Aussie Retailers vs Direct Importer

[Caring]

From today's SMH, it looks like the latest greatest from certain Aussie retailers is that they want to charge a $30 'explanation fee' to handle a camera (http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/cameras/sydney-camera-shoppers-charged-30-explanation-fee-20111130-1o5lu.html).

With pricing issues off to one aside, I think these retailers are creating such a hostile environment which would steer clear many a real potential customer. Personally, I have experienced walking into a local camera shop and the first question the assistant asked was "What camera do you have?" and then the next "Did you buy it in Australia?". Is that baited or what? I had then just bought my very first DSLR whilst I was on my Hong Kong trip. I could not have been savvy then about shopping online through eGlobal, DWI, etc.

Nevertheless, the sales assistant gave me one of those funny looks. So I was frowned up as a 'second-rate' customer simply because I was overseas on a trip and bought a camera?? Sheesh! For me, that was already completely unacceptable, and dissuaded me from Aussie retailers.

This explanation fee takes it to the next level, to assume that every single person is a 'second-rate' customer until proven otherwise. So it is now fair dinkum to treat your customer like garbage if they might not buy a product from your store?

Now for the record, all of my lenses have since been purchased via direct import. I also have no qualm with stating that I have no current intentions ever to buy a camera or lens from the local b&m store.

HOWEVER, these retailers forget that they have customer service and word-of-mouth reputation to uphold. There is so much photography knowledge in this forum, and I am sure that your friends approach you for gear advice all the time. Direct import is not for everyone. So sooner or later we are asked by family or a friend to recommend an Aussie retailer, which in the last advice I gave I sent a girl from work to Ryda and JB Hi Fi. Now if you are one of these retailers charging an 'explanation fee', hell I am going to send them anywhere else but your lousy b&m - I don't care if you are the cheapest.

Have these Aussie retailers completely lost the plot?

[kiwi]

Jb Hifi are actually parallel importing cameras now also much to the disgust of Canon

If you can't beat em join em

But it's not the retailers that have caused the big differences, it's the manufacturer and their distributors

Would i pay a handling fee ? Nah.

[wmphoto]

If people refuse to pay it, then it won't last. Simple. I now refuse to shop at Hardly Normal because of all his rantings about online shopping, and any other retailer who acts the same way also gets added to my black list. I'll happily pay extra to get personal service and advice, but I won't be dictated to or ripped off.

[Caring]

Pricing wise, I'm sick of the finger pointing between retailers, manufacturers and distributors. I say, give us a man A to man B to man C....and so on... breakdown on price markup for two cameras of the same model that leave a factory in Japan where one ends up on the shelf of Harvey Norman Holdings (Australia), and the other on the shelf of B&H Photo Video.

Service wise, they need to ensure their staff have manners and are knowledgable. I think JB Hi Fi actually does quite well in the service department. On the other hand, a sales rep in Good Guys who is suggesting a colour laser printer to me for printing photos is value-minus, not value-add.

[ricktas]

Pricing wise, I'm sick of the finger pointing between retailers, manufacturers and distributors. I say, give us a man A to man B to man C....and so on... breakdown on price markup for two cameras of the same model that leave a factory in Japan where one ends up on the shelf of Harvey Norman Holdings (Australia), and the other on the shelf of B&H Photo Video.

Service wise, they need to ensure their staff have manners and are knowledgable. I think JB Hi Fi actually does quite well in the service department. On the other hand, a sales rep in Good Guys who is suggesting a colour laser printer to me for printing photos is value-minus, not value-add.

Closed your thread due to you having 26 posts

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