written by Andy_Nicholls on 24/12/2018
Absolutely disgusted with the poor service received from this ‘Poundland’ company. You know that moment when you give your business to a smaller company and wonder why you did it? Yes it was cheaper, although not the cheapest online. Poor communication, I had to chase for a delivery date. I was told the date would be today (December 24th) and surprise it didn’t turn up. Again after made contact for tracking details I was told by the Sales Manager that ‘Unfortunately we have had a further delay with your order which we are now unable to deliver until the 31st. We apologise for the inconvenience this will cause ‘ Further delay? I didn’t realise there had been any delay, but that’s down to the fact that this company don’t let you know anything about your order. My son will have a wonderful day tomorrow thank you ‘Pro??’ Camera. Avoid at all costs, a bedroom business such as this deserves to die. As an addition my TrustPilot review has been put on hold by Pro-farce telling me I left the order too late and would never receive it before Xmas. Really? Strange I have an email from them saying the package would be delivered beforehand? Check companies house and look at the year end accounts, bedsit business.
written by Ghazalas on 05/11/2014
I can't find any contact details of you and your phone number I have got doesn't work, please I need help
written by on 01/09/2013
I saw a Sony SLT A77 camera body for sale here at just over £623. I read the reviews and decided to go ahead. I did not like the idea of creating a "Google wallet" to pay them, and neither did my bank. Santander, my bank, suspected fraud and refused to let them have the money from my debit card. So I had to ring the bank and sort it all out. What is wrong with a normal Debit card payment? Two days later I phoned Procamerashop to check that my order was going through, and yes, I was told.....my camera would soon be on its way to me. In the afternoon of the next day, I decided to check this "Google wallet affair" only to find out that my order had been cancelled without my knowledge. I rang the company who mumbled about debit cards and a problem at the warehouse, and NO I was not going to get my camera, not at the original price, at a new price over £100 more !!! Now they had 3 cameras available when I ordered and now showed 5 in stock at a new price. This stinks of sharp practice. The matter is now in the hands of The Office of Fair Trading. I urge you not to trust this company.
written by on 31/08/2013
I had done a lot of on line research before deciding I could trust ProCameraShop and so I placed my order for a Panasonic/Leica 25mm, 1.4 lens with them. Their price was among the best around and I knew this was a HK business, which didn't bother me because their customer satisfaction ratings seemed good. Looking back I'm surprised they did. My lens was paid for by bank transfer and was supposed to be shipped right after bank holiday when I got a phone call from the 'shop' telling me about some security issue with their warehouse which meant I wouldn't be able to receive my order for at least 2-3 weeks. Before I could say anything I was told I could have my money back the same day, I just need to say so. Though I didn't believe the guy's story for one moment, I accepted the refund and emailed them my bank details. Then I checked their website and found that my lens was still advertised as 'in stock' only its price was now £50 higher than what I had already paid for it. When I emailed the 'shop' mentioning this circumstance the guy told me the price increase was there to deter any new orders (sic) until they worked frantically to resolve the 'security issue'. No mention of any problem with the warehouse, security or otherwise, on the website itself. It was obvious they now thought the price was too good and were forcing me to cancel my order using the story about delay to scare me off. The email I got from them in response to my complaint was very apologetic. However, the question I asked them: would you honor my original order if I chose to reinstate it, once your warehouse issue is resolved?, was, of course, left unanswered.
Written on: 04/09/2013
The Procamerashop.co.uk website has now been down for over 4 days. Think yourself lucky to have got your money back. Personally, I would be very reluctant to use them again in future even if they do resurface.
Written on: 24/12/2018
Bedsit business, avoid.
written by on 27/08/2013
I placed an order at the weekend for a Canon EOS 60D Digital SLR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Kit at £504.99, great price I was happy. Today I come home from work to an email stating they have problems with their warehouse and that they have no idea when these will be resolved so have cancelled my order. Odd I think so check the website again and the price of this product has magically risen to £580.99. This does not seem to be a very reputable company and I certainly would not recommend using them after this experience.
