USAphoto(crap)nation

OK. This is not really a ramble, this is a vent. I have been researching digital cameras because I wanted a nice one to take sport photos. Something that has a continuous shooting mode without the expense of an SLR. I found the perfect one...a Canon Powershot Pro Series S3 IS 6MP.

The best price I could find was on USAphotonation.com. I had been watching several auctions on ebay, but they always ended higher than the price I found at the other website. So, after a week of looking and waiting and deciding, I finally placed my order today. I was so excited.

First, I called the 800 number to make sure the camera I wanted wasn't a refurbished one. It was brand new, they said. And, by the way, they said, the batteries in this camera will only last for about 20-minutes of shooting time. So why don't you buy this (million dollar) battery pack that just happens to be on sale (for a half a million). And, you also need this spectacular SD card with (4 gazillion) MG. It also just happens to be on sale for cheaper than you could ever dream of buying it anywhere in the entire nation (except the office depot down the street, as well as any website you want to look at other than ours)

After the hard sell, I hung up and checked around to see how overpriced their battery pack and sd card were. Holy cow. I then understood their gig. It was to sell cameras at a lower price and then GAUGE your eyeballs out with the prices of their accessories.

Fortunately, I hadn't ordered yet. So I went online, ordered the camera only, and was done. Or so I thought. Later in the day, I received an email from said company stating there was a problem with my order and to please call this number, blah blah blah. So I called and they said I had entered my credit card as a mastercard instead of a visa. Lie. I'm very meticulous about credit card orders over the internet.

Then they started into the hard sell again about the batteries, SD card, etc. The salesman became very patronizing and belligerent. So I did the back atcha. He asked me what my problem was. I asked him what HIS problem was. And so on. Finally, he told me if I was going to be "like that" then he would just cancel my order. I said that was great, I would just call back and order from someone else. He countered with yeah, well, I'm going to cancel your order and make sure you can't order from this company again. I told him he was a (blank) and hung up on him.

So, who really won here? Not me. I'm still sans camera. But at least I didn't give him a commision! Ha.

P.S. Afterwards, I checked out the company with the better business bureau. Memo to self: check the bbb before ordering from an online company.