On Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:47:21 -0500, Alan Browne
wrote:

wrote:

Camera sales people are either failed photographers, or wannabees

Many aren't even that qualified.

Should that bother anyone buying a camera from a camera store?

A failed photographer is someone who tried to make a business out of
photography and failed. Lack of knowledge of camera equipment and
photographic techniques would be far down on the list of reasons for
failure. Lack of people skills and lack of business skills are the
reasons that most would-be professional photographers can't make a go
of it as a business. Lack of capital would the next item on the list.

You have basically two groups of camera sales people: big box sales
clerks and camera store sales clerks. Rarely will you find a big box
camera sales clerk that is more than minimally knowledgeable. If that.
Usually, you will find dedicated camera store clerks to be
knowledgeable and helpful. There are exceptions in both groups, of
course, but that's the way it usually works.

The people who have trouble with camera store sales clerks are the
amateurs who come into the store thinking that they know more than the
clerk and are more intent on proving this than they are in being
informed. The clerks usually figure this out early in the
conversation and stop being helpful. They know they aren't going to
convince this know-it-all that (brand) lenses are good, and they just
lay back and let the customer run the show. Then the customer struts
out thinking "That guy isn't qualified to sell cameras".

I suspect, based on the threads in these photography groups, that many
of the regular posters are in this category.

And, no, I am not - nor have ever been - a camera store clerk.





--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida