too bad for me". My cell phone shows the date/times that I placed the calls. Their website now shows the camera at a discounted priced @ $229.00. I have turned the matter over to my credit card company. I have sent copies of all of the web pages showing the pricing to the credit card company. If the credit card company does not resolve this, is there anything I can do?

[Military273]

hum... as far as my knowledge goes.. things with credit card companies and internet purchases can get pretty tricky... Talking on the phone is the worse thing you can do because there can always be that case..

"Oh sorry we had a system malfuntion and all of our records and data have been lost"

Best to do everything through email or PAPER MAIL. NEVER DELETE EMAILS.. they can always come in handy in the future.


BUT... If you were calling cannon through say a tech support or somethign like that.. Im almost certain that they HAVE to by law have EVERY phone converstion record for Quality Customer Insurance..

Hense you hear when you call a Credit card company.. This call my be record for quality assurance. something liket that..

This is just off top of my head though, by all means someone else can surely give you a more indepth answer.

I just had the same thing happen to me with a canon 50d. I called my credit card to cancel anything from cameragiantsinc.com. The guy said the same thing about the battery.

big time scam