Hello randallr!  
 
I read your review about Express Cameras, and you said that "I was advised from a U.S. Attorney from the computer crimes division I could record calls". I just got out of court, regarding a case I have with my credit card company, around Express Cameras, & the presiding judge would not even listen to my recorded calls. He considered them inadmissable evidence, and informed me that it was illegal to record without prior consent. I'm very interested in having whoever told you that you could record, contact me, and let me know what law says that you can record.  
 
Thanks,  
 
audiowizard  

This review was modified by its author, audiowizard, on 4/10/08 6:47 PM.

Express Camera had the lowest price on a Canon 430EX flash so I ordered one using a temporary credit card. The next day I received the obligatory "Please call to verify your order" email. When I called, the person answering the phone asked me why I wanted that flash and tried to up-sell me to a Canon 530EX flash (there never has been such a model from Canon, I guess they just add the number "1" to whatever to try and make it sound better). Already being familiar with these tactics, I said I wanted the flash I ordered. He continued for awhile, but when he saw I would not budge, he then tried to sell me rechargeable batteries and a charger. I told him that I already had those and didn't need them. Seeing that I was not one to be BS'ed, he said "fine". And that was the end of the conversation. Later, I get an email saying that they over-sold the flash and that my order was canceled, yet the flash still shows in-stock on their website. It's obvious that Express Camera does not intend to sell this flash at such a low price and it is just a way to get you to call for an up-sell. What a waist of time.

Expresscamera.com is one of the most inept sites I have ever used (they don't keep their web site up to date, thus prices, acceptable credit cards, and descriptions are of dubious accuracy); and the customer service supervisor with whom I spoke was so hostile I had to hang up on him. They advertise the lowest prices, but even if the items were free, I wouldn't 'buy'. They seem to take pride in their surliness. I highly recommend that all buyers should avoid this seller. Bad karma.

i ordered a Canon Camera package the other day and recieved the order conformation on line,,but then recieved an email that said to call and confirm.. when i called the guy i talked to tried to sell be much more expensive items, like a $200 battery,, $100 lens caps, etc.. when i declined them all he rudely said "enjoy your package" and hung up on me.. later in the day i recieved a cancellation email stating that the item was not in stock and was on backorder.. i called and held on the line to speak with a manager (which of course was the same jerk i spoke with yesterday),, but different name??? he was again very rude, acted like he was mad that i dared to bother him about this,, he asked me if the item i ordered said "in stock" and no i didn't see in stock anywhere nor did i see it on any other item they carry (i checked quite alot). he told me the order was not canceled but was on back order and i read the email where it clearly stated "cancelled" and when i asked about getting it for the same price when it does come in he said "sure" and hung up.. certainly not professional or courtious and where all those certificatons, safe signs on their site came from i'll never know. this same thing happended to my neighbor. as soon as i get off of here i am calling my credit card company to put a block on my card so they can't charge me .. i certainly do not trust them and am just curious if our friend "joe" or whatever his name is today isn't writing them himself because there is no place on there to write your own review.. definately BUYER BEWARE.

DO NOT BUY FROM THIS STORE!!!!! THE MERCHANDISE I ORDERED WAS NOT THE MERCHANDISE SHIPPED. CUSTOMER SERVICE REP CALLED ME A LIAR. ALSO SAID HE WAS GOING TO TAKE MY CREDIT CARD AND GO ON A SHOPPING SPREE!!!!!. NOW I AM FORCED TO CANCEL MY CARD (NOT AN EASY TASK FOR A BUSINESS). THESE PEOPLE WILL KEEP YOU ON HOLD FOR HOURS, CALL YOU NAMES AND THREATEN YOU.......WHY IN THE WORLD ARE THEY STILL IN BUSINESS??? WHAT IS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOING ABOUT THIS????????????!!!!!!!!!!  
 
UPDATE 12/2/07 - I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE NEW JERSEY ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE. THESE PEOPLE NEED TO BE PUT OUT OF BUSINESS!!

This review was modified by its author, CRAZYABBY, on 12/2/07 5:01 AM.

