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Topic: Garmin 2720 (Read 2 times) previous topic - next topic
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Garmin 2720
Yahoo Message Number: 56851
Thanks for the advice regarding companies to purchase a new GPS unit.
I decided to go for price and we shall see what the service turns out to be!!
 I purchased the GPS from A & M Photo World at a price of $799.99 plus about $37 for 2 day shipping using UPS.  The person I spoke to said they have them in stock.  Considering how almost every other company says they will begin shipping by the end of August or the beginning of September, I shall not expect to see it until later this month.

Another company, Broadway Photo, gives the same price.  I just went alphabetically!  Prices for the 2720 are all over the map - from $1100 down to what I am paying.  The next lowest price was $829.99.

Wish me luck.

Roz, the Wannabe in now-cool-and-comfortable Concord, CA.
Re: Garmin 2720 and where to buy
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 56864
"I decided to go for price and we shall see what the service turns out to be! I purchased the GPS from A & M Photo World at a price of $799.99 plus about $37 for 2 day shipping using UPS.  The person I spoke to said they have them in stock. Considering how almost every other company says they will begin shipping by the end of August or the beginning of September, I shall not expect to see it until later this month..."
 I hope you won't be disappointed, but I'm afraid you probably will. According to
www.resellerratings.com (http://www.resellerratings.com/seller1988.html>), A&M Photo World has a customer-satisfaction rating of 0.18 on a scale of 0 to 10. The stories posted by former customers (and they are all "former," because almost nobody is willing buy there again!) are pretty bad. A typical one starts off, "In my opinion this company is a bait and switch rip-off company. I wish I had read the reviews on this site prior to placing my order.
Below is my sad saga with these rip-off artists. I placed my order on March 20, 2005..." It goes on for another four paragraphs and concludes, "It is now June 29, 2005. No camera yet and no contact from the company."
 I spent a few years as associate editor of the Digital Camera Resource Page website, and read a lot of good and bad tales from camera buyers. From their experiences I learned some lessons that apply to any consumer electronics purchase.
 First, never buy from the lowest bidder unless you have dealt with them before and know you can trust them. 99 times out of 100 you'll be treated to one or more sleazy tricks like bait and switch, "gray market" goods, pressure to buy overpriced add-on packages, broken shipping promises, endless delays... Go ahead and use Froogle to find low prices...but then exercise common sense and a good dose of skepticism. If vendor X's price is $100 lower than anybody else's, you probably don't want to touch vendor X with a ten-foot pole. ;-)
 Second, always check www.resellerratings.com for reviews before you buy from a vendor you don't know. One look at A&M's abysmal rating and plethora of horror stories would have warned you away from them. Resellerratings isn't infallible--if you find that a seller has only three ratings, they don't tell you much one way or another. A&M, on the other hand, had 178 ratings in the past six months--most of them bad. That's a pretty clear warning sign.
 Roz, I really hope you get lucky with these people. But if I were you, frankly, I wouldn't risk it--I'd cancel right now, and then go to one of the reliable vendors that others here have recommended.
 If you do cancel, keep an eye on your credit card to make sure the refund shows up promptly. One of the things sleazy vendors are notorious for is holding onto your money for months...usually until you threaten to take them to court or report them to their state's fraud investigation unit.
 One other tip: don't ever order from a company in Brooklyn. ;-) A&M doesn't give any address on their website (which is suspicious in itself), but judging by their fax number's 718 area code, that is exactly where they are located...probably on Coney Island Avenue, where many of the worst sleazeball dealers are.

Andy Baird
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Garmin 2720 and where to buy
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 56867
Quote
I hope you won't be disappointed, but I'm afraid you probably will.
According to

Quote
www.resellerratings.com
(), A&M Photo
 
Quote
World has a customer-satisfaction rating of 0.18 on a scale of 0 to 10.
Andy,
 Oh, my gosh!  I didn't know there was a website for checking on these people.  I will take your advice and cancel the order.  I hope all will be well.  I think I will also call Visa to advise them that the purchase was cancelled.

How could I be so naive!?  I guess that is how one learns lessons.

Thank you so much for the warning.

Roz, the now-concerned wannabe!
Reseller Reliability
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 56877
Andy,

Thanks for the info on resellerratings.com. I just ordered Audubon Equinox HP 8x42 binoculars from nightvisionplanet.com and they are unrated at resellerratings.
 They are, however, a member of the BBB Online reliability program and speedily (within minutes of a toll-free phone call) and satisfactorily handled an issue that was my fault. I ordered the binocs on Saturday (they're closed Saturdays) and the order indicates ready to ship as I write. I'll let the group know when the purchase arrives (free UPS 3-5 day shipping).
 I always prefer to order from sites that display either a BBB symbol or certification by a third-party like shopping.com or the !Yahoo seller program.

Paul NE 50