a mate of mine is a photog and just posted this on Jessops FB page. I’ve subsequently lambasted him for being a tool. was I right to do so….

You do realise one-stop aren’t UK based they’re based in Hong Kong?

Edit: Oh misread your post. 😳

Peter Jones was on the news the other day saying they would able to compete with internet prices..

No, I don’t think he’s being a tool at all. He’s not demanding it for the online price, he’s asking a perfectly reasonable question i.e. is there a deal to be made. If the manager of Jessops really has no discretion or margin in terms of making a deal to secure the sale then yes, they deserve to go out of business (again).

Wonder how many times he hears the same thing from clients though. 😉

If you’re running a business it’s pretty hard to justify paying 30% extra for something.

Yes you were right to lambast him. People don’t really get retail very well it seems 🙂 He’s asking for a service (ie in-person shopping) for free or at a discount, when they clearly are being squeezed extremely tightly as it is. Too tightly in the case of Jessops.

Fair question I think – the way people shop has changed. Retailers need to keep up or go out of business. I haven’t spent a penny in my lcs since discovering HK dealers online.

It’s a gamble – if there’s a problem with an item, the manufacturers are under no obligation to help you, and arguing the toss with people who don’t really speak English is frustrating. And returns are costly and not covered by UK selling laws.

For me though, the savings are substantial enough to gamble.

As above, Jones was on the telly stating that the “new” Jessops would be looking to price match internet prices. So I don’t see any problem with your mate asking Jessops “to bring the price closer”.

I’m quite happy to see the high street die. Hopefully it will bring rates down and let the independents back in. The bland megacorps can do the online mass market thing.

I’m quite happy to see the high street die. Hopefully it will bring rates down and let the independents back in.

This. Most (all?) of the chains that have gone bust have offered goods at poor value with unexceptional service and largely untrained/unknowledgeable staff. Which quite frankly we are better off without! (Jessops was possibly an exception to this, at least in respect of the staff).

I’m in the market for a new DSLR and I hadn’t considered shopping in Hong Kong.

That Onestop site above is 60 quid cheaper (tho I’m not sure if I have to pay shipping as I can’t see without going 3 steps into the checkout process). £60 is a fair bit, but is it worth not having a reliable warranty/after sales support on a major expense?

I know Canon & Nikon make fantastic cameras that have very low failure/DOA rates, however for £60 I’m not sure that is enough to outweigh having that support line when shit inevitably happens.

NB: I’ve never used Onestop – their aftersales and warranty support might be fantastic.

This. Most (all?) of the chains that have gone bust have offered goods at poor value with unexceptional service and largely untrained/unknowledgeable staff. Which quite frankly we are better off without!

Indeed, most chains just trade on their name and do not offer any service. You only get service from outfits whose staff have some kind of ownershgip of their job eg John Lewis model or independents.

We’ve discussed this before. I don’t mind paying a nominal premium in a shop for the support and advice (and overheads) that goes with a purchase. But not while I’ve got a hole in my arse am I ever paying over a hundred and twenty quid above Internet prices for a lens.

Is the wholesale price the same in all countries? Is the cheap price in HK subsidised by the expensive prices in Europe, like with cars?

The high st needs to sell things that are hard to buy online, like clothes, shoes, and fancy food. Shopping online I can click and find the opinions of people generally much better informed than typical Jessops staff.

import duty anyone or does our OP’s aquaintence intend to avoid this?

So your mate is an idiot because they are 30% more expensive on yhe same item 😯

They wont be back open for long if they keep that up!

Without looking at the store surely the item is subject to duty and import vat which will put the cost above £300 anyway? Not even looked at the shipping charge. 😐

I bought all my Nikon pro kit through Jessops, they were as cheap as anywhere online and in many cases had stock where others didn’t. I realise this was because their margins were virtually zero on the bodies and lenses and they hoped to make money on accessories etc.

Prices in the UK can be expensive on cheap items but can be cheap/competitive on expensive/quality items if you get my drift … 😀

Retailers just need to rethink the way they sell items nowadays as they are competing with everyone …

toys19 – Member
I’m quite happy to see the high street die. Hopefully it will bring rates down and let the independents back in. The bland megacorps can do the online mass market thing.

Ha! Yeah, right, like that’s going to happen! Take Bath, for example; it has many terrific little independent shops, but they’re hidden away, and not that easy to find, although exploring Bath isn’t a chore, because of its size. However, it doesn’t have a record shop anywhere in the city centre, and successful shops are frequently driven out of business by ever increasing business rates, and BANES council don’t care, because there are many chains wanting to come to the city, who will pay the elevated rates.
And that’s true of many cities, and large towns.
In my home town, two women won the opportunity to open shops in the main retail areas, which they were chuffed to bits about.
Until the honeymoon period ended and they were faced with the reality of the business rates and other costs.
Both shops have closed, the proprietors have had to try combining with other retailers to continue.
Their places will probably be taken by yet another mobile phone retailer, or pound shop, rather than an independent selling quality children’s clothes, as in one particular case.

He should offer them a packet of biscuits for the lens, I have heard that bike shops now take them as an alternate currency to real money.

Hmmm I wonder if I was a tax man, could I go round bike shops all day, taking my share of their cookies.

I know Canon & Nikon make fantastic cameras that have very low failure/DOA rates

You might want to double check that. Nikon have chronic QA problems on some models at the moment. Have a browse at bythom.com.

The “landed” price including Shipping, Import Duty, VAT and Handling Charge will be something around £320

So, no.

Your not being a tool for lambasting him.

And hopefully whoever replies from Jessops will point out to him, that he isn’t saving as much as he makes out he is by buying from Hong Kong.

If he’s a real working photographer and not a weekend warrior then he’s probably vat registered so 20% to come off the jessops price but not from hong kong dealers, and where’s the come-back if the lens is not a good copy and you want another one? A good dealer will look after you in a tight spot by lending you hire stock (for free) if your lens is under warranty repair and let’s not forget the turnaround times if it has to go back to hong kong.

If he’s a real working photographer and not a weekend warrior then he’s probably vat registered so 20% to come off the jessops price but not from hong kong dealers

Not quite right.

He will pay import duty and VAT on the product from Hong Kong when its delivered/collected.

Then claim it back.

He will pay VAT to Jessops at purchase, then claim it back.

(If he’s VAT registered that is. He can obviously be a Professional Photographer without being registered for VAT.)

Am I the only one who remembers when Jessops were a mail order specialist undercutting all the high street camera shops.

Yep the post should have been addressed to HMRC – I Like to Evade Tax Department. I believe the some of the Hong Kong establishments promise to refund tax paid etc if your caught. This is what needs looking at, yes it’s a global market place but some fair play would be good.

In the end of the day less tax hear means cuts elsewhere….