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Do NOT use Sony Style for new purchases!

fotografz

Well-known member
My recent simple return of a severely back-focusing 24/2 AF lens just purchased new from Sony Style has turned into a 2 day long still unresolved saga involving repeated sharing of information with 8 different "associates" in 4 different departments who are polite morons confused by their own system.

Each time you are shuttled to yet another person where you have to go through a long list of "Press one for", Press two for:, then listen to their shyty music for 10 minutes ... then repeat everything you just told the other person ... who then sends you off to another department where you start all over.

This is accompanied by a virtual blizzard of e-mails that go in an unending circle ...

and I STILL have not been able to get the replacement lens sent.

Better to buy from a rep here, or B&H.

Just sayin'

-Marc
 

kitsVA

New member
My recent simple return of a severely back-focusing 24/2 AF lens just purchased new from Sony Style has turned into a 2 day long still unresolved saga involving repeated sharing of information with 8 different "associates" in 4 different departments who are polite morons confused by their own system.

Each time you are shuttled to yet another person where you have to go through a long list of "Press one for", Press two for:, then listen to their shyty music for 10 minutes ... then repeat everything you just told the other person ... who then sends you off to another department where you start all over.

This is accompanied by a virtual blizzard of e-mails that go in an unending circle ...

and I STILL have not been able to get the replacement lens sent.

Better to buy from a rep here, or B&H.

Just sayin'

-Marc
Returning anything to sonystyle.com is a nightmare. Couple of times I didn't even get refund after a month. They ask for tracking numbers, etc, etc to issue refund and the guys seem to be somewhere near texas border and can't even speak english properly. I used to order from them as my friend who works at Sony gets discounts. So, I just learned to sell it on ebay if I ever need to return anything to them even if I am going to lose some monney.
 

tom in mpls

Active member
I have had only one experience eth them. I ordered an A55 then bought one locally. Sony shipped the same day; I was unable to stop it in time. When it arrived I was promptly provided with an RMA and instructions. Less than a week later I had a complete refund on my credit card INCLUDING the extra fee I had paid for expedited shipping. I did not expect a refund for the shipping charge. So my experience was a good one. I am sorry it has not been the same for others.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
I have a history with dealing with Sony - it's not pleasant to say the least. That being said I agree with buying all products from a reputable dealer when you're able to.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Still not resolved ... talked to 3 more people, none of which knew their butt from a hole in the ground ... totally clueless unless it followed a preset path ... a path that goes nowhere ... so you get to start all over ... again.

Last person wasn't even polite ... even though I took the "honey is better than vinegar" approach ... off to limbo ... again.

Grrrrr.
 

picman

Member
Still not resolved ... talked to 3 more people, none of which knew their butt from a hole in the ground ... totally clueless unless it followed a preset path ... a path that goes nowhere ... so you get to start all over ... again.

Last person wasn't even polite ... even though I took the "honey is better than vinegar" approach ... off to limbo ... again.

Grrrrr.
Isn't there a new site from Sony (replacing backstage) with a (minimal) presence of people from Sony? Maybe it is worthwhile to post there. I think everyone having problems should do that. But I do not remember where that new site is, sorry
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Semi-Final chapter in this many act farce.

Finally initiated the shipping of a replacement after 3 days of round-abouts... only to be informed by e-mail that the lens is on back-order with no projected date for shipping. This despite my having the a Sony associate check that they had the lens in stock before sending for a replacement.

The final chapter will be no lens delivered, with no one knowing what is going, on nor able to do anything if they did know, and meanwhile they have my money.

Never again.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Sorry to hear the long story.
Why can't you ask for the money instead? It will be a long wait.
That is an option of course. If it goes longer than when B&H starts listing as in stock, I will just request a refund ... which will probably take 3 days, 10 phone calls, and 20 e-mails ... then wait two months for the credit to be applied.

However, B&H currently indicates it won't be available until Nov. ... when in Nov. who knows.

