Problems with Canon USA Store

[becceric]

Seeing that the Canon USA Store finally has all three items I’ve been wanting to purchase in stock at the same time, last night I finally ordered them. a
After paying through paypal, my sales confirmation then states one of the items was on back order.

Then, I received my sales confirmation email stating that the three item are in stock.

I called the Canon USA store phone number to get an accurate confirmation. Their automated system informed me that all three items are on back order. Following their automated prompt, I requested to speak to a representative. i listened to their hold music for30 minutes when my wife suggested contacting paypal to see if this transaction can be cancelled. It cannot.
I’m now back on hold hell with Canon. While I’ve read some Canon USA Store horror stories on these forums, I had no issues with them in the pre-pandemic past.
Until this week, one of these lenses has not been in stock for over 6 months. Now I’ve got sizable chunk of money tied up in a transaction that I have doubts will be completed this year. I have doubts I’ll even get a live person on the phone.
I feel I have no recourse, and am wondering if any of the forum members have found a solution to any similar experiences.

 

[becceric]

Amazingly enough, after being on hold with Canon for over an hour, a representative answered.
The order has been cancelled, and I’m back to checking B and H, The Canon USA Store, and Canon Price Watch for my items. Maybe just informing the forum members helped bring this to a conclusion.

 

[Loswr]

A couple of times in the past few weeks, the product page for the RF 100-500 has shown in stock, but after adding the lens to the cart it shows up in the cart as backordered.

 

[AlanF]

A couple of times in the past few weeks, the product page for the RF 100-500 has shown in stock, but after adding the lens to the cart it shows up in the cart as backordered.

Clearly another crass policy decision of Canon by making a 100-500mm that no one wants instead of a 200-600mm.

 

[unfocused]

I ordered a refurb RF 70-200 2.8 a little over a week ago. When I've called the Canon service line, they say the order is processing and they will notify me when it ships. They haven't cancelled, so I am just going to wait it out. This lens seems to come in "stock" every few weeks, so I'm guessing they will ship once they get more in.

Never had this kind of delay before, but since I've been waiting almost five months for a 100-500 from B&H, it doesn't surprise me.

I've always wondered about the source of refurbs. I've never purchased a refurb that didn't look pristine and for years I've suspected the most of the refurbs are new items that had packaging damaged during shipment. I've also suspected that Canon pulls new stock at times when they accumulate too many of an item, paints the red dot on the lens mount and declares it "refurbished."

 

[EricN]

I ordered an "in stock" 28-70. After waiting over a week for it to ship, I called. I was told, "it's backordered." I asked to cancel, but the computer wasn't allowing it. I was put on hold and miraculously, they did have one for me after all. It's scheduled to arrive Wednesday.

 

[jprusa]

I tried to order through PayPal and the check out page would not come up, after I tried several times I called Canon and explained the problem ,she was short no help and told mr to call pay PayPal . I looked at best buy and they had what I wanted so I ordered it from their site and used PayPal. I just had to wait a day longer to since I am so close to Canon.At the time B&h didn't have it or I would have used them. I think Canon is having the same problem with employees that all companies are having now.

 

[becceric]

Thanks for all of your replies. I look forward to pandemic related stock issue becoming a thing of thepast.

I had other legitimate minor hurdles during the purchase process also.
Since one of the items was the ef 600mm is lens, the purchase price was a large amount. PayPal added additional steps to protect against fraud. Coincidentally, our PayPal password came up as incorrect and we had to reset it (twice). Additionally our credit union checked the transfer for fraud, so we were hopping back and forth to assure everyone that, yes we are making a large purchase from Canon. We didn't mind the precautions, but to discover the "in stock" lens was not, left a slightly bitter taste. I'm hoping B and H will get one in stock before itis discontinued.

 

[unfocused]

...one of the items was the ef 600mm is lens... I'm hoping B and H will get one in stock before it is discontinued.

Best of luck. Sincerely. Not to be too pessimistic but I see CPW shows it was last in stock 43 weeks ago at B&H and 38 weeks ago at Adorama. I rented this lens about a year and a half ago. It is a fantastic lens.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I've had a couple of items that were not in stock but Canon took the order. I had to wait forever to inquire and then they cancelled my order. Very frustrating. The issue is due to several people trying to buy a few available items and all pushing the buy button at the same time. Good software will not allow this, but Canon has had the issue for years and has not fixed it.

 

[canonmike]

Using CPW notification link to Canon store, on Aug 5, I ordered RF100-500 and received it on Aug 9. Glad to get the lens but very disappointed in Canon, charging a
$15.00 shipping fee on a product sold at MSRP OF $2699.00, whereby they are already enjoying max profit, since there is no dealer participation. I find that to be a little greedy.

 

[AlanF]

Using CPW notification link to Canon store, on Aug 5, I ordered RF100-500 and received it on Aug 9. Glad to get the lens but very disappointed in Canon, charging a
$15.00 shipping fee on a product sold at MSRP OF $2699.00, whereby they are already enjoying max profit, since there is no dealer participation. I find that to be a little greedy.

