Procamerashop.co.uk - anyone recommend?

[big soft moose]

No I didn't pay for the Bosch oven via bank transfer - but at one point I did consider making a claim on my credit card if things did not get resolved. The bank transfer is not the sole reason stated on this forum for avoiding ProCamerashop - I was referring to Carl's reference to customer service etc.

I don't have problems saving a bit of Tax here or there. As a higher rate tax payer, I think I pay more than enough of my share and am sick of the government milking the working person and letting the huge corporates get away with paying minimal or zero taxes or even worse expecting the tax payer to subsidise the profits of corporates - e.g. the supermarkets paying sub-living wages to their staff who then have to claim topup benefits in order to make ends meet.

If all the muggins out there are perfectly happy to pay up-to 70% tax (income tax+NI+VAT) on some of their earnings that is their choice. If I can find a way of saving some tax I will do it. And dont get me started on Stamp Duty or even worse Inheritance tax! Aggghhh! I can't believe people on here are so keen on the tax man getting every single penny they are due!!

as I'm not a hypocrite - I understand that we can't criticise the likes of amazon for avoiding paying their share while evading import taxes ourselves.

Also tax pays for public services - if we want to use the public services we should pay the tax where due.

 

[Dave *]

I don't have problems saving a bit of Tax here or there.

If all the muggins out there are perfectly happy to pay up-to 70% tax (income tax+NI+VAT) on some of their earnings that is their choice. If I can find a way of saving some tax I will do it. And dont get me started on Stamp Duty or even worse Inheritance tax! Aggghhh! I can't believe people on here are so keen on the tax man getting every single penny they are due!!

Please don't confuse "saving some tax" with tax evasion. It's legal to try and avoid tax, it's illegal to evade tax.

 

[digital]

P-shop had/have a serviced office in a Carlisle business park, but they aren't a UK company

I know that.

& don't have their own warehouse in the UK either.

I didn't say that they did. I said the flash was despatched from the UK.

tbh, their price is only £10 cheaper than DR, who have a decent customer service & reputation.

I chose to make the saving. DR had problems not too long ago with fake serial numbers. They didn't exactly excel when it came to fixing the problem in a timely manner. If I remember correctly, they chose to change the serial number in the cameras rather than provide new.

I cringe at buyers who risk direct bank transfers....to anyone, let alone a Hong Kong supplier.
If everything goes well, that's fine, but how many times do we hear folk complaining when they get `stung` at some point.
Giving away protection for a few quid doesn't make sense to me, but each to their own I guess.

We're adults, we make our own decisions based on experience and research.

You seem to want to provide a degree of negativity whenever there's a report of a purchase from a Hong Kong based company...

 

[harry66]

as I'm not a hypocrite - I understand that we can't criticise the likes of amazon for avoiding paying their share while evading import taxes ourselves.

Also tax pays for public services - if we want to use the public services we should pay the tax where due.

I never criticised Amazon - I spend loads there. I was having a go at all those on here who object to using ProCameraShop etc on the grounds of tax evasion. Yes I know one is illegal and is legal - but the amount of tax lost as a result of any evasion by ProCameraShop and others is probably much lower than all the 'legal' tax avoidance that goes on.

If people on here are really that bothered about everyone paying their fair share of tax then perhaps they should really be lobbying or campaigning to get the law and government policies changed. That way the big corporates would pay a fair amount of tax toward the public services and/or the taxpayer would have to stop subsidising the profits of some corporates.

A few examples:
1) most of the major supermarkets don't pay their low level employees enough to live on in order to maximise their profits. The employees claim low income benefits / tax credits to make ends meet. Therefore if you pay tax and shop at Tesco, Sainsbury's etc you are subsidising their profits -http://www.fairpaynetwork.org/

2) Thames Water paid 0% corporation tax last year using some perfectly legal avoidance technique - but managed to pay £280m in dividends. This money could have been invested in required works etc but instead we will pay for it via subsidies and/or increased bills.

3) Google claiming UK sales are made in Ireland

4) Various UK Rail companies making huge profits at the same time as receiving government subsidies - paid for by you and me!

