Your current GAS list? (1 Viewer)

[ManW_TheUncool]

That Sigma 105mm macro is tempting at this blowout price... though I haven't used a tele prime (w/ any regularity) in quite some time... including the MF Nikkor 105mm micro I bought used cheaply several years ago. But maybe the image stabilization will get me to use it like I used to w/ my 85mm f/1.8 (for my APS crop bodies) -- I mostly shoot my D800 in 1.2x crop (and switch to FF on occasion), which would make the 105mm similar to the 85mm in APS crop.

_Man_

Ended up winning an eBay bid for a "new, other" open box (w/ 30-day return policy) for ~$435 shipped from what seems like a pretty reliable eBay dealer. Had accrued ~$130 in eBay bucks that would expire in a few days, so seems like my best option at just ~$305 out-of-pocket.

Hopefully, it arrives just in time for my trip to Rhode Island next weekend...

Thanks for the idea to consider this lens, John and Scott.

_Man_

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Ended up winning an eBay bid for a "new, other" open box (w/ 30-day return policy) for ~$435 shipped from what seems like a pretty reliable eBay dealer. Had accrued ~$130 in eBay bucks that would expire in a few days, so seems like my best option at just ~$305 out-of-pocket.

Hopefully, it arrives just in time for my trip to Rhode Island next weekend...

Thanks for the idea to consider this lens, John and Scott.

_Man_

That's a great price, Man. Let us know how you like the lens. I have been happy with mine, although I have not used it in a few weeks. I still need to try it out on my crop body Canon 7D2 -- so far I have only used it on the full frame 5D3.

 

[Sam Posten]

I've had a BR double strap in the back of my car for 2 years. I finally dug it out. LOVE it.

 

[Citizen87645]

Peak Design is running a Kickstarter for redesigned Capture and Slide straps. https://www.dpreview.com/news/32706...eatest-hits-all-new-clip-slide-and-slide-lite

I have the 2g Capture but have tended to favor a sling strap since getting it (and not just because user error resulted in me dropping my camera on the floor during the Capture's maiden voyage ).

I think the Capture is probably great for backpacking when the position doesn't need to be changed much (e.g. clamped to a backpack strap), but when covering events and having to squat, kneel, or squeeze into tight spaces, the Capture isn't as easy to re-position as a camera on a sling.

Nevertheless, I'm tempted by the idea of the Capture redesign as well as the Slide strap, which I've never had a chance to try. But for the money, I may opt for a Black Rapid double sling instead, since the clip on my knock-off version broke the other day.

 

[JohnRice]

Get a load of this. That Amazon seller I had all the trouble with. Since my problems, they seemed to be going steadily downhill. Their negative feedback was over 20% and judging by the feedback coming in, it was headed nowhere but worse. When I looked at them a couple weeks ago, 1 star ratings were coming in at about a 60% rate.

Well, I decided to check on how they are doing, and ALL their negative feedback is gone. There are a handful in the last couple weeks, but they're 100% positive for the last year and lifetime. There were at least a hundred 1 star ratings with all sorts of complaints of scam-like behavior. ALL GONE.

I am honestly tempted to contact the State Attorney General. I doubt they would be interested, but you never know.

 

[Citizen87645]

Would Amazon have an explanation?

 

[JohnRice]

Would Amazon have an explanation?

Such as, they sell a ton of high dollar items and Amazon makes a shitload of $ from them? Probably. Their total volume of feedback dropped probably 50%, maybe more, and you can't see any before about a month ago.

 

[JohnRice]

Just to confirm, I checked all the feedback I've left on Amazon, and the feedback for both items I bought from them is gone!

They went from 82% positive in the last year, and going downhill fast, to 100% positive. The stuff they sell costs hundreds and often thousands of dollars, they're pulling this crap with people's money, and Amazon just wipes all the negative history out of existence.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I can't imagine any of that even happening.

Just can't imagine it.

Do they think people won't notice?

 

[JohnRice]

There's no option but to take my word for how bad their feedback was, but HERE is their feedback now.

Two or three weeks ago their negative feedback over the past 12 months was about 20%, and both my ratings are gone. When I checked yesterday, you can't actually see any feedback older than about a month.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

That makes any customer feedback on Amazon completely worthless. I am not sure what avenue to take a complaint, but that just isn't right.

 

[Mike Frezon]

That makes any customer feedback on Amazon completely worthless. I am not sure what avenue to take a complaint, but that just isn't right.

Damn straight it's not.

I guess I'd start with any old Amazon customer service rep and just keep escalating it until you get an answer that makes sense. I don't know what else I'd do. But I'd be damn curious to know what they tell you about this. I rely on Amazon customer reviews quite a bit when I go to order.

They might not think so, but it's to their benefit to retain all negative product reviews.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Keeps my GAS in check...

 

[JohnRice]

FYI, copies of some of the correspondence with Amazon...

