Camera Express Ripoff Will rip you off with outrageous prices and no return policy San Francisco California

I was strolling through the streets of Chinatown as a tourist in April, when I passed by "Camera Express".
Tony, one of their salesmen, saw I carried a Canon digital SLR and said he had a good price for a lens. Since I had been thinking of buying a telephoto zoom I agreed to take a look. He showed me a Canon 55 - 200 mm lens and after shooting a few frames I decided this was a decent lens and bought it. He threw in a polarization filter and cut the price down to roughly $ 400. Out of the shop I immediately started shooting with the new lens, but within a few minutes discovered that IT COULDN'T FOCUS on indefinite!

I went straight back and told him about the problem and showed him the shots I'd made. He found another identical lens, which had the same problem. NO FOCUS!

I told him I was not satisfied and wanted my money back. He said he couldn't because he would be in trouble with the manager, but he would try with a different lens. He then proceeded to show me something along the lines of a 70 - 300 mm Canon which had the same problem. I then asked to see the manager and Tony called 'his cousin' Francisco over. I told him that I wanted my money back, but he said that I had signed an "All sales are final" clause and that he would give me the service of exchanging it for another product.

Then he took down a Sigma 18-200 mm which had an outrageous pricetag of $ 1,199.99 on the box! He said I could have that one for an additional $ 199. He even had the nerve to say: "I am losing money on this deal". Yeah right. I found out that I can get it online in the US for $ 330 to $ 380. Even in Europe, this lens can be found at approximately $ 315.

I stayed in the shop for almost 2 hours arguing that I was not satisfied with the lens I had originally had my eyes on and therefore demanded to have my money back. He was adamant about his "All sales are final" contract and my only way to proceed was to give him the extra $199 in order not to leave empty handed or with a totally crap lens.

Be aware. These people are liars, con-artists and will rip you off your last dollar if you give them the chance. Stay away and don't give them half a chance to dig into your purse. I've been had and so have probably many, many others. Do not let them get away with this any more.

Tom
Rungsted Kyst
Denmark