Oh Great!!!

[MrKnowNothing]

For those who remember this topic:

http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=22811&start=0&sid=54a84a20777cbb1 bf98850cefa23216f

I went to give him his camera back and told him I didn't want it.... he came back with ok give $1000.00 for it!!! DOH!!!

Now I'm really in a bind :(

[G3]

There is absolutely something drastically wrong with this picture. Now he doesn't even want to take it back? Now he wants $1,000.00 for an $8,000.00 camera? I'd be scared to death of this deal. If it is legit, he should be able to show you some paperwork from where he purchased it. I know I keep all of my paperwork for major purchases like that. If he can't come up with some sort of documentation, then the chances that this this is stolen are, like 99.9997%. Even if I knew I'd never get caught, my conscience wouldn't allow me to purchase a stolen item even if I could get a 1Ds for $100.00.

[Belmondo]

Offer him $500.00.

Some things are worth going to jail for.

(NOT)

[MrKnowNothing]

Offer him $500.00.

Some things are worth going to jail for.

(NOT)

LOL I agree with the NOT part.

I'm not gonna take the camera anyway... even if it was 5 bucks I really cant use it. I admit its way to much camera for me. I was just looking at the resale value and possibly being stolen I would say the resale value is 0.00.

[robertwgross]

Mark me as a skeptic, but in my entire life I have never seen such an epidemic of Buyer's Remorse as what I see today.

Buyers run into a store, plunk down $1500 for something, and leave. Two weeks later they are back to the store and want their money back. Chances are, the product was exactly what was advertised, and the stupid buyer just didn't take any time to figure out what he really wanted.

Some wise retail stores have a big restocking penalty fee, and I think that is an excellent idea. Make customers actually take responsibility for their actions.

I was browsing in a retail camera store one time, and another customer came into the store with a camera that he had purchased one week before. He tried to argue with the sales clerk that they needed to give him his money back, but he could not state anything wrong with the camera. The sales clerk said that if there was nothing wrong with the camera, then there would be a big restocking fee. The customer took the camera back and bounced it onto the hard floor from a height of about two feet. Then he said "Now there is something wrong with it, and I want my money back."

If I had been the store manager, I think I would have kicked the customer out of my store.

---Bob Gross---

[MrKnowNothing]

Mark me as a skeptic, but in my entire life I have never seen such an epidemic of Buyer's Remorse as what I see today.

Buyers run into a store, plunk down $1500 for something, and leave. Two weeks later they are back to the store and want their money back. Chances are, the product was exactly what was advertised, and the stupid buyer just didn't take any time to figure out what he really wanted.

Some wise retail stores have a big restocking penalty fee, and I think that is an excellent idea. Make customers actually take responsibility for their actions.

I was browsing in a retail camera store one time, and another customer came into the store with a camera that he had purchased one week before. He tried to argue with the sales clerk that they needed to give him his money back, but he could not state anything wrong with the camera. The sales clerk said that if there was nothing wrong with the camera, then there would be a big restocking fee. The customer took the camera back and bounced it onto the hard floor from a height of about two feet. Then he said "Now there is something wrong with it, and I want my money back."

If I had been the store manager, I think I would have kicked the customer out of my store.

---Bob Gross---

Nice story and some good points but im missing the point to the story and how it can help me. Can you spell it out for me :?:

Thanks

[Nolz]

cut your losses mate...it was a bad move from the get go. the sooner you be gone with it all the sooner you can just forget about it....

lesson learned.

[slin100]

The situation is not clear to me, but it sounds like you haven't bought the camera yet and were only checking it out. Is that right?

It seems like it's time to level with him and ask how he can be selling the camera for so cheap unless it's stolen. If he takes offense at the question, that'll make it easier for him to take it back.

The good thing is that you haven't become too attached to the camera.

[ruby]

Is there anyway you could call the cops and ask their advice on the chance that he hasn't a clue about what he is selling. Maybe it was left to him by someone who died. Maybe he can't read or use the internet. Maybe he tried to sell it to a crooked camera shop and they told him it was only worth a 1000 to rip him off! Good luck and let us know what happens..
ruby

[iwatkins]

Does the guy in question know your name and know where you live ?

If not, keep the camera. If yes, give it back.

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[bluebomberx]

With Canon's FVU, you could possibly see the name of the former owner in the EXIF tag on each image. Just a thought...

