Best Buy's camera inventory

[toverman]

I had some time to kill yesterday before having to be somewhere, so went in to Best Buy to play with things I can't afford. The store in Grapevine has had the 5D Mark II and 7D in stock and in play-with mode, but yesterday the only Canon SLR on the bench was a Rebel somethingorother. Strangely, there was a price and photocopied spec sheet for a 1D Mark III on display.

Short story long, I asked the manager and he said they were shuffling their inventory. Not really sure what that means, but for anyone who buys cameras from Best Buy, it was sort of interesting.

[texkam]

I asked the manager and he said they were shuffling their inventory. Not really sure what that means

That's OK, neither do the employees.

[ChristopherCoy]

you fruit.... they had the 1DMKIII at the rebels price... I'dda made them give me a rain check, or threaten a false advertising case... LOL

[dmcantrell]

Originally Posted by ChristopherCoy

you fruit.... they had the 1DMKIII at the rebels price... I'dda made them give me a rain check, or threaten a false advertising case... LOL

Hrm, I read the OP as "there was a price and a spec sheet for a 1DMKIII on display" meaning that they had a place holder for the 1DMKIII but didn't have one in stock. I didn't get that there was a 1DMKIII for sale at a Rebel price, but I could be wrong.

[ChristopherCoy]

Originally Posted by dmcantrell

Hrm, I read the OP as "there was a price and a spec sheet for a 1DMKIII on display" meaning that they had a place holder for the 1DMKIII but didn't have one in stock. I didn't get that there was a 1DMKIII for sale at a Rebel price, but I could be wrong.

Well now that you say that, I guess I read it wrong... or too fast.

[venchka]

Pushing discontinued merchandise.

I quit going ages ago.

[tukaniray]

I only shop for DVDs at BB.

-Ray-

[ChristopherCoy]

Originally Posted by venchka

Pushing discontinued merchandise.

I quit going ages ago.

I thought I was the only one who thought like that. For some reason I just have a stigma about buying a camera at a 'big box' retailer. I'm not even comfortable buying from places like Wolf Camera...

[toverman]

Oh no, sorry that wasn't clear. The only camera on display was the Rebel (don't even know which model) and it was on sale for a Rebel price. No other actual cameras on display, just the empty connectors.

There was a price tag and a photocopied piece of paper with the spec sheet for a 1D Mark III. The price was $6,999, and I double-checked that they weren't trying to sell the 1Ds. So yes, that's discontinued merchandise for you and at the absolute highest list I've ever seen for a 1D III.

I second the fact that most of the employees are clueless. I've been in two different Best Buy stores where the blue shirts told me to go online to another retailer to find what I was looking for. Yikes!

We bought our refrigerator from Best Buy years ago, but haven't gone for anything bigger than a DVD since. Will be looking for a TV to replace our old one in a few years; maybe we'll look there.

[Truckman]

I'm thinking of getting a new icebox from them since they have no interest for 18 months......Ben

[Howard Barlow]

The 1DMkIII Frigidaire is great. The ice maker can be set to 4, 8, 16, or 32 cubes per cycle. However, if they defrost, they will all blend together, permanently.

[venchka]

I don't enter Worst Buy. Period.
I do shop at Wolf. They are between my office and my apartment. I don't spend a lot at Wolf. I drive past Worst Buy to shop at Wolf. My last purchase was an Extreme III card when I got the 1D. Why not shop there?

[toverman]

Wolf might have some good deals every now and then, but when shopping there for a camera for my wife a few years back they had the highest prices on certain models. There are times I'm willing to pay for good customer service, but I haven't found that at my local Wolf store (the only one left near me).

I think you have to know what you want at stores like Wolf and Best Buy, because often you won't find anyone who knows what they are talking about. Some stores are better than others, though.

[ChristopherCoy]

Originally Posted by toverman

I think you have to know what you want at stores like Wolf and Best Buy, because often you won't find anyone who knows what they are talking about. Some stores are better than others, though.

Wayne, this is the reason I wont shop at Wolf, or any other 'camera store chain.'

When I was younger, there was a Wolf Camera in our local shopping mall. I remember trying to shop for my first Pentax film camera for my high school photography class, and the only people that worked there were other high school students who didn't know their ass from their elbow. At that time, 'our' Wolf store had more of a 'one hour photo' type storefront, and that is the memory that I have of them; A one hour photo joint operated by less than intelligent high school kids. I ended up buying my camera from a place in Lafayette, La. called "The Camera Center" I believe. And later buying my Canon EOS Elan II from them as well.

When I'm spending that much money on a camera, I expect the person selling it to me to know WAY more than I do, and unfortunately because of the memory that I have of them, I've built a prejudice against all of them.

I also have a stigma about shopping online at places like B&H, but thats a whole 'nother thread.

[Carl Stone]

Originally Posted by ChristopherCoy

Wayne, this is the reason I wont shop at Wolf, or any other 'camera store chain.'

When I was younger, there was a Wolf Camera in our local shopping mall. I remember trying to shop for my first Pentax film camera for my high school photography class, and the only people that worked there were other high school students who didn't know their ass from their elbow. At that time, 'our' Wolf store had more of a 'one hour photo' type storefront, and that is the memory that I have of them; A one hour photo joint operated by less than intelligent high school kids. I ended up buying my camera from a place in Lafayette, La. called "The Camera Center" I believe. And later buying my Canon EOS Elan II from them as well.

When I'm spending that much money on a camera, I expect the person selling it to me to know WAY more than I do, and unfortunately because of the memory that I have of them, I've built a prejudice against all of them.

I also have a stigma about shopping online at places like B&H, but thats a whole 'nother thread.

Stigma? What is it that you perceive to be wrong with shopping at B&H? Before you answer, understand that it's up to the buyer to do his homework, and know what he wants BEFORE he goes shopping for it. There are a great many shady operators in the photo retail business, and the term caveat emptor has always been the best advice. A fool and his money are soon parted. However, B&H, and Adorama for that matter, are among the most ethical dealers, with very often the best prices, of any of the dealers I've seen in my 70 plus years.