Canon 5D Mark II Price Increase – Canada

Charles, please see my response to your above comment on the other Canon Rumors post (https://www.canonrumors.com/2008/11/05/henrys-policy-5d-mark-ii-price-increase/)

The frustration regarding this pre-order price increase has nothing to do with the economy, or IMF.

I understand the principals of supply and demand with respect to goods and international currencies. I’m not denying that the price needs to increase because of the decrease in the Canadian dollar. I know that if they don’t increase the price Canon will end up losing money to people who will buy grey market cameras and sell them for profit in places where the price is higher.

The frustrating part of this situation has everything to do with the fact that distributors are breaking the agreement they had with everyone who pre-ordered the camera at a specific price. That breach of trust, and the lack of communication or dialog between customers and distributors with respect to an amicable resolution is absolutely infuriating.

I think at the very least a 50/50 split between distributors and customer for the price increase should be attempted to resolve this conflict.

As someone who placed a $700 deposit with Henry’s the day after the Mark II came became available on their system I totally agree with Rob. This is nothing to do with whether it’s Canon’s fault or Henry’s fault and all about customer service. There isn’t a person on this planet that enjoys being taken for a fool and that’s what all these dealers have decided to do – and to hell with their customers.

Okay – they can do that and I for one will still buy the camera as I want it before a planned trip – but after that I will never, and I repeat NEVER, step foot in Henry’s camera again. Nor will I EVER buy a new piece of Canon equipment – I will never give them another original sale.

Now consider that just like every other photographer with an endless list of equipment desires I would have probably spent around $5000 a year with Henry’s for the next 10 years, and most of their customers, whether we admit it or not, would probably spent about the same. Then potentially in order to just gouge the 100 preordering customers $300 each plus tax, they may have instead lost around $5 million – I ask you is that a good idea? No – it’s idiotic. Just terrible customer relations. Particularly when I also intend to implore every photographer I know not to give them another cent either (and I encourage you to do the same.) Wake up and smell the goodwill Henry’s. All you have to do is split your loss between Canon and the Dealer, $150 each, and honour your deal with your customers as you absolutely know you should and bingo – customer loyalty and yes, SALES, for life.

Henry’s and Canon – you have lost a loyal customer. If this was your plan for surviving the economic downturn – go away and revel in your success. If not – please reconsider your treatment of your customers – honour your deal – it’s the right thing to do – and for all your whining and finger-pointing – you know it’s the only right thing to do.

Rob

I think Everyone calling Ian McFarlane would also be a good idea, while letters are great and documentation is good, sometime a phone call is faster –

For complaints within the BBB or through Canada’s and Ontario’s government agencies, a first step is to contact the other party in an attempt to allow immediate opportunity for response and to quickly resolve if possible any issues that have cause the complaint. If the outcome is unsatisfactory or there is no reponse within a reasonable time. then you can file a complaint usually, this initiates a form of mediation process. if still no resolve then legal action.

You can always jumpt straight to legal action. In this case I would make it a small claims court lawsuit, where lawyers are not required and also you cannot be made resposnbile for the other team;s legal fees if you lose. I would sue for the difference and the opportunity lost (time spent on this and not on earning money witht he equipment you already should own (a fair price is an hourly rate) as well as any expenses arising from pursuing this course of action – like long distance clals to canon etc.

C’mon Canon, is $300 really worth the reputation lost and the aggravation of all this….

An interesting story – At future shop on boxing day, I watched a man return an item that he was told he could not by the store staff at the customer service desk. He persisted, repeating the same thing over and over again, finally themanager came out and granted him the return. it was rather comical. Many large business put polies in place that are more driven by the bottom line than anything else, and theya re not right morally ethically or sometimes even legally, but they calculate how much they wil make when they get away with it versus how much it will cost them in time and settlement for the few people with awareness and a backbone to not get suckered.

I love the internet – it has the potential to make almost everyone aware.

Do you know that I was sold a 1-800 for my business and told it would never cost me anything by the big B phone company. A year after i made them put in writing and agreed to have the 1-800 number, they sent me a letter saying that ll 1-800 numbers will receive a monthly flat fee. I told them except mine, They tried to pressure me, i just kept my position and still do not pay the fee….

BTW check your bills from them if you use them, my bookkeeper calls it the “Bxxx Penny” they err in calculations on every bill one cent in their favour.

A very large associated company with advertising directory pages of yellow discontinued their most sought after small business ad size and instead offered the next size up at a “discount” – whcih was actually more money…they sold it like it was a discount to the smaller size, but it was more expensive than the smaller size and in acutallity was slightly a discounted price for that ad size…”I was sold you get a bigger ad and pay less….” after a very big screw up on their part, and 6 months, I have gotten a few years of pree advertising out of it, mind you a paid through aggravation of having to deal with them….

Moral: they do not want to be your friend, they want to be friends with your money….don’t feel guilty or ashamed holding them acocuntable. It might take a bit of squeking but they will eventually cave on their positions of taking advantage of you.

If everyone made this a habit, companies would stop calculating how much they could get away with, and start being accountable. but if you allow them to screw you repeatedly, then you are an enabler, and somewhat selfish or egotisitical – taking the easy least painful way out for the short term goal of not being bothered.