Price Matching in Aussie

adr1an · 07-01-2011, 09:38 PM

It entirely depends on their margins on the specified goods... if they are already sold at a discount, then there often isn't much more leeway, whether your buying 1, or 5....

And you can ask JB... And you can also try getting price matching - find someone who will quote you the prices and then see if they'll match it...

rawr · 07-02-2011, 02:24 AM

Originally posted by HGMonaro

Should I expect to be able to get a bit of a discount buying 4 items as once?

I would try folks like Vanbar and DCW, if you haven't already. I may be very wrong but I think they may be more open to negotiations on package prices. It may also be worth holding on for a little while until Nikon starts up another one of their regular discount campaigns. They seem to do about 2 or 3 of them per year.

Which Nikon body/lenses etc are you looking into,btw?

rawr · 07-02-2011, 03:00 AM

Originally posted by Croc

disappointing and typical for me as well in dealings with crk, to be honest if funny AF issues were not enough to push me away from pentax then the way CRK handles customers is major turn off for me.

I think it's more than just CRK. Almost every camera retailer I've dealt with locally over recent years has been pretty hopeless, slow to deliver, and sometimes just plain awful with their customer service. Not just in relation to Pentax either.

I won't bore you with examples, but I have plenty, especially in relation to lens buys.

Originally posted by downunderman

CRK don't give a hoot, I told them that I can get a K5 with 18-135 WR lens, for what they are charging for K5 body only. Their response was but you don't get warranty with that.

What's interesting with CRK is that they are holding the K-5 price within a pretty narrow range within OZ, but they are letting (some) lens prices vary hugely - eg Vanbar have the 60-250 at $1269 whereas DigiDirect have it for $1815. Ditto for the DA* 300 - prices range between $1300 - $2000 locally for it. Weird.

HGMonaro · 07-02-2011, 04:54 AM

Originally posted by rawr

I would try folks like Vanbar and DCW, if you haven't already.

hehe! they are the two I tried.

Quote:

Which Nikon body/lenses etc are you looking into,btw?

D7000 & 16-85, SB700 & 100-300/4 Sigma

Croc · 07-02-2011, 10:38 AM

Originally posted by rawr

I think it's more than just CRK. Almost every camera retailer I've dealt with locally over recent years has been pretty hopeless, slow to deliver, and sometimes just plain awful with their customer service. Not just in relation to Pentax either.

I won't bore you with examples, but I have plenty, especially in relation to lens buys.

What's interesting with CRK is that they are holding the K-5 price within a pretty narrow range within OZ, but they are letting (some) lens prices vary hugely - eg Vanbar have the 60-250 at $1269 whereas DigiDirect have it for $1815. Ditto for the DA* 300 - prices range between $1300 - $2000 locally for it. Weird.

one of my issues is that they advertise on their very own site that they are happy to match prices yet when you send them emails they just waste your time for weeks and you endup with nothing in your hands.
they don't return calls as well, rude and unprofessional attitude in my books

out of 3 or 4 trys i got only one lens from them, once they took so long to reply to my email i though they just ignored it so I ordered from adorama and it got here few days before they sent me reply, way to run business.....

**Ash** · 07-02-2011, 01:13 PM

A lot of these online guys have their offices based in Australia but the stock kept in HK warehouses. They offer speedy delivery and are OK with their customer service, but you have to be aware at least of the possibility of getting hit with import customs costs for high ticket items for spot checks at the airport.

rawr · 07-02-2011, 01:41 PM

Originally posted by Croc

so I ordered from adorama and it got here few days

Yeah, local retailers are just slack.
I'm in northern NSW. I bought something from a Sydney based camera store the other day and it took about 10 days to arrive. A few days after I ordered the local item I ordered some accessories from B&H and they arrived from New York in less than a week, even before the other item arrived from Sydney.

It's not just camera bits. The other day I ordered some parts for a coffee grinder from a local distributor based in Bondi. It took them a full week to call me to say that they only had one of the parts I needed, did I still want the order processed? So why didn't they have their inventory system linked to their online parts catalogue, so that I wouldn't waste my time ordering something they didn't have in stock? Sigh. Item will probably arrive middle of next week. Meanwhile I suffer on instant coffee.

