[eddie1960]

Just visited J&R in NYC today. I bought a few of my Pentax lenses there back in days.
This store is probably third biggest photo/electronic retailer in NYC, used to have Pentax display. Not big, a few bodies 5-7 different lenses.
It is gone now, looks like brilliant strategy of raising prices is working.

Canon, Nikon, Sony, Samsung, Olympus are all there, but not Pentax.

J&R hasn't had Pentax in quite a long time AFAIK. I think Hoya's minimums may have been the problem

nothing to do with UPP

[awo425]

Are you absolutely certain it's because of this UPP, that they're gone? They were selling them, but then poof! - gone, same day as the UPP or what?

I personalty think the aliens did this, or the Germans, I am not _absolutely certain_ though. I am absolutely certain that Pentax corporate marketing was trying really hard to stand behind it's customers, but they were overpowered and outnumbered.

On a serious note we'll see if this brilliant strategy will bring Pentax back to J&R, since I work a few blocks from it, I will keep you posted.

[Kunzite]

Sarcasm is misplaced. As Eddie said, if "J&R hasn't had Pentax in quite a long time" then it's absolutely impossible for the UPP to be the cause. Blaming UPP for something that happened way before it was implemented is ridiculous.
UPP could make them sell Pentax again, but this remains to be seen.

[awo425]

Sarcasm is misplaced. As Eddie said, if "J&R hasn't had Pentax in quite a long time" then it's absolutely impossible for the UPP to be the cause. Blaming UPP for something that happened way before it was implemented is ridiculous.
UPP could make them sell Pentax again, but this remains to be seen.

If I am not mistaken they had Pentax display in fall or summer of 2011, I was testing K-r in store, they still have K5 kit in stock now, they just don't have Pentax display anymore.
According to sales person Pentax don't sell, will it sell with price hike? We'll see that.

[monochrome]

Just visited J&R in NYC today. I bought a few of my Pentax lenses there back in days.
This store is probably third biggest photo/electronic retailer in NYC, used to have Pentax display. Not big, a few bodies 5-7 different lenses.
It is gone now, looks like brilliant strategy of raising prices is working.

Canon, Nikon, Sony, Samsung, Olympus are all there, but not Pentax.

Today is 30 days after UPP was announced. Pentax has a grand total of 50 employees in the USA, including a President and National Director of Sales who actually call directly on customers. I don't know whether Pentax actually has rep's. I'd bet they either haven't gotten to J&R yet or J&R hasn't bought in to some part of the new Dealer Agreement that they see from the dealer side but we don't from the consumer side.

Just because Ned (might have) called on a customer and asked them to stock Pentax under the new deal doesn't necessarily mean they all have to do it. It is called selling - and I still say everything will depend upon how well Ned and John execute.

Neat opportunity for them - and a big risk!!

[eddie1960]

If I am not mistaken they had Pentax display in fall or summer of 2011, I was testing K-r in store, they still have K5 kit in stock now, they just don't have Pentax display anymore.
According to sales person Pentax don't sell, will it sell with price hike? We'll see that.

There is also the current issue that the body assortment doesn't support much of a display. particularly if they chose not to carry the K-01 and Q (carrying the 645 is not the dealers decision, they can ask but it is limited
what ever happened with the willoughbys store within a store?

[DeadJohn]

If I am not mistaken they had Pentax display in fall or summer of 2011, I was testing K-r in store, they still have K5 kit in stock now, they just don't have Pentax display anymore.
According to sales person Pentax don't sell, will it sell with price hike? We'll see that.

I can confirm that J&R had the K-r in store October 2011. They had a paltry Pentax lens and accessory selection so Adorama and B&H have been getting my money.

[Smeggypants]

Has Mr Ned appeared and admitted Pentax have raised lens prices yet?

[eddie1960]

Has Mr Ned appeared and admitted Pentax have raised lens prices yet?

No and not much chance he will Smeggy. He's said his peace (and reality is from what i see the furor is dying down (aside from a few people)

[ElJamoquio]

Honestly that's the best option right now. It's rather torturous logic to get to the conclusion that 'Pentax didn't raise prices'.

Damage-control-options:

1) Admit that they did raise prices. Hubbub to follow.
2) Continue to affirm they did not raise prices. Hubbub to follow.
3) Say nothing, and hope that collectively we have a short memory.

At the end of the day, we all have to decide if Pentax is still the brand for us after these statements and marketplace (choose your own description here: manipulation/action).

(I think) like most of us, I'm not going to walk away in a day/week/month because Pentax is acting like an idiot. I have slightly more patience than that and am willing to see what this September brings... while I look for good deals on Nikon lenses.

[glanglois]

Add'l hubbub from #1 would be insignificant compared to what we've seen so far. I don't think there's much risk in noting that the price to consumers for many lenses at many major retailers has gone up. It's not as if the market hasn't noticed it .....

[eddie1960]

Add'l hubbub from #1 would be insignificant compared to what we've seen so far. I don't think there's much risk in noting that the price to consumers for many lenses at many major retailers has gone up. It's not as if the market hasn't noticed it .....

Except a this point with the hubbub dying down (as was likely to happen) so it seems like keeping quiet is the expedient move

[Kryscendo]

Just throwing this out there guys, but Unilateral pricing was made up to streamline a brand for retailers. This way, people that work retail can work on helping the customer find the right product and the right solution for them instead of wasting time trying to find out what websites to price match or to convince folks that not paying taxes isn't a freebie. Imagine how easy it makes it for someone to walk into a store and they know that the price is the same more or less everywhere. The customers then can look at spec sheets instead of amazon price charts.

This all being said, in our situation, we are bitter because unilateral pricing seems to mean right now: Everything except cameras at MSRP- which even other brands that have Unilateral Pricing Policies, they have sales, discounts and promos galore.

[Smeggypants]

Honestly that's the best option right now. It's rather torturous logic to get to the conclusion that 'Pentax didn't raise prices'.

Damage-control-options:

1) Admit that they did raise prices. Hubbub to follow.
2) Continue to affirm they did not raise prices. Hubbub to follow.
3) Say nothing, and hope that collectively we have a short memory.

At the end of the day, we all have to decide if Pentax is still the brand for us after these statements and marketplace (choose your own description here: manipulation/action).

(I think) like most of us, I'm not going to walk away in a day/week/month because Pentax is acting like an idiot. I have slightly more patience than that and am willing to see what this September brings... while I look for good deals on Nikon lenses.

Option 1) would get respect.

[riff]

Option 1) would get respect.

On what planet? Ned would be stoned by a mob imo.