BestPricePhoto.com

[McB!]

Hi guys. I hope this is the right place for this thread. None of the other forums seem to quite fit this topic.

I've had my Canon 30D for a long time now. This year I made the decision to upgrade. I was holding out for the 5D Mk. III, hoping that it would be released this year, but from what I can tell a 2012 release date is looking more likely. I've decided to take the plunge and just get the Mk. II.

A quick search on pricegrabber.com indicates that $2,179 is the lowest price, available from Best Price Photo (Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera Body Only - Compare Prices and Reviews on Canon 2764B003 Digital Cameras at PriceGrabber). When almost every other retailer has it priced at $2,499 and over, I'm wondering if this is too good to be true? I've researched reviews of the company quite extensively, and there actually appear to be a lot of happy customers, but the bad reviews still make me want to err on the side of caution for some reason. The main issue with a lot of people seems to be the fact that you're guaranteed to get a "confirmation call" after you place your order where someone will try to sell you additional products. If this is the worst thing that happens, I'm actually not too concerned. I can understand this being a legitimate business model and I do a ridiculous amount of research before buying any kind of camera equipment anyway, so I'm not going to be swayed into buying stuff I don't need by a salesperson. No, my main concern is if something happens to be wrong with the camera and I have to return it, as there are claims of 30% "re-stocking fees," which given the price of the camera would be a hell of a lot. There also seem to be claims of grey market merchandise.

I've rambled on quite a bit. I guess I just want to know if anyone or anyone you know has had dealings with this company (or Best Price Electronics, which I think it's an offshoot of). If so, do you have any feedback? I've also noticed that 42nd St. Photo also offer the Mk. II at a decent price. Has anyone had any experience with them either?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Krusty79]

I've never heard of them. It does sound fishy. If you did buy from them, I would make sure you're buying a brand new body with the full manufacturer's warranty. And get all the details about their return policy in writing.

Most folks here seem to favor B&H and Adorama.

[Twinpanther]

Never heard of them myself either. Resellerratings lists them good but it looks like they are fairly new and it my not have caught up to them as of yet. Other reviews mention that same typical "Call to Verify" scam so I would not buy from them anyway.

The price you quote for the 5D MKII is most likely for a Grey Market camera so if it does go through don't expect any warranty coverage. The USA version they are selling for $2,699.

[zona5101]

Adorama or B&H - great service, easy purchasing, fast shipping w/ tracking numbers, returns and adjustments are no problem... worth the extra dollar or two especially when you're spending that much.
Also check your local camera store...every once in a while they will surprise you - worth a phone call anyway...

good luck.

[Bestpricephoto]

Hello to All!
Thank you for your interest with Bestpricephoto.com! We offer wholesale pricing on brand name cameras & electronics. Our company monitors and respond to all inquires regarding our products & services. Please rest assured when ordering a product from our company we guarantee the following:
1. Brand New Merchandise
2. Full 1 Year USA Warranty Parts & Labor
3. 30 Day 100% Money Back Guarantee
4. No Restocking Fee unless the product had been used or mishandled
5. Friendly & knowledgeable staff
Bestpricephoto.com strives to keep all our consumers happy with the service & products we offer. When a consumer post negative comments understand that they never contacted us to make our company aware of their concerns. This is why we actively view the internet and respond to all our potential & existing consumer needs. Our goal is to be your #1 destination for your electronics needs & look forward to your business.
Sincerely,
Bestpricephoto.com Staff

[StillFocus]

Ooh neat, an advertising robot! *shutterbutton*

I read into them a few months back when I was looking to upgrade my camera body. From what I could gather, you'll get a call trying to upsell you. If you refuse the additional products, it's possible that your order will become "back-ordered" indefinitely. It's also possible for the too-good-to-be-true price to be a foreign model of said camera, with the US model costing the same or more than it would elsewhere. Do what you think is best, but I'd be leery.