All too often local retailers just fail at the simple things.

Pixley · 07-03-2011, 01:00 AM

Originally posted by Osama Binhidin

Thats why I feel t-dimension are good Value they pay for shipping both ways and give a 2yr warranty, some of there lens carry 8yr warranty

I just looked on their site and it only says 1 year when I looked at the K-5 - body only - has this changed lately - I would love to buy locally - but if the lowest local price is at least $400 more then it is too much? Cheers

cardikat · 07-05-2011, 06:55 PM

Originally posted by Pixley

I just looked on their site and it only says 1 year when I looked at the K-5 - body only - has this changed lately - I would love to buy locally - but if the lowest local price is at least $400 more then it is too much? Cheers

TD offer the 2 year warranty on eBay sales - but if you ask them nicely, they will upgrade your 1 year standard to the 2 years for a sale direct from their website. They really are a pleasure to deal with.

Pixley · 07-05-2011, 07:17 PM

Originally posted by cardikat

TD offer the 2 year warranty on eBay sales - but if you ask them nicely, they will upgrade your 1 year standard to the 2 years for a sale direct from their website. They really are a pleasure to deal with.

Thanks for that - still umming and ahhing about where to buy - but good to know that you got good service from them. Cheers

Bramela · 07-05-2011, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Ted's can continue playing solitaire on their computers as nobody will ever enter their store with these prices....Actually I'm wrong...I do enter their store just to check the products and decide what I'm gonna buy from Hong Kong or USA. B&H and Adorama have very good prices as well. There is really no reason to buy from Aussie retailers, their prices are just absurd. They are living in the past and don't realize that internet shopping is going to be the end of them if they don't adapt.

Gerry Harvey and his friends on billionaires row are pushing the government to impose higher charges for buying o/seas and importing just to keep lining the own coffers.

Ned Kelly will never be dead with these blokes around.

NicoleAu · 07-05-2011, 07:59 PM

Yes, it's ridiculous, especially when you compare the price disparity in just Australian stores. He makes a huge profit and it's only 3% of sales that are online anyhow.

Osama Binhidin · 07-05-2011, 11:38 PM

T- Dimension also are doing the pentax 31mm 1.8 for under $1100 delivered with 8 yrs warranty

rawr · 07-06-2011, 12:11 AM

Originally posted by Osama Binhidin

8 yrs warranty

!!!!!! That's pretty incredible.

In Australia CRK only offer 12 months warranty on Pentax lenses, although they do offer 24 months warranty on Sigma lenses, which they also distribute. (I always wondered about that - why offer Pentax with only 12 months warranty vs Sigma 24?)

goddo31 · 07-06-2011, 12:12 AM

Originally posted by Bramela

Gerry Harvey and his friends on billionaires row are pushing the government to impose higher charges for buying o/seas and importing just to keep lining the own coffers.

Ned Kelly will never be dead with these blokes around.

Originally posted by NicoleAu

Yes, it's ridiculous, especially when you compare the price disparity in just Australian stores. He makes a huge profit and it's only 3% of sales that are online anyhow.

Oh no, the average Aussie consumer is getting smarter and better informed, and is no longer scared to shop outside of their home market! Panic Gerry! Lobby for the taxes to be raised so that no one wins...

I'm thinking that many retail goods here have traditionally had pretty large margins in the Aussie market. Maybe isolation helps - probably more so over here in WA/Perth. Now that many of us shop online and refuse to pay the resultant high price, retailers are feeling the pain. But at the same time, many retailers (and probably wholesalers and suppliers too I guess) refuse to adapt to remain competitive. Perhaps it's a type of conservatism?

Often I would like or prefer to buy from an Aussie store, one way or another. But it can be real hard to get some genuine good and helpful service. In my opinion, local retailers should really focus on the service, support and customer relationships stuff - to make it actually worthwhile to buy locally.

Anyway, sorry for the big whinge. For what it's worth, I am pretty satisfied by the service given to me by Vanbar in Melbourne and CRK by proxy. Perhaps they are the ones breaking the trend (in my opinion of course).

