"My parents told me to pick out a lens they would buy me as a Christmas gift. I found the one I was looking for (a Canon IS 70-300 F4.0-5.6) at a very low price on Sonic Camera's Web site. Sonic claimed to be selling the lens for $369, while other camera stores were selling it for $500-$600. It looked like a great deal and it explained itself by claiming an end-of-the-year sale. On Dec. 29 I received an email asking me to call to confirm my order, which I did reluctantly, realizing they were going to try and upsell me. The man who eventually answered transferred me to his "supervisor" who sounded like the same man. He then tried to sell me filters for my lens and also tried to convince me that what I really wanted was a Sigma lens that I know sells for around $150. When I refused he ended the call abruptly. On Dec. 30, I received an email claiming the item was back-ordered and that my order had been canceled. Do not use Sonic Camera. They post fake prices on good equipment, then try to trick you into buying cheap stuff at jacked-up prices. Avoid at all costs because you simply won't get what you want."
"This place is a total scam. I ordered a camcorder from them at a great price. I then received a call that I needed to purchase a battery. When I declined and told them I would purchase the battery elsewhere, they said my order would ship. After repeated attempts to call them, I finally talked to a real person. After 10 days, I was told my camera was on back order for 2-3 weeks. There was no mention of any issue with inventory when they wanted to sell me an over-priced battery and other add-ons."
"I purchased a Nikon D60 package online since the price was very low relative to other sites. DO NOT BE FOOLED as I was. In calling to confirm my order a second time, the rep told me the D60 was out of stock and on backorder. However, the camera was available online and everything was confirmed over the phone before placing the order. They are running some kind of racket or fraud scheme. Moreover, the first call placed to confirm the order was met by an argumentative representative who told me that my order was substandard, and then proceeded to hang up on me after cancelling the order. I am so suspicious that that I have gone ahead and cancelled my credit card because because I do not want these people having the info. This has been the worst buying experience I have ever encountered. Please do not make the same mistake I made."
"On Dec 17th, I ordered a Nikon D-90 "Deluxe" kit w/2 VR lenses as the price was substantially lower than several other online and in-store vendors. In addition, they were throwing in a bunch of free extras. The ordered price was $1,179.99 and was confirmed via auto email. Later that evening, I received a call from the Sonic confirming my order again and suggesting that I add several components "suggested" by Nikon that amounted to several hundred dollars. After I refused, I was told that the items were not in stock. I asked if I could get a split shipment of anything currently in stock and was told every single item was unavailable. The rep then asked me if I wanted the same camera with a different lens shipped right away. (Strange that the same camera body that was not in stock could be sent immediately.) I held firm and said I would wait the 5 weeks to get it.
The next day, I received an email stating that my order was cancelled as the items were oversold and back ordered for 6 to 8 weeks. The email also stated that I could reorder once the items were in stock. I sent an email asking if I could get it at the same price and received no reply.
Yesterday, I noticed on the Sonic website that the price for the same package had gone up to more than $1,700. And today, the price is $1,129 and stated in bold is that there is still time to order and receive the items before New Years!
I'm glad I found the reviews on resellerratings.com and WILL NOT do business with them. Our original bait and switch suspicions have been confirmed."
"DO NOT Buy from Sonic Cameras. They are the biggest cheats in the online electronics game. They will lie about the equipment included and promise to add things and never do. My camera body is great, but every aspect of dealing with Sonic and the numerous lies is horrible. No use to call their customer service, they don't answer. Buyer Beware, Do Not Buy from Sonic Cameras! Dennis"
"** IF YOU HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED BY SONIC CAMERAS, PLEASE FILE COMPLAINS WITH THE FBI INTERNET CRIME COMPLAINT CENTER www.ic3.gov **
This is absolutely the worse case I have dealt with during my more than 20 years of shopping experience with credit cards!! These guys are cheaters, a classical bait-n-switch scam!
