Sony NAB Rebate Rip Off

[Scot Lenter]

Daniel,
I have much experience with the HVL-LBP on-camera light and it is heads above the Varizoom or any other light I have ever used. you will not be dissapointed.

And those of you who are upset should not be upset with Sony. Sony makes it very clear that these are the only products that you get with the rebate. Be upset with your dealer for not being clear with you. When I sell the EX systems I make sure to show everyone that these are the products to choose from on the Sonystyle site.

Scot Lenter
Midtown Video
Miami, Florida
Service Manager
Rental Agent
scot@midtownvideo.com
305-669-1117

[Andrew Putschoegl]

Scot –

Your suggestion of products which can in fact work with the EX1 is great, but I don’t know about not blaming Sony. Three major dealers here in LA – Samy’s, Abel Cine and BandPro – all gave me the same wrong information. From what I understand, even the Sony rep dealing with these thought that EX1 accessories would be added to the site. At the very least, Sony is benefiting from the confusion.

A $500 for the Sony Style site should be a $500 coupon for the Sony Style site! If the coupon is only good for cameras and accessories, it is a $500 coupon for cameras and accessories. And, if the $500 coupon is only good for other cameras (after you have already bought a more expensive one) and their accessories (even though you point out correctly that there are indeed a couple of usable exceptions), it is simply a rip off.

Sony, with a nod and a wink and some fine print and confused dealers, made it sound like a better offer than it is, generated some sales, and is now pointing to the fine print. The credit card company I charged $18K for these cameras to treated me with more honesty – and that’s saying something.

[Scot Lenter]

I agree with you that it is Sony could and should have opened it up to the entire sonystyle site. It is silly that they didn’t.

And those 3 dealers that you named are certainly reputable, big names.

But as a Sony dealer, we were sent literature upon the launch of this program which clearly stated that the rebate was limited to certain items. If a company chose not to educate themselves and pass that info along to the customer, who is at fault?

Scot Lenter
Midtown Video
Miami, Florida
Service Manager
Rental Agent
scot@midtownvideo.com
305-669-1117

[Andrew Putschoegl]

I still think that by calling this rebate an Ecoupon to the Sony Style site, they tried to have it both ways – make it sound generous and enticing to generate sales, but don’t actually deliver any value to the customer. (This is particularly true for the EX1 customers, who don’t even have regular accessories to their cameras included.)

I expect this kind of behavior from all kinds of companies, but I thought Sony would value a better relationship especially with their professional customers. And what difference does it make, if you buy a flat screen or a camera and get $500 off? The whole thing is a little sleazy and, though you caught on early, other reputable dealers did not. I think that miscommunication originated in their questionable marketing.

At fault is the company (Sony!) who can’t communicate clearly to their dealers and represent their true intention to the customer. But then again, I think they didn’t truly want to have their intention known…

If it’s not a coupon to the Sony Style site, just don’t call it that.