Written on: 27/08/2013
This Hong Kong supplier doesn't have a warehouse (certainly not in the UK) Their phone/orderline is a serviced/virtual office in Cumbria.
They import grey market goods to a middleman/distributor in Crawley.
It seems that if the goods advertised aren't already in the UK, prices are higher. Once they are, prices then lower.
There are also possible issues with some goods, re import taxes & VAT. The buyer COULD be asked to pay HMRC any duty due.
written by WilliamMills on 23/07/2013
I bought a Panasonic LX7 from them. I was suspicious that there was no VAT invoice and the packaging had a Hong Kong address. After three months the camera went wrong. Procamerashop told me to send it to DK Audio Ltd, a Panasonic repair firm who asked for a similar sum to the purchase price claiming the warranty didn't apply to non EU cameras. Panasonic should not be supplying them. The only recourse is to ask one's credit card company to reclaim the money and write to your local MP calling for tougher enforcement of the trading laws. I was left without a camera.
Written on: 24/07/2013
Sorry to hear about your experience, but it isn't an isolated incident.
Your review (& my comment) will no doubt disappear soon, like many others, when this Hong Kong seller sees it. They don't like criticism of any kind, especially the unhappy customers.
written by on 11/05/2013
Useless. 9 days after ordering from Procamerashop.co.uk, the camera that was supposedly "in stock" was still not dispatched, just a bunch of emails saying your order has been successfully matched with whatever paperwork, and is now being passed to our shipping department where it will then be readied for dispatch...JUST SHIP THE DAMN CAMERA!! Easy enough, surely, unless, of course, the lengthy bureaucratic process is just a stalling tactic until the stock arrives. I received messages telling me quite different things about the status of my order, quoting different order numbers and then was finally told that there had been a problem and that what they thought was in stock, wasn't. Totally usesless at managing customer expectations about the process, the stock and the delivery time - and given they're registered in Hong Kong, there's a high likelihood they trade in grey imports, just FYI. I cancelled my order and will not be going back. LCE - although more expensive - got the same camera out of the door the same day, for next day delivery. No stupid emails, no need for multiple phone calls, no tactical stalling.
Written on: 11/05/2013
They are Honk Kong suppliers, NOT uk based.
They supply mainly grey imports, shipped from a middleman/distributor in Crawley.
Your order probably wasn't already `imported` hence the long delay.
They threaten/bully sites (inc on here) & forums to get negative reviews & comments deleted.
Yours will probably disappear soon too, so letting others know of your experience elsewhere could be useful.
written by on 11/03/2013
Buyers Be Ware, There is nothing UK about Pro cameras UK, They have a UK address in Carlisle which if you check on Google maps is a Business Centre where they rent a room. All the stock is shipping within a few days from Hong Kong direct to you and is NOT Official Canon UK Stock and is cheaper simply because it has not had the UK Import Duty and VAT added to the price. As it is coming direct from Hong Kong, you as the buyer are the official importer and are therefore liable for the UK Duties which the Postman may ask from you before you can have the parcel. Admittedly this does not always happen but never the less you have bought an illegally imported product. Your guarantee is from the company you bought it from as long as they are honest enough to cover it. If you were a seller of camera equipment and wanted to make the public believe you were a Genuine UK seller selling Official UK stock what words would you use in your name? maybe words like Pro, And UK? If you really want to save the import taxes and stuff the UK Economy then buy from a company that says its selling Direct from China and they tell you that you maybe liable for the duties and warn you before hand. With the recent collapse of the Jessops Photo Chain and nothing being done to stop gray imports or at least to make sure the import taxes are paid then welcome to the future of no shops and on-line sellers only, Good and Bad.
Written on: 11/03/2013
Well said!
Buyers also need to check their purchases with the manufacture too.
Use the phone to ring their number & register the product (rather than just registering on line, which doesn't pick up any anomilies) to check the product is actually new & un used.
Check all serial numbers against exif data to make sure they aren't fake.
