I probably shouldn't, but I can't resist commenting.
With a single retailer offer like this, don't presume it indicates anything about Canon, the 5DIII or the pace of sales. It might, but there are just too many variables to know.
Canon enforces a "lowest advertised price" restriction that dealers must adhere to. There are ways around that. eBay may be one of those ways. Another is to offer special deals though internet sites like this. I was able to get the 70-300 L in the spring at a deep discount from Adorama through a one-day link that this website had posted.
Adorama seems to be trying more of these promotions. If you go to Canon Price Watch you'll see that they are offering occasional deals through that site. I don't know what their strategy is, but whatever it is, I like it. We as consumers benefit.
I do have a hard time believing Adorama would be selling anything at a loss. Someone mentioned Canon's fiscal year. If it had anything to do with Canon, we would see other major retailers offering the same pricing. It may have more to do with Adorama's fiscal year or inventory practices. It could be possible that Adorama calculated their costs and figured that earning $50 or so profit on the units, along with some tax savings by reducing inventory, made it worthwhile. I don't know.
Or, maybe their inventory computers just decided they were getting too much stock and it wasn't moving fast enough so they decided to opt for a smaller profit and clear room for the 6D before Christmas.
This sale occurred just before Rosh Hashanah. I don't know if there is any connection there either. Adorama is closed from Sunday afternoon until Wednesday morning. Don't know if their fiscal year coincides with the religious calendar.
My takeaway:
- It is crazy to presume that a single sale by a single retailer is a clear indicator of anything at all about the 5DIII.
- Presuming that Adorama still made a small profit on these units, it seem like Canon is offering a pretty generous margin for its retailers
- Everyone talks about Canon being greedy but if they are really giving retailers a nearly $800 margin on the 5DIII, it's not greed, but something else. They may be trying to protect and preserve their worldwide dealer network during tough economic times. It certainly could be a smart business move as well: give retailers a bigger profit margin than the competitors and they have a bigger incentive to promote your product.
I don't know the answers, but one thing is sure: it's great for consumers.
