Has anyone dealt with this company and had a positive experience? After reading many online reviews of this company -- http://www.resellerratings.com/seller1938-p5-s1-d1.html -- I am convinced that I will either receive gray market, counterfeit or refurbished goods--or perhaps no goods at all. This is all despite the fact that I requested that I wanted a US warrantied product from them only.
My questions are these: 1) How they heck do these people stay in business if they have defrauded so many individuals? 2) Besides having no warranty, are 'gray market' binos any different from their US counterparts? (I might get stuck with what I purchased) 3) Do counterfeit binoculars exist that I should be worried about receiving a pair?
Has anyone dealt with these crooks and gotten exactly what they purchased and received it without any hassles or delays?
With so many people complaining about fraud, I'm surprised this company has been online for some many years.
I cannot really answer any of your questions but I can share two brief experiences I had with them...and another company just like them. I am beginning to think that there are several places which advertise in this fashion and all the phone numbers go to just one person as the gentleman's voice, on both occasions, sounded the same.
I think it was last year I called the business in question as they had an unbeatable price on a pair of Nikon Premier LX 8x32s on their website. When I called all he had were the 10x32s in stock and he had no idea when he would have the 8x's. I received the impression that they never had the 8x's and that it was just a ploy to get you to call where they talk you into a different, and potentially more expensive, pair of binoculars.
My suspicion was confirmed just last week when I called a similar company on a pair of Leica Trinovid 8x42 BAs that were advertised as new and at just over $600. The voice sounded the same as the one I remember from last year. He stated that they did not have the 8x42s in stock but they did have the 8x50s(56s?). The price was significantly more and I was again left with the impression that he only wanted to sell me the more expensive model. Someone else that spoke with the gentleman confirmed that they are gray market products.
Well, my experience was exactly what should have been expected--the binos are gray market in a Nikon US Box that claims to have contain a US warranty. My guess is that the binos come from Germany, considering the fact that plastic bag that covered them has something written in German on them. The box looks as if an elephant stepped on it, and oh yeah, and there is no warranty inside the box. Well so much for this company. My advice for everyone, which I wished I had taken the time to get, is to steer clear of these guys.
To put my disappointment mildly (very mildly), so as to avoid having my words censored--I have received something other than what I paid for, something other than I was told I would receive on the phone by a human being.
I guess I just have to chalk this up as a loss, or go through the long and frustrating process of getting my money back.
On the other hand, however, the binoculars--a pair of Nikon Monarch 8x42s--appear to be without defect. If only I lived in Germany, then I could fill out the warranty. Oh, I can't cause I there isn't one. I just hope these aren't refurbs or fakes or something.