Samy's Camera in LA sucks

John Lehmkuhl · Feb 19, 2004

512MB 40x Lexar CF Card

On Samys.com website = 159.95
Drive to Samy's Camera and pick it up = 169.95
At Canoga Camera (internet AND at the store) = 154.94

If I go to pick up this card at Samy's the best DEAL is 166.00 - they STILL have to charge me shipping !!!

What a bad joke.
-John Lehmkuhl

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RichW · Feb 19, 2004

when you pick it up??

Stick with Canoga.

Rich

John Lehmkuhl · Feb 19, 2004

Actually, Fry's just up the road has the same memory card for 139.00 so I'm getting there. BTW, there is a 20.00 rebate on the 40x 512MB card - so this card only cost 119.00.

Samy's still stinks.

"I have to charge you shipping costs - even if you pick it up" -

I THAT EVEN LEGAL ??

-JL

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Lime · Feb 19, 2004

Yeah, same thing happened with me at the Orange County store.
Lexar 256MB 16x $59 internet price, in store another $10+tax.
Canoga is a little far for me though... 8(

Happy Shooting,
Emil

TN-EOS · Feb 19, 2004

I'll buy gear at both stores based on price and convenience.

--
'What you pay is what you get'

Wm. Bates · Feb 19, 2004

That does seem bad.

I know there not the fastest cards; but, Staples and a few others had Sandisk 512mb cards on sale $89 after $20 mail in rebate this week.
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PhilH · Feb 19, 2004

John you've been up around my stomping grounds.
I shop @ Canoga and Frys. I live around 900 feet away from Canoga Camera.
They just keep stealing money away from me.

In all seriousness though, it is extremely convenient to be a photographer in my area.
Supply shops I frequent:
Fry's
Best Buy
Canoga Camera
Woodland Hills Telescopes and Cameras

I usually never need to wait for anything unless it's bigger glass are a very rare light bulb.

phil

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Phil Holland - http://www.phfx.com

Alan Smallbone · Feb 19, 2004

Not to defend Samy's but they do state on their web site that in store prices will be higher, and they always have been unless you discuss it with the salesman and they can verify that you have been a "good" customer (spent lots of money) then they will give you the internet price plus a smaller percentage. At least that has been my experience.

Alan

Steven · Feb 19, 2004

I have purchased many items including my 10D from them with no issues. I even purchased a Nikon Coolpix from them and it had a dead pixel. They took it back no questions asked and even refunded me shipping. I think it was the salesmale you had to deal with. But a lot of places charge more instore.

--

Steve
10D
Minolta D5

Tricky X · Feb 19, 2004

Oh man. I would be at Bankruptcy court if I lived 900 feet away from Canoga. It is bad enough there is a great camera stuff a few miles from me. But there prices don't compare. If I had access to internet prices 900 feet away.. Oh man..

Jeff
http://www.photo.net/photodb/member-photos?include=all&user_id=868535

John Lehmkuhl · Feb 19, 2004

I'm glad they took care of you, Steven. That is the right thing to do.

But to be so tight priced on a 155.00 compact flash card that is 20.00 less somewhere 5 miles up the road in the 1st place (to someone who is not a customer who "knows" the person to talk to that will "take care of them") is insane. It's wrong and I told them I was going to compain about it - so here I am.

Avoid the weasels. It's nice that they mention on their web site that they don't favor local customers but that makes them even more of a weasel in my book.

I WAS going to go out of my way to get to their store to pick this card up and a couple of extra filters for my Cokin systems on the way to Death Valley N'tl. Park tomorrow morning (told their salesperson on the phone this) - but due to their stupid policy of advertising prices on the net and jacking te same item up in the store, they've lost me as a customer for tomorrow or any future purchase.

Almost all of my dealing have been with Canoga Camera (since my Elan II) - btw, HI PHIL !!! But I would have been really excited to stop by Samy's and shop there if they were fair.

But they are not.

-JL

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Ken Phares · Feb 19, 2004

Fryes website has 1gig 40x lexar for 259.00. Their instore price is 299.00,

I diddn't buy it.

Anil Sudhakaran · Feb 19, 2004

TN-EOS · Feb 19, 2004

perhaps it was just the salesperson in your case?

TN

--
'What you pay is what you get'

Alan Smallbone · Feb 19, 2004

The whole thing is about margins and overhead. To have a brick and mortar store where you can go and handle and inspect the goods has a much higher overhead than a mail order only store, they have employees and rent to pay for displays, you pay for the expertise and the ability to return goods and get instant replacement. The way to get around it is to sell volume and that is what Canoga does, but they do not stock as much as Samy's, often don't have things available, etc. so if you want instant gratification you have to pay a little more, just like if you mail order there is shipping and handling. There is no free lunch.

I am not trying to defend Samy's merely pointing out the reality of economics. When I need something in a hurry and cannot wait for shipping and shopping around then the extra percentage is just a fact of life. So I either pay it and get it, or I pay by waiting. It is all a choice.

Just my $0.02.

Alan

John Lehmkuhl · Feb 19, 2004

Good points, Alan. However, Canoga Camera has a brick and mortar establishment as well - they don't have the number of stores, but I would expect that to actually turn to Samy's favor for lesser expensive costs due to higher volume. It's just a surprise that they try to pull this gag with stores 20 min. away have cheaper prices and post the same price on the net as they do if you go to their store and pick it up.

-JL
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Dennis112229 · Feb 19, 2004

B & H Camera?

I ordered this week on 02/17/04 and it was at my door today at 10:30 this morning 02/19/04. Not bad considering it had to go across the continent and wasn't due to arrive until 02/20/04. And the selection is just great.

Dennis

John Lehmkuhl · Feb 19, 2004

Leaving tomorrow at 9am for Death Valley and it appears I lost my back up Compact Flash card. So I decided to upgrade my slow SimpleTech to a newer card on my way out of town. B&H can't help in this scenario.

-JL
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Los Angeles Canon digital SLR Group -
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KRB · Feb 19, 2004

HZA · Feb 19, 2004

I think he's p*ssed because they wouldn't match their own internet price (which I agree would p*ss me off too).

-hza

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