Ectaco dictionaries

Ectaco is a very difficult company to deal with.  I purchased a translator for $500 and, after trying it out once, attempted to return it.  They have a 7 day return policy and refused to accept the product back.  The product itself is extremely difficult to use and poorly made.  I recommend not buying anything this company makes, and if you do, do not buy it from them.

 I would not shop here again

I bought an ECTACO partner ERm 900 Deluxe  and I received as a gift a demo CD and an other translator for free (which is like a child’s toy not worthing more than 1£)  and free accessories. Ectaco  P900 it's very nice, but   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

Beware of purchasing from Ectaco!!!  I wish I would have read these reveiws before puschasing a Latin-English Talking Dictionary for my daughter as a gift!  The item was not as described and so I tried to return it for a refund.  They have a return policy...but you must call and get an RMA number and you must call within 7 days of placing your order!  Their customer service was rude and they passed my call around the office and parked me on hold.  There appeared not to be a person in a position of authority in the office on the day of my call.  I was told, repeatedly, to leave a message and the manager would return my call in the next week.  My recommendation....make your purchase elsewhere, or from a place like Amazon which cares about its customers despite its size!

 I would not shop here again

HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE - STAY AWAY - DO NOT GIVE THEM A PENNY - AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVIVE, LIARS, DECEITFUL - WILL NOT TAKE BACK DEFECTIVE PRODUCT - KEEP CHARGING MY CREDIT CARD - DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THEM!

 I would not shop here again

Dealing with this company has shaken my confidence in buying online. I was shipped a defective product (battery compartment had a manufacturer`s defect). It was necessary to phone NY to get a return authorization number and to ship it to their NY depot both at my expense. I returned it with strict instructions not to replace it with a similar defective unit. They sent another defective unit anyway. I immediately returned it to the Canadian warehouse where it was shipped from. Ectaco Canada refused to accept the shipment thus it was returned to me. I repeated the original `return to NY procedure` (at my expense, of course) and was shipped a third defective unit. Emails from Ectaco state that I will not be refunded my purchase price or any shipping or telephone expenses. It is very obvious to me that they have received a shipment of products with a manufacturer`s defect and they are selling them to an unsuspecting public. I highly recommend not dealing with Ectaco. I wish I had read the reviews on this website before I dealt with Ectaco.

 I would not shop here again

I wish I checked the reviews here before I placed my order to them. This company is really unreliable. Different agent will tell you different things. The customers have to pay for the mistake that they made.
I totally agree with all the bad reviews that listed below. This is the worse internetshopping experience I ever had. 

 I would not shop here again

Buying an Ectaco translator for my wife turned into one of the worst shopping experiences ever. Firstly, the Ectaco people sent me a wrong product (because the one they are advertising doesn't even exist) and then they have spent the next few weeks   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

I'm going to tell a little story that I happened to buy a translator ECTACO brand. I have spent an odyssey with travler Ntl-2S. Besides being a camelids in regard to speech recognition (recognizes only one floor of a small number of phrases; ineffective at all) the company has crumb. You send the cacharrillo for a reasonable price, about 400 turkeys, and if you like ... well, but ... I eat with potatoes, because I had to return Canuto, because these people as "invoice" (not) for less than $ 50, I do not know what a concept, whether as material evidence, or parts, or gift ... by FedEx, which at the time of return must do likewise, so alegal, so it's likely that you hunt in the office and have to pay the appropriate fine. Oh, and forget to tell you that the CIF of the company to put on a statutory agency, or that crazy. You could count a whole history, but I hope that this will serve to not stumble on the same rock as me.
Greetings.

 I would not shop here again

One thing I can say about Ectaco is that they have the best prices

around.
You don't pay any premiums when you buy from them (like you do if you

buy from other distributors) and they even offer special deals I didn't see anywhere else. What's more, the delivery was really quick - a couple of days compared to weeks from other sites. The ordering process was really good too - it made me feel like they really cared about my order.
Max F., Los Angeles

 I would shop here again

If the delivery were any faster, I would have had my new iTRAVL before hanging up the phone. I got my delivery within 48 hours of confirming my order. Fantastic!
Marco P., NYC

 I would shop here again

Purchased and download Talking Dictionary for PocketPC.  Installation required manual effort to get going.  Dictionary worked ok.

Purchased and dowload Learners Suite 2008.  Installation failed on Vista.  Lingvosoft application manager hangs on computer bootup.  Impossible to exit app.  Need to manually stop process.  No uninstall routine.  No support available on install problems other than asking what operating system program was installed on.  Asked for refund. Repetitive response given that no refunds are granted---You should have downloaded and tested first.

Will be disputing purchase.  Will never buy again from this company.  Never should have in the first place thinking back on the strange marketing and sales methods.

