ComplaintsforGear Focus

• Initial Complaint

  05/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Purchased an Olympus camera body - it was listed as in Excellent condition in March. When I started using the camera in late April, I noticed that the Olympus was being glitchy - the view-finder would turn off after taking one photo and then the whole camera would turn off. To try to troubleshoot this issue, I purchased a new battery but that didn't fix the issue. The issue also seemed to be intermittent - working and not working on and off at random intervals. I emailed Gear Focus about this issue and Matt *************** replied stating that I should contact the seller directly to figure out a resolution. The seller was unwilling to take the return because of the short return window that Gear Focus allows customers. The seller told me that the camera is new and that I should be covered under warranty - but we all know that if you don't buy from a registered retailer, you cannot register a product for warranty. I tried calling Olympus - no luck. When I called **** to ask about a return, they were extremely rude and dismissive, stating that "it's used gear", meaning *what else do you expect*. At one point, I was trying to get my earphones connected, so once it was connected, I said "can you please repeat that?", and **** suspiciously asked me "Are you recording me? Because if you are, you need to disclose that." It was super strange. No I was not recording that phone call with ****. **** told me to just get it repaired and at one point implied that Gear Focus might cover the repair expenses in an email saying, "Since the return is past the window of return per our terms my hands are a bit tied here. I suggest you take the camera for repair and let's see what the costs are to fix. This is the best solution at this point." I replied with the repair cost quoted to me by Olympus repair shop but I received no reply.

  Business response

  06/03/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2022/05/18) */ ***Document Attached*** We have been in contact with the customer and went above and beyond our terms and conditions to offer to personally cover the costs of the repair after they receive the unit back from Olympus. See email chain attached. Consumer Response /* (3000, 11, 2022/05/19) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The business has not explicitly agreed to pay the cost of repair unless I drop the credit card dispute and the BBB complaint. However, I need the business to refund me the repair charges before I mark the BBB complaint as resolved and drop the credit card dispute. Most recent email from **** ***** attached. Consumer Response /* (2000, 15, 2022/05/31) */ ***Document Attached*** My credit card company credited me the full amount instead of just the repair cost. Gear Focus has charged my card the remaining amount (full amount minus repair cost), so I will resolve this complaint at this time.

• Initial Complaint

  11/14/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  The photo lens I bought from Gear Focus was advertised "Like New". Here is an active, for now, link with the condition described as "Used - Like New": https://www.gearfocus.com/products/used-*******-85mm-f14-for-sony-fe-mount-w-original-box-6923 In fact, there are multiple, small chips on the front surface of the front element, visible with an inspection microscope or a 20x magnifier. The size of the chips varies from several to about 20 microns each; they are all deeper than the coating, and spread over most of the front element. The overall number of the chips is on the order of a hundred. The seller Gear Focus refused to consider return/ refund because that would be past their return time allowance (5 days) - despite the fact that there was a considerable misrepresentation of the product condition. Their representative was very rude speaking on the phone, particularly claiming that all that was somehow my fault, that I was wasting his time, then went on swearing using "f..." words and other derogatory terms before hanging up. For this reason, I will appreciate your support coordinating the return and refund of the lens. I have taken an image with an inspection microscope camera (magnified) and will try to attach it for a reference. The light dots in the image are the chips that I have described here. The small fraction of the front element surface in the image shows over 15 chips. Their total amount on the whole surface of the lens front element is likely several hundred. They go much deeper beyond the glass coating. I would not speculate what caused this obvious defect of the lens surface. It must have been some post production (post anti-reflective coating) abuse of the lens. The condition of the lens is far from "like new".

  Business response

  02/08/2022

  Consumer Response /* (2000, 16, 2022/01/10) */ The case has been resolved with the full refund through the credit card company. Thank you for your help in the process.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