I know it is an inherently characteristic risk when purchasing things online from someone you haven't spoken to face to face, and I suppose I've made enough online orders that it was bound to catch up with me, but I am really struggling to not lose my temper.
Stephen picked up my camera this morning. Good news. It arrived and seems to be in tact, etc. Bad news, the extra lens that was supposed to be included in the package is not there. I really would like to have that lens (the 70-300 zoom) for when we are in the mountains of Oaxaca. I called, and was told to call back after 10, when the salesmen arrive.
When I've spoken to them on the phone other times this week, I would hesitate to say that customer service is their strong point. So I'm nervous. Please pray that I will be able to communicate with them in such a way as to help them understand their responsibility to overnight the lens to me at their expense, but also to remain polite enough not to disgrace the name of my Savior.
Your story reminds me of an experience we had with an online vendor. Not only did it not arrive in a timely manner, but when we tried to return it for an exchange (for a more expensive product) we got the total run around. I ended up selling the item (a portable DVD player) on Ebay and bought the one we wanted from another store. Come to find out through the payment process that they were really the same company with multiple internet faces.
I'll be thinking of you and pray that you're lens comes before you leave on the mission trip. Does Ron have a zoom lens for his D70 that you could borrow? I'm trying to think of other folks who might have a Nikon...
Posted by: Scott at Junio 30, 2005 11:39 AMNah, I actually had told Ron he could borrow my lens some in Mexico. Though he did have a really good book and DVD on how to use the Nikon D70, which I've been reading and is really helpful.
I called epixny again and was told that the reason they did not ship the lens was that their shipment from Nikon was damaged and was being replaced by Nikon on Monday. (Why did I not receive any notification of this? "Uh, sorry about that, ma'am"). So as it stands they are going to overnight a Sigma 70-300 at their expense, and when I return from Mexico I can exhange it for a Nikon at their expense if I so desire ("Though I doubt you will want to exchange because the Sigma is a much better lens. . .but if you want I will pay everything to exchange. . .I want you to be happy" . . .insert heavy Indian accent here).
Posted by: willa at Junio 30, 2005 12:03 PMOh, btw, in other customer service related news, I had to call Visa yesterday because somehow in all our verification that we had plenty of credit limit avail and all that for renting a vehicle in Mexico, Stephen and I both failed to notice that our cards had expired in May. I spoke with someone at around lunch time yesterday and explained the circumstances to them. My new card arrived an hour ago. Yeah, Visa!
Sigma makes some great lenses, but they also have lots of low price point ones, too. I am guessing that you'll want to exchange it when you get back at their expense...unless what they send you is better and more expenseive than what you paid for.
Posted by: Scott at Junio 30, 2005 12:15 PMYou are going to want to exchange that lens for sure. Nikon's low end lens should exceed those of any aftermarket lens at the same price point. You may(possibly) have issues with the autofocus and exposure with an aftermarket lens that you will not have with a nikon lens.
Posted by: matt at Junio 30, 2005 01:58 PMThanks, Matt. I figured you would know. :)
Posted by: willa at Junio 30, 2005 10:59 PM