Sorry Chris - I was posting to ask as a relative was asking - then I heard the prices (eg 159 Euros for 500D...) and knew it was definitely a fake/scam - tried to delete thread as felt it was pretty pointless. Yes, agree with you - best avoided!ShoeQueen, why have you removed your original message?
Alas I'm sure plenty of people do fall for something like that. My relative is pretty sharp and would want to see the camera working in shop and watch it put away in the box and make sure that was the one he bought before parting with any money... but still sounds like too much of a risk - prices quoted were 560 Euros for D90 with 18-105VR kit lens...Saw a TV documentary once, these shops will demo the real 'camera' with you in the shop before the sale is made. When you've made up your mind, they will go to the back to get a 'new' one- but inside will be a different (read rubbish) camera, by the time you open up the box outside the shop and go back in, they will claim you are trying to scam them and refuse to return your money. If you are buying equipment/stuff abroad, always ask them to to open up the box for a quick 'check'.
Saw a TV documentary once, these shops will demo the real 'camera' with you in the shop before the sale is made. When you've made up your mind, they will go to the back to get a 'new' one- but inside will be a different (read rubbish) camera, by the time you open up the box outside the shop and go back in, they will claim you are trying to scam them and refuse to return your money. If you are buying equipment/stuff abroad, always ask them to to open up the box for a quick 'check'.
It was one of the shops at CC San Eugenio my family were in, and also one in the CC under Parque Santiago. Prices about £200 less than UK will tempt people, but not worth the risk!Very common, I had it tried on me in Las Americas (Palace Electronics, Centro Commercial San Eugenio), the fact that it was a Monday evening (at a time when flights to the UK only left on Tuesdays and Fridays) probably meant he felt he was safe that I wouldn't be able to come back the next day and complain.
There also used to be "Jessops" and "Dixons" shops that claimed to be branches of the UK chains and told customers that any warranty issues could be handled by their UK shops......