why buy local?

[shayneyasinski]

for me to buy a new 7d locally it will cost $2215.00 us for body only.

B&H is only 1699.

I am in canada so I added the 15% tax then the exchange to get my price.

[tkbslc]

You sure you won't get import taxes and shipping charges going from B&H?

[sempaidavid]

My local camera shops are the same price as B&H. I picked up a 7D for $1699.99 and a Grip for $229.99. Plus no shipping or waiting. They even gave my daughter a balloon.

[beeng]

You'll have to pay duties on the camera. Sometimes it ends up being cheaper, sometimes it isn't. The only advice I can offer is add up all the costs before you make your decision.

[Luke Cern]

for me to buy a new 7d locally it will cost $2215.00 us for body only.

B&H is only 1699.

I am in canada so I added the 15% tax then the exchange to get my price.


In the UK we don't have a B&H so we don't get tempted with huge price differentials. However, photography is expensive "forever", so it does make a lot of sense to build a relationship with a quality retailer where you can handle and test goods before you buy and possibly trade items you don't need. I'm not saying I buy everything from my local dealer, but whenever I go there now, I get tea and a friendly welcome. Be prepared to pay slightly more but expect to get personal service. If things go wrong with items, you'll be pleased you supported your local dealer.

IMHO.

[PacAce]

My local camera shops are the same price as B&H. I picked up a 7D for $1699.99 and a Grip for $229.99. Plus no shipping or waiting. They even gave my daughter a balloon.

California has no sales tax?

[masayako]

No tax
Free shipping
Free memory card
bing rebate

"hello?"

[NeoTokyo]

We do have Sales tax, around 7.5%-11.5% depending on what part of Cali you live in.
Citrus Heights (Sacramento county) was only about 7.5% where just a short trip down the road to Rancho Cordova was about 9.5%

Some vendors might choose to eat the sales tax to compete with well known online vendors.

The first time I went to the Springfield Mo local camera store (Not going to say the name but there is only one here) they told me that B&H was gray market and that is why they were so much cheaper than them. I was just "Wow" and left.

As for the price diff up there in Canada, get ahold of all the final fee's then go to your local store and tell them about the difference and ask if they can get closer to that price.

-Eric-

[PacAce]

No tax
Free shipping
Free memory card
bing rebate

"hello?"

Bing rebate? So am I safe in assuming that you are not talking about buying local?

[beeng]

As for the price diff up there in Canada, get ahold of all the final fee's then go to your local store and tell them about the difference and ask if they can get closer to that price.
heh, good luck negotiating in Canada. Unless you're dealing with a very very small private retailer, you won't be able to make them budge. Or, you do so much business with the retailer each year (ie you're a professional) that they can justify giving you a break occasionally.
It's in all camera retailers' best interest to not negotiate. If none of them negotiate then they will all be able to milk the maximum profit out of each sale. I know in many regions camera retailers will negotiate, but it seems that this nearly never happens in Canada. :(

[nobodyspecial]

I usually buy local if the stores I go to if they can come close to BH & Adorama prices. The people there are informative and friendly, unlike other stores I've been in. I've spent hours talking to them and sometime left without buying anything. I buy a lot of my accessories from them and if they can't get close to online or other local dealers, they know that I'll go elsewhere. They know that this an expensive hobby for me and that I pinch pennies where I can. Still, everytime I go in there, it's a friendly atmosphere.

The big plus for is if there's an issue with any of the things I buy, I can drive there instead of mailing back the item and hoping it doesn't get damaged in transit or get lost.

One of the two store I frequent lets me look at the lens, but won't let me try it out on my camera before I buy it. I'm not sure if it's a store policy or that particular person. Anyway, so if my friend is there with me with his laptop, I'll just test the lens right there. If it's not good, I'll do an exchange right there. If my friend is not there, I'll go home do the test and it it's not to my liking, I'll drive back and exchange it. I may end up driving back and forth, but I'll eventually get a good copy and if I don't, I can wait until another one comes in. (I really should get a laptop to save me some time)

But, that's why I prefer to buy at the local camera store.

[JBF]

True, it cost me more to buy locally. However, by purchasing locally, I was able to take my 7D back to the shop after one week because it wasn't focussing properly and swap it out for a new one. Otherwise I would have had to send it back to Canon and then wait to get that camera back. Probably not a new one either. Its worth the extra few bucks to have some piece of mind.