 I would not shop here again

I was pleased with how quick and easy it was to order with Ectaco. The
site
is really well laid out and made choosing from all the different
products
really simple for me.
Carol B., New Haven

 I would shop here again

I have now evaluated the usefulness of the Ectaco iTRAVL NTL unit. It is useless. A toy and short lived novelty. Do not waste £300 plus in buying it. Spend your money on a good phrase book and dictionary.
I wanted to say  'I love you' to be translated.  The voice recognition said ' I want to buy a ticket'. Maybe, before I want to buy a ticket, does she love me first! The synthetic voice is Stephen Hawkins, unrecognisable.
Ectaco have smart and untruthful sales talk on their website. Included was to be an 'Accessory Kit' worth 100 UK pounds. Another joke. More worth 100 Zimbabwe dollars. Some Chinese earphones, the type you throw away, a few adaptors for continental travel and some 'Screenguards' to protect the screen. Impossible to fit unless you like air bubbles infecting the screen. I guess the only decent item in the accessory kit is a spare battery. Useful only if you want to persevere with this poor unit.
If you have already bought this item then we sympathise together. Maybe in 50 years time it will be a collectors item on Ebay. If you are thinking of buying one. PLEASE DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY.

 I would not shop here again

Ectaco has knowledgeable salespeople, and pricing is competitive and service is very good. This is one of the few online companies that you can depend on! My order was handled very quickly with fantastic customer service. I really appreciate the Ectaco lever of service and recommended them to many of my friends.

Sarrah C., Los Angeles CA

 I would shop here again

I recently placed a very complicated order with Ectaco for translating devices for our Medical Services team. From the very first order I placed, I received exceptional customer service. The sales department responded quickly to my order and answered my questions accurately and courteously. I would be very happy to recommend your company to my colleagues not just because your products are good but also because of the great customer care I received.
Judith E., Hollywood FL

 I would shop here again

Ectaco.com is an outstanding Internet retailer! I've made several purchases from them and have been extremely satisfied with my experiences. The care that they demonstrate in ensuring all purchases are securely packaged and shipped is superb. Most highly recommended!
Linda G., Loveland CO

 I would shop here again

When I buy something, I really like to shop around. I don't like to be pushed into purchasing something or made to hurry. All the Ectaco salespeople I have been in contact with were patient and friendly. The great service, friendly employees, and low prices are why I will probably remain a customer for many years to come.
Wayne K., Augusta NJ

 I would shop here again

I just wanted to send this e-mail because I found Ectaco to be very professional in every way- the web site, the order confirmation, the follow-up letter, the timely manner of arrival, etc.
Bill A., Westerly RI

 I would shop here again

This is the worst product/company to ever open its doors.  A friend of mine had purchased the Polish/English translator for $450 after he heard a great overinflated commercial for this less than sub-par product thinking it would help him with his   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

Complaints: * The hour long phone calls waiting for there one and only customer service agent who I am sure has his hands full. * Ads on your website saying "One day sale, buy today!" just to see the same ad the next day. * Shady   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

The representative of Ectaco, who spoke in Russian managed to convince a 77 YEAR OLD RETIREE, who hardly speaks English, that this “product” would help in learning and understanding English. Since the Ectaco representative never explained the   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

I bought an Ectaco Russian-English electronic dictionary which was supposed to be a top-of-the-line product for them. The purchase was made 7th July 2008. I received the dictionary very quickly, but after playing with it, I was not happy with the   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

I regret not finding this website prior to my purchasing the Ectaco PW800 English-Chinese dictionary. I was very disappointed, as I paid $359 for a translator that is inaudible. Their only claim is that the phrasebook is a real human voice, but the rest of the audio is an inaudible computer generated voice. For the price of it, I would have expected something of higher quality.
To top it all off, they charge you the price of the original shipping ($10), and the 6.5% restocking fee. The customer service is terrible and they don't care that you were unsatisfied with the product.
I will NEVER buy anything from Ectaco again

 I would not shop here again

This company is a scam. Worse experience ever. Stay away from them. They have a seven day return policy not stated on the web site, or they will charge you 6.5% of the value of your order and also will charge you for the original shipment fee. They   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

Terrible company, stay away! Wanted replacement battery for a P800 that cost me £300 18 months ago.
Cost £34.95.... "FREE UK Delivery" all over the site, T&C's state accessories incur shipping charge, no indication how much, order confirmation states £15 delivery !!!
I ring them and they tell me "hard luck, pay or we cancel your order"..... I cancel my order and advise anyone to stay away from this bunch of cowboys!!!!!

 I would not shop here again

Ectaco is the absolute worst, I ordered a BES-1840 and was sent a different model, when I called to tell them they sent the wrong one i was told send it back when i asked for a RMA code (which is required) i was told i had to call back after 4 phone call I was told they no longer had the BES-1840 then was told I could return the WRONG one and would have to pay my own shipping and be subject to a restocking fee . HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE

 I would not shop here again

I ordered the English Thai Partner 800. The features advertised do not exist on the product. There is no full text translation. The dictionaries only pronounce the words in English, not Thai. The talking phrase book works, but it is very limited. The phrases are so basic that you do not need a sophisticated "voice recognition" translator to help. The appearance and overall quality is just terrible. These people are scammers and liars. I was expressly told on the telephone that the full text translation was on this model. It is in the handbook, but with an asterik saying below, only on selected models, obviously not the English-Thai model. BEWARE, Ectaco preys on fools with unrealistic expectations and too much money. I am sure that the positive reviews written here are from Ectaco employees, because they are just completely at odds with the facts.

