# Canon´s stupid 1DXII campaign, with alleged free CFast & card reader.



## Eldar (Jun 10, 2016)

When I bought the 1DXII, I was a happy customer, with an understanding that a CFast card and a card reader would follow the package. But it did not.

After calling back to the store, asking for the missing delivery, I was informed that I had to contact Canon for that. After some searching, I found a link to the Campaign site, where I had to fill in a bunch of information they already have, including having to scan the receipt from the store. And lucky me, I got a link to the full terms for the campaign, which was several pages long (!)

Having done that, I expected to have a swift confirmation that the card and reader was on its way, but no, that´s not what happened. I got a reply that my application would be processed and that I within 2 days (!) would receive a message if it was approved or not (!!!) (How could it not be approved???)

Not after 2 days, but after 15 (!) days, did I receive an email, with Dear Eldar bla. bla. we are happy to confirm that your application has been approved bla. bla. bla. we will TRY to send your GIFT within the next 28 (!) days.

Today is June 10th, 41 days after I sent in the application and I finally received a message from the local post office that a package was ready to be picked up. However, the GIFT was not a GIFT. It had a price. I have to pay NOK 239,- (USD30) to get it (!)

Just to make my day perfect, the local post office was unable to find the package, so I still don´t have it.

So; Instead of making this a swift and positive process, where I could get the card and reader with the camera on purchase, I have waited 41 days (and God knows when/if the post office find the package ...). I had to spend more time than I liked, scanning receipts, searching for web-sites, filling in forms etc. Canon has sent several emails, with lots of Dear and Thank you in them, they had to organise a special shipment and instead of receiving a GIFT, they sent me an invoice.

CANON I hope you read this and have the courtesy to defend the logic behind this stupid Campaign! I have emailed your customer support also, but I expect it to be a waste of time. 

I wonder what type of utterly unintelligent and customer hostile person/organisation could be capable of coming up with a Campaine as utterly stupid as this one. This should have been a positive experience and I should get something in return for being an early adopter, burning my money on your stuff. Now I feel nothing but irritation and an urge to sell every Canon bit I have. And for the record, I have been a Canon customer for +40 years, I am a CPS Platinum member and I could probably buy a decent house for the money I have sent their way.

Whenever I see the word Campaign in connection with the brand Canon, I´ll stay far away!


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## Eldar (Jun 10, 2016)

*Re: Canon´s stupid 1DXII campaign with free CFast & card reader.*

For the record; I just completed reading the entire terms & conditions and nowhere do they say that the GIFT comes with a price.


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## nc0b (Jun 10, 2016)

*Re: Canon´s stupid 1DXII campaign with free CFast & card reader.*

There have been several posts about problems with the promotion, all with long delivery times and various sizes of CFast cards. Initially I assumed the whole idea was to sidestep a shortage of available cards and readers. Since most have reported over a month to get the "free" items, the whole idea is crazy. Who is going to wait 1 to 2 months to use their new camera. Ok, you could use just a CF card, but that is one heck of a workaround. If Canon had any sense they would have shipped the promo with the camera.


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## unfocused (Jun 10, 2016)

*Re: Canon´s stupid 1DXII campaign with free CFast & card reader.*

Once again, Europe seems to get screwed.

As I'm sure you know, here in the U.S. the bodies arrive with the reader and card packaged inside. It's all part of a very nicely packaged set that is clearly put together all at the same time as the camera packaging. I wonder why it was not done that way in Europe – if it has to do with regulatory or tax issues of some sort or just some strange inexplicable reasoning.

I'm curious how it is being handled in Asia, Australia and Latin America.


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## Eldar (Jun 10, 2016)

*Re: Canon´s stupid 1DXII campaign with free CFast & card reader.*



unfocused said:


> Once again, Europe seems to get screwed.
> 
> As I'm sure you know, here in the U.S. the bodies arrive with the reader and card packaged inside. It's all part of a very nicely packaged set that is clearly put together all at the same time as the camera packaging. I wonder why it was not done that way in Europe – if it has to do with regulatory or tax issues of some sort or just some strange inexplicable reasoning.
> 
> I'm curious how it is being handled in Asia, Australia and Latin America.


Unless they are cheating, it makes no difference to do it this way or like they did in the US. I normally say that there are very few idiots out there, but this time I wonder. 

I don't care about the $30, but the stupid process and all the time wasted ... If they had told me this was the process, I would have turned it down. I will pursue the false advertising though.


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## Neutral (Jun 10, 2016)

*Re: Canon´s stupid 1DXII campaign with free CFast & card reader.*

I got my 1DXm2 with 64Gb CFast & card reader which were inside the box.
And on the box itself there was sticker about the gift inside )))
But dealer price for the whole set was higher than I expected (((

Interesting that I observed the same issue with CFast card which was reported here by someone earlier.
Just few shots were affected out from about 100 shots.
I observed the same problem on some older 1D bodies in the past, in particular on 1DsmIII .
This is a bit irritating to encounter the same problem again on the latest generation flagship body.