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07-01-2011, 09:38 PM	#106
adr1an Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Canberra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 739	It entirely depends on their margins on the specified goods... if they are already sold at a discount, then there often isn't much more leeway, whether your buying 1, or 5.... And you can ask JB... And you can also try getting price matching - find someone who will quote you the prices and then see if they'll match it...

07-02-2011, 02:24 AM	#107
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by HGMonaro Should I expect to be able to get a bit of a discount buying 4 items as once? I would try folks like Vanbar and DCW, if you haven't already. I may be very wrong but I think they may be more open to negotiations on package prices. It may also be worth holding on for a little while until Nikon starts up another one of their regular discount campaigns. They seem to do about 2 or 3 of them per year. Which Nikon body/lenses etc are you looking into,btw?

07-02-2011, 03:00 AM	#108
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by Croc disappointing and typical for me as well in dealings with crk, to be honest if funny AF issues were not enough to push me away from pentax then the way CRK handles customers is major turn off for me. I think it's more than just CRK. Almost every camera retailer I've dealt with locally over recent years has been pretty hopeless, slow to deliver, and sometimes just plain awful with their customer service. Not just in relation to Pentax either. I won't bore you with examples, but I have plenty, especially in relation to lens buys. Originally posted by downunderman CRK don't give a hoot, I told them that I can get a K5 with 18-135 WR lens, for what they are charging for K5 body only. Their response was but you don't get warranty with that. What's interesting with CRK is that they are holding the K-5 price within a pretty narrow range within OZ, but they are letting (some) lens prices vary hugely - eg Vanbar have the 60-250 at $1269 whereas DigiDirect have it for $1815. Ditto for the DA* 300 - prices range between $1300 - $2000 locally for it. Weird.

07-02-2011, 04:54 AM	#109
HGMonaro Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Melb. Aust Posts: 840	Originally posted by rawr I would try folks like Vanbar and DCW, if you haven't already. hehe! they are the two I tried. Quote: Which Nikon body/lenses etc are you looking into,btw? D7000 & 16-85, SB700 & 100-300/4 Sigma

07-02-2011, 10:38 AM	#110
Croc Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Moon Posts: 87	Originally posted by rawr I think it's more than just CRK. Almost every camera retailer I've dealt with locally over recent years has been pretty hopeless, slow to deliver, and sometimes just plain awful with their customer service. Not just in relation to Pentax either. I won't bore you with examples, but I have plenty, especially in relation to lens buys. What's interesting with CRK is that they are holding the K-5 price within a pretty narrow range within OZ, but they are letting (some) lens prices vary hugely - eg Vanbar have the 60-250 at $1269 whereas DigiDirect have it for $1815. Ditto for the DA* 300 - prices range between $1300 - $2000 locally for it. Weird. one of my issues is that they advertise on their very own site that they are happy to match prices yet when you send them emails they just waste your time for weeks and you endup with nothing in your hands. they don't return calls as well, rude and unprofessional attitude in my books out of 3 or 4 trys i got only one lens from them, once they took so long to reply to my email i though they just ignored it so I ordered from adorama and it got here few days before they sent me reply, way to run business.....

07-02-2011, 01:13 PM	#111
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	A lot of these online guys have their offices based in Australia but the stock kept in HK warehouses. They offer speedy delivery and are OK with their customer service, but you have to be aware at least of the possibility of getting hit with import customs costs for high ticket items for spot checks at the airport.

07-02-2011, 01:41 PM	#112
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by Croc so I ordered from adorama and it got here few days Yeah, local retailers are just slack. I'm in northern NSW. I bought something from a Sydney based camera store the other day and it took about 10 days to arrive. A few days after I ordered the local item I ordered some accessories from B&H and they arrived from New York in less than a week, even before the other item arrived from Sydney. It's not just camera bits. The other day I ordered some parts for a coffee grinder from a local distributor based in Bondi. It took them a full week to call me to say that they only had one of the parts I needed, did I still want the order processed? So why didn't they have their inventory system linked to their online parts catalogue, so that I wouldn't waste my time ordering something they didn't have in stock? Sigh. Item will probably arrive middle of next week. Meanwhile I suffer on instant coffee. All too often local retailers just fail at the simple things.

