Does price trump all?

[wickerprints]

I've rarely bought camera gear from traditional walk-in stores. What I really hate is that most of these stores don't put price tags on their items. This practice essentially eliminates the point of browsing, purposely makes comparison shopping harder, and actually forces me to look at competitors online. As a result, I only go to a local store if:

1. I know exactly what I want and I need it immediately
2. I need to try an item before I buy it
3. I want to look at an item before I go online and buy it for less
4. the item is cheap and is not worth bargain hunting for it.

Clearly, price is not the sole criterion by which I judge which retailer I purchase from. But the walk-in stores have not really made themselves attractive to me as a consumer. Their single biggest advantage is the immediacy and tangibility of the shopping process--I can take in a large number of items at once, get a sense of their scale and compatibility, and ask questions if I need to. If I want it I can walk out the door with it right then. I don't have to wait for shipping or deal with damaged goods. So it's a big deal that in the face of such a huge advantage, I still go online for important purchases, such as bodies and lenses, the bread-and-butter stuff. That's because I don't need someone to show me how to use an EF 100/2.8L macro IS, or tell me that I need it. I don't need someone to stand behind a counter and show off the 7D for me. Bodies and lenses don't satisfy any of the above criteria I mentioned, except possibly for (2), in which case rental is the smarter way to go, because then I can put the gear through its paces and actually *use* it.


Why buy online? It's not just price, though that is certainly a big factor. It's also the fact that I don't get upsold, or have to get someone's attention to do it. I can comparison shop FAR more easily and efficiently, and prices are clearly stated upfront. Walk-in store employees can be annoying and rude. I am often ignored, perhaps because I don't look like a middle-aged guy with deep pockets and no understanding of cameras. I look like the opposite--an art student (i.e., poor yet savvy) even though I'm not a student. I've walked into Samy's and the guy behind the counter will spend 30 minutes talking to some rich dude about the "necessity" of buying spare batteries, UV filters for his kit lens, and various accessories totaling several hundred dollars for his 50D when all he wants to do is take green box snapshots of his wife and kids; but the same employee won't (or can't) even give me a simple 10-second answer to a specific question I have about the availability of a quick release plate. WTF.


So yeah, I don't have much sympathy for the walk-in stores. They have a lot going for them, so if they can't compete, it's nobody's fault but their own.

[jimr]

I work out the total cost for the item... if it is with-in a few bucks or < 10% then I pick it up locally. I like having the option to physically walk in and return an item or have the issue fixed ASAP.


On a $1000 plus item I do my best to get it locally... most of the time the small store owner will adjust their price to make a sizable sale.


For example I picked up a TV locally. I went in and said I could buy the exact same TV on-online for say $3000 (including taxes and shipping) and showed all the paper work. The local store's price was $5500 - a massive difference of $2500. In the end I got it locally for $3300 (after taxes) but they delivered it, set it up, and calibrated the system. Luckily I purchased locally as after 11 month it die and required significant repairs - the locally guy showed up and fixed it under warranty. If I had purchased it on line I would have pay out of my pocket to get the 250 pound TV to a repair shop.


Example 2. I wanted to my a music server locally. The local prices was $4500 and on-line it was less than $2000. The local owner said he could not even come close to matching it and if I could buy it for that price I should although he said it would not service any warranty work on it and I would have to ship it back in that case at my cost. He was honest but I bought it online. I have since buy several items from them as I trust them to tell me the honest truth.


I have purchase most of my camera equipment locally just in case I needed it 'adjusted'. After all is said and done with the total price differences to date might be a few hundred dollars... but well worth the peace of mind.

[elmo_2006]

*It's all about balance*...


Find the right price and thena reputable retailer, i.e. BHPhoto or Adarama or in Canada; Henry's or Camera Canada.


Hope this helps...

[bob williams]

Well, LocallyI have two camera stores and both have been arogant and snobish.When I inquired about Canon products at one store, the guy told me that Albuquerque was a "Nikon" town. I normally like being able touch or hold something before I buy it and I like personal customer service, but this town has made it easy for me to buy from B&H, andthey have NEVER disapointed me.