[apoyboy]

To inspect the product prior to purchasing and to support your local economy. Most of my impulse purchase is done locally, it's hard to let go once it's in my hands.

[TimeTraveler]

My local camera shops are the same price as B&H. I picked up a 7D for $1699.99 and a Grip for $229.99. Plus no shipping or waiting. They even gave my daughter a balloon.

Where is this shop?
I also want a balloon.

[PacAce]

True, it cost me more to buy locally. However, by purchasing locally, I was able to take my 7D back to the shop after one week because it wasn't focussing properly and swap it out for a new one. Otherwise I would have had to send it back to Canon and then wait to get that camera back. Probably not a new one either. Its worth the extra few bucks to have some piece of mind.

All the online stores I shop at have a 15-day to 30-day return policy. If the product is defective, they'll either refund the money or exchange it. I'm sure most online stores have similar policies regarding returns of damaged goods.

[rral22]

It boils down to whether or not you want to live in a community that has a vibrant and diverse retail section, or just a bedroom community for the big city, big box stores in foreign countries.

There is far more to life than just cheapest prices. The concept of a "local economy" includes your own quality of life that must be measured beyond the few dollars you might save from ordering in a foreign country.

[JayStar86]

im a fellow canuck.... buy from B&H or other reputable online retailers and save your money.... all you gotta pay on top of the online price is currency conversion, canadian tax and shipping..... it still comes out to a lot less.... just wait for the dollar to go back up to around that 98c mark and your all set.... screw local sellers that screw us for literally thousands..... and for what? convenience of returns or exchange.... i think the extra saved $$$ is worth my time shipping back and forth with a online us retailer for return, exchange, or warranty work IMO.... just make sure you purchase from a reputable online vendor like B&H or Adorama, etc.

[JayStar86]

It boils down to whether or not you want to live in a community that has a vibrant and diverse retail section, or just a bedroom community for the big city, big box stores in foreign countries.

There is far more to life than just cheapest prices. The concept of a "local economy" includes your own quality of life that must be measured beyond the few dollars you might save from ordering in a foreign country.

spoken like a true patriot.... nothing wrong with that....

but after being screwed on everything you buy from milk and gas to cars.... i think its fair if someone wants to save a few $$$$ buy buying online.... better the US economy gets.... better it is for us folks north of the border (deny it all you want... we depend on the US).... the US does after-all purchase and consume over 80% of all export from Canada.

Im all for supporting local economy but as well as supporting the US economy ... we need to support both IMO.

[photoguy6405]

It boils down to whether or not you want to live in a community that has a vibrant and diverse retail section, or just a bedroom community for the big city, big box stores in foreign countries.

There is far more to life than just cheapest prices. The concept of a "local economy" includes your own quality of life that must be measured beyond the few dollars you might save from ordering in a foreign country.
I tend to agree with this. There's more to quality of life where I live than just dollars and cents. However, having said that, I am not willing to empty my bank account for their benefit either. No matter how much I like my local guy... and I do... he still has to be at least close and competitive.

[Kasrielle]

I live in a small town with a tiny photo store that depends mostly on tourists buying memory cards and getting prints developed. I'm a day's drive from any city with a big store. MY local store isn't bringing in the 7D, doesn't carry a 5D or 1D line, and only occasionally will have a 50D. They have the XSI, T1i, some entry level Nikons, and a bunch of P&S. They have a couple of entry level Manfrotto tripods. And the lenses they do have are really expensive - $1899 for a Sigma 150-500... So I do the vast majority of my shopping online. Even camera bags - I can pay $100 less for a bag on line than what they charge.

However, that doesn't stop me from talking to the owner about new lenses and seeing if I can get a deal. And she was able to get me the new 100L macro for only about $50 more than online, because she could get a deal herself. So I had her order it, and was happy to pay a bit more to help a small local business.

I'd pay her higher prices all the time if I could afford them, but I can't.

[yogestee]

You guys in Nth America are being ripped off with import tax etc..

If I buy off shore and get anything sent to Australia I only pay tax on anything over 1000AUD (about 900USD),, 10% GST..

When I buy off shore and get it sent to Laos I pay nothing irrespective of the price..

