SOBE ELECTRONICS Bait and Switch/Misrepresentation/Price gouging Miami Beach Florida

I was visiting Miami over the Columbus Day weekend from St. Croix United States Virgin Islands.


I saw a low price marked in the window of the SOBE ELECTRONIC store for a Canon Rebel camera. I entered the store and asked for the camera only to be told that there is a better one for $140.00 more. I was told by the salesman that this camera was better because it had image stabalisation, low light features and interchangeable lens. I then decided to include a DVD for a total price of $600.

On leaving the store I realised that the DVD player was not in the bag. I returned to the store to be told that it was not included because they did not have the advertised DVD and that the camera was way below the market value. I demanded my money (paid with cash) and was told that all I could get was a store credit. I nearly lost it.

To wrap up and avoid a scene. I paid another $40, a total of $640.

BAIT and SWTCH! Price Gouging.

I decided to cut my losses and chalk it up to experience.

But WAIT!

When I got home that night I was devastated to find the following items missing from the box:

The camera strap
The lens cap
The lens hood
The 16 MB memory chip
No Interchangeable lens/ No image stabilization

And to top it all, THE CAMERA WOULD NOT FOCUS

I did not sleep that night.


In the morhing I got to the store Early.

Suffice it to say they did not have a replacement. I had to settle for the store DEMO Camera, a substitute strap, a lens cap and no lens hood.

Just because I live in TheVirgin Islands and needed a camera to shoot an event that day I had to swallow my puke.

I am not griping about the price although it was about $150 above market price.

The fact is that this was total fraud, selling a used Fuji Finrpix 9000 camera without the standard accessories and failing to return paid monies when asked to do so.

I am very dissapointed that the Miami Beach BBB is represented by such vultures and would like redress.

Anonymous
St. Croix
Virgin Islands (U.S.)