Where to for your Future purchase?

GatoAzul1968

GatoAzul1968

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Many of you have bought equipments from Jessops. Now that Jessops went administration, where will you buy your future equipment from? eg camera, lens, tripod, bags and so on. I want to buy a wide-angle lens in the near future

How about London Camera Exchange?

CliftonCameras?

CameraWorld?

I want to avoid Amazon, eBay as I prefer real camera stores (Not mixed stores such as Currys, PC World)
 
there is now no camera shops to speak of around where I live, as you say Jessops has followed Jacobs and gone, so now left with Curry's superstore to see their limit range. Its now really down to that once a year Focus - on- Imaging at the NEC and even there Canon may or may not have a stand. So what is left? only the internet as shops got too greedy and priced themselves out of the market.

What companies like Jessops could/should have done it to rent store space in departmental stores and saved a load of expendature on overheads.

Realspeed
 
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realspeed said:
there is now no camera shops to speak of

What companies like Jessops could/should have done it to rent store space in departmental stores and saved a load of expendature on overheads.

Realspeed
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Yeah true! My local area, Portsmouth - LondonCameraExchange a good shop but very small - not very limited.
 
ebay, this forum, amazon, or even panamoz

I find very little reasons to shop at a real store, unless testing out specific item before purchase (can be done with eaby, forum, and most online stores with a bit of travel), unless you are obviously made of money :)
 
realspeed said:
What companies like Jessops could/should have done it to rent store space in departmental stores and saved a load of expendature on overheads.

Realspeed
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Jessops did ! There was a branch within our local WH Smiths
 
Amazon or John Lewis would be the likely candidates, there is a camera shop in Cambridge, but prices are far too high for large purchases.
 
realspeed said:
there is now no camera shops to speak of around where I live, as you say Jessops has followed Jacobs and gone, so now left with Curry's superstore to see their limit range. Its now really down to that once a year Focus - on- Imaging at the NEC and even there Canon may or may not have a stand. So what is left? only the internet as shops got too greedy and priced themselves out of the market.

What companies like Jessops could/should have done it to rent store space in departmental stores and saved a load of expendature on overheads.

Realspeed
Click to expand...

An interesting idea, but the problem for any retailer is getting out of existing leases. Jessops were closing unprofitable stores as their leases expired.
 
GatoAzul1968 said:
Many of you have bought equipments from Jessops. Now that Jessops went administration, where will you buy your future equipment from? eg camera, lens, tripod, bags and so on. I want to buy a wide-angle lens in the near future

How about London Camera Exchange?

CliftonCameras?

CameraWorld?

I want to avoid Amazon, eBay as I prefer real camera stores (Not mixed stores such as Currys, PC World)
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Same as before, from WEX
 
I did actually use Jessops a fair bit, their prices on some bodies and lenses were more competitive than many would give them credit for. They were level with Amazon at the top of the Camera Price Buster list for my last few big purchases.

London Camera Exchange have a shop in Bath (about 20 minutes from me) but to be perfectly honest it just feels like hassle, no prices on website so I would need to call them, get a quote and have them order the item in, then I need to go and collect it, paying for fuel and parking.

Amazon will probably be more retailer of choice as I know they have stock there and then, prices are good and they have a pretty much full range of Micro 4/3 products. WEX are a close second, again a good range, reliable stock indication but anywhere between 5 and 15% more expensive than Amazon.
 
Not too sure now , Park come up cheapest on a lot of things . Suppose the advantage to buying online is your covered by distance selling terms so can send back within 7 of receipt if you don't like it.
 
I am not familiar with the London Camera Exchange in Portsmouth, but the Worcester branch has always seemed pretty good to me. Although they are all independent of each other, as opposed to a chain like Jessops, the staff at Worcester have told me that they would be prepared to get me equipment listed on their website from other stores provided the other store was also in agreement, which I can't imagine why they wouldn't be.
What I particularly like about them is that they still trade in used gear and there is something different in their window every time I visit.
 
Most of mine will continue to be online, there's only a London camera exchange in Nottingham now. Good store, insightful staff but with it being only a small store they don't carry a huge variety of goods. About the only other store I'd visit now is calumet on Drummond street as I frequent London semi often and they're right next to the main train stations.
 
