Luis Caffesse
Admin
I've written this same post many times over in response to people questions about whether or not a certain store is 'legit' - so this is my attempt to put it all in one place.
Before you send off thousands of dollars to someone with a nice website in hopes of getting that killer deal on a camera - DO YOUR RESEARCH.
THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU BUY ANYWHERE:
1) Before anything else CHECK RESELLER RATINGS.
They have a huge database of online stores, with ratings based on the last 6 months of reviews, as well as the lifetime of the business.
Simply do a search (under store names) for the Online Retailer you are considering.
Then look at the ratings, and read the reviews.
KNOW what you are getting into before you buy.
2) If you are considering a Brooklyn based store, which is a notorious place for scam outfits,
Check This PHOTO GALLERY of storefronts.
That is a great collection of photos put together by Don Wiss.
Do a search using your browsers 'find' function for the name of the store you are considering.
It will show you where your money is going.
If most people looked at those shops before ordering from them, they wouldn't have been surprised when they got ripped off in some way.
3) Do a search on DVXUser for the store you are considering buying from.
Chances are, someone else already asked about the store you are looking at.
Doing a quick search just now I found all these links asking about the legitimacy of a store:
Thread 1
Thread 2
Thread 3
Thread 4
Thread 5
Thread 6
Thread 7
Thread 8
Read over those threads - and others like it - and learn what red flags to look out for.
This will help you sort the legitimate deals from the scams.
4) Lastly - and most important - don't get suckered by greed.
IF SOMETHING IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS.
There are many people out there who are willing to lie to your face to get your money.
Don't be naive, ask the right questions, and do your research.
With just a little education you can make an informed decision and minimize your risk when dealing with an online retailer.
Take the time now to learn who to trust, and who to avoid - BEFORE you send anyone a penny.
And even though I'm writing this in hopes of not having to answer the same question over and over,
if after doing a search on here you don't find anything about the specific deal you are looking at - DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK.
That is exactly what this forum is here to do - to educate, spread information, and give us strength as a network, not only of filmmkers but also consumers.
Hopefully it will help keep you, and anyone else, from being taken advantage of.
Before you send off thousands of dollars to someone with a nice website in hopes of getting that killer deal on a camera - DO YOUR RESEARCH.
THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU BUY ANYWHERE:
1) Before anything else CHECK RESELLER RATINGS.
They have a huge database of online stores, with ratings based on the last 6 months of reviews, as well as the lifetime of the business.
Simply do a search (under store names) for the Online Retailer you are considering.
Then look at the ratings, and read the reviews.
KNOW what you are getting into before you buy.
2) If you are considering a Brooklyn based store, which is a notorious place for scam outfits,
Check This PHOTO GALLERY of storefronts.
That is a great collection of photos put together by Don Wiss.
Do a search using your browsers 'find' function for the name of the store you are considering.
It will show you where your money is going.
If most people looked at those shops before ordering from them, they wouldn't have been surprised when they got ripped off in some way.
3) Do a search on DVXUser for the store you are considering buying from.
Chances are, someone else already asked about the store you are looking at.
Doing a quick search just now I found all these links asking about the legitimacy of a store:
Thread 1
Thread 2
Thread 3
Thread 4
Thread 5
Thread 6
Thread 7
Thread 8
Read over those threads - and others like it - and learn what red flags to look out for.
This will help you sort the legitimate deals from the scams.
4) Lastly - and most important - don't get suckered by greed.
IF SOMETHING IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS.
There are many people out there who are willing to lie to your face to get your money.
Don't be naive, ask the right questions, and do your research.
With just a little education you can make an informed decision and minimize your risk when dealing with an online retailer.
Take the time now to learn who to trust, and who to avoid - BEFORE you send anyone a penny.
And even though I'm writing this in hopes of not having to answer the same question over and over,
if after doing a search on here you don't find anything about the specific deal you are looking at - DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK.
That is exactly what this forum is here to do - to educate, spread information, and give us strength as a network, not only of filmmkers but also consumers.
Hopefully it will help keep you, and anyone else, from being taken advantage of.
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