Complain about a product or service

Nikon

Judith of Seattle WA (06/18/08)
The week of 6/9/08, I ordered a cap (from El Sugando's office) to fit over the terminal on the front of my F5. This cap is on the right side facing you and next to the F5 logo. It is probably a 10 cent part; more like a button than anything. The woman who completed this transaction informed me of a $2.80 charge. I thought this was excessive for 10 cents worth of merchandise, but went ahead with the deal. She said I would have the part in 5 days.

Five days came and gone and still no part. Yesterday, I checked my on-line banking statement and Nikon charged me $43.25 for this part. I called them immediately and they told me it was $2.80 plus $3.00 for shipping plus they tack on an extra $40 until the deal is completed. I have never been more outraged and am convinced that this cannot be legal. At the time of this transaction, I had $18 in my checking account so have not been able to buy food. In addition, I was told a week ago, that I would have it in five days. Yesterday, I was told that the order was just placed that day and it would be a week before I received the part.

Rajiv of Juffair, Bahrain (08/28/07)
I bought a Nikon COOLPIX 5800 for a $1000. The Camera in the last 20 months been repaired four times - problems with Flash not working, Display not working, and several streaks on the acquired pictures. Once the Camera was sent to Japan for repairs and it took 2.5 months to come back.

Till Date I have spent $ 400 on repairs alone. And to top it all - what was touted as a great camera at time of sale is now not even being manufactured.

Too much of heart break with NIKON. I would rather stick to SONY or CANON the next time around.

Elizabeth of Marina Del Rey CA (10/10/06)
I am a professional photographer with over 20 years experience and have owned dozens of Nikon products. Over the years I have attempted to take them to the Nikon Facility in Torrance for repairs. Often their repair estimates are double or triple the actual value of the item! One instance I had a mal functioning flash. Nikon estimated the repair to be around $180!! (the value of the flash was approx $100 as a used item), and told me it something inside was damaged and had to be repaired. I refused the estimate and had one of my assistants review the flash. He said all that was bad was the contacts and that everyone knows all you need to do it clean them with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol and a pencil eraser. He did. It took 2 minutes and the flash then worked perfectly. Needless-to-say I felt nikon was simply trying to take advantage of me.

As a result I found a local small repair shop who charged 1/3 the fee for any future repairs. Recently I phoned Nikon tech support for issues I was having with my Nikon film neg scanner, (Nikon coolscan 8000). I was first asked for the serial number and was then informed the scanner was out of the repair warranty. I said I know and from this point I was given the estimate costs breakdowns form out of warrranty repairs. From this point I was given a list of estimate costs ranging from $35 to clean it to $225 maximum for a major repair. I was also told although I was required to pay shipping TO the repair facility in New York,(I am in Caifornia!), that shipping would be paid by Nikon for the return of the item. I spent $80 to have the scanner professionally packed and shipped. 2 weeks later I received an estimate from Nikon of $375!!! ($50 of it was for shippiing!!!). Needless-to-say I was enraged!!

When I phoned Nikon repair in New York they could not explain the charges and simply said someone in customer service gave me the wrong information!! I told them I wrote down everything I was told prior to sending the scanner out and that I would have NEVER agreed to send it knowing it would cost me now $450 to repair something that is now not worth more than $500!!! This situation has happened to me numerous times before and I know of other professionals who have also experienced the same situation with Nikon! When I called to speak with someone at Nikon about my situation and expressed my frustration he simply laughed at me when I said I would file a complaint with Consumer Affairs? I feel Nikon is taking advantage of us consumers, grossly underestimating repair costs and then slamming us with outrageous bills once they have the product in their possession and there is nothing we can do about it! I was lied to about the estimate coersed to send it t the repair facility and now I am stuck. I refuse to pay this estimate and now they refuse to send the product back without my paying the $50 shipping fee!!

My financial livelihood is grossly dependent on my scanner. My scanner provides the ability for me to scan negatives and get them to clients quickly and they pay me for this. Due to this situation Nikon has nopw held my scanner for more than 5 weeks when I was informed it would be fixed and returned within 10 working days! Subsequently I have lost thousands of hundreds(if not thousands of dollars) in potential income. I need to get my scannner fixed and returned back to me ASAP!

Rich of Las Vegas NV (03/11/06)
I brought my camera two years ago and paid $1400.00 for it and $300.00 for an SB80DX Flash. Last year it stopped flashing. I searched the Internet and found hundreds of angry Nikon customers with the same problem! How can Nikon not recognize that there is a manufacturing fault? I think for the almost $2000.00 I spent, I would have a camera that works. I waited a long time to own a Nikon Digital to only be very disappointed with it!

Natalie of Stafford VA (01/30/06)
I was recently given a Nikon 5600 for my birthday in October 2005, and I was so excited to take it on my Christmas vacation. However, on the trip home, I noticed that the LCD screen was distorted and the glass under it looked like it had borken. I was very confused because I had handled it carefully from the day I received it. My brother decided to send it back to have it fixed, and we assumed that since the camera was on a warranty, that Nikon would repair it.