I ordered a Canon 5D with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens on 11/23. FORTUNATELY, I saved a copy of the order summary for my record!! During the order confirmation next day, a guy named "Tom" not only raised the price significantly, but also removed the lens from my order. As soon as I found that out, I emailed Sonic Cameras immediately to cancel the order and demand a refund, but they still sent the camera. Upon close examination (with witnesses and detailed photographs), the camera turned out to be a "gray market" product originally sold in China and looks like it was a returned product. I called the "customer service" and Tom, now claimed to be the owner of the "store", insisted that I never ordered the lens and threatened to call the police if I dare to contact my credit card company! My lawyer friend put together a 20-page document detailing their scams which has been sent to my credit card company. We also plan to alert the applicable federal/state government agencies so to bring these cheaters to justice.
These are the worse of human kind, and it is sad that they actually exist. I sincerely hope that you are informed of their tactics before going through the agony of dealing with them later.
"
"Typical foreign Bait and Switch. They listed a Canon 100-400mm lens with USA warranty for 929.00. They say this is not a USA lens and comes with a plastic mount. When I still wanted the lens even though it was not a USA lens they told me that it was not in stock and tried to sell me a Sigma Lens instead. "
"Absolutely the worst; most unethical, bait-and-switch firm online! -- I urge everyone to send complaints to the New York State Attorney General's Office of Consumer Fraud, Helpline: 1-***-***-****; and also to contact the FBI's Interenet Crime Complaint Center at http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx. My husband ordered a Nikon SB-600 Speedlight camera flash (~$160) for me at Christmas. Sonic emailed him with a requirement to call them with a verbal confirmation "for his security". Once he did, a smooth, fast-talking sales man offered him a "better" flashgun, the Bower SFD35N (~$60), for the same price, as a "special". Not a photography buff, my husband agreed. Now, I cannot get through to the dealer . . . and do you notice that EVERY order has a minimum 10% restocking fee? PLEASE REPORT THIS FIRM TO THE AUTHORITIES!!!!!"
"I had the same thing happen with Louis at 222 and ordered the 18-200 sigma but then I read the review and got scared so I called Nikon to double check.The guy on the phone at Nikon said they misinformed to you it's totally compatible but then when I asked is there a conversion factor... he kept avoiding the question. I've since called B&H which only hires people who know their stuff and they informed me there IS in fact a conversion factor of 1.6!(call and ask for bill) Apparently he was right. I asked my photographer friend and he's used the sigma before and said it's a pretty awesome lens for the money. I'm anxiously awaiting it's arrival I hope he's right!!"
"This the worst and most ethical on-line merchant I have dealt with. I ordered a Nikon SB600 Speedlight flash because of the good price and what appeared to be favorable seller ratings. Rather than simply shipping the order, however, they held it while emailing me repeatedly to ask that I phone them, ostensibly to get the security code number for my credit card (which in fact I had already given them on the original order), but in fat to give me a high-pressure sales pitch to buy an unnecessary $60 battery recharger which had not been identified on the sales site as necessary for the flash. Then when I told them to send me just the flash right away for Christmas they said they would, but the day after they sent me an email telling me the product was out of stock and backordered for 6-8 weeks so they were cancelling my order. (I then went on line and was able to purchase it in stock immediately from another dealer). This company is unethical, rude, adn should not be allowed to market as it does, and certainly someone should make sure that its online dealer ratings reflect this behavior."
"Sonic Cameras employees are a bunch of crooks. Luis, extension 222, tried the same BS described by others here. $499 for Nikon 18mm-200mm? Sounds like a great deal to me, so great I decided to order two. Only problem is the item is "backordered" for 6-8 weeks. I was informed of this after calling to confirm my order - same routine. Then Luis tried to convince me the lens was no good for the Nikon D80 because of the conversion factor (1.6). Now, I'm a beginner - so I was concerned, but I used this camera with this lens, have a friend who takes phenomenal shots with this setup, and have read nothing but great reviews of the D80/Nikkor 18mm-200mm setup, so I was unconvinced that the "conversion factor" would produce poor results. But I listened and asked what he would recommend. Luis proceeded to recommend a Sigma and other lenses that were moderately to significantly more $$$.
I told him, eh - nah, just send me what I ordered originally, I'll be happy with the results. He snidely asked if I REALLY wanted to purchase a lens with a conversion factor?? I said, um, yes, next day air please.