I've gotten a blizzard of private e-mails with similar horror stories about Sony Style ... they just aren't set up to handle picky impatient photographers :ROTFL: who expect service at these substantual prices... more a Mom & Pop operation used to dealing with P&S buyers I think.

-Marc
 

monza

Active member
Marc, I'll check with our Sony rep tomorrow about 24/2 status.

Dealing with Sony isn't fun on the dealer level, either (I have lost several sales when Sony Style had the product two weeks prior to us) but we at least can insulate the customer from these kinds of run-arounds.

Hope your NEX and A55 are working for you. :)

-Robert
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Marc, I'll check with our Sony rep tomorrow about 24/2 status.

Dealing with Sony isn't fun on the dealer level, either (I have lost several sales when Sony Style had the product two weeks prior to us) but we at least can insulate the customer from these kinds of run-arounds.

Hope your NEX and A55 are working for you. :)

-Robert
Thanks Robert. Definitely would have bought from you rather than Sony Style ... but I wanted it for the last wedding of the season. That turned out to be a moot point since the darned thing didn't work anyway.

The A55 and NEX are a hoot. I shot a couple of sweeping panos at the wedding ... but they would have been better using the 24/2 rather than the 50/1.4. My assistant used it more than I did, and got a few nice shots for the client.

Very interested in trying the M Noctilux 0.95 on the NEX, but I have to get an adapter. Live view manual focus may help with that lens.

Here's an A55 & 50/1.4 candid shot done in a crowded kitchen ... note the doggy eyeballing the flower girl's food ... :)

-Marc
 

gsking

New member
I dunno...is there ANY reason to buy from Sonystyle in the first place? I presume you bought it mail order, so you didn't have the benefit of returning to a store? And they have tax in most states, right? We know they don't give better prices than other places...but thanks to SURE...no worse.

Just getting a 5-10% discount on sales tax is enough for me to ignore them for everything except refurbs on sale.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
I dunno...is there ANY reason to buy from Sonystyle in the first place? I presume you bought it mail order, so you didn't have the benefit of returning to a store? And they have tax in most states, right? We know they don't give better prices than other places...but thanks to SURE...no worse.

Just getting a 5-10% discount on sales tax is enough for me to ignore them for everything except refurbs on sale.
Or getting something you need weeks, even months in advance of any retailer.

However, that's not enough of a reason anymore after this experience.

-Marc
 

roweraay

New member
Or getting something you need weeks, even months in advance of any retailer.

However, that's not enough of a reason anymore after this experience.

-Marc
There is a local higher-end retailer here in Minnesota, who get premium Sony equipment ahead of even Sonystyle or B&H. Consistently ! They do have the 24/2 in stock and you may be able to get your lens by contacting them via the number on their website: natcam.com.

They got the A55 in stock when Sonystyle was showing pre-order. The NEX Alpha adapter was simply unavailable elsewhere in the country, when I just walked into their store and got mine. The 35/1.8 was a "pre-order" bird elsewhere in the country, when these guys got theirs. Give them a call to see if they have what you need.
 

tom in mpls

Active member
Yup. After reading another post from you I got my A55 from them. An hour after Sony shipped mine. That's why I had to return to Sony style. I never realized National Camera got stuff so quickly.
 

roweraay

New member
Yup. After reading another post from you I got my A55 from them. An hour after Sony shipped mine. That's why I had to return to Sony style. I never realized National Camera got stuff so quickly.
The surprising thing is that when the entire country (including giants like B&H and even Sonystyle) shows the item as "pre-order", there is a good chance that Natcam would have it in stock. In the past I experienced that with the 70-300G lens when it was originally released, the 16-80ZA when it went on back-order throughout the country, the NEX-to-Alpha adapter weeks before it came into stock in Sonystyle or B&H, the A55 kit almost 2 weeks before it appeared elsewhere, the 35/1.8 when sonystyle was showing a "pre-order" status and so on.

Don't know what channel in the Sony supply chain they are tapping, to get their equipment (sometimes weeks) ahead of everyone else.
 
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