Local Store or Web Order? A good Read with Poll...

Pretty self explanatory. Read below, or post your own experience.

Let me get it started by sharing my latest 'adventure' at the reputable local shop.

Actually, this shop is quite large in size, with a few other competitors in the area (such as those other brands that have shops all over the U.S.). And this is a Photography Store, no talking about WalMart or Best Buy here.

A couple of weeks ago, I was about to get my 70-200L lens. I checked online, and it was the usual 1600 bucks. Then, I decided to shop around the regional stores, so that I would not have to wait a whole 30 Hs to get my lens.

I ended up at this local shop, full of pretty well educated photographers. From the moment I first walked in, it felt these guys knew the game, and played the 'extra mile' customer service card, to make up for the web-based prices. (Six months earlier this same thing caused me to buy all my studio supplies from them, in an effort to support my local shop).

Well, Long story short, I ask for the Lens price, and I hear 1999 buckaroos. Intrigued, I asked him why the high price, Pointing out that he himself could order lenses from BH, sell them at that marked up price, and still make a couple hundred dollars.

Here is what he told me: "Well, the reason we have the Canon Lenses at a higher price, is that they are not only built in the USA, but also Class 1"
Say what?
"Yes, Canon classifies their lenses in Classes according to quality of their components, and they have a Class 1 and Class 2. They prioritize their Class 1 shipments to the Stores. If you want to spend 1600 for a Class 2 USA lens, go ahead, but I strongly recommend getting the Class 1. They last a lot longer".

Now, this threw me off, because I did work at a Photo distributor in South America, and it is no secret that components can and are sold to different parts of the world (areas, such as North America, Europe, Asia, South America, etc) with different specs. They were called Classes. Back in 1990, this probably meant that Argentinian shops were getting the Japanese/Malasian/What​ever built lenses, while North America and Europe could get the USA lenses.

But two sub-classes for USA built lenses?

"It's found easily on the serial numbers, if you do not believe me" said the photo store clerk.

Well, I called Canon and did some research, just to be able to talk about it, without someone correcting me.

I am sorry you read this far, to realize that Canon does not recognize or have Class 1/Class 2 lenses built in the USA. Their Shipments go to BH and your corner shop alike.

So I have not stepped into my local shop since. I know this was probably some employee trying to get smart with me, but I really do not appreciate it. Needless to say, I got the lens from BH, and with a 105mm Macro I was just about the same price as the one single lens at the local shop.

I will try to continue to support the local shops, but only if they give me the straight truth. The funny thing is I may have paid extra if they would have given me better customer support.

Sound Off !!...

Not only that, but canon lenses aren't made in the USA anyways. The only thing USA about some of them is the warranty card.

You should tell them. That's just a bunch of nonsense. Canon lenses aren't USA made and there are no classes. The mgmt should hear that one.

Common selling strategy...cast Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt in the buyer's mind about what the competitor has to offer. It need not have any substantiation in fact (in fact, it may be just the opposite!) It only needs to cause the buyer to doubt, and to place the order with you, 'just in case'.


If I take up a good amount of the sales person's time and ask a lot of questions, I buy local. If I made up my mind without bothering someone, doing my research at home and buying something like I would be any other commodity, I buy mail order. Too bad the poll doesn't allow me to express that!

The attitudes in my local area in camera/photography stores is nothing short of arrogant and this was before the whole online shopping.

e.g. Adray camera down the road has a lens I want - they were $200 higher than Amazon.
I also want the Gretag color checker and they want $99 and Amazon has it at $66

I'd like to believe I have more brains than money so my shopping for Photo gear is 100% online.

I buy from both, but price isn't always the prime consideration. I snagged some stuff for a shoot that day, and one item was defective - one of two 430EX flashes. I was able to return it without impacting the shoot.

It is unfortunate that the local store buys in much smaller volume from the distributors, and is therefore entitled to not as deep buying discounts from the distributor, which they then have to try and compete against the high volume mail order who get the deeper discounts.

If we all buy mail order all of the time, the local store won't be there to sell us some product 'in an emergency' situation like jfrancho had.

jfrancho wrote in post #2784563
I buy from both, but price isn't always the prime consideration. I snagged some stuff for a shoot that day, and one item was defective - one of two 430EX flashes. I was able to return it without impacting the shoot.