So please stop having a go at people about tax evasion just cost they want to save a few quid here or there - there are much bigger fish to fry if you are that bothered about the Tax man getting his dues. Just 'cos avoidance is legal does not make it right.
I can't believe some of you are OK with being taxed to high heaven on your hard earned income whilst the rich just keep getting richer at your expense. :bang:

 

[slas]

just ordered a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM on wednesday night £1429
still not been processed at the moment
i once asked pro camerashop to pay by bank transfer but i never got a reply
but after reading on hear i cant see there being any problems

 

[harry66]

Just call them, I have rang then a few times with general queries and tracking number issues. Quite helpful for me.

 

[slas]

Just call them, I have rang then a few times with general queries and tracking number issues. Quite helpful for me.

cheers
ill give them a call in the morning

 

[slas]

do they send tracking details once dispatched?

 

[harry66]

yes - but for both my two orders there was a problem with the tracking number. They sent me a url link to UPS but the tracking number was for CityLink - or some other courier. Rang them on both occasions for the correct details which I was provided promptly along with apologies- Don't know if they have fixed this January. Other than that all was fine.

My understanding is that if the stock is held in the UK - they normally despatch with 1-2 days. If not then it takes longer for the stock to arrive from HK or wherever to the UK distribution place. It is then sent using a UK courier to your local address.

 

[slas]

ok thanks for the info

cheers

 

[slas]

received the lens on tuesday
very impressed with pro camera shop
lens is amazing matches my prime lenses other than my great copy of the
35 f1.4 mm which is unreal

 

[1woodroffe]

Perhaps a bit late with the reply, but just in case others are wondering, i buy all my equipment from them, great service, fast delivery and keep you informed all the way through.

I had a problem with a lens i got from them which was returned and replaced without any problems, with regular updates on progress.

Recommended in my opinion

 

[Canon600D]

Ordered a Sigma 18-35 1.8 from them and waiting on delivery! :|

 

[Phil Young]

Looking forward to seeing some images! Please report back

 

[big soft moose]

their website seems to have disappeared.. lets hope its just a server issue and not the company going pop

 

[anthonys]

their website seems to have disappeared.. lets hope its just a server issue and not the company going pop

Indeed, just checked if it was back up today but still down, same as it was yesterday afternoon. The web server is still there but just reporting that it's overloaded.. I guess they are not back in their office until Monday but strange none of their staff here or in HK have noticed and contacted the web host, or maybe they have and are just having a lot of problems! I'm expecting to speak to them next week so will ask about their site if/when I do!

 

[Dave *]

I guess they are not back in their office until Monday but strange none of their staff here or in HK have noticed!

I don't think they actually have real staff here, it's just a virtual office. The website will be controlled from Hong Kong.

 

[MrJon]

Noticed it was down on Thursday late afternoon/evening as was pricing a few bits up, and wanted to see if there was any chance of a decent saving, so been down for a fair while.

Even if they are shut for weekend would have thought someone would be keeping a eye on analytics's/sales/traffic/etc and noticed something was up and make steps to fix it.

 

[anthonys]

Yes, it seems something must be keeping it offline more than just a server error. As you say they would have noticed a lack of sales etc. I assume if they were under some sort of investigation they may have been ordered to halt sales?

I received an email from them on Friday confirming they received the lens I posted back though. They were inspecting it to see if they could find a fault, then meant to offer me a refund or replacement. It's probably wise to take the refund given the warranty they offer may not be valid for long!

I will contact them tomorrow for a update. I hope they are still conducting business with existing customers or may prove challenging getting my refund. I noticed when Panamoz went down in April they issued refunds on all existing orders rather than send out any stock so hopefully this is at the same scenario.

For anyone else that may need to contact them I have their details here (obviously can't get them from the site at the moment!):

Phone: 0845 544 0387 between 8am - 4:00pm, Monday - Friday
Email: sales@procamerashop.co.uk
IP: http://54.217.211.233/ - hosted by Amazon in Ireland, their DNS is hosted with 123 registrations - these hold the full contact address details including those in HK.