GatoAzul1968 said:
Yeah true! My local area, Portsmouth - LondonCameraExchange a good shop but very small - not very limited.
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Head over to Southampton and go to the London Camera Exchange at the Civic Centre (just around the corner from CEX) rather than the other one in Southampton.

http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Branch/?Branch=Southampton+(Civic+Centre)

Pro shop, lots of selection of kit, very knowledgeable staff, friendly.

Been using them now for over 3 years. They get all of my main business (anything Nikon/Manfrotto over £100), and specific things like Lowepro S&F and Think-tank lens covers). I'll always check them out first because more often than not they can match any other bricks and mortar store.

Call ahead and they can let you know what they have (or can get) so as not to waste the journey.

Otherwise for bits and bobs I'll tend to use Amazon / MyMemory / Offtek or buy at the SWPP/Focus shows for things like deals on paper.
 
I'll probably just stick to 3 retailers from now on - Greys of Westminster, CameraWorld or John Lewis. All 3 have great customer service.

I'll but my memory cards online though.
 
I will continue to shop at Castle Cameras (Winton Bournemouth) and Robert White (Parkstone Poole). Highly recommended if anyone is looking for a new supplier.
 
tijuana taxi said:
Amazon or John Lewis would be the likely candidates, there is a camera shop in Cambridge, but prices are far too high for large purchases.
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I have been to John Lewis trying stuff out many times. They have even let me put my memory card in their camera's and take photos and view the images at home. This was to see the quality of the camera and lenses I was thinking of buying, they are always very polite and helpful to me. The branch I went to in Liverpool city Centre have knocked money off as a price match to be more competitive.
 
ive used bristol camera ffordes and mpb and wex quite a few times very good service and prices

cameraworld wont get any of my business 2 attempts to deal with them and both times not good so wont give them a 3rd chance
 
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mini0ne said:
cameraworld wont get any of my business 2 attempts to deal with them and both times not good so wont give them a 3rd chance
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Care to elaborate?

I was planning on popping in there the next time I was in the area as I hear they have a good selection of bags and I need to find something that I can squeeze my 70-200 into as opposed to a couple of t shirts and a normal rucksack. But it is a bit out of my way compared to the usual routes I take so I wouldn't want it to be a pointless detour.

Failing that ill have to try to get to premier ink in leamington the next time I wobble my way to Coventry.
 
Up here in the North East we are now almost shop-less, we had 3 branches of Jessops, a Jacobs and Bonsers which are all gone.

All that's left is D&P in Gosforth, very small and almost like a Snappy Snaps with a Nikon attitude shown by the 2 guys who run it with very little stock held last time I was there.

The other being Charles Eagle in Sunderland which again carries limited stock (every item I have phoned for hasn't been stocked and would have to be ordered in, why wouldn't I just order it myself online?) at quite high prices and still seems to believe film is in charge, while they are a friendly bunch they just seem like the shop is still in the '90s. Canon iX7 APS body for £60 anyone?
 
I've bought from WEX before and have heard good things about Park Cameras too.

I did try and spend some money in Camera World in Chelmsford a few weeks ago but the guy who was in charge when I was in there was so rude and ignorant that I just left.
 
ninjafox said:
I've bought from WEX before and have heard good things about Park Cameras too.
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I have bought from both of those before without issues.

Would also recommend Castle Cameras - I ordered a couple of lenses and in less than an hour I got an email to say they had been dispatched. Despite choosing their free 'budget' delivery they arrived the next morning. :thumbs: Cheaper than anywhere else too including amazon.
 
1st time I bought a used camera that I'd had my eye on for weeks then they told me it was sold and tried selling me something else


Next time I sent in a part exchange enquiry instead they were only interested in comission sale

When I asked why when I'd asked for part ex quote they were quite rude
 
When I bought my first DSLR, back in 2006 it was helpful to be able to lay hands on the cameras I'd shortlisted. In fact it was a hands on experience that drove me away from the idea of a bridge camera and into the arms of the DSLR world at over 3X the price. But having chosen my path forward with Canon I have never since had need of a physical store for my photographic shopping. A further six DSLRs, maybe a dozen lenses, three tripods, studio lighting and all accessories bought since have been ordered online.

In approximate order of total spend, highest first, it goes something like this....

