B&H puts another local camera store out of business (with my help, unfortunately)

Recently, Happy Traveler posted:

True, B&H has a much larger selection, but oddly enough, they were
out of stock on half of the items that the locals had on the shelf.

Actually, most local shops have a large selection of products, too, if you
include those items that they choose not to keep in their inventory. One
big difference between the locals and the big box stores is that you just
don't know what they can get for you because they don't send out a catalog
of their products.

Neil

Paul J Gans wrote:

I have no idea what shopping will look like in 2015, but I'm
quite sure it won't look anything like it does today.


I can remember 20 or so years ago reading about what shopping would look
like Today. Seemingly we were going to go online and design precisely the
product we wanted - a 2.735 meter long couch, for example - and it would be
delivered the next day.

I still need that couch.

Lobby Dosser spake thus:

Paul J Gans wrote:

I have no idea what shopping will look like in 2015, but I'm
quite sure it won't look anything like it does today.

I can remember 20 or so years ago reading about what shopping would look
like Today. Seemingly we were going to go online and design precisely the
product we wanted - a 2.735 meter long couch, for example - and it would be
delivered the next day.

I still need that couch.

Just as I'm still waiting for that backyard nuclear power plant ...


--
Any system of knowledge that is capable of listing films in order
of use of the word "****" is incapable of writing a good summary
and analysis of the Philippine-American War. And vice-versa.
This is an inviolable rule.

- Matthew White, referring to Wikipedia on his WikiWatch site
(http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/wikiwoo.htm)

Rita Ä Berkowitz spake thus:

[...] And my local store is great, but they usually don't have the
items I want when I want them. Of course, they could order them, but
why when I could do the same and have the item sitting in my hands
the next business day?

Yes, why indeed would anyone want that? Leaving aside:

o being able to talk with a real human being
o maybe a human being who actually *knows* something about what they
sell, instead of some marketroid on the other end of the phone
o doing research on where to get stuff (research you could do yourself,
but that they'll do for you)
o possibly giving discounts to repeat customers and those who buy a lot
of stuff
o spending money in your own community, instead of enriching someone
else out of town

Yeah, other than that, I guess local shops are useless and a waste of time.

Local shops are a thing of the past.

Perhaps; more's the pity.


--
Any system of knowledge that is capable of listing films in order
of use of the word "****" is incapable of writing a good summary
and analysis of the Philippine-American War. And vice-versa.
This is an inviolable rule.

- Matthew White, referring to Wikipedia on his WikiWatch site
(http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/wikiwoo.htm)

David Nebenzahl wrote:

Rita Ä Berkowitz spake thus:

[...] And my local store is great, but they usually don't have the
items I want when I want them. Of course, they could order them, but
why when I could do the same and have the item sitting in my hands
the next business day?

Yes, why indeed would anyone want that? Leaving aside:

o being able to talk with a real human being
o maybe a human being who actually *knows* something about what they
sell, instead of some marketroid on the other end of the phone
o doing research on where to get stuff (research you could do
yourself, but that they'll do for you)
o possibly giving discounts to repeat customers and those who buy a
lot of stuff
o spending money in your own community, instead of enriching someone
else out of town

Yeah, other than that, I guess local shops are useless and a waste of
time.

Local shops are a thing of the past.

Perhaps; more's the pity.

We have about five. I try to patronize them all. Online you buy what you
think you need. At the local store the staff help you choose what you
really need.

"Lobby Dosser" wrote:

We have about five. I try to patronize them all. Online you buy what you
think you need. At the local store the staff help you choose what you
really need.

Yep. That's one of the things I like about living in Tokyo: lots of stores
with lots of knowledgeable staff. Lower population densities mean it's
harder for local stores (for anything other than necessities) to make a go
of it. (That the local stores here are price and service competitive with
anything on the net helps also.)

Our CEO sometimes comes along on my shopping trips, since the camera stores
either also handle things she needs or are along the way, and the fact that
the clerks can deal with her nerdy husband knocks her out every time. (The
other thing that knocks her out is the bevy of extremely well-dressed
elderly gentlemen leisurely fondling the Leicas in the used Leica department
that sits next to the used MF corner at one of my favorite stores, not only
the weirdness of the scene but that the staff had the patience to deal with
such customers.)

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

B&H gives you what you want. Mom & Pop's Photo Shop gives you
what you need.

You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you might find
You get what you need.

M. Jagger/K. Richards

--
Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Darkroom Automation: F-Stop Timers, Enlarging Meters
http://www.darkroomautomation.com/index.htm
n o lindan at ix dot netcom dot com

"Matt Clara" wrote in message
...
Yes, Castle Photo of Lansing, in business for over 25 years, is closing
its doors.

According to B&H's website, they've been in operation for more than 30
years. Castle Photo apparently didn't do something right.

Mark B. wrote:
"Matt Clara" wrote in message
...
Yes, Castle Photo of Lansing, in business for over 25 years, is closing
its doors.

According to B&H's website, they've been in operation for more than 30
years. Castle Photo apparently didn't do something right.

I've been buying from B&H for more than 30 years. You didn't think
"mail order" started with the Internet, did you?

"David J. Littleboy" wrote:


Yep. That's one of the things I like about living in Tokyo: lots of
stores with lots of knowledgeable staff. Lower population densities
mean it's harder for local stores (for anything other than
necessities) to make a go of it. (That the local stores here are price
and service competitive with anything on the net helps also.)

And, of course, the same holds true for other products. Hardware and tools
come to mind.