Warranties on `grey` products from Asia will not be honored by manufacturers!
written by Ebzycik on 16/11/2012
I made an order for the Nikon D5100 on Saturday 10th Nov 2012. I received a confirmation email to state the item would be dispatched within 1-2 days of the email. They are closed on weekends so wasnt expecting an email until Monday. On Monday, I received nothing. On Tuesday, I received nothing. I called them late afternoon and was told that I should receive a dispatch notice that evening. No email came. On Wednesday they charged my card. But still no dispatch email. On Thursday, STILL nothing. So I called again, and happened to speak to the same guy, 'Chris' as I did on Tuesday. Again, he told me to wait until the evening and it 'slipped' from Tuesday's batch to Wednesday's and then to Thursday's!! By this time I had read many reviews that Procamerashop was selling international exports and non-Uk based products. I asked chris if ths was correct and he CONFIRMED that they were grey exports!!!!! Don't be fooled by the website. Don't buy from them. In the end I cancelled and I'm hoping to get my refund!!!! Found yesterday that Currys is selling a LEGITIMATE version of the product for £449 and you can apply for a £55 cashback too. For £40 difference, I wouldn't waste my time or money!!!!!!
Written on: 16/11/2012
I hope you didn't pay by their much advertised/over the top reviews of the 3% extra discount if paying by Bank transfer offer. This is certainly NOT a recommended way to pay! You won't have any legal comeback if there are any problems.
Hope you get it sorted though.
Written on: 19/11/2012
No I didn't, I just paid directly as I've never heard of direct bank transfers online before!
I actually posted a comment regarding my review but it must not have been successful. I actually received a phone call from procamerashop the day I wrote this review. They were very very apologetic, in fact they were so regretful about what had happened that I kind of felt bad for writing the review. Lol.
I tried to erase it but couldn't.
So I kind of forgive them now. I'm sure if I had been given the same treatment by pc world or currys they wouldn't have bothered to even call me let alone apologise!
Also, as a good will gesture, they are sending me a free memory card. Which they didn't have to do. Thought this would be helpful to those who want to buy.
Written on: 16/11/2012
I tried to delete the review, but I must be stupid as I couldn't remove it, so ill comment under it instead lol:
I just received a phone call from procamerashop team following my review.
I did say I was going to erase the review, but I couldnt, so I'm going to accept it as it was meant to be, because I believe that some good has come out of it, so I've forgiven AND forgotten.
(Name removed) was lovely. And he has accepted that there was a customer service issue. I actually wouldn't have minded buying the product after that phone call, whether it was UK based or else, I would have still purchased it had I not bought it somewhere else already. The courtesy call saved the day, because it made up for all the time I was given wrong advice. Currys, Dixons, Jessops wouldn't have cared less, and I suppose companies like Procamerashop deserve to be successful for those reasons. My situation seemed to have been a one-off, and I'm sure the hundreds of reviews online are five star for a reason. I have regained my trust and in future I won't hesitate in buying from procamerashop despite what has happened.
I appreciate your call, procamerashop team!!
written by on 29/10/2012
Go for it if you don't mind grey imports, I don't. Go for it if you need a cheap price. Avoid at all cost if you would need any form of customer service. The "UK" based drones are just that, a false front to make you think you can talk to someone about your order. They have no direct way of contacting their own warehouse even though they claim it is UK based, failed to ship goods after 4 days and could not care less! I have dealt with many Hong Kong based importers but Pro Camera Shop is the worst. I can only assume the many good reviews are based on price and the fact that no customer service was needed.
Written on: 13/11/2012
I purchased from Carlisle unit - no probs, got myself a Canon EOS650 -
Grey imports?
Don't know where you got that from?
Written on: 14/11/2012
Lol Carlisle unit. Good for you.
Written on: 04/01/2013
lol.The only `unit` they have in Carlisle is a rented office space & phone line!
They are based in HK.
Look in their terms & conditions re importing. YOU, as the buyer, are liable to any import duties if caught.
