I've seen several resellers both on FM and local to me that are able to sell cameras with US warranties at significantly discounted prices. How are they able to procure equipment? Are they partnered with a camera shop that provides them supply under the table?
I'm curious because I'd love to open my own camera store someday. But I figured it'd be easier to start as a reseller and then build up.
Many are simply liars or cheats and assume that buyers will get service from the US company.
You should always check the official USA resellers list. If the person's company is not on it, they are technically selling Like New, but used product or a gray market import.
The internet and digital cameras killed the local camera store. Back in the 20th century there was a lot of foot traffic in camera stores as people brought in film for processing/printing.
I'm looking at Sony since that seems to be the easiest brand to sell on the local market. And Alan, good input about a camera store being a really hard venture. Sometimes I need to rein in my delusion haha.
I'd be careful about opening a physical storefront.
Commercial rent alone is a significant cost, plus furnishings/decor, utilities, insurance, possible staffing if it's more than just you, etc. Given the potential value of inventory, you will want insurance and the insurer will have specific requirements that may add costs. You'd be better to work out of your garage or a storage unit and only sell online. At least initially.
I'd also think twice about being a reseller whose business will depend on offering better prices than the mainstream stores. How will you be able to source inventory to make this possible? It generally means having relationships with the brands as an official distributor/dealer. You may have better luck contacting up and coming brands breaking into the market (the various Chinese lens brands, for example) to inquire about representing their products in the US. Sony likely won't entertain your inquiry for various reasons. Based on info from my local camera store, a reason they initially weren't a Sony dealer some years ago was because Sony had high minimum annual purchase requirements. Would you be able to sink a few hundred K into inventory before even making a sale?
IMO, by asking on a photographers' board, you're asking the wrong people. You should contact people who are actually in this kind of business.
Aqdlin wrote:
I've seen several resellers both on FM and local to me that are able to sell cameras with US warranties at significantly discounted prices. How are they able to procure equipment? Are they partnered with a camera shop that provides them supply under the table?
I'm curious because I'd love to open my own camera store someday. But I figured it'd be easier to start as a reseller and then build up.
Thanks,
Chris
For a valid US warranty, the product must be sold by an authorized US dealer. Brands set MSRP and/or MAP pricing (minimum advertised price), but dealers may be able to sell for whatever price they can, and assuming cases when it's lower than MAP, aren't advertising those prices.
My guess is that a store looking to tap into a market, such as FM B&S buyers, has a representative post as an individual apparently unaffiliated publicly with the store with below MAP offers without directly breaking their dealer agreements. But in the end, the payment will be made to and the receipt will be from the store in order for the warranty to be valid. This would be a legitimate sale and is only unconventional in the manner in which it was initiated.
The risk of course from the buyer's side is ensuring it's a legitimate transaction and that the product is not gray market, which when done online via PM messages, may take a bit of a leap of faith. But the FM buyer/seller feedback system does provide some reassurances.
Why can they do this? There are likely many reasons. One that comes to mind is sometimes manufacturers have more supply than expected. For example they may have set a certain sales number for a period and as the period progresses, if sales are weaker than forecast, they may look at alternative options to move the required units. They may offer incentives to their dealers who in turn may pass those on to buyers as discounts. Or a store, in order to maintain their dealer status for a certain brand, might have to move a certain amount of inventory each year. If they are in a physical location that does not benefit from a large metropolitan population, a forum like FM's B&S attracts a national audience of people who know what they want and will buy when the price is right.
General FYI: Here in the 4 States of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Rhode Island, we are fortunate enough to have what has to be one of the last chains of stores in business, Hunt's Photo and Video. Maybe it is the last one. I won't get off track too far at the moment, except to say I think they're doing okay still (opened a new store not long ago), and I like shopping there. They will price match anything you see out of NYC and elsewhere, as long as it's verifiable USA-production. Hunt's hosts an annual week of "expo" type of sales and events, and they have buyers of equipment sitting right there with their checkbooks ready. In terms of brand new, you can walk in to the shop and walk out with what you wanted, at the $ you wanted them to match too. If you're in New Hampshire, it's sales-tax free as well. The Melrose store is their biggest, and their headquarters, with best "in stock" status. Hope this is all okay to say here.
Just a little something for you all to keep in mind on your next trip up this way for some seafood, or skiing, etc.
Always be careful about the gray market, sometimes you can't tell until you send a serial number in to the brand's corporate headquarters.
GeofFX wrote:
General FYI: Here in the 4 States of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Rhode Island, we are fortunate enough to have what has to be one of the last chains of stores in business, Hunt's Photo and Video. Maybe it is the last one. I won't get off track too far at the moment, except to say I think they're doing okay still (opened a new store not long ago), and I like shopping there. They will price match anything you see out of NYC and elsewhere, as long as it's verifiable USA-production. Hunt's hosts an annual week of "expo" type of sales and events, and they have buyers of equipment sitting right there with their checkbooks ready. In terms of brand new, you can walk in to the shop and walk out with what you wanted, at the $ you wanted them to match too. If you're in New Hampshire, it's sales-tax free as well. The Melrose store is their biggest, and their headquarters, with best "in stock" status. Hope this is all okay to say here.
Just a little something for you all to keep in mind on your next trip up this way for some seafood, or skiing, etc.
Always be careful about the gray market, sometimes you can't tell until you send a serial number in to the brand's corporate headquarters. ...Show more →
I'll second this. Although I'm based in California, I travel to New England was some frequency and have purchased from Hunts a few times. They've been very good at getting the product to the store location I want so I can just swing by and pick it up as well as price matching.
