Well - CRK state they only price match as a last resort in order to keep the inventory sale here in Oz, i.e, on 'their' book. It would hurt CRK *lots* more to buy it O/S - as that in no way shape or form accounts towards them as a distributor. if they ultimately have to sell it to you *at cost* - then thats sort of ok, because *at cost* is better than *not at all*.
Note CRK also import/distribute Sigma, Hasselbad, iRiver and more...
Could CRK reduce the overall cost; Sure they could, and in the process most likely decimiate what little margins they still retain - I know a few people that have happily paid 'retail' .. which offsets your 'cheap' lens ...
AND got them 2 'sales' in the books.. which means they can retain the Distribution... A lot of wholesale is... ironically.. about Politics
Also - remember that this is the country of 4 weeks annual leave, recently increased minimum wage, annual leave for casuals, 12% Superannuation etc....
Just how cheap, compared to an 'online store', do you think we could ever *get* a camera from a 'bricks and mortar'.
I'm not complaining about our workforce protections - but you can't "Have your cake and eat it to". It costs a lot to run a Retail Operation... far more than most people provide any allowances for when they complain about the high prices....
If you however, KNOW of a *sure fire* method to
A: Sell Cameras at the equivalent price of Online Operations/ Large Scale Chains (Nothing comes close to B+H/Adorama in oz... Heck, Abes of Maine probably outsells Ted's nationally!)
B: Having a physical prescence in every state capital - say $35,000-$50,000 EACH per year for a shoe-box shop....
C: Able to employ the minimum, what, 14 people you'd need if you worked each of them 8 hrs a Day at each store ?
You stand to make a *fortune* in this country as a Business Analyst