NEVER BUY OR RECCOMEND this store to any one!!!  
COMPLETE SCAM ARTIST that just what a fast buck. Having to call in is only part of their scam. The rep (Peter) upgraded me for stuff I didnt need or want. He told me my grand total was $1200 when really it was really $2700. If he would of told me the grand total was $2700 instead of $1200 then I would of not order this product. So then I call to canel and same rep (peter) and he tells me "that I can't canel it all ready on its way". And I say "ok well i'm not signing for it" And he replies with "ok well it will be $250 cashiers check to them." And most of the time he is yelling at me about how I can't and should not canel and how he gave me a great deal (which after all the math) was not that great. And im just wishing I get my money back.

This review was modified by its author, dezertrat915, on 11/19/07 6:59 PM.

Bait and switch merchant. Ordered lens via web site which says is in stock -- was sent email to verify order. Individual I talked to says reason for call was first was that they didn't have missing code for credit card, then later they don't take Amex. Then tried to sell me a bunch of other lenses, saying they were better (which I know they are not). When told no I wanted what I ordered, was told that I then could not return item because told by agent of better lenses. Then hung up by agent before new credit card info taken. Immediately followed by an email that says "Unfortunately we are currently oversold on the item you have ordered, and it is currently on a backorder for 6-8 weeks. Therefore, your order has been canceled. Please note, your credit card has not been charged."  
 
Avoid like the plague..

This review was modified by its author, gndixon, on 11/22/07 3:08 PM.

I was looking to purchase Nikon SB-800. The price for the flash was cheapest i could find, so i placed my order. I received an email 5 min. later to call and confirm the purchase. After 5 min. being on hold, guy answers the phone, confirms my order, blah blah. Then he proceeds to questioning my decission on why would i want to purchase this particular flash, who recomended it and why and so on. I told him that i had read good reviews and that's what i want. Then he proceeds to tell me about another flash which is $40 cheaper and how good it is and all that sale pitch stuff. I politely declined and told him, i'm not interested in this flash and would like to purchase what i originally intended. He insisted for me to go on his website and take a look at that flash he was pitching for. I said i don't need to see it, because i want to buy Nikon, period. Guess what he said?  
"Your order is cancelled, because you are rude!!"  
I was rude??? Excuse me??? I couldn't believe my ears!! I was in total shock!! So i said, it's ok, i'll find another place to purchase from, where sales people are more polite, and hang up the phone. I'm yet experience something moronic like this.  
It kind of ruined my day.

I am very dissatisfied with their customer service. They quote you a price on their website and the actual price is 2-3 times higher when you ask a customer service representative. Very, very unprofessional and would never recommend it to anyone unless you want to be scammed.  
They should not be allowed to exist in the business world and I will complain at the Better Business Bureau.

Rediculously rude and vulgar sales reps whom participate in high pressure sales tactics and bait and switch. The company also commits fraud on a daily basis by falsely posting prices that they will never sell an item for, and lists "In Stock" when they are NEVER in stock. Most HORRIBLE experience in my life.

This place is a scam... I ordered a canon 70-200 f2.8 i.s. lens. the total was $1,299.. way below maket price. I called to confirm and was told by Julian the lens I ordered was not a good one and tried to sell me a non existing lens for more money. He then proceeded to tell me they no longer take AX and I needed to pay by Visa. I asked when they stopped taking the AX he said two days ago. He would give me $30 discount for using another card. He told me the lens I was not good for my camera and they were trying to get rid of the ones they had in stock, which was 5, and would sell it to me even cheaper by $100 dollars. I said fine and he then all of a sudden took AX and would charge my account and then he hung up. I have call and talked to severa alias and they all hung up on me when I questioned the lens. Each person claimed it was in stock and when I told them I wanted it he said I thought you meant the I.F. model. It doesnt exist.  

Very, very suspicious. I would not recommend anyone order from this store. I fell into a classic "bait-and-switch" they run: they call to confirm the CCV number on your credit card, and then talk you into a grey-market item that is "superior". I doubt they ever had the item I originally wanted, and use it only as a lure. I was talked into an inferior graymarket item that cost more.  
 
When I tried to find more information about the lens, I was told that the manufacturer (Sigma) didn't show it on their US website because it was imported from Japan, but that I could find info on another merchant's website -- geniuscameras.com. That turned out to be run by the same people as expresscameras.com. At this point it was clear that I was not being dealt with honestly, and I had no compunction in demanding a refund.  
 
