I shop locally because I work within walking distance of one of the two largest dealers in Canada (Henry's) and a short streetcar ride from the other (Vistek). There's also several good smaller stores nearby (Which I prefer to shop at for better service)
-Adam Tom C wrote: > That seems to be a problem with buying locally... the tangible benefits are > not really there. > > Price - a big factor when most small camera stores have a price that is 20% > + higher than an online merchant. > > Tax - a big factor on high dollar items, even worse when paying it on an > inflated base. > > Stock - Consumers want something when they want it > > Knowledge - Being a knowledgeable consumer of photographic equipment myself, > it would be a rare salesperson indeed, that can tell me something I don't > already know, or help me to use the product better. > > Service - Where are they going to send it to? The same place I would, but > through the store I'll most likely be charged a markup. > > Unfortunately, it seems the largest benefit has become nostalgia. We have > an affinity for photographic gear, so seeing lots of it in one place makes > us feel good. The chance to touch an item for several minutes does not make > up for the huge difference in price one wil pay. > > Don't get me wrong. I like small independent camera stores. I definitely > appreciate them when I'm away from home and want a particular lower dollar > item on the spot, filters, tripod head, film(?). But those times are far and > few between. I'm afraid they increasingly will be the domain of those that > don't like to shop online and/or for which price is not an important factor, > or cease to exist. > > It's been like this for a long time, even when I bought my PZ-1p in 1998. It > may have been earlier than that as well. > > It's a changing world and in this case I don't believe the collective effort > of a small group will change it. Not without real tangible benefits. > > > Tom C. > > > ----Original Message Follows---- > From: Robert and Leigh Woerner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List <[email protected]> > To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: Support your Local Camera Shop > Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 16:39:10 -0400 > > Well, I agree for the most part but..... > > I asked my local Pentax dealer (not a big box) if he could order me a > PZ1p in 2001. > He quoted me $1333.00 before taxes. I ordered one from B&H for $479.00 > and it got to me in two days. This is just one example. > > I did insist that my wife buy a Bogen tripod and head (as my birthday > present one year) to "give him some business"....cost our household > nearly $75 more. Needless to say, I buy from B&H and Adorama routinely. > > Robert > > John Celio wrote: > > The photographic industry needs your support right now, and I'd like to > take > > a moment to convince anyone who is willing to listen why you're better > off > > buying from local camera shops than internet sites or big box stores. > > > > > > When you buy something from a local store, there are two major advantages > > for your community (this is from a US point of view, so things may be > > slightly different elsewhere). First, your money is supporting local > > businesses and jobs, and it stays local. It doesn't go to some corporate > > headquarters on the other side of the country. Second, the taxes you pay > > support your local municipalities, such as schools and fire stations. > > Buying online does not support any of these services, which you may need > > some day. > > > > Buying local can also be more convenient in the event you need any sort > of > > customer service. The fact that you can talk to someone face to face > means > > you can usually get your problem solved in a more timely manner. At the > > very least, having a local specialty shop to go to usually means a large > > portion of the staff knows what they're talking about, and since they > want > > to keep you as a customer they will usually do what it takes to make you > > happy (managers especially). > > > > Big box stores (by which I mean places like Fry's, Best Buy, Wal*Mart, > etc) > > and internet stores don't care about the customer; they usually care more > > about sales volume. Their prices are low because they move so many items > > they don't need a large profit margin on most things. Their prices are > also > > low because their staff is often not as knowledgeable about the products > > they sell as staff are at specialty shops, like the one I used to work > at. > > In other words, the box stores tend to hire cheap labor. > > > > A lot of internet stores sell low-quality accessories at high markups > > because they know the customer won't know what they're getting till it > > arrives in the mail ("it comes with a memory card? great!"). I know a > lot > > of PDML members probably wouldn't fall for that, but it something a lot > of > > everyday buyers have no clue about. > > > > > > There are plenty more reasons for shopping at local stores and specialty > > shops, but suffice to say, if you want local camera shops to exist AT ALL > in > > the future, please consider buying from them in the present. Yes, you'll > > probably pay a little more, but it's worth it in the long run. > > > > Isn't it? > > > > John Celio > > (if it weren't for so many people buying online and at big box stores, > I'd > > probably still be working at Reed's) > > > > -- > > > > http://www.neovenator.com > > > > AIM: Neopifex > > > > "Hey, I'm an artist. I can do whatever I want and pretend I'm making a > > statement." > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
