Reason for price increases near rebates?

A friend of mine was telling that a dealer was yakking to him on a very slow day and told him that the price increases are due to Canon tactics.

Apparently a store or stores boned Canon by abusing the credit they extend to their dealers and Canon is now playing hardball with them all. No more credit lines and apparently demanding that dealers pay up their accounts at ridiculously low levels - like $1000. If they don't pay up, Canon is refusing to ship and even asking for merchandise to be returned.

This is apparently causing the dealers to be cash poor and short on stock. Hence the increase in prices. It is particularly killing the little guys.

First off this should be in the rumors section or something because that is exactly what it is.
Secondly Canon has made a habit lately of using rebates to raise prices. Once the rebates are gone the price barely lowers.

I was also reading that the yen has raised in value against the US dollar and that may have effected the prices.

I emailed B&H, Adorama and Canon to see what kind of answers they'll give me. I'm sure I'll get the same old story.

I'm just glad I'm not just starting out looking for high end gear and thinking that the rebates are going to save me a lot of cash.

The customer is really taking it in the rear these days. Rebates or no rebates.

Whatever is going on, it's a game I'm not playing for quite awhile.

This story sounds suspect at best. It should definitely be in the Rumors forum...

OP Here is a somewhat simular thread that has some explanations about the price.