Perfect example of a great reason to support your local shop.

Yep, my local shop is pretty good, and they always cut me a fair deal. They are very competitive on body prices, but certain lenses are just too high. It really comes down to how undecided I am about a what to get, and how impatient I am to get it.

I would buy local if I could afford to. The camera shop in town here has prices way high. Here is a good example of why I don't shop there.

430ex @ B&H-$250.00 shipped to my door.
430ex @ local store- $422.00 tax included
580ex is almost $700.00 at her store!

She is a Pro that runs a small camera and printing store out of the local mall. I was going to buy my XT from her store last summer until I found out what everyone else sells them for. Last summer she had it tagged at $1100.00-body only. I paid $700.00 with the kit lens at B&H.

I'll wait 5 days for the shipping time before I pay almost double retail prices.

I live in an area where the "local" shops are Ritz and Richmond Camera. Every once in a while there will be a person in the Ritz store who may know something about SLR photography, but this is getting rare. On top of that they are really pushing Quantaray (however it is spelled) and I've noticed a huge drop in almost all of the professional name brands. Canon L lens - ha ha....not at one of my local Ritz's anymore - used to.

Richmond Camera has very small stores in my area, and are waaaaay more expensive than B&H....recent example: Canon 70-200mm f2.8L IS on B&H with discount code was $1699 + $15 shipping (takes 2-3 days to me) - Richmond Camera was $2299 with a 2 week wait (they don't stock it) plus sales tax. The 430ex flash is a difference of $150!!! I'll buy cheap things from Richmond Camera like blowers or cleaning things, but I can't justify those kinds of price differences on my bigger purchases no matter how friendly the rep is......typically they're asking me for advice anyway. One of their reps told me I have to pay 12% sales tax to buy from B&H - lol.....she didn't know that I've been a B&H customer for years and have spent in the 5 digit territory with them.

Richmond Camera has a strong following of film people in Hampton Roads, so as long as the film shooters remain film shooters they'll still be around.

B&H has always given me good service. Sometimes I have to ask them to pull up my account to see the amount of stuff I've purchased with them to get above average service, but even at there regular level they're still better than what I have locally.

Sorry, Ritz isn't a 'local store' any more then 'Home Depot' is. And I don't count on either for any advice that is worth anything!

There's a local hardware store (Wisnum's) that almost always can be counted on for expert advice, products and information not obtainable in Home Dept or Lowe's, and not the lowest prices. But when you need a 'expert outlet' it has no equal!

We as a society created the Home Depots and the Ritz, at the expense of the Wisnums...big box, one stop shopping, no help at all

R_Metzel wrote in post #2784639
I would buy local if I could afford to. The camera shop in town here has prices way high. Here is a good example of why I don't shop there.

430ex @ B&H-$250.00 shipped to my door.
430ex @ local store- $422.00 tax included
580ex is almost $700.00 at her store!

She is a Pro that runs a small camera and printing store out of the local mall. I was going to buy my XT from her store last summer until I found out what everyone else sells them for. Last summer she had it tagged at $1100.00-body only. I paid $700.00 with the kit lens at B&H.

I'll wait 5 days for the shipping time before I pay almost double retail prices.

That's crazy. It sounds like she is charging a premium for the inconvenience tying capital up in inventory, mall up-pricing aside.

I wish I could support my local stores, but the pricing is so out of whack its crazy. It's almost to the point where you can't afford to buy local. I would love to support them but they carry such a limited supply, always a wait, and then the dreaded sales tax, but sales tax may become a dead issue since they are trying to pass a law where if you buy something online you still have to pay tax...always gotta get there hand in somewhere!
Brad

The poll needs a fourth choice, for those of us who buy both locally and online, sometimes for reasons other than price.

I have had a few heart-to-heart chats with my local camera shop owner about pricing. I feel his pain, considering the fact that the big online retailers sell at prices below his cost. He never gave me a BS line about class 1/class 2 like the one you got.

I buy small ticket items locally. He runs an honest shop and I want him to stay in business. He understands that I can't afford to buy the big ticket items from him, and I understand that it wouldn't be fair to go into his store, fondle his merchandise and ask him questions for a half hour, then walk out and order it online.