Las Vegas Camera stores (on the strip) Rip off customers

[FrancoD]

So you think that , say, the two B&C camera stores are owned by the same people that own Millenium, The Boulevard , Casey's Cameras, Camera Zone, Fry's....?

 

[J Frank Parnell]

Thanks Captain Obvious.

Who in the world would think that the Las Vegas strip is the place to buy anything for a low price?

 

[Hen3ry]

You've got to be kidding! A rip off on the Las Vegas Strip? I cannot imagine such in that bastion of value and thrift.

No risk, Ed! LOL. I can't understand why anyone would bother posting such stuff; looks like they want the world to know how insightful they are (not).

 

[Martin.au]

Duh. It's Vegas!

 

[peripheralfocus]

So you think that , say, the two B&C camera stores are owned by the same people that own Millenium, The Boulevard , Casey's Cameras, Camera Zone, Fry's....?

You made a general point about "side-by-side" competition everywhere, and I was responding to that general point. In some places and circumstances -- especially in high tourist traffic areas -- your tip about judging prices isn't very reliable, for the reason that I noted.

Now you're changing the terms of your statement and asking me about Las Vegas specifically, and I don't know the current dealer landscape there. (I did meet the owners of Fry's about 20 years ago when I was peripherally involved in opening them as a Nikon dealer, and I'm sure they do not own any false flag "competitors" elsewhere in Las Vegas).

But the dealer the OP is talking about is obviously a very particular sub-type -- the tourist trap. They've existed for thousands of years all over the world, and they do business in a different way than retailers (like Fry's) that cater primarily to local customers. I became very familiar with how they work when I was the Nikon sales rep for San Francisco in the 1990s -- there were at least 100 of those stores in San Francisco in those days, clustered in Union Square, Chinatown, and Fisherman's Wharf. Only New York City had more. So the example I gave is based on long and deep experience -- I saw it many, many times. But it applies almost entirely to the tourist trap type of stores, at least in the U.S.

 

[pgb]

It's Las Vegas, people go there to be ripped off.

 

[Ed Rizk]

You've got to be kidding! A rip off on the Las Vegas Strip? I cannot imagine such in that bastion of value and thrift.

No risk, Ed! LOL. I can't understand why anyone would bother posting such stuff; looks like they want the world to know how insightful they are (not).

 

[FrancoD]

Yes, I am familiar with the concept.

A chain I worked for in NZ opened up another set of shops with a different name.

However in our case we ended up competing with each other...

Anyway, I was thinking of Vegas given that the tread is about Vegas and having worked in several high tourism areas I also noted that generally in those places prices are higher, and I mean just about anything .

 

[Hen3ry]

You've got to be kidding! A rip off on the Las Vegas Strip? I cannot imagine such in that bastion of value and thrift.

No risk, Ed! LOL. I can't understand why anyone would bother posting such stuff; looks like they want the world to know how insightful they are (not).

 

[Ed Rizk]

You've got to be kidding! A rip off on the Las Vegas Strip? I cannot imagine such in that bastion of value and thrift.

No risk, Ed! LOL. I can't understand why anyone would bother posting such stuff; looks like they want the world to know how insightful they are (not).

 

[Speedex Folder]

So let me see if I'm getting this: You went to Las Vegas and were surprised that on the strip between the casinos are shops that are tourist traps of the first order ? ? ? ?

The point of the whole place is What Stays in Vegas? Your Money. Swing thru the buffet and then jump back on the charter bus, hurry !

Sure, that sounds like a nosebleed price, but consider where you're at. I really can't wait until you-know-who opens a 'Leica Boutique' where you can get M bodies with an inlaid silver dollar or maybe a thousand dollar chip. Better yet for the usual clientele, how about a Red Dot pinkie ring, or maybe a Red Dot set in a nugget ?

BTW, in a lot of cases, $1.5 million IS MSRP on a Veyron.

 

[henryp]

When I asked if they carry a recent camera that I was looking for, the salesperson said no and turned his back on me. They do not want to sell to anyone who knows cameras.

Personally I think it's more likely he didn't want to spend time discussing a product or brand he doesn't have. IMO that'd be especially likely if he's paid all or in part via commission.

 

[wayneo1]

Purchased an Olympus camera from Boulevard cameras - when I got back to LA tuned out it did not work, sent to Olympus turned out it was 4 years old had scratches etc . Again do not trust this store

 

[cplunk]

The whole basic idea of the Las Vegas strip is to part tourists from their money. The few locals I know don't go there, even go elsewhere to gamble.

While walking down the strip I decided I as too hot and thirsty and stopped to get a bottle of water. $3. I knew I was overpaying, and could get a better deal just off the strip, but paid anyways cause I wanted it quick and easy.

There's a Fry's about 1/2 north of the "welcome to Las Vegas" sign. (or is it South, I always get confused about that when it's too bloody hot out and I'm afraid to look up at the Sun).

I'm sure a best buy somewhere, maybe a little off the strip.

And there's possibly some other independent camera stores off the strip that cater to locals with fair prices (I'm sure there's one or more of them thinking about it, there's gotta be a lot of photographers there).

 

[nikon power]

Mr. Bezos will kill that Vegas camera store when he has the drone delivery working at Amazon. The ordered camera and can be droned over in one hour or less from the nearest warehouse.

The problem is with the buyer. When the drone arrives to drop the order in the strip, hundreds of people will reach out to get it.

 

[pgb]

The whole basic idea of the Las Vegas strip is to part tourists from their money. The few locals I know don't go there, even go elsewhere to gamble.

While walking down the strip I decided I as too hot and thirsty and stopped to get a bottle of water. $3.

Water is so expensive now, 8x the price of petrol.

 

[wayneo1]

BOULEVARD CAMERAS ARE THEIVES - I bought a new Olympus , provided to be faulty , used demo ? sent for repair and found out Boulevard are not Authorised Olympus dealers so lost my money stay away from BOULEVARD CAMERAS --- Email from OLYPUS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

LAS VEGAS BANDITS