Scared to buy a 100A online now...

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dshallenberger

New member
After reading on this forum all the problems with Authorized/Non-Authorized retailers, retailers requiring additional purchases other than the camera, bait-n-switch tactics, outright lying to consumers... I'm nearly afraid of buying my 100A now, short of walking into a store and picking it out myself (which won't happen because there are no retailers in Greater Cincinnati selling the 100A).

Is there a relatively safe place to buy a true, honest-to-goodness, USA authorized 100A? Have people had great experiences with B&H and EVS? I've purchased from B&H before, but the sales were always under $300 or so. I've heard horror stories about how B&H can delay orders for weeks while they go through countless checks to verify large CC purchases. Is EVS the same way?

It stinks that you have to educate yourself so much just to get a fair deal buying electronics now-a-days, but thank goodness for sites like this where you can do just that... educate yourself on what to look out for.

Thanks much!
Dan
 
B&H and EVS are safe bets. I bought from B&H. They don't delay for weeks, they call you the next day to verify that someone hasn't stolen your cc and identity.
 
those 2 places seem to be the authorized dealers consistantly offering the lowest price. can't speak to possible B&H shipping delays, but don't see any delays with EVS.

Just Be glad you are educated about this. Bunch of Camera Shops in Brooklyn operate like something out of "The Sopranos." Outrageous stuff and Ought to be put out of business.
 
I like to browse around B&H....I hate buying from them because the taxes kill you.....but they are the only store around that carries everything. I brought my DVX from http://www.ggvideo.com/index.html cheaper taxes. They don't carry alot of things like B&H but they come in handy sometimes.....check it out....I usually deal with Elaine......plus they are authorized......Actually Panasonic is less than a mile away.....Secaucus NJ
 
I love B&H, but for a DVX I'd go to EVS. Sometimes I think B&H is too big for its own good, they don't always seem to be up to speed on what's going on with the products -- for example, they had no clue about the DVX Book being included. EVS gives you direct personalized service, and they definitely are up to speed on the latest and greatest (plus, IINM, their DVXUser price is lower than B&H's). There are many excellent dealers out there, and EVS is where I chose to order our most recent DVX from.
 
hey,
i have dealt with both B&H and EVS,I live in Cleveland and have had great customer service from both, and fast shipping.
 
Right now EVS (with the DVXuser discount) and B&H are the same price (well, $2 diff). But Rush is the man when it comes to the DVX, so you get HIM when you buy from EVS. He is up to speed on rebates & promos, speaks to Jan, hangs around here, and supports our site. I know when I need DVX add-ons, he will know what is what, and not just be selling fomr a computer screen. EVS does not seem to have the size catalog that B&H has, but I will be buying from them for a while when I can.
 
And Rush (at EVS) actually owns a DVX and knows what he's talking about. He was extremely helpful with me a couple weeks ago when I ordered a couple accessories. He let me know what would and would not work together. Had I ordered what I thought was right from B&H I'm sure I would have had to deal with a return/restocking fee. Rush pointed me in the right direction to the right parts.
Galt- The EVS online site might not seem to have as much as B&H but I bet they can get anything that B&H sells.
In my example that I mention above, I was looking for a part and EVS did not have it on their site. He directed me to the part on B&H's site so I could see it/read the specs, then I bought it from EVS.

Rush is the man.
 
As of May 8th 2005 EVS has the highest price among the dealers in LA according to prices on website. Studio Exchange is $3395 as is Birns and Sawyer. Able Cine is $3445 and the highest is EVS at $3450. DVX user discount if still offered would lower cost and depending on actual discount it would possibly reduce them to lowest but if discount is not offered on credit card sales (which would be the way most - especialy out of state) would pay EVS price could remain the highest.

I live in LA so I would have to pay $285 tax as well. EVS does sound like a great place and I like the idea of buying from a person whom owns the product, but it looks like EVS would still be the most expensive unless you pay cash.

I'm still going to give EVS the opportunity to get my business because of the respect they have on this website, and personal service is a value to me (depending on how much it cost.)
 
Sales tax will be the deal breaker. I wonder how much longer it will be before politicans figure out they have a flawed system? $285 on $3400, what do you have, 8% sales tax? I thought Florida was bad at 6%. And you guys have an income tax too, huh?

If you pay cash and ignore the sales tax, Rush is going to kick the heck out of those other prices. Even by CC, he will be close with the DVXuser discount. I am not sure why they like having higher prices on the web than others, it has to cost them a lot of business. Maybe their web programmers take too long to make changes.
 
EVS is going to offer a DVXUser discount, plus they have a form that lets you chop the sales tax way down. Don't remember the actual rate, but California gives a break on sales tax for production equipment, so your actual sales tax would be more like 3% or so.
 
Well, I gambled and seem to have won! I ordered online from Buydig.com. They are not an authorized dealer, but they somehow have USA cameras. Their site clearly states that they are US units with full US, manufacturer's warranties. I figured that since I was ordering with a credit card and they stated that they were legit on their site, if I got grey market goods that I could send them back and then dispute the charges. I placed an order for 2 cameras, received them 3 days later and they were indeed US models. The best part is that they were only $3249 each with free FedEx Express shipping! It worked out for me but I probably just got lucky.
 
Fuboy, DId you get the DVXBook and Magic Bullet? Were you able to register for the rebate?
 
Barry_Green said:
EVS is going to offer a DVXUser discount, plus they have a form that lets you chop the sales tax way down. Don't remember the actual rate, but California gives a break on sales tax for production equipment, so your actual sales tax would be more like 3% or so.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Barry. I was not aware of the lowered tax for production equipment (and I'm a Boardmember of the Producers Guild of America - so I should know this!).

I've never had the responsibilty of purchasing on any shows I've done but now that I'm doing my own production with my own money I'm going to check this out.

As I said, I'm going to give EVS first crack at my business.

Thanks again for this and all the other great information you have provided on this site. I'm looking forward to having your book as well.
 
Quote posted by Galt:

"Sales tax will be the deal breaker. I wonder how much longer it will be before politicans figure out they have a flawed system? $285 on $3400, what do you have, 8% sales tax? I thought Florida was bad at 6%. And you guys have an income tax too, huh?"

Yes, in L.A. we have 8.25% - it is slightly different from County to County in California - it's not uniform throught State. And yes, a State income tax as well, though it is much smaller than Federal income tax.

This is off the topic of this discussion, but since you brought it up, let me note that I don't like paying tax and if there is a way of legally reducing my tax I'll take it.

However, having been a "politician" and having had the responsibilty of having to balance a budget of a city, I know the necessity of revenue. Cops, firemen, roads, parks, sewers - all the stuff we need and rely on every day - have to be paid for.

The problem is that the rules are written in a way that those who can afford to pay the least often have to pay the most and those who can afford the most often pay the least (speaking percentages). For instance, in my City, the politically influencial businesses are high end car dealers and they got a law written for them so that they only pay 1/10 of what any other busiess has to pay to the City even though they do about $200 Million worth of business. All the other businesses, many of them little mom and pop stores have to make up the difference. It's not fair.
 
Tax Free Texas

Tax Free Texas

Much different story here in Texas. No state income tax.
8.25% sales tax, but not on equipment purchased for business-use film/video production.
To top it off, all sales tax paid is deductable from personal income for federal tax purposes.

Yes, it's wonderful over here... Not quite as much production as in your area, of course.
 
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