Where do you buy your equipment???

[71M]

Sold quite a bit on Craigslist; no worries.

 

[grafxman]

I always buy online, usually BHPhoto, sometimes Amazon or Adorama. They're all good to do business with. The reason is because I live in Florida. We don't have a state income tax like a lot of states and we have lots and lots of tourists. So the state tries collect all the revenue they need from sales taxes (7%). I'm retired so I try to save a little money whenever I can.

 

[The_Traveler]

There is no independent camera store near me . I have been thinking about opening a small camera store with a repair service and knowledgeable staff. I bought my camera and equipment from a place called Precision Camera in Austin, TX. I respected this store and would like to create a small version of it.

Amazon, B&H, and Adorama have so much power and is the sole reason I don't pull the trigger. Personally, I don't like sending my business to big corporate online retailers like these 3, but I realize we're not all alike.

So, please let me know where you buy your equipment and what your advice would be for me.

B&H and Adorama aren't big corporate.
They're mom and pop stores that grew because they have fantastic service and great prices.
Local stores just can't match the selection, service and prices.
I've bought every photography thing I've ever purchased from either of them.
Often next day delivery and great service.

 

[minicoop1985]

Bought a strap at Camera Casino in Oshkosh, WI. Camera at Murray Photo in Appleton, WI. Bag, thanks to Pixmedic. Used tripod and head: eBay and a local consignment shop. Film camera stuff: Wherever I can find it, really. I'm not loyal, though I do get all my color film done by Camera Casino and all my B&W by a lab like 3 blocks away.

 

[trevorjb1406]

Hello from the UK! I was raised in a small retail shop in the north west of England and lived above it for 20years. I swore I would never go into retail! Since then my wife has suggested she open a fashion shop...thank God we didn't do it! It is a constant worry owning a shop especially when products are changing so quickly. When I was at college studying photography and design etc. some 50 years ago I used to work in a retail shop on Saturdays. That was fun but today with all the major competition I think it almost impossible to win. Sometimes, I go to Calumet in London and I have bought equipment from them but it is an American chain store (so I'm told). A few weeks ago I visited the store because I wanted to look at the new Nikon df camera. I was told that they would only open the box to someone who definitely wanted to buy! If they opened the box I would be expected to wear white cotton gloves! Evidently they were / are in short supply, but that didn't seem to be the case on Amazon. I don't like big corporates either because I like the personal touch but I don't think I would take a risk on a camera shop just now. Another chain store here was / is called Jessops and has basically been closed down and resurrected by a wealthy entrepreneur, so that is a story worth following! (this guy made about £400M on a telephone company sale)
Anyway, I hope this helps albeit on the negative side but there are those who think the economy may go pear shaped again so all I can say is Good Luck!

 

[D-B-J]

There is no independent camera store near me . I have been thinking about opening a small camera store with a repair service and knowledgeable staff. I bought my camera and equipment from a place called Precision Camera in Austin, TX. I respected this store and would like to create a small version of it.

Amazon, B&H, and Adorama have so much power and is the sole reason I don't pull the trigger. Personally, I don't like sending my business to big corporate online retailers like these 3, but I realize we're not all alike.

So, please let me know where you buy your equipment and what your advice would be for me.

B&H and Adorama aren't big corporate.
They're mom and pop stores that grew because they have fantastic service and great prices.
Local stores just can't match the selection, service and prices.
I've bought every photography thing I've ever purchased from either of them.
Often next day delivery and great service.

This. They have ALWAYS been great to me. I buy from both.

 

[kathyt]

Adorama, B&H, or Calumet

 

[Tom47]

B&H, Audorama, and two local stores Carlisle Camera, LA Camera for film supplies, tripods and back packs.

 

[ToddnTN]

Adorama has treated me right and I will continue to shop there. We have a local camera store here in Nashville, Dury's, but with an almost 10% state sales tax and the high prices of a local store, I just can't afford to shop there.
I try to shop local when I can, but in this case it is really hard to do that.

 

[davedyer]

The last really good local store here closed 5+ years ago. There are a couple of chain stores (Dodd, and Cord). Ritz disappeared with the bankruptcy, although they were pretty much useless well before that. I buy from the local stores, but not for bigger purchases. For the last 5 years all my major purchases have been from KEH, Adorama, or eBay.

 

[pixmedic]

there's a guy that drives an old van through our neighborhood every couple of weeks with all sorts of electronic and camera equipment.
there's no warranty or returns, (and sometimes no boxes or accessories) but its waaaaay under retail.

 

[Gavjenks]

Also, we have sales tax here in Massachusetts (6.25%) and for now, it doesn't apply when ordering online from a store with no physical presence here

FYI it is illegal to never pay sales tax on online purchases.
For any purchases from out of state vendors, you are still obligated to pay MA sales tax.
It's simply a matter of you reconciling the amount on your own tax return as opposed to the vendor automatically being forced to collect it at the time of sale (I believe it is because they don't want to burden vendors with having to calculate and keep track of 50 different tax laws) Obviously the vendor won't do it unless forced because it makes their prices look better. But that doesn't mean you just magically somehow get out of paying taxes

 

[DarkShadow]

Screw that,I pay plenty of property tax in CT on everything and the mill rate where I live is high. So If I buy something from BH in NY and don't pay tax to CT, my state could go take flying leap of a bridge.

 

[table1349]

Supreme Court declines case on making online retailers collect sales taxes - The Washington Post


50-State Guide to Internet Sales Tax Laws | Nolo.com

 

[Gavjenks]

Screw that,I pay plenty of property tax in CT on everything and the mill rate where I live is high. So If I buy something from BH in NY and don't pay tax to CT, my state could go take flying leap of a bridge.

Yeah man. Screw them. What has CT ever done for you?!