Also check/register any grey imports with the manufacturer. Quite a few have dodgy serial numbers & some aren't even new!
written by on 17/10/2012
Bought a Nikon lens from them and found out that it was imported from china. So no UK warranty!!! If it needs warranty service you have to send it back to them. Customer service are down right rude and don't give a damn about you. Let the buyer beware.
written by on 15/10/2012
sold faulty goods which appeared to be refurbished, camera started on over 1500 accusations, and there was a problem with the processor so lots of images lost or damaged, i contacted them on 2 weeks after purchase and they would not issue a refund, had to go through bank and google checkout and took 3 months for me to get a refund, and even after pro camera shop were trying to charge a 8% repackaging fee so they could then sell the faulty item on again to another customer, this would have been a fair amount (camera was a 5d mk 2 at £1300) i threatened to take legal action and told google and they cleared this charge but said to google when they mentioned it that i was a 'delusional customer' and refused to acknowledge that the camera was faulty not a return, even though they knew this and had been told and shown example images, and been given evidence direct from canon (who i contacted) saying it was faulty and should be returned for a refund, which should be valid for at least a year after purchase. will never use again and never recommend
Written on: 17/10/2012
Another nail in ProCameraShop Coffin.
They tried a similar stunt with me by selling me a 7D body that had FAKE serial numbers stuck on it, different serial numbers also found on the internal PCB and on the packaging. The camera was verified as having fake serial numbers by Canon UK before I returned it.
I was also accused of being "A competitor out to damage the strong online customer feedback" What an absolute cock and bull story.
Look what else they said about me.
"The item had undoubtedly been tampered with, however, we could find no evidence to support the claim that this had taken place prior to delivery to you. No other camera we stock, or previously sold was found to have the same problem as you described"
They are more or less accusing me of tampering with the camera. I have prepared a portfolio of their actions and accusations about me and will be sending it to trading standards and many other official bodies.
If I were you I would keep any and all communication from them or concerning them.
written by sjb80 on 15/10/2012
Not impressed. Purchased a Nikon d5100. Within the first day after receiving the item I contacted ProCameraShop - advising them I was unhappy with the camera as I had a very prominent white hot pixel in the middle of the image sensor - I said I wanted an exchange. The response was that this was not a fault, just manufacturing tolerances and that the camera probably had software to map it out (incorrect - it didn't) or that I should just use some third party software (why should I!!!). A few days later upon using the camera more, I discovered a more serious problem with the camera overexposing massively at high f-stops - this was something I couldn't live with and clearly a fault. I contacted them saying I wanted to return for a full refund. They replied saying they would be able to repair as it was under warranty. I told them I wasn't interested in repair during my first week of ownership - I wanted a REFUND. They replied saying that they had arranged for a new unit to be sent out to me as soon as they had verified the fault. I replied telling them for the THIRD TIME that I wanted a FULL REFUND as was my basic consumer right. I got my refund in the end but it really shouldn't have been so difficult. To add insult to injury they would only refund a maximum of £10 for return postage (who is going to send a large package insured for £400 for £10!) so the experience left me out of pocket by £8 too. It is interesting that there was no warranty card in the camera box either - although the company is .co.uk I have read a couple of posts since saying they are actually registered in Hong Kong and doing grey imports. I can't confirm this, but it would certainly explain a few things...
written by on 23/08/2012
Bought a lumix gx1 that was a great price, had an issue with the camera and was told to deal directly with Panasonic uk for the warranty and not pro amera shop. Its been an absolute pain and costing me more and more money and pro camera shop has not been very good service at all. I know hight street and real uk dealer are a tad more expensive but you can't beat the fact if you have an issue that you can just walk into a retailer and get propper support. My issue is ongoing and looks like I may have to take it to small claims court due to the total lack of propper customer service and understanding of the "sale of goods act". I know this sounds a real rant but I did have my suspicions prior to my purchase but was told that my warranty was supplied by them and made to feel at ease about the purchase and after sales support. Not to say that the camera avived 3 days late. Never again!
written by ReportedtoTradingStandards on 16/08/2012
`pro`camerashop are not what i'd call a legitimate UK company. They have an office/phone line in Cumbria, but are based in Kowloon. They are grey importers. They remove the warranty card from products (cameras & lenses) & are not official dealers. In fact purchasing from them could land you in trouble with the revenue. Also, if you have a warranty issue/claim on your product THEY will repair it & the manufacturer won't recognise this repair & you could finish up well out of pocket. BUYERS BEWARE!