How awful having having to pay $15 on a $2699. We are so lucky in the UK getting it post free. Mind you, the price here converting £ to $ is $4111 (removing sales tax would be $3425 tax and duty free).

 

[JPAZ]

While these are “problems” that many on the planet could only wish for (no flames, please), here’s the reality of dealing with Canon. Until it ships, you’ll never know if and when your order will arrive. Obviously, I am a fan of the products (I’ve shot Nikon, Olympus and Ricoh over the years) but inventory control, website accuracy, and customer service are often a problem. Despite the amount we pay, dealing with Canon USA is often a challenge. Certainly, the big retailers we all know and use are more reliable but Canon refurbs are, in my opinion, a good option.

Examples abound but I recently “purchased” a refurb lens from the Canon store. It was “in stock” when I did the transaction, “in stock” on my emailed receipt, “in stock” on their website 24 hours later, yet after 8 days is still “processing”. Call wait times are inconsistent with my ability to earn the dollars I spend (can’t be on hold while working) and so I wait.

I’ve learned to never sell a lens I’ll be replacing with a new one from the Canon store until that lens arrives. Otherwise, I’ll be missing a part of my lens arsenal for who knows how long.

Again, given ongoing events on our planet, this is not a major issue, but it is annoying.

 

[EricN]

How awful having having to pay $15 on a $2699. We are so lucky in the UK getting it post free. Mind you, the price here converting £ to $ is $4111 (removing sales tax would be $3425 tax and duty free).

I got curious and visited the UK site. RF 85 F1.2l USM DS costs an extra $1,500! It'd be cheaper to fly to the US, buy it and fly back

 

[unfocused]

I got curious and visited the UK site. RF 85 F1.2l USM DS costs an extra $1,500! It'd be cheaper to fly to the US, buy it and fly back

I have a standing offer to overseas forum readers. Ship the item to me and for the price of a round-trip plane ticket I'll deliver it in person. I will even test it out for you to make sure it is in good working order.

 

[becceric]

Update: Today CPW states that the Canon USA store has 17 of the 600mm lens in stock. The Canon USA store website also flipped between “in stock” and “on back order” during the afternoon.
I called them up for confirmation. After about 40 minutes on hold, the polite Canon representative stated they were having a bit of a lag getting stock information, but she eventually confirmed that the lens is still on back order. She also recommended checking back every week or two. My search continues...

 

[unfocused]

I ordered a refurb RF 70-200 2.8 a little over a week ago. When I've called the Canon service line, they say the order is processing and they will notify me when it ships. They haven't cancelled, so I am just going to wait it out...

UPDATE: After calling the automated line several times and always being told it was processing, I decided to try for a live person yesterday. When she looked up my order, she said that for some reason a "hold" had been placed on it and she removed the hold and the lens would now ship. I have no idea what that meant, buy my suspicion is it meant, "we screwed up." I suspect it might mean, "we pulled a lens out of our new inventory, took it out of the box and painted a red dot on it."

 

[becceric]

UPDATE: After calling the automated line several times and always being told it was processing, I decided to try for a live person yesterday. When she looked up my order, she said that for some reason a "hold" had been placed on it and she removed the hold and the lens would now ship. I have no idea what that meant, buy my suspicion is it meant, "we screwed up." I suspect it might mean, "we pulled a lens out of our new inventory, took it out of the box and painted a red dot on it."

I’m sorry you’ve had that experience. I’ve been speaking with Canon USA regularly this past week. The on hold times have varied quite a bit. The associates have varied a bit also. Ultimately the most frank associate informed me that two of the three items I am interested in are either out of stock, or very low, and I may only get a tele converter. of course there is no point in getting that without the other lenses.
Because of this, I haven’t pulled the trigger. I may skip the refurb lens and spend more for a new one. This will at least get me two of the three. I can keep the 600mm on the order thus putting me officially on the waiting list.

 

[unfocused]

I’m sorry you’ve had that experience. I’ve been speaking with Canon USA regularly this past week. The on hold times have varied quite a bit. The associates have varied a bit also. Ultimately the most frank associate informed me that two of the three items I am interested in are either out of stock, or very low, and I may only get a tele converter. of course there is no point in getting that without the other lenses.
Because of this, I haven’t pulled the trigger. I may skip the refurb lens and spend more for a new one. This will at least get me two of the three. I can keep the 600mm on the order thus putting me officially on the waiting list.

Don't feel sorry for me. I was in no hurry for the 70-200, as I don't intend to use it much until the R3 is released and delivered. I have the EF III version and am really only interested in the RF version to save weight and space in my bag. Whenever it arrives will be just fine.

 

[SteveC]

Don't feel sorry for me. I was in no hurry for the 70-200, as I don't intend to use it much until the R3 is released and delivered. I have the EF III version and am really only interested in the RF version to save weight and space in my bag. Whenever it arrives will be just fine.

I would almost bet money that if you had not called, it would have sat on hold forever.

I had a similar experience. I had ordered something through the refurb system, it was immediately backordered, and once it was back in stock they boxed it up and it sat on their loading dock for three weeks because the software didn't release it. A call to a human being was needed to get it unstuck.