When I called to cancel, I was told I could not cancel because the item was on the shipping dock already. I told the rep ("Jim") that I didn't believe him, and was told he could get me a tracking number if I wanted. I asked for the number, was put on hold, and when he came back he said I could cancel the order, with no mention of the tracking number. I think the whole "shipping dock" line was a lie to keep me from canceling, in the hopes I would let the item ship, and either keep it or get trapped in an RMA game.  
 
Eventually, after another offer to lower the price or switch the item, I was "allowed" to cancel with a $200 charge for shipping and handling. This is abusive, since shipping on the lens is quoted as $48 on the website. My credit card company tells me I am out of luck there, since it falls into "non-refundable shipping, handling, and insurance charges" that I tacitly agreed to when I placed the order. I guess I have to accept that as part of my lesson -- to research a merchant before I buy, be more suspicious of the low price leader, and not be talked out of an item I have researched. I'd rather pay $200 than end up with a lens that isn't what I wanted and makes me feel like a chump when I look at it!  
 
As a precaution, I have canceled the credit card. They have demonstrated their dishonesty -- I don't trust them with my CC number.  
 
NB: They are also being sued by the New Jersey Attorney General for violation of the Consumer Fraud Act, for bait-and-switch, unreasonable shipping & handling (see above), and more.  
 
Bottom line: If you got burned, don't feel stupid -- they are professionals at deception. But DO feel justified in making a fighting for every penny with your credit card company and the AG's office. If we don't fight it, they will just keep on abusing people.  
 
Lawsuit info:  
http://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases06/pr20061130a.html

This review was modified by its author, jeffrice47, on 10/25/07 9:36 PM.

Ordered and paid for a D80 Nikon Camera and lens from "Express Camera" online. Then a few days later a guy from the store called me about the lens order and said that they needed the 3 digit security code for my credit card. Then he asks me what I am using the lens for, and I say a Nikon D80 (you would think this was obvious, but apparently they are not to bright on the boiler plate side of the store). Then he goes into a song and dance about the poor performance of the lens, how it was made for another camera, and how I should upgrade to one of their more expensice lenses on their web site. I said, no, I wanted that particular lens, and he says OK and hangs up. So, a day later? They send me 2 emails saying that both the body and lens are back-ordered, and that the orders have been cancelled for both. Reading online (do a Google search of ExperssCamera+scam) and you will get pages and pages of the same story. They suck you in with a cheap price deal and then call you with a bogus question about your credit card, and then try to get you to upgrade to a more expensive product. Read: AVOID!

This review was modified by its author, reviewdude, on 10/24/07 4:35 PM.

I ordered Canon Lenses from them yesterday. Got the bait and switch call this morning. Tried to sell me different lenses stating the ones I ordered did not work with my camera. When I stated that I wanted them anyway, they said they were on backorder.  
 
I am so sick of the countless stories like this with nothing that can be done. I ask that everyone who gets treated like this take a moment to search for the camera you ordered everyday on yahoo, msn and google. Click on the SPONSORED links for these offers and DO NOT BUY. Each time you click on a link the companies advertising these bogus deals will be made to pay a fee. Each click is about $1 so keep doing so. If enough people do this daily they will not be able to afford advertising. No one else will go through this, or worse be made to pay for upsells of junk merchandise!

Ruthless SCAM ARTISTS!  
They used bait and switch tactics to sell me up to a more expensive (inflated cost)camera or lens. Filled me with so much hyperbole and lies that I fell for it. I feel so stupid!  
 
I did fight them when I realized how I'd been duped. Had to compromise losing $68 instead of the $250 they originally took me for. They say they are issuing me s credit of $189. Yesterday I argued with the manager (Kevin) and he said I could send it back. But, that could open another can of worms - they could claim it was damaged and refuse the refund. I wouldn't put it past them.  
So I cut my losses and am done with them, provided I get my refund. Will update with-in a week.  
 
UPDATE: May Visa account has posted the credit. Lesson learned. End of story.

This review was modified by its author, bostechie, on 10/18/07 12:25 PM.