Originally posted by Rupert So....being on Amazon, a respected seller of merchandise, is bad for Pentax? Because Amazon might beat a retail price at some small shop? What small shop? Small shops haven't carried Pentax for ages in the US, and won't be inclined to carry them now...with prices almost double on top grade lenses. If they couldn't sell them before at lower prices, how will this improve their volume? I've never seen a sign in a window anywhere saying "
Hurry In...Prices Just Raised"
I can't think of any product I have ever known, that was a bit player to begin with, that got a boost in sales by wildly raising prices? You can play that funny math game all day long, but show me the money....which one of you is going to step forward and say you are now more likely to buy a DA*16-50 or DA* 50-135 than you were last year...due to the price increase? Is your product going to be better? Is your warranty going to be longer? .......or is it just that your wallet is going to be lighter?
I'm not a fanboy, but if I was, I would choke on defending this nonsense.
Regards
Originally posted by Blue The issue I have is that if it was a "gray market" item, BH, Adorama and Abe's make than known up front. You see the price difference and it usually isn't that big of a gap. They should be able to come up with a better way to close up gray markets.
B&H Adorama and (maybe) Abe's are legitimate dealers (and probably Amazon). They're forced to compete on price with the opportunistic gray market resellers - who buy from dealers who intentionally over-order to get bracket pricing and quietly sell excess inventory to these opportunists.
What the hell is Contractor's A/V?
The street prices will settle at a lower level, but above the recent prices. New lenses and new runs of established lenses will have a new feature - maybe a better warranty or a better build - to justify a higher price to us (and a higher wholesale price as well). Using the increased cash flow from the higher wholesale price PRI will develop the market through tactical advertising, events, somes rep sales support
where it can be done (Ned listed some like Creve Couer Camera here is St. Louis) at B&M stores, etc.
To me, this all seems very clear. But we have to be patient for a few months. It will all work out, Pentax will grow and prosper and regain a position as the solid #3 brand and do a lot of neat things with innovative products (I like my K-01) as well as their traditional strength in optics, and K-5 style ergonomics and IQ, in weather resistant bodies.
They have a great legacy and strong designers and engineers - and trying to hire more.
If that's Pollyanna I'll come back here in a year and admit it. Don't forget I have a ton of legacy gear that goes to Zero if I am wrong.