 

[Dave *]

Phone: 0845 544 0387 between 8am - 4:00pm, Monday - Friday
Email: sales@procamerashop.co.uk
IP: http://54.217.211.233/ - hosted by Amazon in Ireland, their DNS is hosted with 123 registrations - these hold the full contact address details including those in HK.

I hate to cast a downer, but if the website goes, odds are, so will the associated email addresses, and the phone number is probably just a VOIP or follow me number that points to their real (unpublished) number, probably in Hong Kong. It can be switched off or pointed elsewhere if they wish to.

Neither is a real point of contact that will be usable if the website closes down.

 

[anthonys]

I hate to cast a downer, but if the website goes, odds are, so will the associated email addresses, and the phone number is probably just a VOIP or follow me number that points to their real (unpublished) number, probably in Hong Kong. It can be switched off or pointed elsewhere if they wish to.

Neither is a real point of contact that will be usable if the website closes down.

It is indeed a VOIP phone as just tried calling it and goes to voice mail. I'll let you know tomorrow if someone answers during their 'business hours' !

 

[anthonys]

Just read from someone that ordered last week that they have cancelled all recent orders and are refunding money. They claim there was a security issue in their warehouse so that's why they put prices up (to deter purchases) before taking the whole site down for maintenance. They claim to be able to process orders in 2-3 weeks..

 

[Dave *]

Just read from someone that ordered last week that they have cancelled all recent orders and are refunding money. They claim there was a security issue in their warehouse so that's why they put prices up (to deter purchases) before taking the whole site down for maintenance. They claim to be able to process orders in 2-3 weeks..

Looking at their street address I doubt there is any warehouse, they are in a serviced office building in Hong Kong, I would suggest they probably order in as needed (or even just go out and buy the unit when a buyer clicks buy on the website).

They are in downtown HK, in a 17 story office block. They also seem to be using an out of date address for the building.

Their address is listed (by themselves) as Trans H K Commercial Building, 41-43 Carnarvon Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong, street view shows the building to currently be named Solo Building. They don't appear to have any sort of retail presence.

Somewhere in this block

 

[anthonys]

Thanks Dave - might come in handy.

I've emailed them for a refund on my order, and will call in the morning to confirm. I'm not expecting any problems with the request as apparently they have been doing that last week with other customers.

I ordered from them after seeing the good reviews (and good prices) on this forum. To be fair they have responded to all my emails to date, and also accepted my return (in theory anyway!) but it's still been all a bit of a hassle. I think it's worth walking down to the local Photography shop after all this and just buying it over the counter!

 

[MrJon]

I hate to cast a downer, but if the website goes, odds are, so will the associated email addresses, and the phone number is probably just a VOIP or follow me number that points to their real (unpublished) number, probably in Hong Kong. It can be switched off or pointed elsewhere if they wish to.

Neither is a real point of contact that will be usable if the website closes down.

Looking at their DNS zone, they use google apps for their email, so in theory their email setup is separate from their web server, so they will be able to continue to be able to use it. If they want to continue to use it is a different matter of course.

You can view the DNS zone here (scroll down to MX entry for the email details): http://www.dnsstuff.com/tools#dnsReport|type=domain&&value=procamerashop.co.uk

 

[anthonys]

They did indeed reply to my email first thing this morning. They didn't comment on the website or 'security breach' but did say they are happy to issue a refund and will be processed in the next few days.

They do have decent customer service, I did get my lens two days after ordering, and was able to send it back after discovering a problem with the AF motor. So don't believe there is anything particularly wrong with them. However I will purchase the same lens again from a UK distributor this time to guarantee a proper manufacture warranty. There's no assurance how long they will be in business in the UK..

 

[OldCarlos]

Glad it seems to be sorted for you.
Customer service is far from decent for everyone.
They never were in business IN the UK.

Strange their site still appears to be down, wonder whether they're re-branding somehow?

 

[anthonys]

Glad it seems to be sorted for you.
Customer service is far from decent for everyone.
They never were in business IN the UK.