Jessops, by a significant margin, and all at very good prices relative to the rest of the market place at the time
Digital Rev and Warehouse Express vying for second place
HDEW Cameras
Elemental Studio Flash
Onestop Digital
Morris Photographic
Kerso (Flash Camera)
UR Galaxy (eBay)
Jacobs
Clifton Cameras
Miscellaneous eBay suppliers

No complaints about any of them so I'd continue to use them all (or those which still exist), although my needs are pretty well met by now and I'm trying to resist further spending urges. I've had occasion to need post sales support from Jessops, Digital Rev and Elemental. All problems have been resolved to my satisfaction in the end, but Digital Rev really dragged the process out when an order went wrong over the Chinese New Year period. Elemental were excellent. Jessops were about what you'd expect from a large chain with big corporate rules and impersonal service - box shifters in other words.

For future shopping needs I would certainly consult camerapricebuster for the best prices and then see which of my favoured suppliers could do better. Picking the winner for my custom would not come down solely to price, but also perceived service quality, reliability, convenience etc..

p.s. I did also spend a fair bit with Park Cameras and Amazon on lenses but ended up returning them due to defects, fuss free, for a refund so they're not included in the list above. I'd happily use either one again, especially Amazon, having bought lots of non photo gear from them over the years.
 
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For large items like cameras and lenses I have always bought from a shop. Mainly Jessop's and Jacobs and for my 70-200 2.8 VRll a shop in Gibralter whilst on holiday.
Now after having four cameras shops in Leicester two years ago,we now have none.
I had planned to buy a Nikon D600 from Jessop's this month but have had to try somewhere else. The only two choices for me were John Lewis and Currys. In the end I chose Currys because it is only ten minutes walk from my home. The only thing is that they didn't have it in stock. I have had to pay up front and they have said it would be three working days before they had it in.
This is now the way it will be for anyone living in a town without a proper photography outlet.
 
If you are in London, I find CameraWorld to be reasonably competitive on prices and offer good customer service.
They have a branch just off Oxford St (and one in Chelmsford). I have purchased at least one M43 body and 3-4 lenses off them over the years - the prices were within 10% of the cheapest online price at the time.
 
We no longer have a camera shop in Wrexham now Jessops have gone so will have to go mail order/grey import, probably one stop digital and HDEW
About half of my gear was from Jessops, I did try to support them if the price was somewhere near:)
 
I buy most of my stuff online. I tend to go by trusted reviews and not worry about it. Not picked up a camera before purchase since I got a canon A100 compact from Jessops. It was a right dud. All my online sourced cameras have been much better!

You can tell a lot from the reviews. I just read them and get what does the best job for the money I have.

If you're buying a first camera then its more important to have a feel of them. Once you've bought a couple then there is less need as you know what to expect.
 
As Dave1 pointed out nothing in the Newcastle area now which led me to focus on Amazon this week, I had my eye on a new tripod and ball head....but because of my dithering I have seen the prices rise by £25 & £20 for each item, could this be a knock on effect from less competition ? or just a phase where everything seems to be going up in price at Amazon.
 
Amazon prices can be quite volatile as it does seem they have dynamic pricing to respond to supply and demand. This is especially so when a major competitor has an offer and Amazon might match it or beat it and then adjust the price back when the offer ends. You can use this website to check the price history from Amazon and their market place....

http://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/

Maybe you can use it to spot a cycle, trend or blip. You can also use it to set price alerts when a certain value is reached.
 
I've been contemplating an upgrade to either the Fuji x-pro, x-e1 or the Nikon d600. It wasn't until picking them up and trying did I decide on the camera to save for!
I'm friends with a now former manager of jessops and they couldn't fill a shop with high end cameras for people to try and then go online and buy it cheaper, not cos they were less 'greedy' but had a 10th of the overheads an 10 times the buying power. The profit margins on a £1500 camera was less than 10%
I'm now waiting for Trade shows to handle them and then find the cheapest online. Often from the manufacturers refurb sites.
 
srichards said:
You can tell a lot from the reviews. I just read them and get what does the best job for the money I have. .....
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I actually don't trust certain/popular review sites. There are too many `fake` & OTT positive reviews & some sellers are known for complaining about the serious negative reviews & have them removed.
 
Thanks for that link tdodd. I was watching a Canon 24-105 at the end of last year and the price seemed to fluctuate wildly, as much as £140 down one day and then back up the next, sometimes this could happen within a few hours. The chart from camelcamelcamel confirms I wasn't imagining it. I really can't figure how it could happen to that extent. At the moment it seems to be price matching everywhere else and I'm still watching and dreaming.
 
I found Castle Cameras in Salisbury very helpful and friendly and they keep a good amount of quality lenses, bodies, flashes and bags. they also have a store in Bournemouth
 
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