Beware of Canon Europe web store - it might take your money without registering the order

[LDS]

Today I bought a lens on Canon Italy web store - which it looks to be just part of Canon Europe store. Or better, I tried. All went well until I sent the payment data and confirmed the payment via credit card... then I got a blank page, and the order was not registered - nor I got any email about it. No error. Just a link delivering a blank page. But the payment went through since I got a message from my bank that the payment was approved and the sum appears as booked in my bank account.

A call to the Canon support line didn't help much - the person that answered was kind and performed all the checks he could - but it didn't find the order nor could release the sum, since there was no order. They should get back to me, but I didn't hear anyone yet. Now I have no order, and a blocked sum - and I'm hesitant to place another until I know if and when my money will be released.

I wonder how it is possible in 2022 to code an application with such bugs - two phase commits have been standard practices for years. Amazon may not be a nice company, but I never saw issues of such magnitude.

Beware, if you buy form Canon Europe web store - there could be a nasty bug lurking behind.

 

[LDS]

I don't know who built that Canon Store but I hope they are going to fix it - with better developers. I sent them the data I had to help them fix it.

I got my money back today after a long discussion over the phone - because previously the line was "don't worry, if the order didn't go through you will get your money back in a few days" - but that was not acceptable, since I had only their word for it, I never got an error message or anything else from Canon. Those money could have been withdrawn anyway and I would have need to enter a long process to get them back.

Still I lost the order, and that lens is now difficult to find.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

The Canon web store is full of bugs. I'm almost afraid to use it. I've placed orders which indicated as back ordered and they took my credit card and did an authorization to my card account. (that's not an actual charge). After waiting weeks, I contacted them, and they said it was impossible because they don't backorder things and they don't process the charge until the item is shipped). They found and removed the order. It was for a EF to RF adapter that was very hard to find. Eventually, I managed to get a refurbished one at a nice discount.

 

[neuroanatomist]

It was for a EF to RF adapter that was very hard to find. Eventually, I managed to get a refurbished one at a nice discount.

I recall that period. I wanted the drop-in adapter then. The ND and CPL filters were available, but the adapter itself was not. I ran across the ND version in stock at Red, which in retrospect made sense.

 

[breek]

Bad experience for me too.
Two orders deleted by canon for "security reasons" (everything was ok for my bank but Canon store refused to give more details).
Moreover if you try to enter your tax code ("codice fiscale" in Italy) in lowercase the site says you entered wrong characters. At least in italy, all the sites accept it in lower and uppercase so it's not easy to understand what is wrong with the code you entered on canon store.

 

[Del Paso]

I had lots of troubles when I tried to buy a lens (RF 24-105) in Italy. They wanted my codice fiscale, which, as a Frenchman, I obviously didn't have.
Eventually, the salesman entered "00000" and it worked.
After Canon's cashback, this brand-new lens cost me Euro-$760...
The same lens in France now costs approximately Euro 1450

 

[LDS]

Episode 2: the lens became available again. Attempted to buy it using credit cards, it didn't accept four cards, two "virtual ones" (issued by my bank - one of the largest in Italy - especially for on-line purchases) and two physical ones, each two pairs VISA and Mastercard - at the beginning of the month with both cards with the full amount available (and no funds problem in the bank account). Eventually, I tried to load one of the virtual cards on PayPal... and using it the purchase went through, incredibly. To their credits after you spend an incredible amount of time for the purchase, shipping is very fast, UPS has already the lens shipping (guess they handle Canon EU Store warehouse). Well, at least it will come in time - I'll spend six weeks abroad for work from January... and there will also be time for photos. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everybody - and hope Canon EU gets a better payment system as a gift...

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

In the US, Canon never charges your card until it ships. They do a test charge, and it shows as pending but does not actually go thru until the item ships. On the other hand, PayPal charges go thru immediately, so you pay before the item ships. Thats a good reason to avoid PayPal if inventory or shipping is in doubt.

I'm glad its finally on the way. I've had issues with the Canon store having phantom stock, taking my order, but never shipping. I was never actually charged, but It showed as backordered. Canon does not backorder items so that was another store error.

 

[kaihp]

Thats a good reason to avoid PayPal if inventory or shipping is in doubt.

Also, never ever use Paypal to do currency exchange. They charge an obscene amount of money for that. You (or at least I) are much much better off at letting your CC issuer handle the conversion.