-Richie

[robertwgross]

Nice story and some good points but im missing the point to the story and how it can help me. Can you spell it out for me?

(1) Study up and figure out what you need. Make a list.
(2) Discuss your list results with experienced users. Alter the list if necessary.
(3) Purchase items from the list from a valid source.
(4) RTFM on each item received. Practice.
(5) Return to item 1 and repeat.

Too many folks these days will purchase some items, then read up on what they have, get infected with Buyer's Remorse, return the items to the store, and repeat.

Guess what drives the prices up on retail goods?

---Bob Gross---

[bigsexy]

Nice story and some good points but im missing the point to the story and how it can help me. Can you spell it out for me?

(1) Study up and figure out what you need. Make a list.
(2) Discuss your list results with experienced users. Alter the list if necessary.
(3) Purchase items from the list from a valid source.
(4) RTFM on each item received. Practice.
(5) Return to item 1 and repeat.

Too many folks these days will purchase some items, then read up on what they have, get infected with Buyer's Remorse, return the items to the store, and repeat.

Guess what drives the prices up on retail goods?

---Bob Gross---

Obviously you haven't taken the time to read the previous thread. Your advise is sound, but it's totally missing the mard in regards to this person's dilema. This is about buying a 1Ds that you suspect to be stolen for a rediculously low price.

[MrKnowNothing]

With Canon's FVU, you could possibly see the name of the former owner in the EXIF tag on each image. Just a thought...

-Richie

Hmmm Is that info really there? I didnt have to do that on my DR(guess thats the 7000 difference) :D

[MrKnowNothing]

Is there anyway you could call the cops and ask their advice on the chance that he hasn't a clue about what he is selling. Maybe it was left to him by someone who died. Maybe he can't read or use the internet. Maybe he tried to sell it to a crooked camera shop and they told him it was only worth a 1000 to rip him off! Good luck and let us know what happens..
ruby

Wishful thinking.. :)

I will post what I finally do... but its leaning twards not taking it because I really dont need it.

[MrKnowNothing]

Nice story and some good points but im missing the point to the story and how it can help me. Can you spell it out for me?

(1) Study up and figure out what you need. Make a list.
(2) Discuss your list results with experienced users. Alter the list if necessary.
(3) Purchase items from the list from a valid source.
(4) RTFM on each item received. Practice.
(5) Return to item 1 and repeat.

Too many folks these days will purchase some items, then read up on what they have, get infected with Buyer's Remorse, return the items to the store, and repeat.

Guess what drives the prices up on retail goods?

---Bob Gross---


Thanks... Again some very good points and advice but im with Bigsexy on this.

iwatkins:
No he doesnt know where I live but last thing I need is some ticked off head hunter after me over a 1000 bucks. :)

slin100:
I have not purchased the camera yet... I can still give it back. If I ask him he will tell me anything I want to hear so I cant use that as a good source of information. I have done everything I can do to tell if its stolen besides calling the police which I'm not going to do. I would rather just give it back and end it then check with the police. I did call Canon, searched google with the S/N, went to every possible site that lists stolen cameras and it wasnt on any list I could find.

[MrKnowNothing]

With Canon's FVU, you could possibly see the name of the former owner in the EXIF tag on each image. Just a thought...

-Richie

Hmmm Is that info really there? I didnt have to do that on my DR(guess thats the 7000 difference) :D

Heh that was a great Idea. I didn't know that info even existed there. I looked at one of the photos I took with it and the owners name is empty but the serial number is there. That is cool. There is no way this person could have erased this info. Looks like it was never put in.

This is the kind of feedback im looking for. Thanks again for the great suggestion. :D

[Mikesht]

Nice story and some good points but im missing the point to the story and how it can help me. Can you spell it out for me?

(1) Study up and figure out what you need. Make a list.
(2) Discuss your list results with experienced users. Alter the list if necessary.
(3) Purchase items from the list from a valid source.
(4) RTFM on each item received. Practice.
(5) Return to item 1 and repeat.

Too many folks these days will purchase some items, then read up on what they have, get infected with Buyer's Remorse, return the items to the store, and repeat.

Guess what drives the prices up on retail goods?