 I would not shop here again

I got one ECTACO partner EPg400TX from friend after purchasing a new one (didn't know he had one too and was willing to give it to me for free). I accidentally sat on the first one when it was open on a couch and nothing broke. The product stopped   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

I have received the dictionary within 3 days in Spain. Well-packed in good condition. I also got free software dictionaries with it. I recommend this seller.



 I would shop here again

I was NOT satisfied with their Ectaco Partner XL-1500 dictionary and I returned it immediately in the same condition as it was when I received it. After they confirmed twice they would give me a full refund they changed their mind (!). Not only they   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

I'm almost sure that a good number of the positive reviews are actually from Ectaco employees themselves. I had purchased a product after Christmas, to be sent by one-day delivery to Canada because it was a late gift for someone I knew in the country   Read full review...

 I would not shop here again

Absolutely horrible experience with Ectaco. They want your money and will say anything to get it. All are lies. Free gifts not included. They claim to be mission-minded to help world communicate. What a joke! They won't communicate with their own customers. Ordered 2 electronic dictionaries. Sound quality so BAD could not hear what was being said and speech was so fast that if the sound quality had been good, it was too fast hear to sound out for myself. Said could return items 7 days after Christmas. Customer service was closed for 4 of the 7 days. I called on days closed. I sent emails on Day 8, no replies. Called on Day 9. Would not give RMA - Would not allow me to talk to anyone above the clerk who answered or the alleged manager, James. BEWARE NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH THEM OR ANYONE ELSE WHO WILL NOT ALLOW THE RETURN OF ECTACO PRODUCTS - If these two products which were all show and no substance are any example then you don't want anything they have their name on or are associated with.

 I would not shop here again

Big electronic dictionaries shop. It was a bit difficult to choose from all the products options but the sales staff were really very helpful. I have also found useful the large dictionaries images and especially the manuals available on their site. Thank you Ectaco!!

 I would shop here again

I am always buying stuff from big online shops but I decided to go directly to the source with Ectaco. Mostly my decision was based on the good pre-sale experience I had when I contacted customer service for help in choosing from the huge catalogue. I ended up buying the EJ400 and was sent a free gift - something that big shops would never have done. It made a great present for my niece and didn’t cost me a penny! :)

 I would shop here again

I bought a TL-2 Multilanguage device and still can’t believe how amazing it is. I travel a lot on business and always have to rely on interpreters but the company decided to get me one of these just to see how it worked and so far we are 100% satisfied. I have been using it now for about a month and have to say that I wouldn’t have believed it possible. It’s like something out of a sci-fi novel – but real.

 I would shop here again

BE WARY, This Company makes MISLEADING Web statements, the 'Talking??? (only ONE WAY) Dict. written up as BIDIRECTIONAL Talking Eng-Thai, that's BUT it's ENGLISH only, what use is that? I already speak English, they knew that when I first emailed and enquired.
2nd ...I also agreed to buy the 'Eng./Thai Phrase book' because (to quote their advertising) it's INTEGRATED with the Dict. Again, that's NOT TRUE, I wrote and asked Tech support, why the Software kept reporting error when selecting it to 'open the phrase book' and was told quote 'That feature is disabled'. How blatantly false can they be?
I was told the Dictionary had been improved since purchasing it last year, the is NO noticeable change, many others have complained the same thing with other Languages, software as well as Handheld. Customer Service? Emails for refunds so far have been ignored until sent repeatedly & then refused. :(


 I would not shop here again

As stated before i just ordered speechguard. It arrived with a screw loose ( broken ) and i got the FedEx bill a week or so later for an additional £13.79.
Not Recommended :(

 I would not shop here again

I ordered a translator and didn't receive an email confirmation. I emailed to get one and didn't get a reply. I called and was told the one I ordered wasn't in stock and might not be in for a month or more. As I was telling them to cancel my order I was cut off. I called back and cancelled but I wish I hadn't given them my credit card info.

 I would not shop here again

Item was out of stock, but it took me a month to figure that out since they did not return any emails.
When they finally called me I found that they could barely communicate in English on the phone (a long confusing and frustrating conversation).

The return policy is not great. You have to contact them in 7 days for an RMA, but they don't reply to emails, so they claimed that I waited too long, and they wanted to count the 7 days from when I ordered (which was 40 days before I actually received it).

They promise free gifts on their website, but they do not deliver.

I'll buy from Amazon or some decent company that actually has customer service next time.

 I would not shop here again

I just wanted to write to say that I have had a very good experience with both Ectaco products and sales staff. MY talking PB-3 phrasebook is really amazing and the staff were polite, friendly and informative. A word of advice though – don’t ignore those sale links. You can save a lot or get some pretty good free stuff.


 I would shop here again