Complaint Review: Chinatown Electronics

Is this a TOURIST TRAP??

Or maybe these people needed to be educated on what is considered being fair market prices for camera equipment, in English and American dollars.

Chinatown Electronics
921 Grant Avenue
San Francisco, California 94108

This shouldnt have happened, but it did.

I feel like I walked into a Hornets Nest & that is an understatement. The problem cant be resolved because each time I go back it tends to mushroom into something bigger. From the beginning to the end I didnt see or meet the owner or manager. Then it made me wonder if there is one.

It started on February 2, 2003;
I went to San Francisco with my children to buy decorations for Chinese New Year. I havent been to San Francisco for quite a number of years but I didnt expect what was going to happen next

As we walked up and down the street of Chinatown on Grant Avenue, I stumbled into what looked like a small camera shop.

What happened next.

The shop looked nice, wall-to-wall to ceiling cameras and camera equipment, spaces are tight but that tends to be normal especially in Chinatown.

The first person I encountered is Rico (he seemed to be a nice enough person), I asked him if he had a lens converter for my camera. He went behind the counter and brought out .38x wide-angle lens (HI VISION) showing how it worked, with my first impression -- I am impressed.

Rico come across as nice & courteous.

But what he should have done was ..
Bring out a Sony DSC-F717 (which I have) to test it out, instead he used a camcorder.

It was never tested with a Sony camera. The lens has 46mm threads, which he gave me an adapter for my 58mm threads Sony.

He said he is giving me a great bargain of $400, looking at the box, whose tag was $899.99. So I thought I am getting a bargain. To make my situation worse I bought two, one for my son.

February 2, 2003
Came home with these items
Items bought: (2 ea.), $759.49 for 2 lens plus $100 in cash
High Vision .38x Wide-Angle Lens, UV Filters, Adapters, Polarizing filters
Total Cost: $999.76 that I put out.
Price that is tag on the box: $899.99
Actual Price (which I find later): $299.99 for 1

Which I found later, doesnt work at all, in using the adapter it caused a black circle (radial vignetting) around the picture. I called him the same day. He said he would take care of it. Considering I live so far away, it was hard to go back so we set it for Sunday, February 9 to take care of it.

Sunday, I took them back hoping that Rico would take care of this. Instead he gave me another lens (which he charged another $189.87(totaling over $619.62) lens, while the other lens he replaced with a Bower 2x telephoto lens

February 9, 2003:
Added additional $189.87 with items that worth even less.(this one added up to $619.62).
Items replaced: High Vision .5x Wide-Angle Lens
(The closest I find is Crystal Vision) is price at $299.99.

2nd lens (which bought at $429.75) is replaced by Bower 2x Telephoto (their price tag is price at $1299.99), which I found worth $89.99 (on sale) with price tag outside at $249. Think how fair this is
I put out $429.75 for a lens, than replaced by another of lesser values of $89.99
Total keep going up: $1049.37

But I found out later.
I took the lens to a local camera store to check out the lens to see to if I have a great lens but what I found next got me crying.
The local camera store people take one look at the lens said what I have is only worth $200 at most.

I bought two; the store people all agreed that I needed to return those lens and get my refund.

First things come to mind,
Oh my god, I walked into a tourist trap.
Going through the Internet, I found these store people are right.

I researched through the Internet; I found the Bowers lens which replaced the first one ($400) in my possession is retailed at $249 and on sale for $89.00.
This is not working. And when I started using the wide-angle lens, it gave out a halo effect on my pictures.

This is not working at all I called Rico for next Sunday

With this Chinatown Electronic I do not know what to make of it.

Is it a tourist trap??

Or is this store just using whatever price they want?
Isnt there a standard at how they are priced?? Or are there no standards at all??

The last thing I want to believe. I got conned.

Like the Bowers 2x telephoto lens:
In the Internet I found the identical lens on sale for $89 retail at $249
Yet at Chinatown price theirs (price tag) at $1,299.99

I know that there is a difference in prices between the Internet and local camera store. But their retail of Internet of $249 compare to Chinatown Electronics which lenses retail at $1299.99 Tend to make you wonder...
What is wrong with this??

And what they are charging me!
Even at their own standard at $1,299.99 with tax would total of $1,407.24. Yet it ends up overcharging difference (total $1,515.14) of $107.90. They would not pay back the difference. What wrong with this?
Mario said it was a great bargain considering he didnt add on the 20% restocking fee. Otherwise it should be up to $1,700.00

Even stranger is ..
Most of their lenses are priced at $899.99, $1289.99, and $1299.99. This doesnt make sense. I made a copy of this Internet site and showed it them, they insist it not the same lenses.

When I went this Sunday, February 23
Rico wasnt there (his day off).
Paul answered the phone; he said hed take care of it.

When I arrived at the store
It wasnt Paul who received me It was Mario. At first, I didnt think much of it. Just to take care of returning the lenses and go home. But what come next.

