Incorrect Kit Lens - Is it worth spending time in exchanging it?

twokatmew · 07-29-2010, 11:08 AM

I just had a less-than-stellar experience with Beach Camera, too, though it wasn't over camera equipment. I bought an HDTV stand & mount from them off Ebay, as the price was good, and Bing Cashback is still running through 7/30. Anyway, I paid immediately as required for BIN transactions, and I heard nothing. Five business days later, after I inquired about the status of my order, Beach told me the item was back ordered indefinitely. So I canceled the order. I waited another five business days and received no PayPal refund. When I contacted Beach again, they said it would be three more business days before they'd process my refund. Yesterday I finally got my refund from Beach via PayPal. Interestingly enough though, they'd immediately relisted the item on Ebay. And they had my money for three weeks.

That's my only experience with Beach Camera, and after reading all these posts, I don't think I'll order from them ever again.

lurchlarson · 07-29-2010, 09:45 PM

Originally posted by epidaetia

No wonder I could see only glowing reviews

Anyways, they've finally agreed to change just the lens. But they refuse to pay for international shipping. Luckily a friend of mine is flying to US tonight, so I'm sending lens with him. He can ship from US itself. Safer, Quicker and Cheaper.
Funnily enough, BC guys have told me, they'll not do cross shipping and will refund only cheapest USPS rates.
Right now, I really don't care. After 10 mails and multiple calls, I just want my lens back.

Anywayz I'm going to stick with Amazon only, no more market places for me :P

Adorama and B&H photo are pretty much the two most reputable online dealers in the US and the Cheapest (usually). Stick with them and you'll do ok.

**interested_observer** · 07-30-2010, 06:41 AM

I have used Beach/Buydig a couple of times with good success - a K20 and a lens from what I remember. But, after reading this series of episodes, I would be very reluctant to do so again.

I would suggest to post your experience to ...

Beach Camera Reviews, Ratings and Price Comparison Shopping (link to resellerratings.com)

I just saw one instance where a post was made with a less than stellar outcome and Beach called the poster within 15 minutes - offering to make things right. Anyway resellerratings is independent, thus your posting can not be removed by the retailer.

Its difficult enough to make a decision to buy something, let alone settle on a specific make and model, then to have to go through the garbage of having to deal with on line retailers in order to get a reasonable price, you should not have to put up with shoddy service. Shipping the incorrect order or getting the indefinite back-order is just inexcusable. A practice of holding your funds for an extended period of time in a refund situation is just shoddy business practices. --- just my opinion.

MRRiley · 07-30-2010, 06:49 AM

This was Beach Camera's screwup so they should remedy it without question...

1. They should ship you the lens you paid for immediatley. You already paid for shipping so why should you have to pay again when it was their mistake.

2. They should only require the return of the non-WR lens after you have received the WR version.

3. They should definately pay for the shipping of the lens return, since again... this was their fault.

4. After yout get this straightened out write them and remind them that their site is not the only one they get reviewed on. Tell them you've reported this shoddy customer service on the world's largest Pentax Forum and that you will be writing a review on www.resellerratings.com.

Personally I've never bought from them and never will . B&H or Adorama for me... Well them and Ace Photo in Ashburn VA... LOL

Mike

**interested_observer** · 07-30-2010, 07:07 AM

I do have to hand it to B&H or Adorama for having representatives scan and follow the boards, looking for any problems being posted and taking care of them in a very public fashion. It just goes to show the quality level of a high class organization.

mikemike · 07-30-2010, 10:26 AM

I heard back from a pentax rep and he said that he has contacted beach and had some words with them regarding this bait and switch tactic on the K7 kit.

epidaetia · 08-17-2010, 10:21 PM

Final Update: Got new lens. Though it's still in US and I haven't tried it yet. But Got confirmed from friends that this time it's indeed WR.
Unfortunately My friends used Hilton guys to do shipping and that too 1-day one. So Those 50$ are not coming back. But I'm okay. Atleast Got it.

macTak · 08-18-2010, 12:31 PM

Glad to hear it worked out for you (at least as best it could). Some time ago I ordered 2 K100D kits from them without any trouble. I ordered them a few monts apart and one was the proper camera+lens kit (which comes in one kit box), the other was the body and lens just togeather (a lot of sellers do this), so with that second option, mistakes can happen (hopefully it was just a mistake

)

DaveHolmes · 08-18-2010, 03:11 PM

On a lighter note...
When I bought my Kx (in store in the UK) they were doing a deal on the twin lens kit but had run out of the regular 50-200mm lens so the gave me the WR version at no extra cost!
Local independents all the way! (Except when certain auction site are ridiculously cheap)
:-)

