Sussex Cameras Pevensey - Are they real

KingDad

KingDad

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Come across this company tonight, checks say it is a relatively new domain. The site looks OK.

Says it accepts PayPal payments but requests credit card details on ordering page without directing to PayPal first - suspicious to begin with.

Seems too good to be true so probably is but always worth checking first in case someone knows of them otherwise it is a case of steering clear of them.
 
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I went to look for it on Google. Bizarrely this thread came up right towards the top of the list, but I couldn't find the actual site of which you speak...
 
Me neither, perhaps you could provide more info
 
Thanks for replying @jakeblu and @StewartR. It is good to know others are looking.

The website came up along with other well known suppliers on Ebay at the base of the listings. The website address is www.sussexcameras.co.uk and the site does look reasonably professional. The given address (though not the unit number) is legitimate. A search for the name is not found on companies house. A search on the domain shows
Domain name:
sussexcameras.co.uk

Registrant:
John Lambert

Registrant type:
UK Individual

Registrant's address:
8 TREVOR PL
London
SW7 1LA
United Kingdom

Data validation:
Nominet was able to match the registrant's name and address against a 3rd party data source on 25-Jan-2016

Seems they were offering lens at very good prices that makes you consider but wary !!!
 
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OK...

They say:
Sussex Cameras definitely does not deal in any ‘grey market’, ‘direct import’ or so called ‘international versions’ of goods. All cameras and accessories are sourced from authorised distribution channels with original UK warranties.
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That's good, assuming it's true. They also say:
Yes, prices shown on sussexcameras.co.uk are inclusive or [sic] VAT.
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That's also good, again assuming it's true. Though they don't seem to be displaying their VAT registration number, which is a legal requirement.


Their prices are staggeringly low however. Lower than usual 'grey market' prices, lower even than the common 'black market' (VAT evasion) prices you see a lot. For example, using some of my favourite benchmarks:
  • Canon 100-400mm Mk II = £1399, most mainstream retailers (Wex, Park, etc) = £1799
  • Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 Mk II = £949, mainstream = £1499
  • Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 Mk II = £899, mainstream = £1400
  • Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 = £599, mainstream = £1060
I cannot imagine what's going on here. (And I haven't even mentioned the Canon 200-400mm for £3999!!!!!!)

Their terms and conditions don't respect the law with regard to distance selling. For example this is completely illegal:
Like any other retail shop, under Consumer Protection Law, we are not obliged to accept returns for “change of mind” or if you order incorrectly. Please choose carefully.
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We generally do not refund, return or exchange an item once it has been purchased unless the product is faulty.
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If an exchange is approved a 15% restocking fee will apply.
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There are also some more minor breaches of the legislation, such as the failure to display their VAT number.

And there are some worrying things which suggest their site may be a copy-and-paste job:
Depending on the product type, you can make free returns of slrwarehouse.co.uk orders via our shops, Royal Mail or DHL. If you want to return items you’ve bought in store, please take them back to our shops.
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An item must be returned with all the original accessories and components. Proof of purchase in the form of a WLC invoice must be provided.
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There are also lots of inconsistencies in information which is reproduced multiple times on their site (eg opening hours, returns policy, delivery policy, etc) which again suggest a copy-and-paste approach.

I would treat with extreme caution.
 
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And the Twitter/Facebook icons at the bottom of the screen are simply links to the mentioned sites, not to their online accounts
 
Thanks once again @StewartR, @Ady N and @badlywornroy for taking a look and confirming what I had observed. There are indeed several things wrong that led me to suspect this may be a scam that would be catching those less aware out and harming their pockets. Exactly why I wanted to bring this to others attention. That said if it was genuine then WOW............

I have not had a response to my email to them requesting their company number, VAT details and why PayPal is accepted but the payment section does not link to them. On trying their phone number today the line simply rings and goes dead. Last night it did put up a message stating that their customer services were closed for the day. All looks OK on the surface but clearly, as usual, too good to be true.

Last week whilst looking on Amazon I came across a similar scenario where a temporary listing for the lens I am seeking was advertised. I did some background checks and overnight the entry disappeared as quickly as it came. That listing had asked the buyer to make contact directly. Out of curiosity I asked for their company details as they claimed the lens was new unused and could not be listed as such on Amazon !! They did not answer my many questions including where they were located but they simply kept asking for my name, address, phone number etc so they could contact Amazon who in turn would come back to me with a request for payment. Interestingly the price for the lens was the same as this site is asking for. Clearly proving dodgy I contacted Amazon who are now investigating this scam.

I put this up on the forum to make people aware of this so hopefully they will not get caught out by following through a link shown on Ebay as an external re-seller to a site that 'looks OK' but is full of errors and anomalies.

Hope this helps others be a little cautious about similar looking sites and think before entering credit card details as a few simple checks makes all the difference.
 
