85mm 1.4G for $900 AUD NEW - To good to be true?

Joined
Aug 15, 2010
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Sydney Australia
So while teasing myself as usual and looking at the retail price for the 85mm in Australia I stumbled across a site that has it listed for $900 including GST and shipping. The website says there internet store operates out of the Philippines and as such do not offer the same price in store.

It also states that the lenses are 100% Australian Stock and covered by the 1 year Nikon warrenty.

Given that the lowest price I have seen this elsewhere is $1,866 plus shipping this seems to good to be true.

I cant find any info about these guys on the web apart from their site.

What do you think? Should I jump on it or stay away, after all caveat emptor

Thoughts?
 
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
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Laurel, MD
If you send them $900, will they send you the lens and $40,000,000 to hold in reserves for a Nigerian prince?

Scam-tacular. Do not want.
 
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Did some research turns out they are part of a bigger chain in Australia (Camerahouse.com.au)

I sent them an email to confirm the price and the fact that the online store was operating from OS and they came back and said that:

A) The price was wrong, it has now been taken down
B) The info that the online store was operating from SE Asia was completely wrong and they were going to have it corrected.

I should have placed the order, with a little luck they would have had to honour their online price.

Shame, better safe than sorry though I guess.
 
Joined
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My guess is that it would have been $1900 :wink:

Agreed. However as you most likely know under Aussie law the supplier is obliged to meet the advertised price even if its wrong if I place an order.

I should have jumped on it when I realised what chain they were a part of instead of emailing them first.

Ah well, on another note the Dollar against the US is at 1.02 roughly right now. Might be worth importing one if I can find it.
 
Joined
Dec 28, 2009
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Australia
Id check out vanbar if I were you. I got mine there - aussie stock with local warranty and not too badly priced. At the time it was the same price as the grey import.

Im not affiliated with them in any way...just to clear that up :smile:
 
Joined
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Id check out vanbar if I were you. I got mine there - aussie stock with local warranty and not too badly priced. At the time it was the same price as the grey import.

Im not affiliated with them in any way...just to clear that up :smile:

Will do thanks. As for the affiliation. If the prices are good, you could be the owner I'd still go there on your referal :wink:
 
Joined
Feb 8, 2011
Messages
125
Location
Laurel, MD
Did some research turns out they are part of a bigger chain in Australia (Camerahouse.com.au)

I sent them an email to confirm the price and the fact that the online store was operating from OS and they came back and said that:

A) The price was wrong, it has now been taken down
B) The info that the online store was operating from SE Asia was completely wrong and they were going to have it corrected.

I should have placed the order, with a little luck they would have had to honour their online price.

Shame, better safe than sorry though I guess.


That would be an excellent story to tell customers after your website had been hacked. This is way too fishy to be an accidental "oops, we got the price wrong and told people we're in the Philippines." Sounds like they're trying to save face/legitimacy with the answer they gave you. Meanwhile, please welcome the website's newest security consultant. He's from the Philippines, and his name is... ;)
 
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
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7,534
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Did some research turns out they are part of a bigger chain in Australia (Camerahouse.com.au)

I sent them an email to confirm the price and the fact that the online store was operating from OS and they came back and said that:

A) The price was wrong, it has now been taken down
B) The info that the online store was operating from SE Asia was completely wrong and they were going to have it corrected.

I should have placed the order, with a little luck they would have had to honour their online price.

Shame, better safe than sorry though I guess.

I know you feel bad, but think about this: What if it was INDEED a scam? You would have been out 900 bucks. Would you rather still have your 900 bucks and no lens, or out 900 bucks and no lens? You did the right thing by being cautious.
 
Joined
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I know you feel bad, but think about this: What if it was INDEED a scam? You would have been out 900 bucks. Would you rather still have your 900 bucks and no lens, or out 900 bucks and no lens? You did the right thing by being cautious.

This is also very true and is why I dont really feel all that bad. It just would have been nice to save 1K for something else. :biggrin:
 
Joined
Feb 28, 2009
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1,117
Location
New Zealand
Even if it's a legit and honest business and even if the law says retailers have to honour advertised prices you will probably find it not worth the trouble. It's just not worth going through the court process because of the time and effort involved. Life is too short. Besides, do you really want to take advantage of a business that may of made a simple mistake and probably get some clerk fired?
 

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