07-03-2011, 01:00 AM	#113
Pixley Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Posts: 72	Originally posted by Osama Binhidin Thats why I feel t-dimension are good Value they pay for shipping both ways and give a 2yr warranty, some of there lens carry 8yr warranty I just looked on their site and it only says 1 year when I looked at the K-5 - body only - has this changed lately - I would love to buy locally - but if the lowest local price is at least $400 more then it is too much? Cheers

07-05-2011, 06:55 PM	#114
cardikat Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Esperance, Australia Posts: 28	Originally posted by Pixley I just looked on their site and it only says 1 year when I looked at the K-5 - body only - has this changed lately - I would love to buy locally - but if the lowest local price is at least $400 more then it is too much? Cheers TD offer the 2 year warranty on eBay sales - but if you ask them nicely, they will upgrade your 1 year standard to the 2 years for a sale direct from their website. They really are a pleasure to deal with.

07-05-2011, 07:17 PM	#115
Pixley Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Melbourne Posts: 72	Originally posted by cardikat TD offer the 2 year warranty on eBay sales - but if you ask them nicely, they will upgrade your 1 year standard to the 2 years for a sale direct from their website. They really are a pleasure to deal with. Thanks for that - still umming and ahhing about where to buy - but good to know that you got good service from them. Cheers

07-05-2011, 07:41 PM	#116
Bramela Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Newcastle Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,284	Quote: Ted's can continue playing solitaire on their computers as nobody will ever enter their store with these prices....Actually I'm wrong...I do enter their store just to check the products and decide what I'm gonna buy from Hong Kong or USA. B&H and Adorama have very good prices as well. There is really no reason to buy from Aussie retailers, their prices are just absurd. They are living in the past and don't realize that internet shopping is going to be the end of them if they don't adapt. Gerry Harvey and his friends on billionaires row are pushing the government to impose higher charges for buying o/seas and importing just to keep lining the own coffers. Ned Kelly will never be dead with these blokes around.

07-05-2011, 07:59 PM	#117
NicoleAu Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Central Coast, NSW, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 539	Yes, it's ridiculous, especially when you compare the price disparity in just Australian stores. He makes a huge profit and it's only 3% of sales that are online anyhow.

07-05-2011, 11:38 PM	#118
Osama Binhidin Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Mallacoota inlet Photos: Albums Posts: 87	T- Dimension also are doing the pentax 31mm 1.8 for under $1100 delivered with 8 yrs warranty

07-06-2011, 12:11 AM	#119
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by Osama Binhidin 8 yrs warranty !!!!!! That's pretty incredible. In Australia CRK only offer 12 months warranty on Pentax lenses, although they do offer 24 months warranty on Sigma lenses, which they also distribute. (I always wondered about that - why offer Pentax with only 12 months warranty vs Sigma 24?)

07-06-2011, 12:12 AM	#120
goddo31 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,576	Originally posted by Bramela Gerry Harvey and his friends on billionaires row are pushing the government to impose higher charges for buying o/seas and importing just to keep lining the own coffers. Ned Kelly will never be dead with these blokes around. Originally posted by NicoleAu Yes, it's ridiculous, especially when you compare the price disparity in just Australian stores. He makes a huge profit and it's only 3% of sales that are online anyhow. Oh no, the average Aussie consumer is getting smarter and better informed, and is no longer scared to shop outside of their home market! Panic Gerry! Lobby for the taxes to be raised so that no one wins... I'm thinking that many retail goods here have traditionally had pretty large margins in the Aussie market. Maybe isolation helps - probably more so over here in WA/Perth. Now that many of us shop online and refuse to pay the resultant high price, retailers are feeling the pain. But at the same time, many retailers (and probably wholesalers and suppliers too I guess) refuse to adapt to remain competitive. Perhaps it's a type of conservatism? Often I would like or prefer to buy from an Aussie store, one way or another. But it can be real hard to get some genuine good and helpful service. In my opinion, local retailers should really focus on the service, support and customer relationships stuff - to make it actually worthwhile to buy locally. Anyway, sorry for the big whinge. For what it's worth, I am pretty satisfied by the service given to me by Vanbar in Melbourne and CRK by proxy. Perhaps they are the ones breaking the trend (in my opinion of course).