While Mario worked me over. There are a bunch of co-workers standing around watching. I feel like a victim back in the Roman Times. Im being devoured by the lion while others stand by and watch.

This is where the PAIN of returning began. At first he seemed nice enough. But later Ouch He brought out another lens saying this was the perfect lens for my camera (Bower .5x Wide Angle Lens)In some sense, hes right. With this lens, it doesnt cover up the 3 sensors (which is built into the lens of the Sony DSC-F717)
It is a nice lens (its a lot bigger lens which uses 82mm filter). But I wasnt sure if I would like having that much barrew distortion

It was at this time, he pointed out at the corner of the room Saying there is a sign of No Return and another sign 20% restocking fee. Whats so strange is:
If there were No Return, than why would he need a 20% restocking fee And how hard is it to place it back on the shelf, which is within arm reach? And another thing, which made it so strange, was when I buy a lens each time, why would they need to scrape off the price tag on the box. When I caught them doing it, I said no, I like it as it is, leave it alone.

But when my back is turned, he went back scraping it off.
The first thing that comes to mind, something is not right here. I looked at the lens
I mentioned that I would like to return
Thats when Mario said if I want this lens I would have to put out another $575

Ouch!

See what I mean.
This is getting out of hand

He said hes giving me a great deal
And since he likes me so much, he wont add-on the 20% restocking fee. Otherwise, I should really put out $1700.00

Thats when I said I have the other lens to return
Thats when he said no one lens for one lens At this point, I cant see straight What came into my mind at this point. My god. A used-car salesman!
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A HIGH-PRESSURE SALE
February 23, 2003:
Mario grabbed all these items in return for..
High Vision .5x Wide-Angle Lens, Bower 2x Telephoto, UV Filters, Polarizing Filters
Total keep going up: $1,189.64

Thats when he said what he could do for me
He did not just not take, he GRABBED

HI VISION .5X wide-angle lens,
Bower 2x telephoto lens,
2 UV filters,
And including 2 polarizing lens which I bought separately ($140.27) all this..
Total keep going up: $1,189.64

And I had to put out another $325.50 for this lens.
Making it a total of $1,515.14
For 1 Bower (58mm) Wide-Angle Lens which had the value of $249.99


At this point, Im completely dazed.
I just wanted to get out while I still have my shirt on.

Later I added up the amounts, after amounts.
My god one single lens converter is costing over $1500
Bower .5x wide-angle lens (58mm) which price in the Internet at $249.99.

My god, this is one pricey lens. Its costing more than my Sony camera.

The next day I called up the Credit Card Company
The charges already went through..

Enough is enough
This time I called again
Only to talk to Rico and nobody else

One last time

But it tends to make one wonder
Who is this manager who doesnt allow refunds
Even if I overpaid on a product which they priced themselves.

At looking at my receipts, I can understand why they dont want a check
Because with a credit card, when you sign the receipts, they deliberately put at the lower part of the receipt No Refund
It looks like they cover themselves well.

I dont understand the total number of charges; the prices look more like they are in pesos instead of dollars ($10 U.S. = $100 pesos) and why theyd sold me something that is not for my camera in the first place.
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March 2, 2003
I called Rico at 10:30 a.m. that Im coming back.
They were ready as I came through the door.
With Mario standing off the side, watching
I am hoping that Rico is not involved in this
But since he works there, he doesnt have much choice anyway.
He seems concerned but Im not sure these days.

I really dont want to go back
This is costing my health; this is putting a lot of stress on me.
Im feeling sad that they would take advantage of an old lady.
I dont want to, but I have to try.

Rico was there to receive me.
First I asked for a refund.
He said he talked to the manager, and he said no.
The best he can do is give me another lens or whatever I want.
It doesnt matter; the merchandise wouldnt equal the total amount ($1500) that was lost.
No lens converter ever cost that much.
I told him that there nothing what I really wanted except a refund, they refused.


They gave me 2 other lenses, than had me sign another paper for receiving them. Theyve got a lot of gall to write down that Im happy with them. But in fact, Im completely stressed out at what they doing to me. Even if they had given me 10 lenses, it wouldnt compensate for what they have taken from me.

Having more lenses doesnt help if you dont use them; otherwise all I have is expensive $1500 paperweights.

What I really want to do is to return everything, but I know thats not going to happen.
The lens (Bower 58mm wide angle lens) is in my possession.
The real values is $249.99 on the lens
and Im end up paid up to $1515.14 for this single lens
all I have for my money is one converter lens and 1 filter for this price.

It not exactly what I wanted, but Im struck with it whether I like it or not.
Its not worth the price of my health all that they are putting me through.

How do I feel about this place?
All I can say about this place is Dont go there.
If there any honest people in this place get out while you can, this is not a good place to work.
All this is, is a school how cheating people of their money. And show you how to be dishonest.
All it shows you is how to take people to the cleaner.

Rico said in the beginning that he would do whatever he could to make me happy
What it turn out, whatever to make Mario happy, the heck with the customer.

Evelyn
Martinez, California
U.S.A.