What is it with Jessops and the price of their 70-200 F4 L?

Been looking at adding the Canon 70-200 F4 L USM lens to my kit recently and decided to go into Jessops today to check it out on the camera / weight etc...

but decided not to buy it... not because I didn't like it.. but because they have it priced £150 more than the other dealers both web and actual stores..

Their price is currently £609.99 GBP!!!

meanwhile warehouse express and Cecil Jacobs have it at £445 & £444. (when I got my kit a few months back I looked at this lens at Jessops and it was similarly priced - but I went for the 10-22 at the time as I was doing more indoor work.)

Is this price increase down to Canon? or are Jessops just taking the p*ss?

Yup, when I went in to check out the sigma 18-50 EX DC, they are £375 in store even though they are £258 on their website, and they refuse to match their own price. Their market management system is screwed up, this will only turn customers away.

Went to look at a 17-40L today. £679 in store!!! I can get the lens for £425, making it 40% more expensive in Jessops!

yes i should say that it's not just the 70-200 that is overpriced at the moment... all of their lenses seem to be much higher than the competition... their 70-200 F2.8 is over £1200 GBP

I wonder is there a Canon price increase on the way?

It's Jessops that hike up (markup for profit) their prices. Makes you wonder why when competion is rising between high street and online stores. Their lack of photography knowledge if you know what you are looking for also astounds me.

I had a chat with my local sales rep at Jacobs and he said that they try and match all their prices with the offers on Warehouse Express. Go to Jacobs or Warehouse express.

Perhaps they put the prices up, so they can knock them down in the new year sales.

If Jessops manage to sell them at that price to high street punters, who is the idiot

keeny wrote in post #2460016
Perhaps they put the prices up, so they can knock them down in the new year sales.

i thought that too when i looked online just before Christmas... but now the sales have started they haven't reduced the prices...

I haven't read all of this thread, but please take a read of this post from my blog. I have several previous posts related, all about the price of this lens at Jessops!

Its found right here. Hope you find it useful.

I went into a Jessops store and got this lens for £506 with a CP + 3 years accidental cover (yes I'm a mug), they matched their online price and even gave me the online 10% discount in store. Did chuckle seeing the price hike!

Use the codes on here http://www.cameraprice​buster.co.uk/ and take a print off from the Jessops website and go in store. If you get lucky you'll get decent member of staff.

Yes Jessops are over priced but they are a brick and mortar and combine Jessops + 10% discount = competitive.

Pete, I believe that price match that they did offer has now stopped. They've put up their prices and it certainly seems like they are taking joe public for a ride! I guess they're using their high street presense to justify their prices.

My only guess is that they're looking to make reductions in the January sales and continue to boost sales post xmas with "big savings". I'm not in London at the moment so I don't know whats happening in store.

I'd say go check it out in Jessops, but buy it online.

Phone before you call in and check they do price matching on thre item you want. Or...give your business to Ian Kerso (kerso1123@msn.com), currently selling the 70-200 f4 for, I think, £400.

Jessops are just a convenient high street shop that happens to sell camera gear. If you want good service, advice and a competitive price you need to go elsewhere. I will never shop at Jessops again!

There are a few threads doing the rounds about Jessops' current prices - bottom line is they are ridiculously high, and weren't exactly cheap before the latest unjustifiable price hike.
some people reckon it's a cynical ploy to be able to 'reduce' prices in january in time for the sales.
other people feel it is because they lost so much price matching that they are trying to claw back what they can.

Ultimately if you are dumb enough to pay that price, then they deserve to have your money. I just feel disappointed that a store I have always liked, in spite of being less than competetive, has done such a sad thing. Everything in my sig except the flash and the pods came from jessops, and I was happy to pay a little more for the convenience of dealing face to face.

They won't be getting any more of my hard-earned moolah though.

'Disgusted of Brighton'

I was after the 50mm f1.4 and checked up various places online for prices,in the end I bought the lens from B & H for £127 cheaper than Jessops online store was quoting - and that included the shipping (and I didn't have to pay duty either )