Liz,
I wanted to alert you to the correspondence I received from this seller today.
They continue to not refund my return shipping, even though the return was due to them sending the wrong item, and Amazon policy requires them to provide or refund return shipping under those circumstances. Amazon has since let them off the hook by issuing me a courtesy credit, but the seller never has refunded the return shipping. A few days ago I made a final attempt to get them to refund the return shipping. I received the following response from them today. You don’t have to take my word for it, since it’s in the correspondence for the order.
I want to point out that several other customers have commented, prior to my order, that this seller does not provide return shipping when an item is incorrect or defective. They clearly just don’t follow Amazon policy, and get away with it.
Order ID 112-9568581-9513866:
1 of Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G Vibration Reduction II Zoom Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras [ASIN: B00HQ4W4PC]

------------- Begin message -------------

Hi this is Michael,
The feedback is extremely detrimental to our account.
I'll be glad to reimburse you which I will but we'll need to the feedback to please be removed as well.
Please confirm when it has been and we'll have the full cost and reimbursement sent.
Looking forward to speaking with you and I really do apologize for any inconvenience caused.




------------- End message ——————
It’s not only a violation of Amazon seller policy for them to not provide or refund return shipping for incorrect shipments, it is also an express violation for them to offer compensation or incentives to post positive or delete negative feedback.
If I should provide this information elsewhere, please let me know. So far, I still haven’t received a refund for the lens, which was received back by them over two weeks ago.
Thanks,
John
​

Amazon's response...

Hi John,

I was taking a look at the status of this issue and I saw the email from the seller holding your refund hostage for negative feedback removal.

I've reported this seller issue to our seller team. Customers are welcomed to post any type of review they wish for items they purchase through our platform. As long as the reviews are within the guidelines shown in the link below, all reviews are kept and are visible.


I'll keep you posted on any changes. Remember, you can reply to this email but it won't come to me.

We'd appreciate your feedback. Please use the buttons below to vote about your experience today.

Best regards,​

In the end, Amazon removed hundreds of instances of negative feedback. Not just routine negative, but comments about downright scam-like behavior. The Amazon rep had kind of marveled at how bad their recent trend was, but I don't have that because it was during a phone conversation.

I wish I'd taken a screen shot of their feedback a couple weeks ago, when I finally posted my feedback for the second item I purchased.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I wish I'd taken a screen shot of their feedback a couple weeks ago, when I finally posted my feedback for the second item I purchased.

Woulda, coulda, shoulda. I totally understand how you feel...but how could you ever have anticipated something like this happening?

Otherwise, we'd be taking screen grabs and cell phone pix of everything that happens in our lives.

But I'd wished I'd done it, too!

 

[JohnRice]

It's been 20 hours since I posted about this. In that time, their positive feedback in the last 30 days has gone from 99% to 94%. That is only 20 hours. Lifetime and 12 months is still at 99%, so it's not like negative reviews have been reinstated.

Before this, their positive feedback lifetime was about 97%, and during the last 30 days was about 80%, and had been going down steadily for the previous 2 months. Like I said before, it was sometimes coming in at about a 60% rate, maybe more.

It doesn't take a statistician to figure out what's going on. Amazon has repeatedly been removing their negative feedback, once it gets bad enough.

 

[JohnRice]

Sorry to dwell on this, but the plot keeps thickening. Now Amazon is taking the blame most of the times a customer leaves negative feedback. As far as I can tell, nothing they sell is fulfilled by Amazon, though a few items are Prime fulfilled by seller, which is an option for some large sellers. What Amazon is doing now is whenever someone leaves negative feedback, Amazon strikes it out, claiming it was fulfilled by them and they take responsibility. The problem is, people are not complaining about fulfillment problems, but about items sold as new actually being used or white box, missing components and so on. I've seen this with other sellers and always thought it was odd. Now I understand what it means.

 

[JohnRice]

Some pretty serious deals going on with some Sony Alphas. You can get the a6000 with 18-50 and 55-200 (plus some bonus accessory kits with sellers like B&H) for $700. Nice deal.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Sorry to dwell on this, but the plot keeps thickening. Now Amazon is taking the blame most of the times a customer leaves negative feedback. As far as I can tell, nothing they sell is fulfilled by Amazon, though a few items are Prime fulfilled by seller, which is an option for some large sellers. What Amazon is doing now is whenever someone leaves negative feedback, Amazon strikes it out, claiming it was fulfilled by them and they take responsibility. The problem is, people are not complaining about fulfillment problems, but about items sold as new actually being used or white box, missing components and so on. I've seen this with other sellers and always thought it was odd. Now I understand what it means.

I'm having a tough time understanding why Amazon would do this.

Don't they understand that people are going to stop buying things at Amazon if they continue this inexplicable behavior. It's unethical. Why would they provide cover for dishonest third-party sellers on their site?

 

[JohnRice]

I'm having a tough time understanding why Amazon would do this.

Well, get a load of this as well. I used to have "Enthusiast" status in photo equipment on Amazon. It's meant to indicate that my feedback and comments are more valuable than just anyone's. I just noticed they took it away around the same time they deleted all that seller's negative feedback.