Why is there such a widespread charge for the same camera?

Question

I'm going to buy a new camera, the Canon SD700. I've decided to buy it from Broadway Photo. I've noticed that this camera goes as low as $250 in some places and as high as $600+ in others, why is that so? Can anyone tell me if Broadway Photo is reputable (it apparantly seems so by the reviews.) I'd like a warrenty -can I get one from there? I had considered going through Amazon but I read their warrenty isn't so hot - and they're charging over $300 for the camera I want.

Answer 1

Pricing is always variable. A large vendor can buy 1,000 units for a lot less than Mom'n'Pop Shop can pay for 3 units. Obviously, this will have a direct impact on price.

I checked the SD700 on pricegrabber.com (I am sure you cold do the same on other comparison sites.) and found a range of $299 to $419, with about 60% falling in the $320-340 range. This makes me think that the $250 price is not really legitimate. Is it s NEW, never opened camera or is it a "factory demo?" Does it include the entire manufacturer's package with batteries, software and cables, etc? Does it include the 1-year waranty that comes from Canon for a US-certified camera or is it an import without a warranty? These are all things to consider. I use B&H Photo as my benchmark for what to expect in a sale. They have this camera for $325. Their shipping is under $10 for UPS 3-day. I have seen some ridiculously low prices associated with amazingly high shipping costs, so what's the difference? A $250 price with $85 shipping charges makes it a $325 camera plus $10 shipping.

You WANT a US camera with a Canon USA warranty. You can add a 5-year Mack warranty to most purchases and this is not a bad thing if you want that extended coverage. I would be very careful about a warranty from a seller that they are backing themsevles. "Don't worry. We'll fix it for you."

There are on-line ratings for various vendors.

Check this out:
http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Broadway_Photo You will see that Broadway Photo scored 0.8 out of 10.

Check this out:
http://www.resellerratings.com/store/B_H_Photo_Video_Pro_Audio You will see that B&H scored 9.58 out of 10.

I am sure that others do just as well, but you can see why I feel safe with B&H.