[LeuceDeuce]

You'll have to pay duties on the camera. Sometimes it ends up being cheaper, sometimes it isn't. The only advice I can offer is add up all the costs before you make your decision.

Nope.

When I bought my initial setup I had a whole pile of stuff coming from B&H, and a duties/taxes bill followed from UPS. The camera body had no duties on it at all (only taxes). Percentages were all over the map on the other gear, and the highest percentage duty was on the lens. So if you're buying body only, you are paying taxes only.

Not only that, but you're paying taxes on the value of the product you bought from B&H so you save the taxes on the extra $500 too.

When the dollar is near par like it is, and the local shops act like it's at 80 cents I buy from Adorama/B&H. I prefer Adorama because they don't require shipping to my house when there's no one there during office hours. If local shops adjust pricing to take the dollar into account, then I buy local.

[Karl Johnston]

If you choose UPS by worldwide saver option there are no duties, just shipping and handling and local taxes.

Usually it works out to a couple hundred more, though I still end up saving money if I order from the USA

[Karl Johnston]

I buy online, what are these "stores'' you guys talk about? In the arctic we only have 3 stores. The jail, the bank, and the bar/grocery store

:lol: just kidding, .. actually for some places up here that's true :(

[DStanic]

Canadians: this isn't really about buying "local". It's about buying US vs Canada. when I bought my XTi at Henry's they were happy to match prices and give discounts on some accessories, and I bought it on a weekend where they were giving away free memory cards with purchase. I don't know why the 7D costs $2000 in Canada and $1699 at various establishments in the US. Our dollar is [currently] weaker afterall..

[ryant35]

All this talk about no camera stores in your areas make me feel lucky I have Calumet Photo, Sammys Cameras, Pro Photo & Cals Cameras - All fully stocked stores, with the first 2 nationwide all not more than 15 minutes out of the way while driving home from work. In fact I have 2 more Calumet stores within 1 hour north or south.

I can't even imagine the delema of not having somewhere to go and check stuff out.

[shayneyasinski]

I am the OP and I do like to buy local but at what cost??
After much reserch my 70-200 2.8 IS was about the same as what it is in the US so I bought local.
my sigma 10-20 was $899 local and $449 in the US so in that case I did not buy from my local store.
I like the idea that my 7d bought from my local store would be covered by a better or should I say easier warranty but do I need to pay about $300 more to get it?
really what is $300??????????????
maybe I wait for used.. huh!
I can see my CC getting pulled out monday and just doing it .
but on a side note I did just buy a gas stove to heat my living room and my local guy wanted $4299 and the guy in the US sold me the exact same new stove for $1350!
pays to shop around and even if I get hit with duty taxes and shipping there is alot I would have to make up.
I would also like to add that Band H has helped me in the past with alot of video gear and that is one store that I can say really knows there stuff.

[Tumeg]

My local camera shops are the same price as B&H. I picked up a 7D for $1699.99 and a Grip for $229.99. Plus no shipping or waiting. They even gave my daughter a balloon.

I see you're in Cali.
So, you must have paid close to 9% or 10% tax... With B&H, there is no tax :D

[Chrazer]

Our local camera shop has a 100% markup on Manfrotto tripods as compared to an internet discounter. Since the internet discounter is relatively local my choice is obvious.

[ssim]

heh, good luck negotiating in Canada. Unless you're dealing with a very very small private retailer, you won't be able to make them budge. Or, you do so much business with the retailer each year (ie you're a professional) that they can justify giving you a break occasionally.
It's in all camera retailers' best interest to not negotiate. If none of them negotiate then they will all be able to milk the maximum profit out of each sale. I know in many regions camera retailers will negotiate, but it seems that this nearly never happens in Canada. :(

When I first went digital I made the conscious decision that I would deal with one retailer. The only thing that I ever paid list price for was my original 10D. You can make the retailer move their prices. I have bought every last piece of Canon gear in my gear list in Canada. Did it cost me more, probably but then I have a sense of duty to buy domestically unless the price difference would be astronomical which I have always managed to avoid. Everyone likes to compare the US prices against the Canadian posted prices. Once the credit card companies get done with their exchange rates my experience is that the price difference is minimal. Do I want someone that frequented my employer to all of a sudden start to buy from a foreign provider. I certainly wouldn't brag about it.