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## RGF (Jun 10, 2016)

*Re: Canon´s stupid 1DXII campaign with free CFast & card reader.*



unfocused said:


> Once again, Europe seems to get screwed.
> 
> As I'm sure you know, here in the U.S. the bodies arrive with the reader and card packaged inside. It's all part of a very nicely packaged set that is clearly put together all at the same time as the camera packaging. I wonder why it was not done that way in Europe – if it has to do with regulatory or tax issues of some sort or just some strange inexplicable reasoning.
> 
> I'm curious how it is being handled in Asia, Australia and Latin America.



My camera came that way - I live outside Chicago. I am surprised that Canon Europe did not offer the same package configuration.


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## expatinasia (Jun 10, 2016)

Sorry to hear about your problems, Eldar. Forgive my ignorance, but what do you mean you are being charged for an item posted? I have only ever experienced that on imported goods where tax is due.


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## Eldar (Jun 10, 2016)

expatinasia said:


> Sorry to hear about your problems, Eldar. Forgive my ignorance, but what do you mean you are being charged for an item posted? I have only ever experienced that on imported goods where tax is due.


At the store, this is listed as a campaign, where you, for free, will receive a CFast card and a card reader. When it finally arrived I had to pay 239,-/$30 to collect. Nowhere I have found is it specified what these 239,- covers. Nowhere in the terms and conditions do they list a charge. If it was to cover tax and VAT, it would not be enough, unless they cheat. The value for a 64GB card and a read was listed as EUR40/$45, which is way below what we have to pay for the goods, so it may well be a cheat ...


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## tpatana (Jun 10, 2016)

Strange. Is it possible that you got some early unit that was built before they decided to do the campaign? 

But yes, sucks really bad you put so much money down for item that should be stellar experience in everything, and they you have to spend so much time and effort to get it.

The 239NOK, is it listed as COD or customs?

I don't know what the customs/sales tax are in Norway, but e.g. if those we valued at 999NOK, and you had 24% tax/customs, then the value would make sense (in a way).

Sorry to hear about your troubles. To get that awful product out from your hands, I'm willing to offer up to 5000NOK to buy it from you. For another 5000NOK I can take all your lenses too so you have easy transition to another camera brand who will treat you better.


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## Eldar (Jun 10, 2016)

tpatana said:


> Strange. Is it possible that you got some early unit that was built before they decided to do the campaign?
> 
> But yes, sucks really bad you put so much money down for item that should be stellar experience in everything, and they you have to spend so much time and effort to get it.
> 
> ...


 ;D


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## unfocused (Jun 10, 2016)

Eldar said:


> ...The value for a 64GB card and a read was listed as EUR40/$45...



I'll take 10.


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## expatinasia (Jun 10, 2016)

tpatana said:


> Sorry to hear about your troubles. To get that awful product out from your hands, I'm willing to offer up to 5000NOK to buy it from you. For another 5000NOK I can take all your lenses too so you have easy transition to another camera brand who will treat you better.



lol.

Good stuff.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jun 10, 2016)

It is certainly puzzling as to how it works in Europe, and makes no sense at all. A rebate for purchasing a card and reader would make sense, but buying a camera and waiting for a card to use with it??

I'd post your experience on the Canon website and / or write a letter to them. It is beyond stupid!

I can see what happened, Canon USA ordered cameras with the card and reader included in the box, but Europe did not want to match the promotion, and when they did, they booted it.


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## tpatana (Jun 10, 2016)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> It is certainly puzzling as to how it works in Europe, and makes no sense at all. A rebate for purchasing a card and reader would make sense, but buying a camera and waiting for a card to use with it??
> 
> I'd post your experience on the Canon website and / or write a letter to them. It is beyond stupid!
> 
> I can see what happened, Canon USA ordered cameras with the card and reader included in the box, but Europe did not want to match the promotion, and when they did, they booted it.



Well, the whole process is similar to the mail-in-rebate programs in USA (which I REALLY hate). Almost always I'd rather pay slightly higher price, than have to deal with the envelopes, cutting/sending UPC etc. Then after ~4-8 weeks, you are told if you were accepted in the first place, and another 4-8 weeks to receive the money.

And yes, if you get the CFast couple months after the camera, that's quite annoying. At least you can use CF, but still. Bit similar actually happened me few years ago. I bought electric drum kit to use with RockBand3, and they had offer for free adapter to connect it with Xbox. But the adapter came ~2-3 months after the purchase, and you couldn't play RB3 without it (you could still use them as normal electric drums). I didn't want to wait so I bought another adapter the same time, so now I have two.


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## pwp (Jun 11, 2016)

Ouch! Bad form Canon. Very clumsy. 
Goodwill is hard won and can evaporate in a heartbeat.

