I have only purchased equipment (mail order) from B&H, who definitely have a pretty good reputation. Here's the thing... I've noticed that AAA Camera has prices that are close to 20% less than B&H. Has anyone had dealings with AAA? I have read numerous accounts of Smile Photo's poor reputation and just wondered about AAA!? Thanks for your input...

Randy

-- Randy Darst (rdarst@profiles.com), April 19, 2000

Answers

I'll second what Bob says about these guys. About five years ago I called them and they seemed to have much distain for customers. If they hate customers, why are they in business???? AVOID!!!

-- Steve Rasmussen (srasmuss@flash.net), April 21, 2000.

I have used B&H, Adorama, and Camera World of Oregon often, and even Smile Photo on one or two rare occasions. I have never ordered from AAA or Cambridge Camera Exchange, although I have called them many times. Neither of these stores would answer basic questions on their toll free number, which they say is only for ordering. They refused to say if an item was in stock, if the advertised price was correct, or what the shipping charges would be. When I called their direct dial number, and paid for the call, they were evasive and high pressure.

On several occasions I talked to Harald Martin, Popular Photography's Check Rated Store Program Manager, who's job it is to monitor the Magazine's advertisers. He informed me that AAA and Cambridge Camera Exhange are the same store, that is they have the same ownership. It's no wonder they use the same sales tactics.

Popular Photography has finally started to clamp down on their advertiser's that have not been following their Check Rated guidelines. The October 1999 issue, page 18 detailed the terrible practices of an unnamed store, and informed us that an advertiser had been dropped from the magazine.

In the February 2000 issue, page 16, there was another article on "Stopping Sleazy Mail Order Practices...". In this article they showed us a letter that was sent to all their advertisers in November, 1999, as part of their effort to clean out the ones that were taking advantage of consumers.

Beginning with the December 1999 issue, both AAA and Cambridge Camera Exchange were removed from Popular Photography's advertising section.

Since I have never ordered anything from AAA, I can't say how good or bad they would have been, but I can say thay my phone calls to them were so negative that I never followed through with a purchase. Bob

-- Bobby Mahaffey (mahajen@prodigy.net), April 20, 2000.