Making Your Purchase
The time has finally come. You've done the research. You've price and comparison shopped, and you're ready to buy the camera of your dreams.
If this is your first camera purchase, think seriously about buying from the camera store with the friendly sales staff that gave you so much assistance when you were merely looking. You'll most likely pay more than you would through other sources, but the level of assistance and attention you'll get may well be worth it. They'll also be a good information source to tap in the future when you have further questions about how to use your camera, what accessories are essential, and what can wait.
Both online and mail-order sellers often offer better prices than your local brick-and-mortar camera shops, but they can be frustrating to deal with. If you're not comfortable buying through a website, most online sites have 800 numbers through which you can place an order. Be prepared to be assertive about what you want. Some companies, and some sales staff, have honed their pushy sales techniques into a fine art, resulting in customers who end up with equipment they didn't really want but got talked into buying anyway.
If you have to choose between putting money into a good lens or a good camera body, always choose the lens. The lens is the most important part of your camera. When you can afford it, move up to a better camera body and keep the old 35mm body as a backup.
Here are some other possible issues to be aware of when buying online:
Bait-and-switch. Sorry, they're out of the equipment you want, but they're more than willing to sell you something comparable — at a higher price. Say “No thanks” and try another site.
Restocking fees. If you don't like the equipment, you can send it back, but they'll charge you for putting it back into their inventory systems.
Differences in prices quoted live and on the website. What you see on the site and what you're told on the phone should always match, unless there's a special promotion going on that hasn't been added to the site. In that case, you should be offered a lower price or special deal. Shipping costs quoted online and by sales staff should also match. Print out the page with the information about the camera you are purchasing and have it in front of you when placing the order. Always get the name of your salesperson and make a note of it.
If you're going to buy online, stick with one of the well-known camera retail stores as opposed to some fly-by-night company. Go to one of the business rating sites on the web and check the seller's customer satisfaction rating. If there are customer reviews of the store, read them.
