Why is my local camera store so much more expensive?

[Sideburns]

Hmm, my local camera store is really competitive on prices actually. I got a D300 body for $1750 at the local (only) camera shop. And their prices for ordering things are usually cheaper than Best Buy. I've found that Best Buy is rather expensive when compared to Circuit City and camera stores.

This is because Best Buy is not a camera store, so they can't really do the same pricing.

They will price match however...and beat it by 10% or something...

It's lucky for guys like you, cause you have B&H to price match with. We don't really have much...

 

[mrodgers]

....I live in the midwest Unites States, commonly known as hicksville.

Impossible because I live in northwestern PA and I live in hicksville

I had forgotten about this thread. I ran around looking at cameras. Note, I was not in the market for an SLR financially. Plus, I can't see spending that much money on something I haven't a clue how to operate. Thus, I was looking for something more than the little pocket cameras, but I was a bit strapped financially.

The local camera shops are indeed the Ritz and another one called ABC Photo. I don't know if ABC Photo is a true photography shop or just a chain specializing in selling cameras, they only had Canon. But I walked in and the guy looked at me a few times. Finally he asked if he could help me and I told him what I was interested in. "Sold the last one earlier today..." and he turned around and walked away. He didn't say another word to me, so I turned around and walked right out.

The other non-Walmart/Best Buy/Curcuit City is Ritz. The lady pulled out the inexpensive Fuji I was interested in and let me play with it. I had already played with it at Walmart, so I knew I wanted it. I just wanted to see similar from other manufacturers, but couldn't find anything else. So, I bought it at Ritz. Though, when I asked a few questions, she had no idea how to answer.

I'll play with my inexpensive manual control camera and perhaps go with SLR someday. Until then, I need to learn how to use all that manual control.

On the other hand, a guy I work with is ordering a Rebel XTi on E-bay with a whole extra lens kit (3 lenses and a bunch of other stuff). He has never picked one up in his hands and doesn't even know how to operate his pocket camera with all the simple scene settings and such. Talking with him, he seems to think he'll immediately get fantastic pictures just by buying this camera.

 

[Urban Grimshaw]

I use ebay for just about everything! I research the product, then get the item number/description and I always find it on ebay for the best price. A lot of users on ebay get items at wholesale (about half) and then they sell it for a bit more on ebay. Works for me!!

Although great when you're strapped for cash, it's things like this that make it so difficult for independant stores to remain open and keep their prices down.

 

[Fate]

Yeah i try and support my local store - but internet prices are soooo tempting.

to be fair though.. im sure a lot of them could sell cheaper than jessops... they tend to over charge loads. For example the 17-55 2.8 is like £950 in jessops... and i found it for £750 new on an ebay shop.... thats a no brainer imo.

 

[table1349]

Yeah i try and support my local store - but internet prices are soooo tempting.

to be fair though.. im sure a lot of them could sell cheaper than jessops... they tend to over charge loads. For example the 17-55 2.8 is like £950 in jessops... and i found it for £750 new on an ebay shop.... thats a no brainer imo.

Yes e-bay prices can be tempting, however, Jessops lets you see that it is as advertised (new in the box), Jessops lets you hold it, Jessops lets you try it out and if there is a problem, Jessops takes it back.

E-bay shops do none of those things, and from the stories I hear many times that includes the last item as well. Plus, E-bay stores charge shipping. Some times stupidly high shipping, just to make a little extra money on the deal.

For me if my local photography store can come in with a price that is within 10% of the B&H price, including B&H shipping charge to my door, then I go with the local store. Often they can. Sometimes they can't. We have already discussed the 400 f2.8L and they can't come close. So after the first of the year, B&H will be getting an order for that lens.

For me service is just a price of doing business and I am willing to pay for a little service.

 

[johnmh]

Brick and mortar stores have higher expenses as a percentage of sales.....

Local photo places are going belly-up - or being bought up by chains like Ritz - BECAUSE there are far cheaper options in buying via mail order, the web, whatever...... realisitically, there's no way they can compete on price with larger or online vendors. Same reason there are so few local hobby shops anymore. They can't stock the inventory a Squadron Shop can, much less match the prices.

Some excellent local stores exist because they fill a niche. The local photo shop in Jackson WY provides exemplary service to the tourists and part-time residents there, knowing that people are willing to pony up more $ for the convenience factor.... the very reason we bought a small video camera there. Of course they also don't have any real competition for a few hundred miles.

Locally there are a few good photo shops but they're in affluent areas where people are willing to trade off $$ for convenience. We're not that far from NYC so we're talking 'convenience.' I was in one and saw a staffer spend an inordinate amount of time with some old guy who was truly clueless. They'll stock some equipment because there are people around who will read about the newest and best and simply walk in and ask for it. But they risk getting stuck - this place has a NOS old 200 2.8 and a 300 f4 that's a couple generations old. More than a few decade old NOS film cameras as well. They'll have a couple D40 kits because people will walk in and buy them because their granddaughter is looking for a camera..... even stock a D2 or 300 because they hhave regulars who'll walk in to buy whatever's new. But that's not typical of the rest of the world. They also have a decent used business because those places have lots of casual users who bought good equipment (because they could afford it) and are looking to unload it at some point - often estates..... Still I'll bet that most of their overhead is still paid by printing photos. But even THAT business isn't what it once was with people printing their own now at home on their own printers. I can't recall the last time I had someone else print photos for me.

Reality seems to be that most local shops exist only as branches of some larger chain and are focused on printing photos. As noted though, even that is a changing business - they have serious competition with Costco and even local pharmacies. Seems like photo shops get the demanding customers or the truly clueless.

They'll stock some equipment and even special order something if you REALLY want them to but it's a minor part of their business....... simple economics. There used to be a GREAT local store - had all kinds of equipment, would do photo restoration, large size prints and all kinds of cool stuff...... now they're holding on as a much smaller version of what they once were - focused more on prints, though they'll order stuff if you ask. I suspect that the owner - a real enthusiast - tried to provide what he thought a great photo shop would, and found he couldn't make enough to cover his costs. Same thing happened to a great hobby shop I used to drive 2 hours to visit now and then.