"Same as I read on here, bought the camera, didn't tell me it was out of stock. Took two weeks to cancel my order, then made me give positive feedback before they would refund me, the lady even said, "I have your money, if you want it back leve positive feedback. I dont care, I'll keep your money until you do..." BS. Never buy from this place."

"This eBay Seller turned out to be a "bait 'n switch" operation, offering a Canon HV20 camera at an attractive price then, after end of auction, requiring buyer to contact store for "verification" at which time the seller tried to sell me overpriced items outside of eBay (in violation of eBay rules), such as a warranty for $180 and a battery for $200, stating that the camera did not come with a warranty, though seller claims it's a US model in the auction. I declined the extra sale items and told them just to ship me what I paid for in the auction.

Five days pass without them shipping the camera, despite two phonecalls and two e-mails from me, asking status of shipment. So I call to cancel my order at the end of a week, and spoke to a heavily-accented middle eastern man calling himself "Eddie". He instructed me to leave them positive feedback first, and then they would process my refund. I objected, stating that I don't leave feedback until the seller performs and this was blackmail. Seller then stated "I don't have to refund your money for six months. I can make you wait, and there is nothing you can do about it. You can call the attorney general, you can call George Bush.. they won't do anything about it."

Seeing as I could be out a substantial sum of money for months while this languishes in Small Claims Court, and needing to go out and purchase this camera locally the same day as it was for an event happening Saturday, I decided to comply with his demand in the hope that he was true to his word. Fortunately, within 15 minutes, I did receive a PayPal refund.

However, I suspect that is how he acquired so many positive feedbacks (over 16,000). By holding refunds 'hostage' until positive feedback is sent. They are a typical Brooklyn, NY-based bait and switch scam shop, cloaked behind a legitimate-looking eBay auction.

This seller is conducting business in a manner that violates eBay policies (using auction to sell items outside eBay, dishonest business practices, misrepresenting product (didn't list that the item has no warranty) and coersion to attain undeserved positive feedback. I am very much disturbed by the few NEGATIVE feedbacks seller has burried way back in his feedback history. eBay should shut down his auctions, terminate his eBay account and reported him to law enforcement."

"Let me express my utmost dissatisfaction with Empire Digital a.k.a. E&R Electronics a.k.a MOS Marketing, located at 5816 West Utrecht Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219.

Instead of sending me a brand new US warranty camera - as the one I have intended to purchase in first place - I have recieved an inferior piece of equipment called "Gray Market". Since it is impossible to distinguish US Market camera from Gray Market camera, I have lived for months under impression that I own a brand new, US market camera.

On March 24, 2006 I have purchased a Nikon D2X, high end, professional digital SLR camera body from Empire Digital utilizing "Buy Now" option at Ebay auction. I paid $3,648.95 for this item.

Since I purchased this camera, I have noticed that I am not getting sharp images. I have participated in many discussion forums on the internet and came to found out that many of these cameras have built-in "back-focusing" problems that can be corrected only by Nikon authorized service center. I have packed my camera and sent it to Nikon USA / El Segundo, Calif.

Three weeks later, Nikon sent me my camera back with a note, informing me that my camera is so called "Gray Market" and that it was "...not intended to be sold in the United States..." As consequence, Nikon refused to do any service, repair or calibration to my D2X body. I have contacted Nikon several more times with request for service but always got cold shoulder.

Nikon don't sell its calibration equipment, repair software, or replacement parts to small independent camera repair shops. Therefore, it is senseless to give this state-of-the-art camera to "joe the camera repairman" that owns local camera repair shop - no matter what they claim.

Now I have a $3,648.95 paper-weight on my desk.... with back-focusing problem, of course.

I have contacted Empire Digital by email, several phone calls and a registered letter. Nobody bothers to get back to me. I had to hire an attorney to handle this case who is presently in process of contacting the crooks at Empire Digital.

I have filed official complaint with BBB in NYC and am sending notification to District Attorney's office. I tried to file a complaint with Ebay but since it is more than 60 days past the auction date, Ebay won't accept my complaint letters. I have disputed the charge with Master Card.

I think everybody needs to know the fraudulent set of mind the Empire Digital implements into their business-doing. I hope nobody will ever buy anything from them. That will eventually cause them to go out of business.

To Empire Digital: if you base your business on fraud and deception - than you should not be in business at all !

UPDATE: May 23, 2007

OK, so they sold me camera that was "not intended to be sold in the US". So I figured: I will contact them, show my dissatisfaction, they will be good business people,and we will settle on acceptable terms. I was wrong...!
E&R Electronics never responded to my emails, never responded to my regular mail correspondence, never responded to my registered mail letter, nobody never called me back as their secretary claimed they would, and they hung up on telephone conversation with my attorney in the middle of the sentence.
I don't think I was unreasonable in my request: either return my money in full, or replace my present camera with used camera, not older than 1 year, and that carries full US Nikon warranty. E&R Electronics didn't respond, not once ! Presently, I have packed my "gray market" camera and sent it back to them. I have filed a complaint with Master Card and it looks like this move will make some progress.
But in any case - even you "satisfied" customers, make sure you don't own "gray market" electronics and paid full price for them ! BE AWARE !




