They have got to be kidding!!

OK,

First off, I do not want to appear as though I am store bashing...but:

I ordered a Canon EF 70-200mm 2.8LIS II USM lens from Adorama on Monday. It's now Wednesday and I have my new lens...YEAH!!

Adorama delivered as expected...cudoos to Adorama!!

So, the reason for my post is the cost breakdown, it is as follows:

Adorama Price

Lens - $1,974
3 yr ext warranty $59.95
Shipping $83.60
Tax (on my end) $281.03

Total: $2398.58

My Camera Store

Lens - $2549.99 (and thats the sale price)
3 yr ext warranty - $400 (what!!!)
Tax - $383.50

Total: $3333.49


That my friends is a difference of $934.91

To anyone interested it was shipped to me from Adorama NY to Ottawa, ON Canada. There was no duty taxes or brokerage fees. It was shipped via FedEx 2 day air.

Again, thank you Adorama!!

I am so disappointed in my camera stores in Ottawa I could have gotten $100 of their "sale price" of $2549.99 - and thats it.

So, needless to say I am more than happy to have this lens and to have gotten a significantly better deal from buying from our friends to the south than buying locally.


Thank You one and all and Merry Christmas....now to go and change my sig!!

I think that's funny. While I am willing to pay a little more for good face-to-face customer service, that is rediculous. I understand they have more overhead, but in a few years when they are out of business, they have no one to blame but themselves. Where I like, which has a MSA population of about 660,000, we have ONE camera shop (I don't consider Best Buy a camera store, nor would I ever give them my money).

And I got mine for 1974 OTD w/ a free extra year of warranty.

I just can't wrap my head around it. Where is my incentive to buy locally? Even if I hadn't bought the ext warranty I would still be ahead by $500 dollars!! Insanity.

tovarish wrote in post #13544425
I don't consider Best Buy a camera store, nor would I ever give them my money

I agree they are not a camera store, but why would you not give them your money?

EDIT: well, I would never give a company my money, I only asume you mean you will not do business with them

wfarrell4 wrote in post #13544438
And I got mine for 1974 OTD w/ a free extra year of warranty.

I was tempted to ship it to the border then drive down and get it to try and avoid the tax..but with the drive cost of gas and the chance of spending Christmas in jail...thought better of it. Guess I'm just getting old!

General_T wrote in post #13544454
I was tempted to ship it to the border then drive down and get it to try and avoid the tax..but with the drive cost of gas and the chance of spending Christmas in jail...thought better of it. Guess I'm just getting old!

Ahh, didn't notice you were up there.

Local businesses cannot compete with online businesses. I have never bought a camera related item locally, I dont mind spending a little extra to help out a local business but there is a threshold where it becomes ridiculous. There is a camera store near my house that sells new and used lenses, They were selling a used Canon 50mm f/1.4 for about 15% more than a brand new one on line. I didnt get it.

Indeed, it's much better for us Canucks to shop in the US through the web.

Although, I wonder why you chose air shipping? When I order from B&H (NYC), I choose normal shipping (through Purolator), and I get my items in two days (I live in Gatineau-Hull). Plus, I'm sure the duty fees have been included in either the shipping or in the tax.

Also, I'm wondering, does your "Adorama price total" take the exchange rate into account? I know the US & Canadian dollars are very close to parity, but it can still make a certain difference when you factor in the bank's commission.

Nevertheless, it's still a great deal! I bought my 15-85 a couple weeks ago from B&H, and it cost me 810$ CAD total (charged to my cc), with the hood, whereas if I'd bought it at a camera store here in Ottawa it would have cost me 1100$+ for the lens only (not sure how much the HST is), and the lens hood is something like 75$+tx on the Canon Canada eStore. We're getting gouged here.

I'll head in to the local camera shop to check things out, physically hold the item, and pick their brain for info. Then I'll order from B&H.

tovarish wrote in post #13544425
I think that's funny. While I am willing to pay a little more for good face-to-face customer service, that is rediculous. I understand they have more overhead, but in a few years when they are out of business, they have no one to blame but themselves. Where I like, which has a MSA population of about 660,000, we have ONE camera shop (I don't consider Best Buy a camera store, nor would I ever give them my money).

But smaller shops don't get the same pricing as places like B&H, etc. either. They can't purchase 100+ 5DII's at a time, things like that. So they don't get near the price break. Also, their price for the lens is much more in line with regular retail price - the bigger stores may have gotten a deal and bought a bunch. The smaller stores may have 2 of them which were bought before any other special deals...hard for them to make money really.

deedub35 wrote in post #13544498
I'll head in to the local camera shop to check things out, physically hold the item, and pick their brain for info. Then I'll order from B&H.

To me that's a little low.

If I go to a store and take advantage of there stock/expertise, I pay them for it.

If I do all the research myself, I buy online.

Apricane wrote in post #13544493
Indeed, it's much better for us Canucks to shop in the US through the web.

Although, I wonder why you chose air shipping? When I order from B&H (NYC), I choose normal shipping (through Purolator), and I get my items in two days (I live in Gatineau-Hull). Plus, I'm sure the duty fees have been included in either the shipping or in the tax.

Also, I'm wondering, does your "Adorama price total" take the exchange rate into account? I know the US & Canadian dollars are very close to parity, but it can still make a certain difference when you factor in the bank's commission.

Nevertheless, it's still a great deal! I bought my 15-85 a couple weeks ago from B&H, and it cost me 810$ CAD total (charged to my cc), with the hood, whereas if I'd bought it at a camera store here in Ottawa it would have cost me 1100$+ for the lens only (not sure how much the HST is), and the lens hood is something like 75$+tx on the Canon Canada eStore. We're getting gouged here.

I chose air for the "guaranteed speed of delivery" and having no brokerage fees (using FedEx). I checked with Canada Customs and there are no duty fees for camera lens...yeah!.

Yeah, I didn't bother with the exchange rate as they are close (would make about $100 dollar difference though...good point but still a much better deal).

Numenorean wrote in post #13544501
But smaller shops don't get the same pricing as places like B&H, etc. either. They can't purchase 100+ 5DII's at a time, things like that. So they don't get near the price break. Also, their price for the lens is much more in line with regular retail price - the bigger stores may have gotten a deal and bought a bunch. The smaller stores may have 2 of them which were bought before any other special deals...hard for them to make money really.

This isn't a small shop. They are a nationwide chain.

I know the feeling, everything at my local camera store is marked up at least 50% above online retailers.