Digital cameras forum: is online purchase is more popular then from showrooms?

If you buy from a local camera store (a store that only sells cameras), you will get a knowledgeable sales person that can answer your questions.

If you buy from a department store (camera department), you may (or may not) get a knowledgeable sales person to answer your questions.

If you buy on-line, you should be knowledgeable of what you want, and who you are buying from.

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On line sales can usually save you some money (and maybe sales tax) but there are drawbacks.

Only order from a reliable source.
If you find a price that is too good to believe....lookout.
There are a number of on-line sources that are dishonest.

Rule of thumb:
If the website shows the merchant is in Brooklyn, NY.....lookout.
If the website does not tell you where the merchant is located.....lookout.
If you order an item on-line and then get an email that you should call them to confirm the order......lookout.
...This is usually a sign of a "bait and switch" dealer.
...If you don't buy more stuff....you will not get the stuff your ordered.

Before buying on-line from a source you are not familiar with, do a Google check:
...Go to Google.com and search for the name of the merchant followed by the word review

There are several sites that review on-line merchants and rate them as to honesty and ability. Epinions.com is one such site.

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Which is the best channel of purchase?
The one that works for you.
I use all three.

It depends upon what I am buying, how fast I want it, and at what price I want to pay.

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I wish it had more zoom but the pics have been fine. Mine was a refurb from geeks.

Bob

I have bought three camera's online, Why, COST.
I saved a lot of money buying online, after I studied Cnets reviews.

I had a problem with one online store, they wanted to sell me everything they had. I asked that the sale be cancelled and it was. I just went to the next one on my list and it turned out fine.

When you get up to that class of camera, you are not going to find any bargains.

You have to be a licensed Canon dealer to sell them and cut-rate outfits can't afford to stock them.

Probably the best known and trusted online dealer is

www.bhphotovideo.com

And they carry all the lenses available.
Huge inventory.

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The guy might be great, but you are not telling who he is. He has helped you always, but you are not helping him.. That is if he's still selling cameras!

I always spend 2-3 days researching online before I purchase most cameras, and I am glad that I do. I spent several days looking in stores, researched online, visited with friends who are "into" cameras, and, although I could have saved $75 buying online, I purchased in a local store because the salesman was generally knowledgeable and deserved some "credit" for the sale. I want local stores to remain available!

I love my camera, the Sony DSC-H5. I took unbelievable pictures on my trip to Italy, especially because of the high-speed shutter setting. I am sure I took over 3000 pictures, and only about 10 are blurry, even those taken on the high-speed train!

I try to purchase at least half of my computer/electronic purchases in local stores to make sure they don't close up shop. We need them, too, and sometimes just that dollar bottom line is not as important as local availability.

The camera shop is a great place to get a feel for the camera you want. After a friend bought a new digital camera. I went to the camera shop and looked the camera over. I decided to buy it and went online to purchase the $799.00 camera for $529.00 including shipping.

I visit local stores, get info & have ordered 2 top of the line cameras from Adorama. I had trade-ins &
the local stores could not match the online stores. Additionally although the price of the cameras were the same, local & online I did receive free shipping & saved on the sales tax.

Personally, I do a lot of research online, checking reviews, specs, and pricing, then take the info to my local camera dealer.

More often than not he has been able to sell to me at a price equal to or very close to an online price. At the end of the day if I walk in and say "I'm here to spend 500" he would rather cut his margin to a few s than lose an otherwise guaranteed sale.

I prefer to offer them the business as they have always provided excellent service whenever I've needed filters, film, repairs etc.

They even let me borrow a used EOS 3 for nearly two weeks whilst my EOS 5 went off to Canon for repair! I challenge you to find an online store willing to provide such service.