07-30-2010, 06:41 AM	#18
interested_observer Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Tumbleweed, Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,707	I have used Beach/Buydig a couple of times with good success - a K20 and a lens from what I remember. But, after reading this series of episodes, I would be very reluctant to do so again. I would suggest to post your experience to ... Beach Camera Reviews, Ratings and Price Comparison Shopping (link to resellerratings.com) I just saw one instance where a post was made with a less than stellar outcome and Beach called the poster within 15 minutes - offering to make things right. Anyway resellerratings is independent, thus your posting can not be removed by the retailer. Its difficult enough to make a decision to buy something, let alone settle on a specific make and model, then to have to go through the garbage of having to deal with on line retailers in order to get a reasonable price, you should not have to put up with shoddy service. Shipping the incorrect order or getting the indefinite back-order is just inexcusable. A practice of holding your funds for an extended period of time in a refund situation is just shoddy business practices. --- just my opinion. Last edited by interested_observer; 07-30-2010 at 07:03 AM.

07-30-2010, 06:49 AM	#19
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	This was Beach Camera's screwup so they should remedy it without question... 1. They should ship you the lens you paid for immediatley. You already paid for shipping so why should you have to pay again when it was their mistake. 2. They should only require the return of the non-WR lens after you have received the WR version. 3. They should definately pay for the shipping of the lens return, since again... this was their fault. 4. After yout get this straightened out write them and remind them that their site is not the only one they get reviewed on. Tell them you've reported this shoddy customer service on the world's largest Pentax Forum and that you will be writing a review on www.resellerratings.com. Personally I've never bought from them and never will . B&H or Adorama for me... Well them and Ace Photo in Ashburn VA... LOL Mike

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07-29-2010, 11:08 AM	#16
twokatmew Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Lansing, MI Photos: Albums Posts: 509	I just had a less-than-stellar experience with Beach Camera, too, though it wasn't over camera equipment. I bought an HDTV stand & mount from them off Ebay, as the price was good, and Bing Cashback is still running through 7/30. Anyway, I paid immediately as required for BIN transactions, and I heard nothing. Five business days later, after I inquired about the status of my order, Beach told me the item was back ordered indefinitely. So I canceled the order. I waited another five business days and received no PayPal refund. When I contacted Beach again, they said it would be three more business days before they'd process my refund. Yesterday I finally got my refund from Beach via PayPal. Interestingly enough though, they'd immediately relisted the item on Ebay. And they had my money for three weeks. That's my only experience with Beach Camera, and after reading all these posts, I don't think I'll order from them ever again.

07-29-2010, 09:45 PM	#17
lurchlarson Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Oregon, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 681	Originally posted by epidaetia No wonder I could see only glowing reviews Anyways, they've finally agreed to change just the lens. But they refuse to pay for international shipping. Luckily a friend of mine is flying to US tonight, so I'm sending lens with him. He can ship from US itself. Safer, Quicker and Cheaper. Funnily enough, BC guys have told me, they'll not do cross shipping and will refund only cheapest USPS rates. Right now, I really don't care. After 10 mails and multiple calls, I just want my lens back. Anywayz I'm going to stick with Amazon only, no more market places for me :P Adorama and B&H photo are pretty much the two most reputable online dealers in the US and the Cheapest (usually). Stick with them and you'll do ok.

07-30-2010, 07:07 AM	#20
interested_observer Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Tumbleweed, Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,707	I do have to hand it to B&H or Adorama for having representatives scan and follow the boards, looking for any problems being posted and taking care of them in a very public fashion. It just goes to show the quality level of a high class organization.

07-30-2010, 10:26 AM	#21
mikemike Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: New Orleans Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,053	I heard back from a pentax rep and he said that he has contacted beach and had some words with them regarding this bait and switch tactic on the K7 kit.

08-17-2010, 10:21 PM	#22
epidaetia New Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 12 Original Poster	Final Update: Got new lens. Though it's still in US and I haven't tried it yet. But Got confirmed from friends that this time it's indeed WR. Unfortunately My friends used Hilton guys to do shipping and that too 1-day one. So Those 50$ are not coming back. But I'm okay. Atleast Got it.

08-18-2010, 12:31 PM	#23
macTak Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 759	Glad to hear it worked out for you (at least as best it could). Some time ago I ordered 2 K100D kits from them without any trouble. I ordered them a few monts apart and one was the proper camera+lens kit (which comes in one kit box), the other was the body and lens just togeather (a lot of sellers do this), so with that second option, mistakes can happen (hopefully it was just a mistake )

08-18-2010, 03:11 PM	#24
DaveHolmes Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,501	On a lighter note... When I bought my Kx (in store in the UK) they were doing a deal on the twin lens kit but had run out of the regular 50-200mm lens so the gave me the WR version at no extra cost! Local independents all the way! (Except when certain auction site are ridiculously cheap) :-)