"MAP" pricing....How long will it last????

[jdramirez]

Our local dealer says his Markup for Canon runs 7%. There may be a rebate for meeting sales targets, but a small dealer can't sell millions of dollars worth a month.

The salesmen are all photographers and give good advice. I buy from them frequently, and from Adorama / B&H for something they can't easily get due to manufacturers requiring large purchases.

I've found that they can get cameras and lenses from Canon even when the big stores are out, so Canon does take care of small dealers.

In my dalliance in retail, the cost was pretty close to the sale price. If we sold a package for $1000, there was maybe 50 bucks in profit, so we would get $15 for the sale.

 

[lilmsmaggie]

Hmm ... I have an ELAN 7E that I was hoping to sell alongside the 40D & T3i but that didn't happen. Maybe I was asking too much (body w/ manual + BP-300 battery grip + 50mm 1.8 II for $230).
I was more than willing to negotiate but the only item people were interested in was the 50mm 1.8 II.


There are only two brick & mortar camera stores in my area aside from BestBuy, and I avoid them like the plague. Retail price + 8.5% sales tax eats a big hole in your camera budget. When I do visit the store, very few customers are actually in the store. Gee - I wonder why? Weird market here in Sacramento.

I could drive a couple hours to the SF-Bay area and MAYBE find a lower price but sales taxes there are even higher plus there's the gas, time and wear & tear on your vehicle which may not be worth the drive just to save a few bucks.

Although, I built a computer about 18 months ago. Sourced and bought most of the parts in Santa Clara (the rest I got from Newegg). Saved quite a bit even though I had to make that 2 hour (4 hrs. round-trip) drive to the Bay area to purchase the parts. Got a sweet deal on a motherboard/CPU bundle.

I too was looking at buying a new DSLR but not now. I just sold a 40D and T3i in anticipation of snagging a 6D or 5DMK III.

Have you looked into Canon USA's refurbed units with 1 year factory warranty and 20% off MAP? 6Ds are available last time I checked.

Call Canon and ask about they loyalty program. You send in an old film canon camera that you bought off craigslist for $10 (or I'll sell you one for $10), and they give you 20% off the refurb price. Not all bodies are available... but I think the mkiii and the 6d are now... but I havne't really checked in a while because I have my body and I hopefully won't be upgrading for many years now.

 

[Chisox2335]

I too was looking at buying a new DSLR but not now. I just sold a 40D and T3i in anticipation of snagging a 6D or 5DMK III.

Have you looked into Canon USA's refurbed units with 1 year factory warranty and 20% off MAP? 6Ds are available last time I checked.

Call Canon and ask about they loyalty program. You send in an old film canon camera that you bought off craigslist for $10 (or I'll sell you one for $10), and they give you 20% off the refurb price. Not all bodies are available... but I think the mkiii and the 6d are now... but I havne't really checked in a while because I have my body and I hopefully won't be upgrading for many years now.

Loyalty discount is only 10% on the 6D and 5D3. I called a couple months back. They also charge sales tax in all but 4 states I believe.

 

[Quasimodo]

I do not say that I have the answer to the original question, but as very often in this forum, the discussion tends to focus around the US. The US customers have had, and still have really cheap prices offered for Canon gear. I just got back from NYC and bought two 600ex rt plus a st e3 at full price at B&H, and that price is two thirds of the price in Norway. Before the limit on price was put in effect, a professional nature photographer could get the 800mm for approx 3000 USD less than in Norway, which meant that you could fly over and have a weekend there, and still save money. Thus I argue that the camera stores catering to the professionals in other countries than the US had a really hard time staying in business when B&H decided to lower the prices.

 

[Loswr]

I do not say that I have the answer to the original question, but as very often in this forum, the discussion tends to focus around the US. The US customers have had, and still have really cheap prices offered for Canon gear. I just got back from NYC and bought two 600ex rt plus a st e3 at full price at B&H, and that price is two thirds of the price in Norway. Before the limit on price was put in effect, a professional nature photographer could get the 800mm for approx 3000 USD less than in Norway, which meant that you could fly over and have a weekend there, and still save money. Thus I argue that the camera stores catering to the professionals in other countries than the US had a really hard time staying in business when B&H decided to lower the prices.

