Buying in small stores - should I expect there to be a catch?

Hi,

What is the view on buying photo equipment from small "shady" stores?
Should I not trust prices lower than on Ebay and Internet retailers
and expect to be cheated?

Any stories to share?

Best regards,
Juris.

P.S. I've just been offered (for example) Canon 300D for $499 In San
Francisco Chinatown. Really sounded too good to be true, so I passed,
but he had it on stock...

 

If it is in stock and you are buying it in person, I would think you'd
mostly need to be aware of what items come standard in the box, how to
identify its warranty as being US, and confirming that the dealer is an
authorized dealer so that the mfg will honor the warranty. Oh yes, and make
sure the item is new! I would imagine that some good deals only mean the
dealer needs the cash flow...especially in this economy.

 

I think Juu should slap a big wad of vasoline on his behind and bend over.

Cause if he thinks he's gonna get a $900 camera for $500 he's gonna get a
BIG surprise.

 

Ah hell. Against everyone elses oppionion and good sense, I will ask the
question: what store?

Rob.

 

Thank you for your extremely insightful comment. Would you care to
elaborate? Or actually reading what I wrote?

 

Grant Cameras and Electronics, 808 Grant Ave.

Camera Expres at 621 Grant Ave. claimed it for $600.

Let me know if you decide to buy it and how it goes, OK?

 

If you must, join a masochist club and it will be a little less painful...

 

Stupid questions trigger answers ranging from harmless humor
to "smart-ass-ness", it's a fact of life.

The usual common sense (as in "if it's too good to be true...")
also applies to photography.

 

Well, George was the only one to actually provide some useful
information.

You instead are trying to prove by assertion that one's going to get
ripped off "because it's obvious". It was also obvious the Earth is
flat.

If they were instead selling at $700 would that then not be "too good
to be true" and thus not a (presumable) con?