Written on: 22/08/2012
I am surprised that you would not expect their products to be imports given the price the charge.
I am astonished that you say one star for customer service. I spoke with a very polite and helpful Englishman who answered all of my questions; their email response was fast; they confirmed my payment then confirmed despatch. All very courteous and efficient.
You are wrong to say they will repair it. I asked them and while, yes, they provide their own warranty, they get repairs done by Colchester Camera Repairs which is an authorised Canon repair facility. Therefore I think you are wrong to say the manufacturer won't recognise this repair,
Written on: 24/08/2012
Exfordy, i'm glad you are satisfied, but can only pass on my experience.
I was not aware their products were grey imports, they don't tell you up front.
I can only pass on the information I received from Conon UK.
If you don't believe me about warranties, check with the manufacturer yourself.
Also check any serial numbers on supplied products with manufacturer, or exif data on cameras. Trading standards are very aware of this company & it's tactics.
`Customer service' are salespeople. Hopefully you won't need to try to deal with them if you have a problem.
I am also very suspicious of the many regular positive reviews that appear, especially after negative comments. Hmmmm.
written by weelybin on 29/06/2012
I purchased a Canon 5D mkii off them brand new.The package had already been opened and the camera had a fault. They choose to ignore emails. Office is a Virtual Office and products are from Singapore. One star is too much Be warned
written by Tinkerbell82 on 01/06/2012
I recently bought a Canon 5D mk2 from ProCameraShop and received the camera safely and in good time. However, the camera was faulty and was not focusing correctly. I contacted procamerashop to exchange the camera and enquired where their stock was fom. In an email they stated that they could not tell me where the stock came from and if I wanted to exchange for a UK grade model I would have to pay an additional £250! No mention of 2 different stock grades on the website. They asked me to return the faulty camera fully insured (£24.50) by special delivery. They have now claimed the camera is not faulty and refuse to reimburse my postage. Totally disgusted with this company - I would suggest you avoid and go elsewhere!
written by EpoleChias on 14/05/2012
so slow to dispatch the paid-for goods, i could have walked to pick them up. Ordered on Thursday be lucky to get it within the week, they just enjoy mucking about administratively. As to price they are only average there are cheaper out there
written by on 17/04/2012
I bought a Sigma 17-70mm lens which arrived with a severe focussing fault - the lens would not focus correctly, the motor whirred and tried to focus but under many different light conditions it would not focus correcltly. It took two weeks before I was in possession of a replacement lens which was also faulty. I used it on a job (I have been a professional photographer for nearly 30 years) and it was very noticeably soft on the left (but not right) edge of all images when at wide to medium focal length. I carried out a lens test when I realised the fault but ProCamera Shop said it was 'within tolerances'. I contacted Sigma UK who informed me that they would not personally examine the lens because,according to their records at hand, Pro Camera Shop were not an approved importer and that they, Sigma UK, would not guarantee the lens that I had bought. I have just received a full refund from Pro Camera Shop but this whole process has taken well over 4 weeks.
written by sarahthevet on 07/01/2012
Be aware before you buy from this company that they sell grey imports - this is not clear anywhere. It means that the normally fantastic warranty of for example Nikon is not valid; according to their website you get a 12month warranty with them. I wish I had known about this before I bought from them so BUYERS BEWARE! I am contacting them for a full refund - I will write another review when I have to let you know how it went and how their customer services are.
Once we've checked over your question we will put it live on the site and our strong community of experts will hopefully give you some great answers that you find useful.
We will email you when the question is on the site
Once we've checked over your answer we will put it live on the site so others can gain from your experience. We rely on members like you to sustain our vibrant community so thanks again, we couldn't do it without you.
We will email your when your answer is on the site
As rated by our community of reviewers
Andy_Nicholls's Comment
Written on: 24/12/2018
They are useless, check companies house. Bedsit business, avoid at all costs.