Buying Photo Gear from Pentax2u.com

For the first online shopping experience review, I would like to start with Pentax2u.com.

Pentax2u.com is the only online store in Malaysia which is dedicated to Pentax equipment, apart from a small selection of generic photographic equipment. Based in Penang, and started in July 2011, I heard that it is started by some Pentax fans there, and it's really a "made for Pentaxians, for Pentaxians". Well, I come from KL and ain't too happy that they have all the nice events up there and I'm always missing it.

I've heard of only good things from people who bought their gear from there here in KL, and I thought I would also give them a try!

All my online shopping reviews will cover six main category of experience:

1. Purchase process: how easy is it to buy? How do I pay for it? (5 points)
2. Price : how does it compare with other places? (10 points)
3. Delivery : how fast before I got my item? (10 points)
4. Risk Factor : how sure am I that I will get what I paid for? What happens if the item gets lost in transit? (15 points)
5. Service : how fast and friendly are their responses? (5 points)
6. Warranty : is there one and how do I replace my item if it is defective? (5 points)

Maximum total points: 50

Let's start with Pentax2u.com's review:

Purchase Process
Buying from Pentax2u.com is much like how it is buying from other online stores. Here's a summary:

1. Pick what you want and Add to Cart
2. Click Checkout
3. If you have no account with Pentax2u.com, create one (will take 2 minutes)
4. Select your delivery address
5. Pay for it

These are the payment methods available (from their FAQ page):

1. Cash/ Cheque/ TT payment our Bank Account
2. Visa/Mastercard

After Cash/ Cheque/ TT payment to our bank account, you have to email to billing@pentax2u.com or fax to our below information

1. The bank slip.
2. Your Pentax2u.com Order Reference Number for this payment.
3. Your name and contact info
4. Date and time of bank in
5. Cheque number if payment by cheque

I paid via Maybank2u, but found the process a tad tedious simply because it is not fully integrated to Maybank2u yet. I guess it's not cheap for a startup to do that, so instead I had to bank in the money to their account, send my transaction reference to their billing department and wait for them to confirm. The confirmation came in about 30 minutes.

I didn't try the credit card payment (I would assume it would require me to key in my card number, expiry date and three digit code).

They now have Paypal payment as well, but there is a charge of about 3% so I didn't find that attractive at all.


Price

Let's face it, prices for new and original Pentax stuff is now double what it used to be 3 years ago. Gone are the days we can get a new DA40 for RM800. The prices on Pentax2u is as competitive as can be for new original items in Malaysia. And what more, you can always send an email to them for some negotiation. What online store do you know allows you to do that? :)

Here's a little something I also found strange with Pentax pricing in Malaysia. Some lenses are actually cheaper here than in the US. And some incomprehensibly expensive. Go figure.

Apart from Pentax things, the store also has a selection of photographic accessories, like filters, bags, lens cleaner, etc. I am a keen fan of buying stuff from eBay Chinese sellers (review will come soon), but I have to say that Pentax2u's pricing is really competitive on this front as well. More so than Shashinki.

Oh, you want to know what I bought as my first purchase? A lens cap. I'm cheap, but I believe that if you can serve me well with small things, then you earn the rights to serve me with bigger things. :) And the lens cap mind is just RM7 with FREE SHIPPING, and it's easily the best 3rd party lens cap I got (I've bought some eBay china made ones and they are not as nice to use as this! Seriously!).

Delivery

I love this one. Free delivery. Can't beat that. Complete with tracking. The item I bought was cheap, so it wasn't express delivery services, but still it was a registered mail which was shipped on a Friday and got it on a Monday.

My address was handwritten, guess it's a special personal touch there? ;)

Risk Factor
In a world full of risks, how can we ensure that we are not conned of our hard earned money? That is why I rate Risk Factor with the highest point weight-age. This is where buying from Pentax2u.com will excel. It's practically no risk, even if you buy your DA*300 from them as their shipping is insured and you can be sure they are genuine sellers. Well, just make sure your billing address is correct la...

But of course, a physical shop will always be the least risky (since you can test your equipment on the spot and take it home), so I cannot give any online stores full marks for risk factor.

Service
Another excellent point here. They give very friendly and quick response via email. In fact, they even gave me a little freebie even though all I bought was a RM7 lens cap! Now that's really thoughtful! :D

Warranty
My item had no warranty (obviously), but most other items have local warranties and case by case basis may be more than 1 year or even with international coverage. Here's a snapshot of their warranty policy as of today (taken from their FAQ page):

Warranty Policy

All our products at Pentax2U.com are covered with either Original Manufacturer Warranty or our store’s warranty.

Original Manufacturer Warranty product means that the product is covered under original manufacturer warranty. Buyer will be provided with the official warranty card by the manufacturer/ official local distributor. In case of a warranty claim (repair/ replacement), buyer can choose to send the product directly to manufacturer or to Pentax To U Dot Com, at buyer discretion. For ease of claim, we encourage you to ship directly to the manufacturer/ official local distributor.

Our store’s warranty product is typically meant for items we imported from overseas. Unless otherwise mentioned in the product listing, you will enjoy 7 days warranty coverage upon item received by the buyer.

Kindly contact us at support@pentax2u.com should there be a need to claim the warranty.

Honestly, I prefer good ol' fashion shops which I can just dump my stuff and say "Fix it!" without the hassle of posting it back (and having to pay postal fees). So I don't think I can ever give any online shops full ratings for Warranty. Really not Pentax2u.com's problem, just my preference.

Summary
All in all, I think my experience with them is really positive. Except for the little inconvenience in paying, everything else is smooth.

Purchase Process: 3 out of 5
Price: 7 out of 10
Delivery: 10 out of 10
Risk Factor: 13 out of 15
Service: 5 out of 5
Warranty: 4 out of 5

Total: 42 out of 50

Highly recommended for all Malaysian Pentax users!