RF 100-500 Availability

[Loswr]

Even though I ordered one direct, I still don't think it's right for Canon to be selling new lenses while their merchants' orders remain unfilled. Refurbs, okay....

Canon is a business, and they make more money on a direct sale.

 

[canonmike]

Canon is a business, and they make more money on a direct sale.

Yes, I understand that but still think it's a slap in their merchant's face. Not only does Canon make more money selling direct, they even charge you for shipping. B&H can sell this same lens for $100.00 off MSRP or more, credit your sales tax back if you use PayBoo and give you free expedited shipping, all while still making a profit. The real question here is, not if they make more money selling direct but why compete with the very merchants you depend on to get the word out about your products??

 

[EricN]

why compete with the very merchants you depend on to get the word out about your products??

Because they can?

 

[Loswr]

Yes, I understand that but still think it's a slap in their merchant's face. Not only does Canon make more money selling direct, they even charge you for shipping. B&H can sell this same lens for $100.00 off MSRP or more, credit your sales tax back if you use PayBoo and give you free expedited shipping, all while still making a profit. The real question here is, not if they make more money selling direct but why compete with the very merchants you depend on to get the word out about your products??

It’s not like B&H gets none. It appears Canon ‘spread the love’. Some are sold by Canon directly, some go to B&H, Amazon, Best Buy, and presumably Adorama and other retailers (seems when Beach Camera gets some, they hold them until everyone is out and put them on Amazon Marketplace at a $300 markup).

Given B&H’s prominence as a retailer, it’s likely they get a higher number of preorders, so their customers have to wait longer…but for some, the savings from the sales tax credit make waiting worthwhile.

 

[canonmike]

Because they can?

Well, EricN, that's the short smug answer, alright. However, I'd like to see you walk into any of the hundred's of Canon's authorized merchants nationwide and defend that argument to the store owner's face, the same one that is unable to get merchandise but sees that same merchandise for sale at Canon's Direct on line store. Even closer to home, I'd like to see your opinion if you were one of these merchants. Myself, I find this policy conflicting and quite capable of creating ill will among the many Canon vendors.

 

[becceric]

Well, EricN, that's the short smug answer, alright. However, I'd like to see you walk into any of the hundred's of Canon's authorized merchants nationwide and defend that argument to the store owner's face, the same one that is unable to get merchandise but sees that same merchandise for sale at Canon's Direct on line store. Even closer to home, I'd like to see your opinion if you were one of these merchants. Myself, I find this policy conflicting and quite capable of creating ill will among the many Canon vendors.

I’ve been looking for the 600mm f/4 iii since February, and the only place the had any stock (briefly) was Canon. I was too late to get one then. I agree with your statements on how their dealers may feel.

 

[Loswr]

Observations of posts here over the years are pretty consistent with an equitable distribution of supply-limited (mainly newly-launched) Canon products. When a new item launches, a big shop like B&H opens preorders and a large number of people are sitting at their computers clicking Buy-Buy-Buy like Sheldon and Leonard trying to score ComiCon tickets. Others wait until the next morning and call their local shop to preorder.

When the item finally starts shipping, B&H gets lots of them, and the local shop gets a couple.

After requesting RF100-500 stock notice from B&H, four months went by and every two weeks they notified me, "Sorry, we still don't have inventory and don't know when we will."

I just re-read your post. So, you only requested a stock notice? And you’re all bent out of shape? A couple weeks ago a bolus of 100-500 lenses came in to Canon USA. At least one person got their shipment from B&H of two lenses that they actually placed an order for back in May. Someone else ordered in early August (again, actually ordered not just requested a stock notice) and didn’t get the lens (but was able to buy one at Best Buy and cancel their B&H preorder).

To me, just requesting a stock notice suggests you weren’t serious about buying the lens. If you were, you’d have provided a means of payment, not just your email address. I say this as someone who did as you and requested stock notice from B&H. I was warned about slow AF performance of the lens with the EOS R (which I find to be true), and I don’t plan on seriously using the lens (for birds in flight) until I get the R3, so I wasn’t in a hurry to get it. I opportunistically saw it as ‘in stock soon’ on Amazon in mid-August, so I ordered it and received it a few days later.

Even closer to home, I'd like to see your opinion if you were one of these merchants.

I think your ire is misfocused. I don’t know how many local shop owners you’ve spoken to, I have spoken with a few. They had no issues with priority of getting stock of backordered items, they always seemed to get a few. Their beefs with Canon were more around their terms requiring prepayment for units and ever-shrinking margins. One shop owner became dissatisfied enough to quit carrying Canon photo gear, limiting their Canon sales to the Cine line (which apparently has different terms).