Along with the camera, he sent a letter describing our confusion over the broken screen. He also mentioned that I had handled it with care the whole time I had it. About 2 weeks later, we received a call saying that Nikon couldn't fix the camera because it wasn't an accident. They also said it would cost $170 to repair it, which was way more money than the camera had cost.

My mom recently called them again to demand them to fix it, but all they said was that the break on the LCD screen was probably from the fact that it was in a purse or bag. She responded that I always carry my purse around with care, but all they said was that they couldn't fix it. If they want me to carry it around in a camera case, why don't they just include one with it? I have no clue WHY they can't fix the camera if it's under a freakin WARRANTY.

My mom got so mad at the customer service person, but all he said was that all cameras have sensitive LCD screens. My parents got me that camera because it said right on the box that the camera was very durable. My mom asked him why the camera manual didn't state that the LCD screen was sensitive, and he just said, "I don't know." My mom contuinued to ask for Nikon to fix the screen, but all he said was "Sorry, I can't do that." He didn't give any explanation or refund to me.

Eileen of Caledonia WI (12/21/05)
I sent my Nikon Coolpix P2 camera to them on October 31, it was delivered and signed for by a "R. Hammel" on November 2, 2005. They sent me an estimate for repairs, which was to replace the lens and which I received on November 8th. On that same day, I approved the repair via the internet. From that day on, when checking the repair status, the status read "In the Shop".

With Christmas approaching, about the first week in December, I contacted the service department via their contact source on their web site, asking when I might expect my camera. I received no reply. After about a week I called their 800 number. After waiting on hold and listening to their unsolicited commercials for their products for 20 minutes, I finally hung up. The ironic thing is they tell you for faster service to use their web site.

On December 12th, I again called their 800 number and waited over 20 minutes to finally be connected with someone. The person I talked to was DeeDee. She said she will check into it and call me back that day or the next. When she didn't call by the afternoon of December 13th, I called (and again waited on hold), only to get someone else. When I asked for DeeDee, the woman said she was on another line and would give her the message to call me. She never called back.

On Wednesday, December 14th, I called again, got a guy, got the same on another line story, he would make sure she called back. She didn't. On Thursday, the 15th, I called again (same wait time on hold) and DeeDee answered. I told her I wanted some answers as to the status of my camera and if she couldn't help me I wanted the name of who could. I told her I was concerned as Christmas was only a week away and I thought 2 months was excesssive to fix a camera.

On Friday afternoon she called me back and left a message on my voice mail stating the shop had received the part two days prior, they put a rush on the job and she was upgrading the shipping on the return. Well today is December 21st and in checking their web site to see if the camera is "in transit", it now states "Bill", and my credit card shows they billed me, however it also means it hasn't been shipped yet or their web site would say "In Transit" and I could check the progress. It doesn't look like I will have my camera for Christmas and this is very upsetting.

This company is one of the worst I have ever dealt with in getting service. No matter where you go on their website it takes you back to a dead end with no answers. Also, two months to replace a lens is ridiculous. I will never buy another Nikon product.

Michelle of San Mateo CA (05/16/05)
I was given a CoolPix 2200 digital camera as a gift. We put in the memory card (had to be purchased separately which in itself is STUPID, it's a basic part of a digital camera) and the batteries. Go to take the first photo, nothing. LCD camera is broken.

Ship it back to Nikon (not in the original packaging - at their request - so they must know there is a problem with the packaging), what do I get back?  A quote for $127 to fix the camera.  That's more than the thing cost originally.  After many complaints, they iffer 25% off the cost because apparently the LCD is not covered by the warranty, not that their warranty states that.  The camera is new, yet it is apparently broken because of my misuse.    So, I'm out a camera, have purchased a memory card that is no use in anything else and am faced with paying more for the repair than the original camera cost.

Kelly of Mohegan Lake NY (11/17/04)
I recently was given a Nikon Coolpix 2200 camera for my birthday at the end of September from my parents. I was so excited to receive this gift and could not wait to use it on my upcoming vacation in October. While on vacation, the LCD screen on the camera suddenly broke. I was still able to take pictures, but I was not able to view them correctly from the display screen. Upon returning home, my parents sent the camera to Nikon's service center to have repaired.

The service center replied stating that the LCD screen was not covered under the warranty (the warranty that came with the camera was 180 days) and that it was my fault for the camera breaking. The cost to be repaired, including shipping was $137.48, which is more than the camera itself cost. When my father called the service center, he was told the cause of the LCD panel breaking was the camera either being held in a pocket or a purse. This puzzles me, how else do they think one carries a camera, especially if they are not given a carrying case as part of the original equipment.

 am now out a camera, that I did not even have in my possession for close to a month and the price to fix it is more than the original cost. I do not understand how Nikon can get away with not paying for this, especially if the camera came with a warranty.

Kevin of Bartonsville PA (09/04/04)
Mailed in Rebate at the begining of year. Have not recieved. Called nikon many times, yeilded no results. Emails are yeilding no results. I am unable to get an answer on where my rebate is. the last email I recived was, "we will get back to you within 10 days..." That wass one month ago.

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