Wholesale Lenses - DPChallenge Forums

05/13/2008 10:06:40 AM · #4

Originally posted by KevinG:

Originally posted by scarbrd:
Cameras and lenses are sold at very low margins. The NY online/mail order merchants often sell retail for lower prices than local merchants pay wholesale.

Profits are made on bags, cases, memory cards and other accessories.

So that's a no?

Yup... You won't find it anywhere. Back in the day we used to get a discount at our local professional supply house, but cameras and lenses were not included. Discount was on film, paper, chemicals, lights, stuff like that; these had higher margins for the retailer.

R.

Message edited by author 2008-05-13 10:08:01.

05/13/2008 10:18:08 AM · #5

Have you ever seen that commercial around 4 am in the morning for "Discount Direct"?

A membership based home improvement wholesale discount business?

Anyway, my wife and I went to check it out.

It seemed like a winner until they told us the membership fee. $6K for the first two years, $200 dollars the next 10 years, and free after that.

Anyway, they had more than home improvement stuff.

They also had home entertainment, and electronics as well.

I asked the sales guy if they had access to camera gear.

He said yes, and only Canon.

I told my wife we needed the membership.

But, as good wives are, she said it was too expensive up front, and we did not get the membership.

If they do sell Canon gear, it is at wholesale prices, but the savings is a mere %35 from retail.

That's all I have.

05/13/2008 10:20:39 AM · #6

Originally posted by Man_Called_Horse:

If they do sell Canon gear, it is at wholesale prices, but the savings is a mere %35 from retail.

35%? Thirty-Five? You got to be kidding... Do you mean 3-5% perhaps?

R.

Message edited by author 2008-05-13 10:21:02.

05/13/2008 10:43:26 AM · #7

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by Man_Called_Horse:
If they do sell Canon gear, it is at wholesale prices, but the savings is a mere %35 from retail.

35%? Thirty-Five? You got to be kidding... Do you mean 3-5% perhaps?

R.

Nope, that is what the sales person said.

Electronics, including the Canons, as much as %35 off retail.

The home improvements were %50 off retail.

05/13/2008 10:46:30 AM · #8

Originally posted by Man_Called_Horse:

Nope, that is what the sales person said.

Electronics, including the Canons, as much as %35 off retail.

The home improvements were %50 off retail.

Well there ya go: "as much as"... Not gonna get anything LIKE 35% on high-end Canon products, though I suppose it's possible the Canon P&S cams have a higher margin. But my camera store on the Cape is a good-size Canon dealer, and he showed me what they were paying once, and there's not much margin there at all...

R.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

05/13/2008 10:52:59 AM · #9

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by Man_Called_Horse:

Nope, that is what the sales person said.

Electronics, including the Canons, as much as %35 off retail.

The home improvements were %50 off retail.

Well there ya go: "as much as"... Not gonna get anything LIKE 35% on high-end Canon products, though I suppose it's possible the Canon P&S cams have a higher margin. But my camera store on the Cape is a good-size Canon dealer, and he showed me what they were paying once, and there's not much margin there at all...

R.

But, you are missing the point Robert.

The electronics that they sell has a higher margin then cement, or lumber, or brick at wholesale.

Home improvements can be sold at %50 off easier than electronics.

Point being, the membership at "Discount Direct" only purchases at the wholesale level.

Even if a member is purchasing a p&s at $100 wholesale, they are still saving a couple hundred dollars.

Do you not agree that this is a much better deal than the average camera store can provide, even with the huge up front membership fee?

NikonJeb

Nikon D850

05/13/2008 10:56:05 AM · #10

Originally posted by Man_Called_Horse:

Even if a member is purchasing a p&s at $100 wholesale, they are still saving a couple hundred dollars.

Do you not agree that this is a much better deal than the average camera store can provide, even with the huge up front membership fee?

You did say $6000 for the first two years, right?

How much do you have to SPEND to recoup that fee?

Doesn't sound like any deal at all to me.

Olympus 7-14mm f/4.0 Zuiko Digital Zoom

05/13/2008 10:59:00 AM · #11

Originally posted by NikonJeb:

Originally posted by Man_Called_Horse:
Even if a member is purchasing a p&s at $100 wholesale, they are still saving a couple hundred dollars.

Do you not agree that this is a much better deal than the average camera store can provide, even with the huge up front membership fee?

You did say $6000 for the first two years, right?

How much do you have to SPEND to recoup that fee?

Doesn't sound like any deal at all to me.

Well, yeah, if you pay for the membership and don't use it to your full advantage, sure.

But, if you stay a member for 12 years plus, do the math.

one2one

Olympus E-5

05/13/2008 10:59:40 AM · #12

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

I'm almost 100% sure they were discounting from the MSRP and not from the retail price. You were talking to a salesman MCH, and he told you what you wanted to hear. I used to work in the business and I never ever sold a camera at the MSRP, that was used to make our retail price look good, and it worked most of the time.

Message edited by author 2008-05-13 11:02:08.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

05/13/2008 11:03:09 AM · #13

Originally posted by Jac:

[quote=Bear_Music] [quote=Man_Called_Horse]

I'm almost 100% sure they were discounting from the MSRP and not from the retail price. You were talking to a salesman MCH, and he told you what you wanted to hear.

Jac, with respect, do you think I am an idiot?

It was not at the MSRP, and every thing was put to the prospective members in full detail and disclosure.

Done with this thread.

NikonJeb

Nikon D850

05/13/2008 11:06:24 AM · #14

Originally posted by Man_Called_Horse:

Originally posted by NikonJeb:

You did say $6000 for the first two years, right?

How much do you have to SPEND to recoup that fee?

Doesn't sound like any deal at all to me.

Originally posted by Man_Called_Horse:

Well, yeah, if you pay for the membership and don't use it to your full advantage, sure.

But, if you stay a member for 12 years plus, do the math.

Okay.....at $200 a year, that's another $200 for the next ten years.....all told, $8000, an investment, you say......for ten years, that amortizes out as $800 per year.

You'd have to spend how much per year to realize a savings?

How much DO you spend per year on equipment?

I am genuinely curious.

Message edited by author 2008-05-13 11:07:04.