Complaint Review: Digitalmonster.com - Saddlebrook New Jersey

 I purchased a Canon T5I from digitalmonster.com because they offered the absolute best price available - $543 and free shipping/no tax.  I couldn't find it for under $729 anywhere else.  I checked a couple of reviews - they had only glowing praise - so I went with it and ordered the camera yesterday.  The site said I would receive an email confirmation once the order was "reviewed" - first red flag.

Hoping to find that the camera shipped out, I looked for an email this morning and found one.  It said I needed to call to "confirm my order" so I did.  The rep answered the phone very unprofessionally - second red flag.  I only gave my name; he didn't ask for my order number or the type of camera purchased, so he apparently had my info right in front of him already.  I wasn't asked to confirm my address, phone number, last four on the debit card - nothing to identify me as the purchasing party  Third red flag.

He then asked me if I intend to export the camera I was buying and I said, "No. Why?"  He stated that the model I purchased was the international model and if I'm going to be keeping it, I needed to get the USA model which would be more money.  Apparently, the battery that came with the one I ordered "only lasted for 30 minutes as opposed to 5 hours for the USA one".  Fourth red flag.  And only the USA camera came with a warranty.  Of  course. Fifth red flag.

Anyway, he quoted me a price of $749 - $200 more than the one I ordered.  After the old "let me check with my supervisor" when I asked for a lower price (he was gone for less than 5 seconds - flag), he came back with a price of $699.  More haggling got me a $679 total so I agreed to it.  He said okay and hung up.  No "goodbye", "have a nice day", "kiss my a*s", nothing.  Flag, flag and flag.

I immediately went to their website and could not find any trace of a USA model - the only one listed was the one I initially bought.  I then transferred the money out of the account for the debit card I used so the charges wouldn't go through and called Canon USA.  What a surprise - there is no such thing as an international model and a USA model.  Classic bait and switch.

When I came her to file a report and was asked for their contact info, guess what?  Not an address to be found on their website.  Nothing but a toll-free number that no one answered (you get a machine) and a generic email address.  Absolutely nothing else.  I had to go on other sites to try and find info and all I got was a city and state, which is better than nothing.  We called the toll-free number and left a message that we want to cancel our order (because no one answered the phone, of course).  Found more reviews, this time they told the same story I am - bait and switch after being asked to call and confirm.

Bottom line - they are shady, unprofessional thugs who resort to scandalous tactics to separate you from your hard-earned money.  It's just not worth the savings if I have to spend all my time making sure this company doesn't rip me off.  Lesson learned.