Do your research before you buy!

Just a heads up to do your research before buying photography equipment in Phillipsburg. St. Maarten is supposedly a great place to buy duty free photography equipment as well as jewelry. We looked at the Port Shopping Guide that is given out when you get off the ship. Thinking that the stores listed are reputable... we went to Chulani's Photography. I asked for 2 lenses and was quoted what I thought was pretty high. He came down in price and said that this was a really great price. I had not priced the lenses before I left, so I trusted him. NEVER trust their price as being the best without doing your legwork first. I was ripped off!!:( I checked the same lenses online when I got home and could have gotten them shipped to my house and saved $85.

I contacted the folks that promoted the shopping guide and they said, "

Although we regret any inconvenience this incident may have caused, please understand that Chulani Photography is the only one that can make adjustments on the final purchase price . Our cruise line guarantee covers repairs and replacements; however, is not a “lowest price guarantee”.

I still think they should not endorse merchants that "rip off" customers. I've certainly learned a valuable lesson!! :eek:

Free enterprise is alive and well in the islands too. We never buy, even in St Thomas on a whim. This is what happens.:(

We stopped in Chulani when they were new, looking for 2 new Nikon DSLR's. Both my son, and I were looking. I was upgrading my D60, and my son, a professional photographer who uses high-end full frame Nikons at work, knew what we were looking for and what stateside and on-line pricing was, as well as the fact that the specific model we were both interested in was new, not available in stores at home and back-ordered on-line. Chulani gave us a too high price for the camera, and a load of bull about the lens, and also tried telling us that the charger and battery were extra (which meant they broke up the Nikon kit for sale). Needless to say, we didn't buy there and wouldn't recommend the place to anyone else. We checked several stores and ended up buying at Boolchand, for a very good price.

I don't normally buy lenses in the Caribbean, normally don't find the prices any better than I find locally or on-line. This year, though, I picked up a Sigma 120-400 for about $100 less than on-line pricing, once again at Boolchand.

And by the way, about that shopping guide you get on the ship - the stores in there have paid to be there. Some of them are good, reputable stores (we've been shopping at joe's Jewelers and Effy since before they were in the shopping guides), but being in he shopping guide doesn't guarantee the store is a good one, and doesn't mean you don't have to do your homework before buying.