Warning: Horrible Customer Service from Pentax / Ricoh

[Danny Landrum]

Hi. [FONT=&quot]Just wanted to post this warning before you spend your hard earned money. You'd be wise to never buy any Pentax or Ricoh products like I did. Their customer service is virtually non-existent. Ricoh and Pentax share a customer service / repair system.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I bought a pair of 12x50 PCF WP II binos. The aluminum connector on the left eyepiece broke, such that it would not focus.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]My extensive online research revealed only two possible places for repairs in the USA: Denver Pentax customer service / repair center, and Precision Camera in Enfield, CT. Further research revealed that the Denver center had been shut down (yet its presence not removed from the web; was indicating it was a going concern). So that left only one option, Precision Camera.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I sent it to them (their website did NOT - repeat did NOT - tell me to call first to get a R.A. number - it just said mail the item in; so I did). Well, they flat out refused to do the repairs, even though they admitted they had the parts, and even though I stood ready, willing, and able to pay ANY amount necessary for their repairs and return shipping - only reason they refused to do anything was simply because I did not have my original receipt (who keeps those?). Regardless, receipt or not, I'm willing to PAY for the repairs, so.... what gives? Went round and round on the phone; multiple phone calls; well over an hour, probably 2 hours. They started a problem ticket there at Precision, and started a problem ticket at Pentax as well. NO ONE from either outfit EVER contacted me back as promised, to resolve the open problem tickets.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Two months later, they shipped them back untouched with the phrase "RETURNING UNREPAIRED" in the box called "Explanation of Repairs". No other explanation. PCR Tag # 4721329[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]This is the most absurd thing I've ever heard in my life, that they won't let you PAY for the repairs you need - they admitted to me on the phone that there was no other possible authorized repair center for Pentax.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Just ridiculously bad customer service. So caveat emptor. Does anyone know some outfit who might have parts for this bino? Or know how to completely remove the left side so that I can use the good side as a monocular? I'm stuck at a point disassembling that I can't get past - nothing else threaded to take off. Thanks.[/FONT]

 

[arash_hazeghi]

thanks for the warning, I didn't know these companies were still in business, they are probably at the verge of bankruptcy as the camera market shrinks rapidly in all but pro/high end segment....you won't find many if any wildlife photographers using this brand....

 

[Nikhil Patwardhan]

I know this thread is old and I am sorry for Danny's experience, however I'd like to point out that my own experience with Pentax which has been alright. I don't work for Pentax nor do I have any affiliation with that brand. I own 2 identical PF-65EDA spotting scopes from Pentax for birding. After about a month of owning the second one in 2016, I tried inserting an 45 degree 1.25" astronomy diagonal (it's compatible with the scope) into an already angled scope, just to see if this works. Surprisingly this locked up the scope's compression ring permanently so that it became unusable. I contacted B&H, who wouldn't repair/replace since it was past 30 days of purchasing, so I had to send it to Pentax directly. They replaced the scope without any hassle, I had to pay the shipping cost though. I don't remember filling out an RMA, I certainly didn't call them beforehand, I probably looked up their website for return instructions, included a short letter explaining the issue and a copy of the invoice from B&H and sent it in. No questions were asked. To this day I think this particular scope model with the Pentax XW 14mm eyepiece is the best value for money for a birding scope -- no fringing, superb contrast and a wide view, I recommend this model to anyone looking for a spotting scope.