-pw


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## eml58 (Jun 11, 2016)

That's a Bummer Eldar, and extremely shortsighted on Canon's part, it's exactly this sort of thing that large companies ignore and it costs them client base in the end, I know it's not likely in your case, but just the same it's poor client service on Canon Europe's part.

Not to rub the salt in my friend, but down here in "Coming Soon" Australia, I received both 1Dx II Bodies, one from Digi Direct (Authorised Seller) and one from Canon Australia direct, both had 128GB SanDisc CFast 2 Cards & both had the CFast Card reader included, when I ordered I had my doubts that Australia would receive this but I was pleasantly surprised (I'de purchased 2 x 128GB Lexar CFast 2 Cards as well, plus the reader).

Having said all that, when I purchased the Hasselblad H6D 100c plus 6 lenses, I received a 16GB SD card, I laughed for quite a while.

In any case I hope you do enjoy the new addition.


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## scottkinfw (Jun 11, 2016)

Eldar said:


> When I bought the 1DXII, I was a happy customer, with an understanding that a CFast card and a card reader would follow the package. But it did not.
> 
> After calling back to the store, asking for the missing delivery, I was informed that I had to contact Canon for that. After some searching, I found a link to the Campaign site, where I had to fill in a bunch of information they already have, including having to scan the receipt from the store. And lucky me, I got a link to the full terms for the campaign, which was several pages long (!)
> 
> ...



Sorry Eldar. Hope it is resolved to your satisfaction soon.

sek


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## scottkinfw (Jun 11, 2016)

tpatana said:


> Strange. Is it possible that you got some early unit that was built before they decided to do the campaign?
> 
> But yes, sucks really bad you put so much money down for item that should be stellar experience in everything, and they you have to spend so much time and effort to get it.
> 
> ...



I am impressed at your generosity!


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## GuyF (Jun 11, 2016)

Sorry to hear about your problems but at least you have your camera, it seems they're just not available in any quantity outside the US or Hong Kong. Canon is a global company but to say they are short-sighted is an understatement - card/reader packaged with the body in the US, Europe has to apply for the "gift" and in Australia they get a 128gb card rather than 64gb. No doubt they'll say it's a local marketing issue and can't comment on decisions made in each territory as Canon EU is a different company to Canon US or Canon Japan. : 

Until your local postoffice can find the package, you won't know what the charge relates to. Perhaps it was sent with not enough postage to cover the shipping cost so you're charged an admin fee plus the balance of the shipping cost. Then again, if you're in Norway you're not in the EU (okay, you have a trade agreement with the rest of the EU but that's another story) so there's maybe a screw up with that and the fee is import tax - I think the Canon EU campaigns are administrated in Ireland so even though there should be no import issues, I wouldn't be surprised.

Good luck.


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## GuyF (Jun 11, 2016)

*Re: Canon´s stupid 1DXII campaign with free CFast & card reader.*



Neutral said:


> ...I observed the same issue with CFast card which was reported here by someone earlier.



Some are saying the issue appears when you read the files from the card for a second, third etc time.

Don't know if this might help: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=18034803


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## Eldar (Jun 11, 2016)

GuyF said:


> Sorry to hear about your problems but at least you have your camera, it seems they're just not available in any quantity outside the US or Hong Kong. Canon is a global company but to say they are short-sighted is an understatement - card/reader packaged with the body in the US, Europe has to apply for the "gift" and in Australia they get a 128gb card rather than 64gb. No doubt they'll say it's a local marketing issue and can't comment on decisions made in each territory as Canon EU is a different company to Canon US or Canon Japan. :
> 
> Until your local postoffice can find the package, you won't know what the charge relates to. Perhaps it was sent with not enough postage to cover the shipping cost so you're charged an admin fee plus the balance of the shipping cost. Then again, if you're in Norway you're not in the EU (okay, you have a trade agreement with the rest of the EU but that's another story) so there's maybe a screw up with that and the fee is import tax - I think the Canon EU campaigns are administrated in Ireland so even though there should be no import issues, I wouldn't be surprised.
> 
> Good luck.


I got the package and there is no information on what that fee covered. The value they listed was EUR40/USD45 for card and reader, which is below the import tax threshold in Norway, so the only remaining explanation is shipping. They used DHL from Germany. So instead of giving the customer a positive experience, by getting the card and reader with the camera, they constructed a hopeless process at a much higher cost, with a pissed customer in the other end ...
I don´t care about $30, but I hate being badly treated and I will not let them get away with it.


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## tpatana (Jun 11, 2016)

Eldar said:


> I don´t care about $30, but I hate being badly treated and I will not let them get away with it.



Knowing how Canon usually treats high end customers, I'm pretty sure if you email your CPS contact they'll fix that.

Problem was most likely caused by someone not thinking about the process.


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## Mario (Jun 11, 2016)

I am sorry to hear about your problems, Eldar. I live in Europe (Belgium) too and I received the CFast card and reader after about 4 weeks, no fees to pay. It was a Sandisk 64 Gb card.

Mario


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