[jmg257]

To me, this is a sound practice, but Pentax has just made it impossible. If all retailers MUST sell at MSRP, then shopping around is pointless

Exactly. So when you go into the local camera store that sells Pentax, and you find something you like, you no longer have to go home and buy it online from someone else to save $$$. Now you can(should) just buy it there in person. THAT is why MAP etc makes sense - to level the playing field between Amazon.com and local retailers.
I would much rather buy $$ things like cameras and lenses locally - where I can try them out...as long as the pricing is reasonable. Understood It may no longer seem reasonable (to some preople) vs. other brands, but pricing will be when compared to other sellers.

I have a feeling Pentax is more interested then only selling DSLR & associated gack. Might be a lot of other money to be made if they can get in more stores (like Target?) to sell their full line including P&S/MILC type stuff. Hmmm...maybe they also sold a lot of K-5s and figure its a good a time as any to TRY to get more for the lenses that go with it. In a month or two when someone wants/needs a decent lens will they care (or know) if it costs a bit more then it did in the past?

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Last edited by jmg257; 04-18-2012 at 07:45 AM.

[Blue]

It isn't like the option for many of us not living in the few cities he mentioned can actually access new items. We still would have to rely on BH/Adorama or Amazon. As far as Wolf goes, they went belly up here in Tallahassee and closed both stores when the company went bankrupt.

[Blue]

Also, Ned knows very well that some of the discussion said that it appeared that Pentax was forcing retailers to sell at or close to MSRP. That was one of the major theories here.

[loco]

I also commented and doubt it will be approved, but we'll see. I was very respectful but pointed out that for someone on a limited income who is just getting into photography this policy is pretty devastating.

I mentioned the used market and third party options and segued into a question for him on the limited third party support from Tamron and Sigma for K-mount with their newer lenses. Has Ned ever addressed this issue? It really is a problem.

[ElJamoquio]

So basically he's telling us to deal with it. I might not wait for September to switch systems after all...

Indeed.

[Blue]

I also commented and doubt it will be approved, but we'll see. I was very respectful but pointed out that for someone on a limited income who is just getting into photography this policy is pretty devastating.

I mentioned the used market and third party options and segued into a question for him on the limited third party support from Tamron and Sigma for K-mount with their newer lenses. Has Ned ever addressed this issue? It really is a problem.

Nothing has been excepted. I posted early this morning when the blog went up.

[ElJamoquio]

Best Buy is dying before our eyes. Maybe he means Ritz/Wolf.

If so this is the worst decision I've seen from Pentax. Ritz/Wolf isn't worth killing your sales. I think Pentax Japan is going to start wondering why Pentax USA has stopped ordering DA*'s pretty soon.

[LaurenOE]

I support Ned/Pentax in this.

Why?

When you walk into a store that sells cameras, and don't see ANY Pentax products, then you generate ZERO interest in Pentax products.

For years all we see in the above stores is the same-old-same-old.

Canikony, Casio, Panasonic, Samsung and a few others.

Can you imagine, all of a sudden, a *NEW* brand shows up on shelves called - Pentax.

Then the dopes in the stores will claim a "cachet" of "knowing about" Pentax for years.

Sometimes it's good to be the new kid on the block. It shakes things up for the neighborhood bully. Pentax, instead of being in some private school, in Europe or Japan, will come to mix it up in the Public school system and bring diversity to the American Retail space!

It worked for Samsung/LG and others when they showed up on Trinitron Ave.

[eddie1960]

If so this is the worst decision I've seen from Pentax. Ritz/Wolf isn't worth killing your sales. I think Pentax Japan is going to start wondering why Pentax USA has stopped ordering DA*'s pretty soon.

you'd be surprised i think. the forum is only a small percentage of the total user base you do realise that. getting it into stores where people can see it and try it will add sales too.

[parsons]

i don't see any problem with this. if it means that Pentax will start doing lens rebates then everyones a winner.
you just have to wait for the rebates.
from what ned said about expanding etc, hopefully we can be expecting more stuff and more support etc, so wheres the problem?

[ElJamoquio]

Ricoh has a plan

Ricoh has an EXCELLENT plan.



To be fair - most of us will have more money, because we won't buy these lenses.

[ElJamoquio]

you'd be surprised i think. the forum is only a small percentage of the total user base you do realise that. getting it into stores where people can see it and try it will add sales too.

You're considering a different set of circumstances than I was replying to.

Ned mentioned a large national account. Monochrome guessed Ritz.


Ritz is not worth it IMO. Like you inferred, this forum is not indicative of the market as a whole. Most people in the market, most camera buyers, don't step foot into a 'camera' store. I wish we had sales #'s but I'd guess that 95+% of US DSLR sales are either internet or big-box store.

I was thinking he meant Target, and then maybe a price raise is worth it for them. But then again, why on earth would you raise prices of DA*'s if you're selling a kit lens?

[luftfluss]

I support Ned/Pentax in this.

Why?

When you walk into a store that sells cameras, and don't see ANY Pentax products, then you generate ZERO interest in Pentax products.

For years all we see in the above stores is the same-old-same-old.

Canikony, Casio, Panasonic, Samsung and a few others.

Can you imagine, all of a sudden, a *NEW* brand shows up on shelves called - Pentax.

Then the dopes in the stores will claim a "cachet" of "knowing about" Pentax for years.

Sometimes it's good to be the new kid on the block. It shakes things up for the neighborhood bully. Pentax, instead of being in some private school, in Europe or Japan, will come to mix it up in the Public school system and bring diversity to the American Retail space!

It worked for Samsung/LG and others when they showed up on Trinitron Ave.

If you support inferior products at high prices, then yes, I guess you'd be happy with this.

[eddie1960]

i don't see any problem with this. if it means that Pentax will start doing lens rebates then everyones a winner.
you just have to wait for the rebates.
from what ned said about expanding etc, hopefully we can be expecting more stuff and more support etc, so wheres the problem?

exactly. by christmas with more dealers and lens rebate programs happening this will be a dead issue, average price paid will have gone up and dealer network will be larger. more people will come to the brand because now they are aware of it. If Pentax loses a dozen or 2 very vocal users (many of whom already have most lenses they want) but bring in a few thousand new users to replace them because they now have better exposure I think they win (meantime the people bailing find out their are issues with all systems and prices aren't cheap on the other side or they are happy with their new system. it's moot because Pentax cannot make decisions based on a few users they need to make decisions that find new users

[DeadJohn]

SNIP... But if wholesale prices don't go up, and sales go down, I don't see how Pentax benefits from this. ...SNIP

Pentax may have studied this and ran calculations before setting the new prices. The outcome of those calculations may have been that sales at existing USA dealers (B&H, Adorama, Amazon) decrease a little while sales at B&M dealers increase a lot. If the total sales increase then Pentax makes more money at the same wholesale prices.