Originally posted by Adam If you want to secure low prices on Pentax lenses in the US and don't live in NYC, call Adorama at
800-815-0664 / 646-758-8887 or B&H at
877-849-6359 / 212-502-6343 rather than ordering online. You'll be able to get lenses at pre-MAP prices, with the instant rebates in effect on top of that.
For example, the Pentax 16-50mm is $804.95 on the phone rather than
$1421.95 online.
Apparently, the Pentax pricing restrictions are for online sales only. I've confirmed this personally with B&H, and they've also told me that they are working to stop this madness, as it's virtually halting online lens sales.
I think many have mis-interpreted what MAP means. MAP is normally "Minimum Advertised Price" where the manufacturers set the lowest price that can be "advertised". What you pay when you walk in or call cannot be so easily controlled. The idea is that if no one can advetise a price lower than your local dealer, then they will not be able to take your business from the local dealer just based upon net searching for the lowest price.
This is why you often see the "add the item to your cart to see the price" sort of games.
It remains to be seen if this will cause dealers (the few that are left anywhere) to pick up the Pentax line. I think not personally, but I could be wrong.
The bicycle industry plays this game to perfection. Just try and buy discounted Shimano parts online in the U.S. The only dealers selling online display the Shimano authorized online dealer logo. Shimano will take the product away from anyone who dares to sell online without authorization, much less at a discount.
The good news is that the ship has sailed on trying to limit the impact of online retail buying, and those who do not get on the online bandwagon and figure out how to use internet sales to increase business will not be around longer than it takes a good competitor to do so.
Frankly, if I were Ricoh, I would stop trying to prop up the old brick and mortar model and try to be better than the competition at supplying the Pentax products via online sales. They are never going to beat Nikon and Canon in the traditional retail arena anway, and the traditional B&M choices are growing smaller every year to boot.
Think of the Amazon model versus Best Buy, for example. Buy it online at a competitive price and deliver it fast and with free shipping (of course, we all know there really isno free shipping, but people like that anyway). More often than not, the B&M guys get screwed anyway as people handle the product in the store and then go home and buy it online wherever they can get it cheaper.
Ray