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Ilford has new USA distributor

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Surprised they chose an Indianapolis camera store as their distributor.
 
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I've purchased some used camera gear from Roberts Camera on eBay. They seem like a good outfit, I have no complaints. They're also good about describing the condition of used gear.
 
Amplis IMHO makes it almost impossible for Canadian camera stores to make any kind of decent profit. I just checked a lens on their website and I can buy the very same lens from B&H in CAD $$ shipping included for $200 less. When I worked in the camera industry we could buy product from New York City, pay full retail, shipping and duties and still get it cheaper than we could from the Canadian distributor. Canadian distributors have a history of taking a huge market up and then hold the retailers hostage on things like warranty repair etc.

In todays world a smart Canadian retailer would buy from a buying group in the US, ship it up to Canada and sell it as Grey market. Warranty repair services in Canada suck anyway. If I want anything repaired I send it to the manufacturers repair rep in Thailand. Gets done faster and cheaper. Coop dollars are another golden handcuff Canadian distributors try and use. The extra margin a retailer would get by cutting out the middle man would more than offset any coop dollars they finally get after begging.

The aforementioned buying group would have way more buying power than all the Canadian camera stores put together. Canada as a whole only equals 8-12% of the US market. About the equivalent of two large cities in California.
 
Eric Rose said:
Amplis IMHO makes it almost impossible for Canadian camera stores to make any kind of decent profit. I just checked a lens on their website and I can buy the very same lens from B&H in CAD $$ shipping included for $200 less. When I worked in the camera industry we could buy product from New York City, pay full retail, shipping and duties and still get it cheaper than we could from the Canadian distributor. Canadian distributors have a history of taking a huge market up and then hold the retailers hostage on things like warranty repair etc.

In todays world a smart Canadian retailer would buy from a buying group in the US, ship it up to Canada and sell it as Grey market. Warranty repair services in Canada suck anyway. If I want anything repaired I send it to the manufacturers repair rep in Thailand. Gets done faster and cheaper. Coop dollars are another golden handcuff Canadian distributors try and use. The extra margin a retailer would get by cutting out the middle man would more than offset any coop dollars they finally get after begging.

The aforementioned buying group would have way more buying power than all the Canadian camera stores put together. Canada as a whole only equals 8-12% of the US market. About the equivalent of two large cities in California.
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I'd love to be able to support the locals, but I agree: prices up here make that next to impossible. If I do run short of supplies, I will, in a pinch, shop in Canada. But, for the most part, it's camera equipment from KEH, and film and and supplies from B&H or Adorama. The sole exception? Processing! The Lab, here in Vancouver, ranks amongst the best I have ever used anywhere. They do all my E6, as well as my 120 black and white (call me intimidated at the prospect of doing it myself),and my 35mm when I get behind (generally several times a year, in bulk quantities).
 
Eric Rose said:
Amplis IMHO makes it almost impossible for Canadian camera stores to make any kind of decent profit. I just checked a lens on their website and I can buy the very same lens from B&H in CAD $$ shipping included for $200 less. When I worked in the camera industry we could buy product from New York City, pay full retail, shipping and duties and still get it cheaper than we could from the Canadian distributor. Canadian distributors have a history of taking a huge market up and then hold the retailers hostage on things like warranty repair etc.

In todays world a smart Canadian retailer would buy from a buying group in the US, ship it up to Canada and sell it as Grey market. Warranty repair services in Canada suck anyway. If I want anything repaired I send it to the manufacturers repair rep in Thailand. Gets done faster and cheaper. Coop dollars are another golden handcuff Canadian distributors try and use. The extra margin a retailer would get by cutting out the middle man would more than offset any coop dollars they finally get after begging.

The aforementioned buying group would have way more buying power than all the Canadian camera stores put together. Canada as a whole only equals 8-12% of the US market. About the equivalent of two large cities in California.
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So a solution is for a Canadian to fly or drive to the US to buy film and camera equipment and then drive back to Canada. Now since the camera equipment is used how would customs know that it was not owned prior to the trip and a roll of film is a roll of film. :D
 
Sirius Glass said:
So a solution is for a Canadian to fly or drive to the US to buy film and camera equipment and then drive back to Canada. Now since the camera equipment is used how would customs know that it was not owned prior to the trip and a roll of film is a roll of film. :D
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As a traveller, the onus is on you to establish the origin of any goods that you are bringing in to the country. So those goods are dutiable unless and until you establish otherwise.
I know Beau Photo has had problems with Amp is under-cutting the retailers on Amp is' own website.
Distribution of analogue photographic products in Canada is totally dysfunctional.
And by the way Sirius, have you looked at how far from the US some Canadians are - adelorenzo for example?
 
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It's a matter of being honest I guess. Personally I declare everything I'm suppose to. Any expensive gear I take across the border is documented through border services. They have the ability to seize any equipment in your possession and won't release it until you show proof of ownership prior to you leaving Canada. The duty is pretty insignificant really so why not pay?
 
Eric Rose said:
It's a matter of being honest I guess. Personally I declare everything I'm suppose to
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Same for me, although my experience working for Canada Customs during my relative youth probably comes into play as well.
 
So come to the US, buy and declare the equipment. What about film?

The US is only airplane ticket away just buy enough equipment to make the ticket worth it.
 
Sirius, we have been doing that for years. And yes we buy film too. Up until a couple of years ago we could buy new cars in the US as well but then the manufacturers banned their dealers from doing that. This was especially beneficial when our dollar was worth more than the US green back. What really sucked was we could buy a Honda CRV manufactured in Canada cheaper in the US thanks to NAFTA (note US advantage there) and since it was made in Canada we didn't have to pay tax on it coming into Canada. Go figure.
 
Sirius Glass said:
And what about the Canadians and the Canadiens??
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And the Canadiennes, surely, as this is almost the end of the second decade of the 21st century.

We have the second lady to hold the highest political office in the U.K. since WWII. How are things on the other side of the pond? :D

pentaxuser
 
Eric Rose said:
... Warranty repair services in Canada suck anyway. If I want anything repaired I send it to the manufacturers repair rep in Thailand. Gets done faster and cheaper...
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Warranty repairs are free in Ontario. Often it is as quick as send, bring it back nearby, get money back and get new one.
Tamron warranty is seven years in Canada. And some Ontario dealers are selling for less than in USA. I know because I purchased from them.

I could only imagine how much it costs to ship to Thailand. I can't ship even tiny lens to anywhere else from Canada, except Canada and USA. The rest is eighty dollars for small packet, air and confirmed delivery...
 
pentaxuser said:
And the Canadiennes, surely, as this is almost the end of the second decade of the 21st century.

We have the second lady to hold the highest political office in the U.K. since WWII. How are things on the other side of the pond? :D

pentaxuser
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We had one once. She lasted a few months.
 
The middle of the country is often the worst. Frozen roads make it hard both to get trucks to the warehouse, and then to ship to dealers during the winter months. It happens due to cheap land and cheap labor. But that advantage is offset if you can't efficiently turn your inventory for a third of a year.
 
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