Hotbuyselectronics.com FALSE ADVERTISING! Rip-off!Refusal to ship accessory listed in ad as included and won't give a refund. Brooklyn, New York City New York

Seven complaints were posted regarding this company, similar to the report filed here.

COMPLAINT 1 Submitted 11/18/05
Avoid HotBuyElectronics like the plague. I ordered a new digital camera from them, before ordered I asked both in email and on the phone, is it new? I was assured it was new, but when it arrived it was clearly refurbished. It even had Nikon's part number for a refurbished camera. When I called and asked them, they reassured me it was new. When I told them it had a Nikon refurbished part number, he paused, stuttered, then gave me some lie about having to change boxes because the original boxes were damaged. I IMMEDIATELY requested an RMA, and sent this back. I wish that were the end of the story, but it's not. 2 months later they had not yet credited my credit card, so I called them. He said my card would be credited that day. 2 weeks later, still no credit, so I called a second time (I was clearly too patient with these people). Again, I was told it would be credited that day. But I was fed up, so I called Citibank and told them what was going on. Citibank immediately and without any questions reversed all changes.

So I say again, AVOID HotBuyElectronics like the plague!

COMPLAINT 2: Submitted on 9/2/05
Ordered a Casio Exilim EX-S500EO with 2-day air shipping before checking reviews of this store. I called before ordering to ensure it was in stock - other vendors were sold out; they said yes it was in stock, yes, they had the "orange" version (EO), but I must order online. On the order comments, I specified: "If out of stock or different color, CANCEL THIS ORDER". After checkout and giving credit card info, the invoice (page only, not emailed) said to call for expedited shipping, to ensure timely delivery. So I called again. THEN the person asked if I wanted a US warranty version, or import - I said warranty. That was $30 or so more. I said "ok". He asked if I wanted an extra battery; we discussed it, I said "ok". I double/triple checked that it would arrive on time. He assured me that it would, and said that he would email an updated invoice. I never got the email. Then I checked reviews of the store and got a sinking feeling. I called back the next day - he assured me that my order would arrive at the scheduled time. That time was yesterday. No order, no email, no credit card charge (yet). When I called last night to find "where's my order?!" no one in service was available. Ditto for this morning. My order found a black hole, I guess. I've emailed them: "DO NOT SEND THIS NOW, DO NOT CHARGE MY CARD, I WILL DISPUTE IT". We'll see...

UPDATE 09/12: the following Wed, I got a call saying they had the camera, ready for delivery. I asked why it hadn't arrived at the date promised; they said "sorry, it wasn't in stock". I also reaffirmed that I was canceling the order.

COMPLAINT 3: Submitted on 8/30/05
Ordered, never received order confirmation (printed the web confirmation page). Not received after 10 days; called, they asked me if I wanted a U.S. or European warranty. U.S., of course! Another 10 days, no camera. Called, they said it shipped Monday and would arrive on Thursday. It didn't. Cannot get through to them by phone after several times and have disputed the charge on my credit card.

COMPLAINT 4: Submitted on 8/24/05
My name is Stuart and I wish to bring to your attention an internet trading company by the name of Hotbuys Electronics. These people trade in a fraudulent way with false advertising and despicable business practices. As it stands at the moment they have told lies and I have resorted to starting a campaign using whatever means is available to me in Australia. I feel it is quite disturbing that the business practices of this company are sanctioned in this way as they seem to trade both interstate within the US as well as internationally. They appear to prey on honest folk who do NOT have immediate access to their sales team. I have sent countless EMAILS and have made many PHONE calls to no avail. The cost is enormous and I believe they Hotbuys Electronics of 125 Taaffe Place, Brooklyn, NY. 11205-TEL 718-789-0119, FAX -718-789-9198. EMAIL-hotbuys27@aol.com OR sales@hotbuys.com
I trust you are able to not only assist me but others taken down by these dealers. The whole process is quite anger provoking-indeed.

COMPLAINT 5: Submitted on 7/27/05
Hello folks,
Stay away from "Hotbuy27@aol.com, www.hotbuyselectronics.com, Elliot, Harry and probably all the rest of this sales team. They underquoate prices, substitute cheap replacements, lie about availability of products and to date refuse to provide a refund to me for goods not delivered. This mob are nothing short being fraudsters.

COMPLAINT 6: Submitted on 7/22/05
This is clearly a refurbished Nikon CoolPix 3100 camera yet the advertisements from this company HIDE this fact fraudulently!

In fact, I considered purchasing from other vendors who said their cameras at the same or lower price were refurbished so I did NOT buy from those HONEST vendors; instead, I bought what I thought was a NEW camera from Hotbuyselectronics.com, 125 Taaffe Place, Brooklyn, NY 11205, Tel. 718-789-9119, Fax. 718-789-9198, Toll Free 1(866) 246-8289 but which turned out to be an unboxed previously used Nikon CoolPix 3100 instead!
This is clearly fraud.

COMPLAINT 7: Submitted on 6/16/05
Ordered a camera from them online. Checked a week later to get tracking number. They claimed it was no longer in stock. Claimed that they emailed me, but no email had arrived. I doubt they could locate the camera at the price they quoted. Very shady company.