An update :

My natural curiosity meant I could not help myself so I tried the phone again and I actually got through this afternoon. The lady who answered sounded a bit short and there were definitely sounds of children and a household in the background - if the manner of her responses were anything to go by then you can definitely kiss customer services out the window.

I explained that I was concerned about the manner in which they were trading and the lack of legal requirements on their website among other things to which she simply responded that 'they had not received any complaints so far' and therefore I should email my concerns in.It seemed she did not like to answer my questions. She also said that if I was that bothered I could pay by PayPal but when I mentioned there was no means to do this via secure link she claims she did not know how to do this and to mention this in my email as she did not understand what I meant. I also asked if the item could be collected as I do not live too far away to which I was told it was an online service only. I explained I had already written in to query these things using the on site form but not had any response at which point she hung up.

Just for my own curiosity I have fired off another email to the address on the top of the site (which is not linked anyway) to ask again for their company registration and VAT details but I am not holding my breath that any response will be forthcoming. Given it states their customer services team monitor emails until 10pm I optimistically anticipated a response ( said with tongue in cheek) :LOL::LOL::LOL:

As mentioned in previous posts if making others aware means someone else does not get their fingers burnt then this exposure has helped and if it is a scam then hopefully they will be shut down soon.
 
Their returns policy is this: (copied from their web sight)

Refund Policy

We want you to be happy with your purchase. If you’re not, just return the product to us or to one of our shops, following the instructions above, and we’ll exchange or refund it to the credit or debit card of the person who originally placed and paid for the order. Please see below for products excluded from this policy.

Under Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, if you buy online or by phone, your consumer rights entitle you to a full refund if you request one in writing within 14 working days of receipt. This includes any delivery charge, but excludes the products listed as exceptions below.
 
Run Forrest run!!
 
Got to drive down to Pevensey very soon, might go and have a look ;)
 
So if she stated that it was an online service only how are you going to return anything to "one of our shops"?
 
Well spotted. It gets better all the time. How do these people think they can get away it.

I just wonder whether this is worth reporting to trading standards. If it is a legitimate (which is highly unlikely) then I would not want to spoil things over genuine naivety and understanding. This is clearly using Wordpress templates and they may have a lack of coding skills but leaving your customers exposed like this is a definite no no. If @Gremlin passes by before I can and can let us all know that will be useful. Bear in mind they do not provide a unit number so it is unlikely they have signage as well.:police:
 
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StewartR said:
Why? It doesn't seem to say anything other than that it is a new website, hosted in the USA. But all businesses, even legitimate ones, had new websites at some point in time; and where things are actually hosted is pretty irrelevant these days.
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It does actually say on the page that being hosted in the USA doesn't mean it's not a UK company.

No unit number for their address and they aren't listed there either so where are their shops ?
Ok I know the site listing occupants may not have been updated yet

The OP states he was told they are online sales only yet the returns policy clearly states

Returns Procedure
Depending on the product type, you can make free returns of slrwarehouse.co.uk orders via our shops, Royal Mail or DHL. If you want to return items you’ve bought in store, please take them back to our shops.
For faulty electrical products, please contact our Customer Support Team on 01323 800 224 (or email support@sussexcameras.co.uk) from 8am – 9pm weekdays, 8am – 8pm Saturdays and 10am – 6pm Sundays – calls are charged at a local call rate. Please have your model number to hand when you cal
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That rings alarm bells for a start

I've dealt with Sussex Camera Centre many times in their Chichester shop, no complaints about their service.
As I said I have to go down to Pevensey sometime in the next couple of weeks, still seems they only deal in Canon goods so I won't be buying from them ;)
 
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well given that checkout makes no attempt to protect any of your details (all http) that should be a massive red warning
 
No record of the company on the business park in the contact details either so probably a wasted journey to see if there is anybody connected to the company there

Mountney Bridge Business Park, Westham, BN24 5NH
 
nictry said:
No record of the company on the business park in the contact details either so probably a wasted journey to see if there is anybody connected to the company there

Mountney Bridge Business Park, Westham, BN24 5NH
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That is what I found looking on various sites to try and establish this so thanks for responding. If @Gremlin does venture in then we may know for sure. Thanks for looking as well.

As regards any responses from 'Customer Services' to any questions as per their statement - well so far none forthcoming to my questions posed at the weekend so it says it all really !!!
 
nictry said:
No record of the company on the business park in the contact details either so probably a wasted journey to see if there is anybody connected to the company there

Mountney Bridge Business Park, Westham, BN24 5NH
Click to expand...

I'm heading down to Pevensey hopefully on Monday for another reason so will have a drive round and see what is going on,
might even ask if any of the other businesses have heard of them ;) I'll have a couple of large dogs for protection :D
 
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