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GoPro most unhelpful

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 12:41 am
by RCModelReviews
I have to say that GoPro USA are a most unhelpful bunch of people.

I wanted to buy a GoPro HD2 to review and to use in the filming of the "FPV made easy" series of videos so I went to their website and threw the camera in my shopping cart -- only to find, when I got to the checkout, that they wanted to charge me another US$80 for shipping -- and that FedEx was the only option.

There are two problems with that...

Firstly, $80 is a hell of a lot of money for shipping!

Secondly FedEx are totally useless in this part of the world. More often than not, they don't even deliver the product, preferring instead to simply advise me to "come and collect" my package by doing a "driveby" that involves just tossing a card in my mailbox without even coming to knock on the door and attempt the delivery.

They also report every consignment of taxable value to Customs -- then charge an inordinate fee for the Customs clearance -- which adds an extra week or so to delivery times and and (in this case) would likely add another $75-$100 to the price.

So I contacted GoPro and asked if they could perhaps send the item by mail -- even a tracked service such as USPS Gobal Express.

No -- won't do it, don't care.

They suggested I contact a local retailer -- but with their prices being not much short of $500 -- and my review money already in US dollars in my PayPal account -- there's no way I'm going to suffer the decidedly adverse effects of Paypal's exchange rates and then pay through the nose for this camera.

So -- look out for reviews of a number of HD cameras over the coming weeks -- but the GoPro won't be amongst them I'm afraid. It seems that there are other manufacturers who are more than willing to be flexible with their shipping policies so as to make my review-budget stretch a little further -- so they'll get reviewed instead.

Re: GoPro most unhelpful

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 1:45 am
by Yellowirenut
Can you order threw amazon.com?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_ ... nid=502394
8 different models

I understand how you would be frustrated. Anytime i have worked directly with a manufacturer of a product they always want to direct me to a local dealer. Even at work I have gotten the run around business to business.
Even odder is sometimes the engineers
"it should not break that way"
"well it did...wait what? how should it have failed?"

Re: GoPro most unhelpful

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 3:08 am
by dannyzz
When I used Fedex it cost US47 to send a package not much bigger than a mug and once it got to NZ it took 4 days to get my house.
Did Fedex contract it out to PBT couriers in your case?

Re: GoPro most unhelpful

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:08 am
by Aussie Joe
RCModelReviews wrote:

So -- look out for reviews of a number of HD cameras over the coming weeks -- but the GoPro won't be amongst them I'm afraid. It seems that there are other manufacturers who are more than willing to be flexible with their shipping policies so as to make my review-budget stretch a little further -- so they'll get reviewed instead.

Bruce you should be able to get a GoPro Hero2 for $399 locally NZ/AU (postage included).

When you do the review of all cameras could you please compare the audio sound from them all , testing the wind,prop,exhaust noise. I know GoPro spent a lot of time and $ in noise reduction hardware/software to make them sound good.

And pleeeeeeese do the review on a good sunny day in a model.......NOT walking around your backyard on a cloudy day in the middile of winter ;)

Cheers
Joe

Re: GoPro most unhelpful

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:40 am
by RCModelReviews
dannyzz wrote:When I used Fedex it cost US47 to send a package not much bigger than a mug and once it got to NZ it took 4 days to get my house.
Did Fedex contract it out to PBT couriers in your case?

No, the contract the last link to NZ Couriers who are a total dead-loss around here.

Re: GoPro most unhelpful

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:43 am
by RCModelReviews
Yellowirenut wrote:Can you order threw amazon.com?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_ ... nid=502394
8 different models

They don't take PayPal.

Re: GoPro most unhelpful

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:44 am
by RCModelReviews
Aussie Joe wrote:Bruce you should be able to get a GoPro Hero2 for $399 locally NZ/AU (postage included).

Nope, the price here is NZ$499 -- which is why I'm not keen to buy locally.

Re: GoPro most unhelpful

PostPosted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 1:22 am
by Larry_AK
Lots of them on eBay and they take PayPal.

Re: GoPro most unhelpful

PostPosted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 7:49 pm
by Flash1940
How bout this video from HD-Pro. Makes me sweat just watching it. Thought you guys might find this interesting......
http://player.vimeo.com/video/31481531?autoplay=1

Flash

Re: GoPro most unhelpful

PostPosted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 10:25 pm
by FlyingTiger
Hey, Bruce! Why not try this? You have as much chance as anyone else and it doesn't hurt to try.
http://gopro.com/daily-giveaway/
My wife enters and wins contests all the time.