Thanks, John. You've made some valid points. Like some of the others
who have replied it is often difficult for me to buy from local shops.
No one around here carries anything with the Pentax name on it other
than the low end DSLR kits or P&S. There are no lenses, flashes, or
any other accessories available.
Local film selection is pretty bad. I can buy tri-x and kodachrome
(sometimes) in 35mm, but the price is often 50 to 100 percent more
than B&H. 120 roll film is limited to TMAX and Portra. These are at
least 30 percent higher than B&H. I have not been able to buy Tri-x
in 120 roll locally for over two years. I expect a higher price
locally, but $12 for a roll of film that B&H sells for $6.50 is
excessive. If I want something from Fuji I have to go to Wal-Mart
(superia only) or order it.
The local guys are increasingly unwilling to deal in used gear.
Combined with no new Pentax availability, I have to shop elsewhere for
hardware.
No one around me sells medium format anything. Sometime within the
next year I'll be upgrading my medium format gear. Wanna guess who
I'll be buying it from?
Fortunately, three of the four local dealers still carry Kodak
chemistry. They also carry Ilford papers. I buy these locally.
Shipping chemicals is usually expensive enough to offset any savings
from ordering them. I like the Ilford papers. Local prices are 20 to
30 percent higher than mail order, but that's a markup I can live
with.
Other than chemistry and paper, I buy film from the local guys when I
run out and a need a few rolls between B&H orders. I also pay them to
develop my C-41 and E-6.
I used to feel guilty about ordering photo supplies from half-way
across the country, but the folks at B&H, Freestyle and J&C Photo are
local stores somewhere. And their employees need to eat, too. As
long as they're competitive and keep the stuff I want available I'll
keep doing business with them.
I don't, ever, buy from places like Best Buy. Their prices are often
just as high as the local shops and they don't have anything at all
that even remotely resembles customer service.
On 10/25/06, John Celio <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> The photographic industry needs your support right now, and I'd like to take
> a moment to convince anyone who is willing to listen why you're better off
> buying from local camera shops than internet sites or big box stores.
>
>
> When you buy something from a local store, there are two major advantages
> for your community (this is from a US point of view, so things may be
> slightly different elsewhere). First, your money is supporting local
> businesses and jobs, and it stays local. It doesn't go to some corporate
> headquarters on the other side of the country. Second, the taxes you pay
> support your local municipalities, such as schools and fire stations.
> Buying online does not support any of these services, which you may need
> some day.
>
> Buying local can also be more convenient in the event you need any sort of
> customer service. The fact that you can talk to someone face to face means
> you can usually get your problem solved in a more timely manner. At the
> very least, having a local specialty shop to go to usually means a large
> portion of the staff knows what they're talking about, and since they want
> to keep you as a customer they will usually do what it takes to make you
> happy (managers especially).
>
> Big box stores (by which I mean places like Fry's, Best Buy, Wal*Mart, etc)
> and internet stores don't care about the customer; they usually care more
> about sales volume. Their prices are low because they move so many items
> they don't need a large profit margin on most things. Their prices are also
> low because their staff is often not as knowledgeable about the products
> they sell as staff are at specialty shops, like the one I used to work at.
> In other words, the box stores tend to hire cheap labor.
>
> A lot of internet stores sell low-quality accessories at high markups
> because they know the customer won't know what they're getting till it
> arrives in the mail ("it comes with a memory card? great!"). I know a lot
> of PDML members probably wouldn't fall for that, but it something a lot of
> everyday buyers have no clue about.
>
>
> There are plenty more reasons for shopping at local stores and specialty
> shops, but suffice to say, if you want local camera shops to exist AT ALL in
> the future, please consider buying from them in the present. Yes, you'll
> probably pay a little more, but it's worth it in the long run.
>
> Isn't it?
>
> John Celio
> (if it weren't for so many people buying online and at big box stores, I'd
> probably still be working at Reed's)
>
> --
>
> http://www.neovenator.com
>
> AIM: Neopifex
>
> "Hey, I'm an artist. I can do whatever I want and pretend I'm making a
> statement."
>
>
>
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>
--
Scott Loveless
http://www.twosixteen.com
Shoot more film!
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