 

[canonmike]

Observations of posts here over the years are pretty consistent with an equitable distribution of supply-limited (mainly newly-launched) Canon products. When a new item launches, a big shop like B&H opens preorders and a large number of people are sitting at their computers clicking Buy-Buy-Buy like Sheldon and Leonard trying to score ComiCon tickets. Others wait until the next morning and call their local shop to preorder.

When the item finally starts shipping, B&H gets lots of them, and the local shop gets a couple.


I just re-read your post. So, you only requested a stock notice? And you’re all bent out of shape? A couple weeks ago a bolus of 100-500 lenses came in to Canon USA. At least one person got their shipment from B&H of two lenses that they actually placed an order for back in May. Someone else ordered in early August (again, actually ordered not just requested a stock notice) and didn’t get the lens (but was able to buy one at Best Buy and cancel their B&H preorder).

To me, just requesting a stock notice suggests you weren’t serious about buying the lens. If you were, you’d have provided a means of payment, not just your email address. I say this as someone who did as you and requested stock notice from B&H. I was warned about slow AF performance of the lens with the EOS R (which I find to be true), and I don’t plan on seriously using the lens (for birds in flight) until I get the R3, so I wasn’t in a hurry to get it. I opportunistically saw it as ‘in stock soon’ on Amazon in mid-August, so I ordered it and received it a few days later.



I think your ire is misfocused. I don’t know how many local shop owners you’ve spoken to, I have spoken with a few. They had no issues with priority of getting stock of backordered items, they always seemed to get a few. Their beefs with Canon were more around their terms requiring prepayment for units and ever-shrinking margins. One shop owner became dissatisfied enough to quit carrying Canon photo gear, limiting their Canon sales to the Cine line (which apparently has different terms).

You are absolutely correct in your opinion about B&H's wish list and it is definitely better to backorder and pay for an out of stock lens. Once I realized that actual pre-orders were given priority, I placed orders for both the newly released RF100 F2.8 is macro and the RF14-35 F4L is zooms and have subsequently received them. This procedure will continue, as long as stock supplies remain low and intermittent. The lone success I had with being able to acquire a lens on my B&H wish list was with the RF800 F11, which I immediately purchased when notified it was now in stock. I have no ire at Canon, as you phrase it, rather just surprised at their marketing policies. As a side note, I should point out that I had placed all of these lenses directly on Canon's wish list but to date, have never been notified that they were now in stock in their on line store, leaving me to wonder why bother at all with wish lists or requests for stock notification. The exception to that thought would be CPW and Gordon, who actually follows up on your wish list requests with him. When I was able to buy from Canon directly, it was either because I was notified by CPW that Canon was showing inventory of my item or accidentally finding it when routinely searching Canon's store. As to your comment, implying I should put up or shut up with my wish lists, I've put up my money several times to date, purchasing nine different pieces of new Canon gear to date and the year is not over yet. I'm just your typical Canon consumer, looking to acquire new Canon gear wherever I might find it, hopefully at the best price and in stock. It is not a crime to be frustrated with current supply chain shortages while you wait for available inventory at your store of choice. Unfortunately, there are no local camera stores within 100 mi of me, so I am forced to find everything I want on line. I am quite envious of those of you that are within reasonable driving distance of Adorama, B&H, Samy's, Robert's, Hunt's, etc., allowing you to actually see newly released gear in person, rather than relying on You Tube content creators. If chip shortages and Covid related issues are causing these inventory problems, I hope we can soon put these two issues in our rear view mirror. I remain hopeful, not angry but transitioning to the R and RF system remains somewhat frustrating.

 

[canonmike]

I’ve been looking for the 600mm f/4 iii since February, and the only place the had any stock (briefly) was Canon. I was too late to get one then. I agree with your statements on how their dealers may feel.

Good luck becceric, on your ongoing search for an EF iii version 600mm F4L. It appears that Canon has moved all their efforts to the RF line, at least for now. I do have a suggestion for you, though if you haven't already thought of it. Check in with Gordon at CPW and make your desire known and also, place the lens on his wish list. If he comes across it, you WILL be notified. I have also had some success finding gear by using Greentoe's site. Both have offered up occasional deals with NO sales tax collected. I wish you the best in finding one.

 

[becceric]

Good luck becceric, on your ongoing search for an EF iii version 600mm F4L. It appears that Canon has moved all their efforts to the RF line, at least for now. I do have a suggestion for you, though if you haven't already thought of it. Check in with Gordon at CPW and make your desire known and also, place the lens on his wish list. If he comes across it, you WILL be notified. I have also had some success finding gear by using Greentoe's site. Both have offered up occasional deals with NO sales tax collected. I wish you the best in finding one.

Thank you for the tips, canonmike. I’ve got myCPW wish list going.
I have known of Greentoes site, so I’ll be heading there right now.

 

[Beavercreek Dan]

Agreed, Most company stores charge more than the retailers they supply to because just what you're saying, retailers should get 1st dibs on orders.