---Bob Gross---

Moral aspect of a story with a camera dropped on a floor aside, if the camera is damaged, or suspected to be, the store will just ship it to a manufacturer, without loosing a penny. And for manufacturer to replace/fix it is not a big deal either. So do not think that that's what propagates those 300% markups. Morally it's wrong to do it this way, but hold off crying for poor retailer, they are still o'key :-))

[Scottes]

I checked photo.net's Stolen Items registry and no 1DS is listed.

There is a 1D serial number 013748 which I'll mention just in case.

http://www.photo.net/registry/ for those interested.

[MrKnowNothing]

I checked photo.net's Stolen Items registry and no 1DS is listed.

There is a 1D serial number 013748 which I'll mention just in case.

http://www.photo.net/registry/ for those interested.

I looked there to with no luck.

[cowman345]

I wonder if there's a way Canon could help you directly... they must have a list of serials reported stolen. If they don't have that serial number, and you've had the camera awhile with no problems, i'd probably buy it.

-dave-

[robertwgross]

Moral aspect of a story with a camera dropped on a floor aside, if the camera is damaged, or suspected to be, the store will just ship it to a manufacturer, without loosing a penny. And for manufacturer to replace/fix it is not a big deal either. So do not think that that's what propagates those 300% markups. Morally it's wrong to do it this way, but hold off crying for poor retailer, they are still o'key :-))

Actually, not true. When the retailer original sold the camera, they did a quick on-the-spot inspection. Basically, they just took it out of the box, in front of the customer, and fired off one shot. So, it was good at that time.

After the customer brought it back and bounced it off the floor, I would suspect that something was broken. The retailer can't just ship it back to the manufacturer and claim that it was originally broken, because that would conflict with the quick inspection report. The retailer is not going to "eat" the cost, and it can't be resold as being completely new. If the retailer could hide the inspection report, then it would be different, even if morally wrong.

Once the product has been returned, then the best that can happen is that it is sent to a refurbishing center where it is retested and repackaged as "refurbished". Some companies call this "B stock," and it is commonly sold for 50%-90% of the new price, depending on the market. The bottom line is that there is huge cost to this, and it should be borne by the remorseful buyer unless the camera was initially defective. Some retailers get a slightly better deal from the manufacturer if they are selling huge numbers of the product.

That is why, as a general rule, we customers should try to educate ourselves before we buy. In a small way, it should help to keep prices from inflating unnecessarily.

---Bob Gross---

[gsmx2]

Since you really don't want the camera, turn it back.

But if you want the camera legally, you'll need to take a gamble.

1. Buy the camera for the lowest price possible--say $700 which is 1/10 the value of it.
2. Take it immediately over to the police and turn it over to them as found property with a clear explination that you want to claim it if no one else does.
3. After the period is over, one of three things will happen.

a. You will legally own a $7,000 camera
b. The rightful owner will claim it and possibly give you a reward, say 1/10 the price of the camera
c. The rightful owner will claim it and give you squat, thus ripping you off for $700

If I wanted the camera, I think I would roll the dice.

gsm x2

[burkdog]

I would call the cops, tell them everything you have done to try to determine if it was stolen, and ask their advice.

Possession is supposedly 9/10's of the law. Somebody is going to buy that camera. It might as well be you.

I'd do what I could to get it, and still feel good about it. If you are just going to resell it though, I might reconsider.

[MrKnowNothing]

I wonder if there's a way Canon could help you directly... they must have a list of serials reported stolen. If they don't have that serial number, and you've had the camera awhile with no problems, i'd probably buy it.

-dave-

I did call Canon... its free and clear with them.

gsmx2:

Good Ideas there... I just might do that.

burkdog:
I have a fellow photographer friend who is going to take the camera and check with the local police and see whats the story. I am going to buy and he may sell it for me or I might keep it/sell it (there's been a few people interested in it already). Dont know yet but if it comes up clean with the locals then there is no reason for me not to own it. If it is not clean then im sure I will be stuck owing the seller 1k and be out a camera but its the only thing I can do to make my self feel better about this.



Thanks again for all the good advice.

[CyberDyneSystems]

There may be a reward,. (im not kidding) and if you do buy it for a grand and can find the owner and explain it to him you may very well get reimbursed.

In my youth I once single handedly apprehended a bicycle/moped theif.
In doing so I managed to aquire 1 stolen 10 speed and three mopeds.. two of which I "paid" for (this was done to get the guy to trust me)

Anyway.. the owners of the mopeds did reimburse me the $20.00 (yes TWENTY DOLLARS) that I paid for the Mopeds.