Most certainly the retailer is going to maximize the amount that they can get from each sale. Is that not why they are in business. All it takes is for you to pick up the phone and call some of the online businesses and they will negotiate. The local brick and mortar stores are still around but not to the point that they used to be and they certainly are going to have a tough time matching the pricing of some of these. That is life in business but if one really worked a little bit they would find a domestically priced product to come very close to the B&H pricing.

[DC Fan]

Why buy local? To support the people who support you.

There are still many local photo retailers (http://www.robertsimaging.com/) that are the best link to products and service in their areas. (http://www.jackscamera.com/) These stores go far beyond price: they have excellent collections of merchandise, and they let a potential buyer try the item in the store. These stores also have unadvertised specials that can be real money savers. And, once you add shipping and insurance charges to the prices of the mail order houses, there's not much difference in prices.

Being able to chat with a knowledgeable salesman who also is a familiar face from years of experience is a great benefit. That person can steer you to the right equipment, sometimes letting you consider an alternative that wasn't obvious. Handling a camera or a lens in person has a value that even the best magazine review or web forum can't match. Being able to try equipment in your own hands eliminates most of the questions you have about that equipment.

A few months ago, a stop at another camera store (http://www.berryscamerashop.com/) and a brief check of the used equipment counter produced a used 2x teleconverter. The saleswoman was kind enough to allow a brief test of the teleconverter outside the store, where it became obvious that the unit didn't work consistently with the camera and lens where it would have been mounted. Doing the same by mail order would have meant two or three weeks of ordering, credit card billing, shipping and reshipping. But at a real store, it took only a few minutes to try the equipment and learn its capabilities.

Buying from a web site can be useful if you need a small or obscure part, but it's best to purchase from a place where you live.

[rral22]

I am the OP and I do like to buy local but at what cost??
After much reserch my 70-200 2.8 IS was about the same as what it is in the US so I bought local.
my sigma 10-20 was $899 local and $449 in the US so in that case I did not buy from my local store.
I like the idea that my 7d bought from my local store would be covered by a better or should I say easier warranty but do I need to pay about $300 more to get it?
really what is $300??????????????
maybe I wait for used.. huh!
I can see my CC getting pulled out monday and just doing it .
but on a side note I did just buy a gas stove to heat my living room and my local guy wanted $4299 and the guy in the US sold me the exact same new stove for $1350!
pays to shop around and even if I get hit with duty taxes and shipping there is alot I would have to make up.
I would also like to add that Band H has helped me in the past with alot of video gear and that is one store that I can say really knows there stuff.

Well, if you live in Saskatchewan, you must be able to understand - you can certainly see it if you look - the consequences to small towns when people use bigger centers to do their shopping for the sake of saving a few dollars. Rural life is being destroyed by that process.

The real cost of saving a few bucks can be your lifestyle. When your local grocery store shuts down because people like to save a few dollars at Walmart in the nearest city, suddenly you must travel to the city for a quart of milk. Look around you. Saskatchewan is absolute proof of that process.

The farther you range from home with your shopping (and obviously the web makes for wide ranging) the larger the effect. Saskatoon and Regina are already feeling the pinch. Motion Picture and Sound (at one time one of the best photography outlets in the province) in Saskatoon closed down a couple of years ago for just this reason. Regina has no genuinely good camera shops any more. Not one.

So think about it. I realize there are circumstances where the savings are large, and individuals can not ignore them, but every effort should be made to keep your community alive and well for the sake of your lifestyle, not just a few dollars. Do you really think that a world with only one huge internet camera outlet in Singapore perhaps, would be a better world for you, even if the prices were as cheap as possible? Do you think they would stay cheap?

Globalization, the web, mail order, all have their place, but as a member of a community, you must make choices based on a much wider understanding of the economic implications to you than on a few dollars at the time of purchase.

[shayneyasinski]

I have my CC ready and will be there in the am to buy a 7d!

[shayneyasinski]

wow what a thread!
I am laying in bed waiting for my pain meds to work so I can drive to Dons photo and spend a couple hundred more than i would at a US located store , but from what some have posted I feel good about it.

I would also like to say hi to Henry from B & H and that the 2 xl2 's are still runnin like tanks.


but back to the 7d , as Borat would say ...VERY EXCITE!!!!! HI 5.