Strange their site still appears to be down, wonder whether they're re-branding somehow?

Thanks. Yes can confirm just received the money back on my purchase. So they are definitely still servicing existing customers. For some reason they obviously can't sell to new customers at the moment though. They claim it's a security issue - maybe their UK warehouse was broken in to? On the other hand it may be that they are under investigation by HMRC and have been blocked from selling in the meantime. Likely it's the later, and maybe they'll be back like Panamoz was, or maybe they'll launch under a new business name? It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming weeks anyway. Just glad I am no longer owed anything, though they were very professional throughout the process.

 

[Dave *]

Thanks. Yes can confirm just received the money back on my purchase. So they are definitely still servicing existing customers. For some reason they obviously can't sell to new customers at the moment though. They claim it's a security issue - maybe their UK warehouse was broken in to? On the other hand it may be that they are under investigation by HMRC and have been blocked from selling in the meantime. Likely it's the later, and maybe they'll be back like Panamoz was, or maybe they'll launch under a new business name? It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming weeks anyway. Just glad I am no longer owed anything, though they were very professional throughout the process.

They don't have a UK warehouse, they have no real UK presence beyond a virtual office.

 

[anthonys]

They don't have a UK warehouse, they have no real UK presence beyond a virtual office.

They told me they had one, not that that is proof but when I ordered it arrived in a day by courier from a UK address so they must have some sort of storage for the products they are selling??

 

[Dave *]

They told me they had one, not that that is proof but when I ordered it arrived in a day by courier from a UK address so they must have some sort of storage for the products they are selling??

This is the address of their "UK warehouse".
ProCameraShop
International Logistics Group
C/O Smart Choice
Unit 2D Gatwick Gate Ind. Est.
Lowfield heath, Crawley
RH11 0TG



Their "warehouse" is just a collection point at an international couriers office :shake:

http://www.ilguk.com

Courier & Freight Services
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We partner with all major carriers while maintaining our independence so that we can offer you the full range of flexible delivery services at the most competitive rates.

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Our solutions are tailored to support your business needs and are designed to be the most comprehensive, flexible and cost-competitive on the market.

Read more about our Courier (add link to underlying page) and Freight (add link to underlying page) Services or get in touch via live chat Twitter or request a call back to see how we can help you improve your business performance.

 

[OldCarlos]

Anthony, they never had a real UK presence or warehouse. If they told you that it was another lie.
Recently their favoured courier was UPS. Maybe HMRC have got involved via them?

 

[StewartR]

Maybe HMRC have got involved via them?

We can but hope.

 

[anthonys]

Anthony, they never had a real UK presence or warehouse. If they told you that it was another lie.
Recently their favoured courier was UPS. Maybe HMRC have got involved via them?

The lens I ordered came via UK Mail 2 weeks ago, maybe they've switched courier too?

 

[harry66]

The lens I ordered came via UK Mail 2 weeks ago, maybe they've switched courier too?

Both my orders in Jan 2013 were delivered by CityLink UK. The email link they sent me wrongly directed me to the UPS website - but the tracking numbers were CityLink ones - quick phone call sorted out the confusion.

 

[norrisphysio]

Their site is still down so I am assuming they are out of business.

 

[Rudlin]

Just a month ago I bought 6D with 24-105 lens of them and they did brilliant job, but they are offline since then, makes me worried.

 

[OldCarlos]

Wondered what was happening with this seller, it's been 3 weeks now, so I rang their orderline; 0845 5440387 which is still manned (call centre presumably)

I asked if I could call into their `shop` at the w/end, as I would be in the area.
He said "unfortunately they, err we, don't have physical premises and our warehouse is in Sussex."
He said he would be happy to help & give me advice on any equipment, but that they were unable to give any prices or take orders at present.

When I asked when the online site would be back up, he said I don't really know & to try again maybe next week because they were having some serious issues atm

He just didn't comment when asked if it was anything to do with HMRC, so I thanked him & ended the call.

Maybe they are just lying low for now, or maybe the call centre has been paid in advance & just continuing with the contract? :shrug: