nospam
competitive doesn't mean below cost.

however, it does mean not charging as much as twice the price as available elsewhere, for the same item.

offer products and services to make customers want to buy from you, otherwise they aren't going to. it's really that simple.

either adapt to the changing landscape of online shopping or be gone. that's harsh but that's just how it is.

Scott Schuckert
You really don't want to be swayed from your agenda, do you?

Tony Cooper
nospam goes into every discussion thinking that his position is the only right position.

nospam
everyone does that. that's what drives discussions. who goes into a discussion thinking that they're wrong??

Tony Cooper
You could respond to what I said, not what I didn't say.

I don't phrase my comments without thought. There's a vast difference between thinking you are right and thinking that your position is the *only* right position. When there are options of ways to do things, there is often more than one right way to do them.

What he ignores is that in *all* purchases online, there is no sales help available. Any help the customer gets at a retail store is more than what any online seller offers. If nothing else, the buyer at a retail store gets to handle the camera before purchase.

nospam
false. some online sellers have a *lot* of sales help on their site, including extensive faqs, video demos, wizards that ask questions to narrow down the choices, phone support and even online chat for questions, user reviews and links to other information.

some sellers have very generous return policies so you can buy and handle the product with no risk, other than having to ship it back if you don't like it, which is nothing more than a quick trip to the post office.

Tony Cooper
It's always the buyer's responsibility to do their own homework. There's no reason the in-store buyer can't check the reviews and customer ratings of something before they make the purchase.

nospam
nobody said they can't do that, but most people don't.

Tony Cooper
If that's true, then all that "online help" above isn't going to be taken advantage of either.

I don't know how you come to the conclusion about "most people", though. It's that kind of hand-waving hyperbole that's a turn-off.

I may be a bit prejudiced in favor of the retail store because the two camera stores in Orlando are both staffed by knowledgeable and helpful staff. But, if I go to a big box store and deal with a sales person that doesn't know the difference between a interchangeable lens body and a fixed lens body, that's my fault.

nospam
what if the only choices are big box stores? what if the customer doesn't know enough about the product to know that the salesperson hasn't any clue?

Tony Cooper
The list of "what if?s is endless.

Scott Schuckert
Now, here's a challenge for you: SHOW US a camera (not a lens cap or a battery) that sells for twice at much in a retail store as through a mail order house. Exact same, current model and brand, that is, say, $200 at Cardinal Camera in Lansdale Pa. and $100 at B&H in New York. Or any other comparable vendors.

Tony Cooper
He won't be able to. That's typical hyperbole from nospam.

nospam
i am *always* able to back up what i say. as i said in another post, i was looking for a lens case and a local store had one for around $30 and b&h had it for $17 or so (i don't remember exact prices). that's about double.

Tony Cooper
So a $10 difference, after shipping charges, of one item establishes that camera stores charge double?

And, you had to wait for delivery. What if you needed it today? What if what is offered online is a knock-off product from China that isn't as good a quality?

It all comes around to my position that there is often more than one "right" way to do things. Buying online can be the right thing and buying from a store can be the right thing. You can't discount other people's preferences just because they aren't yours.

Slightly off-topic...the father of one of the boys on my grandson's Babe Ruth baseball team recently purchased a Canon 70D with a 18-135 lens from Best Buy. He showed me the receipt, and it was almost $2,000 with bag, two 32 gig cards, bag, and some sort of extended warranty. He doesn't know what "RAW" is, he shoots on whatever Canon's Auto setting is, he doesn't know what ISO is, and he has no idea how to capture sports scenes.

Did he do the right thing? Not from my perspective, but he's happy. It was right for him.