PhotoPrice.ca Silenced for Canon Products

[jfgosselin]

We can't get a quick price compare between some US stores (e.g. B&H) and some Canadian stores anymore ...

Here's why : http://www.photoprice.ca/article/photoprice-silenced-by-canon

I was using the site to find the best price for a 5D MKIII ...

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

That seems strange to me, I wonder what the real issue is behind this? I notice B&H and One Call missing from search engines that used to carry them. Are they not paying for referrals any longer/ Amazon, Adorama, and others still appear on stock tracker

 

[CanineCandidsByL]

I'm not an expert in law, but I have to wonder if they would really be in any jeopardy in continuing to publish that information. I would think that any person could speak about (including compare) public information.

Sad to see that happen. Let hope we don't see more if it in the future.

 

[kdsand]

We can't get a quick price compare between some US stores (e.g. B&H) and some Canadian stores anymore ...

Here's why : http://www.photoprice.ca/article/photoprice-silenced-by-canon

I was using the site to find the best price for a 5D MKIII ...

I'm in the the states so this may not be directly threatening issue. However if indeed Canon applies tactics such as these who's to say even this site - canon rumors is safe from being threatened or bullied. This is not good not good at all. This seems as if they are trying to control the internet / information. This pisses me off.

 

[revup67]

I've used pricegrabber.com. , shopping.com, streetprices.com to do comparison quotes on electronics - not sure if that helps you or not.

Rev

 

[bigblue1ca]

We can't get a quick price compare between some US stores (e.g. B&H) and some Canadian stores anymore ...

Here's why : http://www.photoprice.ca/article/photoprice-silenced-by-canon

I was using the site to find the best price for a 5D MKIII ...

Yes saw that today when I was looking for a price on a lens. Not impressed. Means I'll have to go and check B&H and Photoprice each time (not the end of the world just inconvenient), because while B&H is very competitive on most items and they receive about 75% of business, for some reason certain lenses often are cheaper in Canada, even with the dollar at par.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I wonder if it is related to the supposed price freeze on Canon? Nikon, and Sony products already have restricted selling prices. These sites pay for their existence with advertising and referral fees, and if prices are going to be the same everywhere, why pay referral fees to attract business by offering lower prices. Instead, we will likely see free ad-ons like memory, junk batteres, camera bags, junk tripods and so on.

 

[iMagic]

I am not surprized this has happened. Canadians have for some time now been gouged by an artificial exchange rate gross up on all sorts of products. The clearest example is magazines where the US and Canada advertised price is always grossed up on the Canadian dollar end. Often this is a result of lazy product pricing. The manufacturer would calculate an artificial exchange rate based on years old rates and then not bother to change it for changing exchange rates. Often the official line for not changing the price is to reflect "increased delivery costs to Canada" but that is just PR nonsense for being lazy.

Unfortunately, Canadian retailers have come to rely on the artificially higher price. Their business model does not support a true cometitive price. Thereby reducing efficiencies due to competition. And that is the bottom line, reduced efficiencies and reduced competition. I say Boo to that.

I suspect Canon is no different. But as long as B&H and other US retailers continue to offer superior price and return policies to Canadian retailers then I will continue to use them. But, this means educated consumers will do their own research whereby typical consumers will just buy local in ingnorance. I do try to buy local when I can when it makes sense and sometimes the best price is local. But often it is not.