Of course, guess what? He immediately proceeded to tell me he is showing that lens is out of stock currently.
Anyone up for suing this company for false advertisement and bait and switch tactics? They are crooks, thieves, and unscrupulous.
STAY AWAY FROM SONIC CAMERAS!!
GARBAGE COMPANY WITH UNETHICAL AND DOWNRIGHT ILLEGAL PRACTICES!! I AM ANGRIER AT THIS EXPERIENCE NOW THAT I READ HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE WERE OUT RIGHT RIPPED OFF!!
"
"DO NOT SHOP HERE! TELL YOUR FRIENDS! CLASSIC BAIT AND SWITCH!
Like many others, I placed an order, received an email confirming the order, then another email that I must call to confirm my order, then got serious upselling and pressure. Eventually I was told my "package" for a video camera did not come with a charger, battery, etc. and that I'd have to pay $1381 instead of about $880. Since I don't have that kind of money it was easy to cancel. My husband tried to order a slightly different and more expensive package, same song-and-dance, then they told him it was the body only and he'd have to pay for a LENS. The photo included a lens, so clearly false advertising. They unilaterally cancelled his order when he said he wanted to keep it and wanted them to send it to him WITH the lens.
Someone PLEASE SUE THESE GUYS!"
"I purchased a cannon wide angle lens from this company. I searched high and low for a good deal and sonic provided what I thought was a good deal. They called me to verify my last 3 digits on my credit card and then talked me into a "much better model" as well as the latest technology on the market right new. He said the one I chose would be much slower for the model camera I have. When he told me it was $1200. I said no way I can't afford that........then to my luck he said they have an instant rebate of $450 off which would allow me to get this latest and greatest lens for $168 more than the other lens, so I said ok. I asked him what brand it was and he said it's a cannon. 2 days later I decide to search for sonic's website to call them to see if my lens shipped yet and I found all this negative stuff about them. When I called they said it did ship and that I should get it on Mon or Tues. I asked the rep if it's a cannon lens and he said yes. On Monday I did receive the lens, which ended up being a sigma. I'm so disappointed. It's going back. To my surprise the invoice within the box states that I have 7 days to return it and they charge a 10% restocking fee. The lens was a "new zoom super wide angle 10-20 mm/f/4.5-5.6 ex dc hsm autofocus lens """"for"""" cannon. I will fight the restocking fee because what I was paying for was a cannon lens and futhermore they never shared about the restocking fee.
I will never buy from them again. Lesson learned. My sales person was a fast paced smooth talker.
I just waited 20 mins to talk to a person to get a "call tag" (which is their UPS postal tag so that you can return it for free). The sales person tried to talk me into buying something else. I stayed calm and told him I didn't want anything else I just wanted a call tag to return it. He said that I wouldn't want to return it because I will pay more just to return it because of the 10% and then to pay to ship it back. I said I will not pay for any of this because I am calling my credit card and disputing this charge. He then said here is your call tag # and asked if I wanted their Ups account # and I said yes. So as of now, if nothing is a scam with the Ups information, then this is not ending so bad. I wouldn't deal with them again.
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"I placed an order online for a Nikon D90 Camera - I called this company for more information and the sales person was very rude and short - they began telling me I had to add memory cards, battery, chargers and when I confronted them about this they started yelling at me. I told them to cancel my order and this jerk just hung up on me - DO NOT BUY from these jerks!"
"Sonic Cameras is the worst merchant I have ever dealt with on the web. We purchased a Nikon D80 package and got the above confirmation. I tried to contact them after the camera didn't arrive after 10 business days, twice by email and could never get through by phone! I finally got through today, Dec.20th and they said that I had cancelled my order which was totally false! He then told me he could get me the camera, but wanted to make sure that I wanted the one that was made in Japan, which had only Japanese instructions on the camera. I said no, because I only spoke English, he said that he could get me an English,(made in the US version) for an additional $375. (None of this was stated when we made the origional purchase)I told him that he was crazy and asked him why he was doing a bait and switch. He got extremely rude. Needless to say, DON'T BUY ANYTHING FROM THESE CROOKS!!!!! I HOPE THE BBB SHUTS THEM DOWN!!!"