[Quad]

wow what a thread!
I am laying in bed waiting for my pain meds to work so I can drive to Dons photo and spend a couple hundred more than i would at a US located store , but from what some have posted I feel good about it.

I would also like to say hi to Henry from B & H and that the 2 xl2 's are still runnin like tanks.


but back to the 7d , as Borat would say ...VERY EXCITE!!!!! HI 5.

Spoken like a true POTNer. I rather like Don's photo in Regina. They have always charged me decent prices on things and I got a tripod for less than B&H once.

[LeuceDeuce]

And hey, if you're ever in a spot and need some money you could always go to Don and say "Remember the time I spent an extra couple hundred with you instead of saving money? I need you to help me out now." I'm sure he'll be a trooper, and help you out right away (out the door of his shop that is).

[shayneyasinski]

well!!!
they gave me a deal on a 7d and a grip!!!!
paid no more than $80 more if i was to buy from the US.
2 hour drive home and the wife is driving so I will be reading and shooting on the way.

[Quad]

well!!!
they gave me a deal on a 7d and a grip!!!!
paid no more than $80 more if i was to buy from the US.
2 hour drive home and the wife is driving so I will be reading and shooting on the way.


Niiiiiiice.

I know that Canon Canada honours warranties on US lenses but I am not sure about bodies. Last lens I bought costs more in the US as well.

[rral22]

well!!!
they gave me a deal on a 7d and a grip!!!!
paid no more than $80 more if i was to buy from the US.
2 hour drive home and the wife is driving so I will be reading and shooting on the way.

That's great. A local store earned a customer, some reputation, and some profit I'm sure. You have your camera and a local store to use whenever. All that for $80 is a good deal.

[shayneyasinski]

he gave me a choice of a bag and battery or a better deal on the body and grip, I passed on the bag and batt for the deal and will just use aa's as a backup if I need or buy some ebay specials fpr cheap to use just in case.

the camera is well.... lets just say i am very impressed on the speed of the focus and FPS!
the video will be fun to play with and tonight I will do some high ISO testing.


so far over my 40d i like the 7d's

-menu - very fast for changing all the setting on one screen
-video
- 18mp - will let me crop into my shots further!
I can go on and on but still too early to tell.

[ImRaptor]

I will buy from Don's to a certain extent as there is a point where the cost is just way out from what I want to pay.
For instance: The Sigma 30mm. A lens I was really interested in and was hoping to buy. Don's wants $690 for it. So over $700 after tax for a lens that I see on Amazon right now for $399. I understand the fact that items are going to cost a bit more than in the USA due to the difference in currency, but at the same time $350USD is a bit of a stretch to $690CDN.
Now, with that said if I am going to buy out of the USA, then it's going to be a used item. If I'm going to save money, it's going to be a good chunk of money. I paid around $300 for my Sigma 30mm.

[shayneyasinski]

To be honest I always look on this forum first for glass then ebay then in Canada.
I have bought a 17-55 ,100mm macro and a grip from the guys on here and it was priced right and all details were very clear.

I wanted a 10-20 sigma and found dons to be almost $900 Can and everywhere online for no more than $449!

My dreams of a sigma 30mm are on hold till after we pay off the CC at the end of the month.

[Sparky98]

One reason to buy locally is instant gratification. If you buy online you have to wait for a couple of days and while you wait you wonder - will it get lost in shipment, how many times will they drop it before it gets to me, what if there is something wrong with it and I have to send it back, etc. If you buy locally you go into the store, inspect the camera, pay your money, and walk out with camera in hand. Sure you will probably pay more but sometimes you just have to have it and have it now!

[henryp]

Just a quick Thank you to whoever cleaned up this thread. Thanks for separating the wheat from the chaff.

[sapearl]

Ditto - much appreciated :D. And thank you Henry.

Just a quick Thank you to whoever cleaned up this thread. Thanks for separating the wheat from the chaff.

[lespaulowner]

To buy even one filter here on Guam (even the cheap ones like Zeikos), it'll cost about $40 for just one. I bought a Hoya (that's right, Hoya. lol) filter SET for $50. There have been a lot of people getting DSLR's but a lot of them treat their cameras like it's just a digital.

I honestly think it depends on location. There aren't that much photography shops here and whatever there are jack up their prices. Being that B&H has really great shipping options and to the fact that they EVEN ship to Guam wins my vote. For the time being, I'm online!