tonylong wrote in post #9571109
Some blue from our Saturday Seattle meetup
Some blue from our Saturday Seattle meetup
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Did you know the Sounder system was put together by the same people that created the Coaster in San Diego? Hence the similar titles...
FlyingPhotog wrote in post #9571688
(We interupt this thread for a rant...)
So, I learned my lesson today. Unless they come through in a major way, I'm done with one local merchant in particular and probably all local merchants in general.
Wanted a good walking around "street" bag and found a Lowepro Classified 200 AW at a Phoenix brick & mortar store selling for $169 (list $199.) I figured $30 below list was reasonable so I bought one. Come to find out that B&H sells the Black-colored version for $149. Now I've tried to be a proponant of doing business with local stores so long as items are within a reasonable price gap. I would not call a $20 difference unreasonable.
However, I bought the Sepia-colored version which B&H are selling for $116!!! WHAT!!?? A $54 gap? Are you kidding me? So, I composed the following to the local store's Retail Manager:
---------------
Dear Judith,
You don't know me from Adam but if you did, you'd know that on the photography-related forums that I frequent, I've tried to champion the cause of brick & mortar stores. I've always felt that even in this age of internet shopping, establishments like Photomark, Tempe Camera and Foto Forum are, in fact, valuable to Phoenix area photographers. As I often tell people, "Let's see you get something off the web 20 minutes from now."
I purchased a Lowepro Classified 200 AW in "Sepia" from you folks on February 5th for $169.99. I've subsequently discovered that while the Black-colored version is selling at B&H for $149.00 (in my opinion, an acceptable $20 difference), the Sepia-colored version from B&H is selling for ONLY $116. Is the Sepia-colored version by any chance actually being phased out or discontinued? Was $169.99 really a correct price?
I fully understand that local, independent merchants can not be expected to compete penny for penny with B&H, Adorama, etc. but a difference of nearly $54 is simply too much to let pass as the "price of doing local business."
Unfortunately for me, I have an all-day shoot scheduled for February 9th, which will preclude me from being able to return to Photomark within the five-day return period. Rest assured if I were not tied up on the 9th, I'd be camped on your doorstep in search of a full refund.
As I said, I've been a proponent of doing business with local merchants as often as price-gap reason will allow, but with this pricing difference, I'll be re-evaluating that stance. This much of a price difference is, well, a total relationship breaker.
What's truly odd is that I also purchased a P Series-sized Lee .6 GND from you for a price that was actually at or below the best price I could find on the web.
I respectfully request you look into the price difference on the Sepia-colored Lowepro Classified 200 AW. I'd like to know whether or not there should have been a price change that perhaps didn't make it to the sales floor. I grant you, we're talking about B&H here but we're also talking about a nearly $100 drop from the full list price of $199.99 which is significant even by B&H standards. Something just doesn't feel right in all of this.
Thank You for your time.
---------------
So, I'll either get my wheel greased or I'll forever be done with local camera shops. I hope they do right but I have a feeling I'm going to be left holding the bag (with a $54 price gap...) As they say, no good deed goes unpunished...
(We interupt this thread for a rant...)
So, I learned my lesson today. Unless they come through in a major way, I'm done with one local merchant in particular and probably all local merchants in general.
Wanted a good walking around "street" bag and found a Lowepro Classified 200 AW at a Phoenix brick & mortar store selling for $169 (list $199.) I figured $30 below list was reasonable so I bought one. Come to find out that B&H sells the Black-colored version for $149. Now I've tried to be a proponant of doing business with local stores so long as items are within a reasonable price gap. I would not call a $20 difference unreasonable.
However, I bought the Sepia-colored version which B&H are selling for $116!!! WHAT!!?? A $54 gap? Are you kidding me? So, I composed the following to the local store's Retail Manager:
---------------
Dear Judith,
You don't know me from Adam but if you did, you'd know that on the photography-related forums that I frequent, I've tried to champion the cause of brick & mortar stores. I've always felt that even in this age of internet shopping, establishments like Photomark, Tempe Camera and Foto Forum are, in fact, valuable to Phoenix area photographers. As I often tell people, "Let's see you get something off the web 20 minutes from now."
I purchased a Lowepro Classified 200 AW in "Sepia" from you folks on February 5th for $169.99. I've subsequently discovered that while the Black-colored version is selling at B&H for $149.00 (in my opinion, an acceptable $20 difference), the Sepia-colored version from B&H is selling for ONLY $116. Is the Sepia-colored version by any chance actually being phased out or discontinued? Was $169.99 really a correct price?
I fully understand that local, independent merchants can not be expected to compete penny for penny with B&H, Adorama, etc. but a difference of nearly $54 is simply too much to let pass as the "price of doing local business."
Unfortunately for me, I have an all-day shoot scheduled for February 9th, which will preclude me from being able to return to Photomark within the five-day return period. Rest assured if I were not tied up on the 9th, I'd be camped on your doorstep in search of a full refund.
As I said, I've been a proponent of doing business with local merchants as often as price-gap reason will allow, but with this pricing difference, I'll be re-evaluating that stance. This much of a price difference is, well, a total relationship breaker.
What's truly odd is that I also purchased a P Series-sized Lee .6 GND from you for a price that was actually at or below the best price I could find on the web.
I respectfully request you look into the price difference on the Sepia-colored Lowepro Classified 200 AW. I'd like to know whether or not there should have been a price change that perhaps didn't make it to the sales floor. I grant you, we're talking about B&H here but we're also talking about a nearly $100 drop from the full list price of $199.99 which is significant even by B&H standards. Something just doesn't feel right in all of this.
Thank You for your time.
---------------
So, I'll either get my wheel greased or I'll forever be done with local camera shops. I hope they do right but I have a feeling I'm going to be left holding the bag (with a $54 price gap...) As they say, no good deed goes unpunished...
Permagrin wrote in post #9571694
oh gosh I hear ya Jay. We had that happen with the camera store in Portland. It was nearly that same price gouge too. They WOULDN'T take it back or meet the B&H price. We actually haven't purchased there since...and we've spent thousands there.
oh gosh I hear ya Jay. We had that happen with the camera store in Portland. It was nearly that same price gouge too. They WOULDN'T take it back or meet the B&H price. We actually haven't purchased there since...and we've spent thousands there.
I have cut way back on my purchasing from brick and mortar stores. The two in San Diego won't usually price match or even cut a discount for a good customer. That said, last year I bought a Canon 2X II extender from one of the stores here in town. B&H's current price is $10 cheaper. Purchasing it from B&H (with shipping and tax—I always pay use tax on my internet purchases) would have netted me a discount of $7.95. Really not worth it in my opinion, especially when I had the lens in hand when I walked out the door.
Thought I would pop over and play the sign game, hope that is okay!