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"I ordered a DVx100B package for $2,418 after shipping which is a great deal. They called the day after the order to verify the order, and did of course try and sell me extra stuff to which i refused and told them I couldn't afford any of it. They were dissapointed and said it would arrive in 7-14 days.

About 5 days later, I receive the package and it is exactly as described on the ebay auction in perfect working condition. I was skeptical about this company but am very happy I chose to order from them.

I had actually made an order previously for the same camera, larger package, for a friend, who when was contacted by the company, ended up purchasing 1,000 bucks of extras, but that deal was legit also. I was worried that on my order if I didn't buy any of their extras would they trouble me, but they didn't.

If you're not sure about making an order, I say give it a chance because they have some of the lowest prices I've seen..and the products legit. "

"I purchased a Panasonic GS500 from empiredigital on eBay using Buy it Now on Dec 1st. I paid for this item on Dec 1st. As requested, I provided additional contact information on Dec 2nd. I received a phone call from the seller on Dec 2nd during which the seller attempted to sell me additional items outside eBay.

On Dec 11, after having no contact with the seller by email or by phone, I contacted the seller through eBay and received an auto response that basically said they would take 7 business days or more to respond to my email. The following day I contacted the seller by phone. The seller's "support staff" were rude and unhelpful. They refused to identify themselves by name when requested. The first person I spoke to told me they did not have the item, that they did have it now. For my inconvenience they would "upgrade" my shipping to 3 day shipping (I wonder what I was getting before that since they charged my $39.99 for shipping) and the item would be shipped that day (Tuesday Dec 11) and I would have it by Friday. When I asked how they could sell items on eBay they didn't have, I was put on hold and transferred to another person. The second person put me on hold every time I asked a question. When asked to identify himself, he identified himself as "me". After being put on hold for the fourth time, he transferred me to a third person which is when I hung up the phone.

After this call, I contacted the seller again via eBay and provided a summary of what I was told over the phone. This was also Dec 12.

I did not receive the item as promised on Friday December 15. On December 18 I contacted the seller by phone and spoke to "Harry". Unlike his co-workers, Harry was helpful and indicated that the item had still not shipped and was not in stock. Harry offered the chance to cancel my order which I immediately accepted. I received an almost immediate refund into my PayPal account.

I left negative feedback for this seller on eBay. empiredigital then opened a "case" against me via square trade seeking to have my negative feedback removed. empiredigital thoroughly deserved the negative feedback in this case. The only communications initiated by the seller was to sell me items outside of ebay (which I think is a breach of eBay T's & C's). They sold 4 of these cameras on December 1st on eBay, two of those 4 (mine included) were not completed even though those two were the first two of the four.

Even though the seller had ALL, and I mean ALL, of my contact information they did not even have the decency to contact me early and tell me they didn't have the item on hand. Then, during my phone call on Dec 12, the seller basically outright lied which was confirmed on December 18.

The way that empiredigital has conducted this transaction is deplorable and, in my opinion, it is in the best interest of the eBay community that my negative feedback stand as a warning to potential future customers.

Mine is not a unique experience. Using 3rd party tools (toolhaus.org) to review the sellers feedback it is clear this is a pattern of behavior unfortunately often repeated."

"Very disappointed. Purchased a package off of Ebay, and heard nothing from them. After waiting 5 days, I called them myself. My order had not even been processed. That one phone call turned into a 45 mins sales pitch to get my to buy extra batteries, warrenties, lenses, filters, etc. After declining everything, I was told the package would ship. For the next 4 days, I called each day to get my tracking number. They gave me every excuse as to why they didn't have one. Finally, 10 days after I made the purchase, my camera did show up - however, missing one of the lenses that went w/ the package. Also, I asked for the camera in BLACK, and was sent SILVER. A hand written note on the reciept says "70-300mm lense will follow shortly". Again, I call, and was given the run around. Lense out of stock, on backorder, yadda yadda yadda.

I still am waiting for the lense. BUYER BEWARE!"

"My experience with company ended with me cancelling the purchase after being on the phone for almost an hour. After they got my card information, I was asked to purchase a number of items I didn't want (battery, insurance, additional lens, charger, etc). Once it was obvious to the sales person that I wasn't going to buy anything else. I was aksed to wait for the total price with shipping and insurance. I never asked for insurance and it took 3 more calls on another phone before I was told insurance would add another $90 to my bill. I got put on hold again before I could say forget it. I finally got though 57 min later to cancel the order. Not a bait and switch but it was obvious to me they didn't want to sell me what they had offered at the price offered unless I was going to buy other thinggs. I believe that if I hadn't been persistend and called back 4 times on a separate phone line they would have hit my card with the extra charge. I found this seller on Ebay.
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