Do Not Purchase From These Sites

Oletimer

Just made the mistake of ordering photographic items from this site, trying to nab a good Black Friday deal. So, a word of warning.

Toby Deals-UK is in fact based in Hong Kong, despite a cunning URL showing up as tobydeals.co.uk. Very misleading!

OSiriS

Most retailers selling at low prices are based in Hong Kong. Checking that site, they are open about this, mentioning it in their Shipping page. Given that they state that they only shop to the UK and Ireland, it is surprising they do not mention anything about customs charges. I order from Panamoz previously who are also a Hong Kong company, but who have warehouses in Europe. In my case, they were out of stock in Europe, but I was sent a camera from Hong Kong. It was the European model they sent me and they handled the shipping and customs. In their case, they had stated that they handle these fees.

If ever buying from a not-so-well known store, it's usually a good idea to research them a bit first, at least by reading their own information on their site. Hopefully if you did order, there will be no surprises.

Oletimer

Thanks for that post, OSiriS.

In fact, as I was hunting a Canon 85mm f1.8 USM lens, the search engine I was using took me to that TobyDeals-UK website, which then sort of gave me a small reassurance that it was UK-based with the .co.uk in the URL.

It was only today, after I had already grabbed the Black Friday Deal, and was looking to see what the expected delivery times, dates, etc were, that I discovered the Hong Kong connection. As a rule, I detest buying anything from China, let alone supporting that regime. But lesson learned. This is one shady website that has lost a customer!

pullandbang

Oletimer wrote: »

which then sort of gave me a small reassurance that it was UK-based with the .co.uk in the URL.

Bit like some people thinking Photobox.ie is in Ireland

Oletimer

pullandbang wrote: »

Bit like some people thinking Photobox.ie is in Ireland

A valid point, but as I am not a web expert, I probably like millions others, think the last bit in the URL is a certain degree of re-assuredness. Hence, lesson learned.:)

Oletimer

For all those here supporting Chinese-based sites pretending to be UK-based. I have only now, a full week after ordering photographic items from what I thought was a UK-based photographic site, just received an update to the order---it is being shipped by a Chinese company whose whereabouts are made difficult to find, SF-Express, and a further week( that's 2 weeks in total) will elapse before delivery.

And the tracking number issued is a total waste of time! The Chinese want to data-farm, so want you to create a login, unlike say the UK's Parcelforce website where items can be tracked without creating a login, etc. And as for TobyDeals-UK Support linkl.........err.....try Father Christmas!

Not exactly confidence-inspiring to buy from TobyDeals-UK. Last time I will ever be buying from them!

DuffleBag

Oletimer wrote: »

For all those here supporting Chinese-based sites pretending to be UK-based. I have only now, a full week after ordering photographic items from what I thought was a UK-based photographic site, just received an update to the order---it is being shipped by a Chinese company whose whereabouts are made difficult to find, SF-Express, and a further week( that's 2 weeks in total) will elapse before delivery.

And the tracking number issued is a total waste of time! The Chinese want to data-farm, so want you to create a login, unlike say the UK's Parcelforce website where items can be tracked without creating a login, etc. And as for TobyDeals-UK Support linkl.........err.....try Father Christmas!

Not exactly confidence-inspiring to buy from TobyDeals-UK. Last time I will ever be buying from them!

Looking at buying something from Toby Deals there. How did you get on? HK/China thing doesn't bother me.

Oletimer

DuffleBag wrote: »

Looking at buying something from Toby Deals there. How did you get on? HK/China thing doesn't bother me.

Then that old adage 'caveat emptor' applies. Goods were eventually,a month later, delivered with no means of tracking it, albeit well-packaged. So, if you are prepared to wait a month, then it's entirely your choice. I most certainly will never buy from them.

Oletimer

Add to the list Beware Buying a dealer in Northern Scotland.

If you ever think of trading-in any photographic gear and it does not work out, i.e. the gear for some reason or other cannot be sold by them hence no trade-in, you will be charged a courier Collection Charge as well as a Return Charge amounting to £25 if you want the gear returning !

What makes the hackles rise is the fact nowhere on their website is there a warning flag about this. So, they are either hoping the would-be seller hoping to trade-in items that does not meet their criteria, will opt for gear not to be returned. That way they are on a win-win score as while the seller gets zilch, as they have the gear, they can either sell/ give away that trade-in gear. Ugh!

cortinaG

Another one is Duracelldirect.ie
They have not got a clue. I searched a canon7d mkii camera battery(before I had even gotten the camera, for Christmas),
Assumed what popped up was indeed the correct battery, I ordered it, it wasnt!!.
Reading back on the description of what I ordered under the heading "7d mkii battery" it states..."this battery is not compatible with LP-E6N. YES, the correct battery for the 7d mkii.
Whoever designed their site has not got a clue how to list items.
I went around in circles with them via email, even tweeted duracell directly about it but all to no avail.
Edit,
for sale Brand new LP-E10 battery for canon DSLR... :-(

CelticRambler

cortinaG wrote: »

Assumed what popped up was indeed the correct battery, I ordered it, it wasnt!!.
Reading back on the description of what I ordered under the heading "7d mkii battery" it states..."this battery is not compatible with LP-E6N. YES, the correct battery for the 7d mkii.

Well it's not really the site's fault if you try to order by camera description rather than battery type. There are many situations where more than one version of a part may be suitable, depending on the age and version of the item. Why didn't you search for LP-E6N if that's what you wanted?

iLikeWaffles

Ordered lots of times off Duracell Direct and never had a problem.

cortinaG

CelticRambler wrote: »

Well it's not really the site's fault if you try to order by camera description rather than battery type. There are many situations where more than one version of a part may be suitable, depending on the age and version of the item. Why didn't you search for LP-E6N if that's what you wanted?

Tha camera uses 1 battery and 1 only, this is why I ordered what I ordered, would you do any different? Really?

CelticRambler

cortinaG wrote: »

Tha camera uses 1 battery and 1 only, this is why I ordered what I ordered, would you do any different? Really?

Yep. I only ever order anything based on the original part number. As you've pointed out, the headline info in any database may be inaccurate, especially if (as in this case) the product being sold is from an entirely different domain to the main item. Duracell make batteries, not cameras, so I wouldn't assume they know the difference between a 7d and a 70d. I would, however, expect them to know the different between an LP-E6 and an LP-E10 ... which, it seems, they do.

cortinaG

Yes, it was Christmas eve, I was going to be unwrapping a new(used) 7d mkii the next day, I googled a spare battery and saw an ad from a reputable site and clicked buy now.
the only cameras that actually use the LP E10 are the
EOS 2000D
EOS 4000D
EOS 1200D
EOS 1100D
EOS 1300D

The product description(which I admit I didn't read) claims it fits the 5d ii, 5d iii, 5d iv, 5ds, 5dsr, 6d, 6dii, 7d, 60d, 60d a, 70d, 80d, r,
xc 10...and Is NOT compatible with the LP E6N.
Nothing makes sense on the their posting.
I'll obviously know better the next time.