independent camera shop boom?

[Alan]

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/photo-news/539411/will-jessops-demise-fuel-independent-camera-shop-boom

[Guest DaveW]

Could be, Dixons Group (PC World & Curries etc) has done better than expected because Comet went bust. With Jessops it's simply they had too many retail outlets for the shrinking market. Eventually the number of specialist camera shops will shrink to a sustainable level that high street demand and Internet sales allows. I must confess I cannot understand the following statement in your link:- "Online threat

While, Atkins says independent retailers can emerge as winners from the situation, he calls on the government to prevent some of the online - UK registered - retailers from sourcing cheap cameras from the ‘US and the Far East' - and undercutting high-street shops by advertising prices excluding VAT. He points out that this means models are being quoted online at ‘below cost price' - a figure high-street shops find difficult to compete against." Surely the retail price maintenance laws were intended to stop such price fixing by manufacturers? Grey imports can only come in at that price because our prices are being kept artificially high by the camera manufacturers. As to VAT free, that is up to Customs clamping down on them being sent in marked "gift" and levying import charges and VAT on them, but they still will be cheaper than those sourced through the manufacturers wholesalers in the UK. It is well known Nikon and Canon sell their photo equipment cheaper to the American market than they do to Europe, so that differential needs breaking. If grey imports can break that differential and we stop subsidising the American market that should be applauded not condemned?

Edited January 17, 2013 by DaveW

[NannyFerret]

It's about time that Nikon and Canon etc. started selling to us a bit cheaper then. Perhaps that would encourage more people to buy in this Country.

[Guest DaveW]

Hi Nanny see:- http://blogs.which.co.uk/technology/news/uk-vs-us-do-we-really-pay-more/ http://www.earthboundlight.com/phototips/what-is-gray-market-lens.html

[NannyFerret]

So, as, I understand it, if big name camera manufacturers dropped their prices to match that of the US and the tax here was dropped to match theirs, then we might almost break even.

I have bought two lenses in the past from Buyacamera online, but never bought a camera body or my main flash, remote controls etc. which I bought at Jessops.

I have looked up the specifications, then looked them up on the Jessops and Jacobs website, ordered what I wanted, then collected it in store.

I don't think I would like to buy a camera online either.

Edited January 17, 2013 by NannyFerret

[colinb]

I seem to remember many small camera shops were killed off by the bigger chain stores such as Jessops as they could not compete on prices, so while they may make a return I don't see how they will compete in today’s web world ?

Plus we buy many items over the web simply because traveling to any large city is 16+ miles away, the cost of car parking is getting ridiculous let alone fuel price increases

[fuzzyedges]

There is always room for the independant if he is making a living and not a killing

In the case of cameras he might not compete on body prices etc but the smaller accessories How many times do you send for a filter on line around £3 and £4 postage it would be nice to buy it downtown for £4

Wouldnt it be nice to have a camera shop run like a forum. A small coffee shop on the side, someone intelligent to talk to about certain aspects of photography, somewhwere to display some of your prints

Its all down to the councils they are the biggest deterent to small business they would sooner have no rent than a small rent and the goverment who would sooner have the big boys pay no tax and the surpless taken up by the little guy

How many of us honestly part with £1000+ for a body on line and dont fret until its safe at home and working

[Guest DaveW]

I think, even allowing for our import duties and VAT (the Americans have consumer taxes on their goods too), their prices are still less than ours due to the camera manufacturers selling cheaper to America and much of Asia than they do to us. This link says cameras are cheaper in Europe too, but I don't know that's correct. However if so there is no extra VAT or Import Duty on goods coming in from the EU. I bought my 70-180 Micro Nikkor new from a German authorised Nikon Dealer via EBAY a lot cheaper than I could get in in the UK, with none of the problems like importing from outside the EU since we are supposedly a common market. You just have to allow for delivery charges which might be a bit higher than from the UK. However with our exorbitant postal rates often their post office charges are no more than goods coming from the UK. http://www.photograp...tal_cameras.php Don't know how these German ones compare in Euro's? http://www.calumetph...ale-slr-kameras http://www.saturn.de...id=26&et_lid=53 http://www.mediamark....html?langId=-3 Here's a Euro's to Pounds converter. http://www.eurostopounds.co.uk/ I did not bother to put other than "German Camera Dealers" into Google search, but you could do it for any other EU country if you wanted for both cameras and lenses.

Edited January 18, 2013 by DaveW