Does Norway have import duties? I could have driven from Boston to Toronto in a few hours, and bought a 600 II for a couple thousand less than at B&H. But the import duties when bringing the lens back into the US would have been significant.

 

[Quasimodo]

I do not say that I have the answer to the original question, but as very often in this forum, the discussion tends to focus around the US. The US customers have had, and still have really cheap prices offered for Canon gear. I just got back from NYC and bought two 600ex rt plus a st e3 at full price at B&H, and that price is two thirds of the price in Norway. Before the limit on price was put in effect, a professional nature photographer could get the 800mm for approx 3000 USD less than in Norway, which meant that you could fly over and have a weekend there, and still save money. Thus I argue that the camera stores catering to the professionals in other countries than the US had a really hard time staying in business when B&H decided to lower the prices.

Does Norway have import duties? I could have driven from Boston to Toronto in a few hours, and bought a 600 II for a couple thousand less than at B&H. But the import duties when bringing the lens back into the US would have been significant.

Once you pass approx 35 USD you have to pay tax. Tax is 25% , so that would still be better. I am still happy as the kit I bought costs 12.300 NOK, and I got it for approx 7.700 plus NYC taxes

But my first post was because I spoke to a few people working in the relatively big stores in Norway, and B&H (never seen Adorama have anything cheaper than B&H) would drive the prices down, thus running the risk of driving them out of business.

 

[Chisox2335]

I too was looking at buying a new DSLR but not now. I just sold a 40D and T3i in anticipation of snagging a 6D or 5DMK III.

Have you looked into Canon USA's refurbed units with 1 year factory warranty and 20% off MAP? 6Ds are available last time I checked.

Call Canon and ask about they loyalty program. You send in an old film canon camera that you bought off craigslist for $10 (or I'll sell you one for $10), and they give you 20% off the refurb price. Not all bodies are available... but I think the mkiii and the 6d are now... but I havne't really checked in a while because I have my body and I hopefully won't be upgrading for many years now.

Loyalty discount is only 10% on the 6D and 5D3. I called a couple months back. They also charge sales tax in all but 4 states I believe.

So if you're in CA, it is refurb - 10% + 8.5% (varying), meaning a whole lot of pain to effectively get the advertised price without tax. Probably easier just to buy from some online ship in NY...

You misunderstood. The refurb price is 20% off of map. Then you get 10% off of the refurb price.

 

[jdramirez]

Were they ever 20% off the refurb price? 10% is weak. But tax does blow. It is only 6% for me, but I think about all the other stuff I could get with that 6%...

 

[JohnUSA]

Were they ever 20% off the refurb price?....

Yes I purchased my 5D3 and T2i with the 20% off the refurbed price. For the 5D3 20% was about $580 off refurbed price. I still had to pay 7% tax but still was a really good deal at the time.

Too bad the discount is now only 10% off the 5D3.

 

[Chisox2335]

I too was looking at buying a new DSLR but not now. I just sold a 40D and T3i in anticipation of snagging a 6D or 5DMK III.

Have you looked into Canon USA's refurbed units with 1 year factory warranty and 20% off MAP? 6Ds are available last time I checked.

Call Canon and ask about they loyalty program. You send in an old film canon camera that you bought off craigslist for $10 (or I'll sell you one for $10), and they give you 20% off the refurb price. Not all bodies are available... but I think the mkiii and the 6d are now... but I havne't really checked in a while because I have my body and I hopefully won't be upgrading for many years now.

Loyalty discount is only 10% on the 6D and 5D3. I called a couple months back. They also charge sales tax in all but 4 states I believe.

So if you're in CA, it is refurb - 10% + 8.5% (varying), meaning a whole lot of pain to effectively get the advertised price without tax. Probably easier just to buy from some online ship in NY...

You misunderstood. The refurb price is 20% off of map. Then you get 10% off of the refurb price.

No, I didn't but you seemed to miss the point that once you take into account all of the local sales taxes, the 10% discount disappears pretty quickly to make it a questionable benefit. Do you also have to pay to ship the old camera back to Canon?

You assume the New York stores have refurbs and are the same price. The 6D on b&h refurb is $1619 vs $1519 so after the 10% and sales tax you're over $100 better. Canon loyalty isn't always the best deal but at least it's an option.

From my conversation with canon the discount ranges from 10-30%