How do they stay in business

[Beardy10]

So I went in to a major nationwide retailer of camera equipment today....they do equipment rental and cater to the professional as a clue. I pretty much wanted to be sold either a Nikon D7000 or D300S and also a decent lens.

Asked the assistant if he could tell me the major differences between the two cameras especially their ability at low light and he walks over to a computer, pulls up dpreview.com and tells me there's about 3mp difference in their sensor and to look online if I need more information. He then tells me he uses Canon equipment himself so "doesn't know much about Nikon". Unbelievable! Between Nikon and Canon he probably has maximum 15 camera's to know the specs of and having told me the D7000 was the camera they were selling most of you'd think he'd know a bit about it.

I went to them knowing that they were more expensive than I could buy for online but thought it worth the premium for good advice and the fact they are 10 mins from where I live....how on earth do these people stay in business. All the staff looked bloody miserable.

[andy-xr]

Convenience - the ability to touch/hold it and walk out the shop with it. I think it's assumed that you'll do some research yourself and narrow down a choice of cameras before you go in there, certainly used to be the case.

Saying that I have found Jacobs to be pretty on the ball with stuff. But I'd imagine a shop that also might sell fridges would struggle to get specialist knowledge for the finer points of high ISO

[Beardy10]

andy-xr said:

But I'd imagine a shop that also might sell fridges would struggle to get specialist knowledge for the finer points of high ISO

These people only sell cameras....and not really the point and shoot type.

I e-mailed them last night on their general feedback e-mail address as I thought they might be interested. In fairness the MD has replied first thing and wants to speak to me! Fair play to them...most people that run a decent size business don't have that focus.

[GetCarter]

I saw an ad for 'sales assistant needed' on one a well known camera outlet... "No experience necessary" With all the keen unemployed amateur photographers out there, you'd think they'd hire one with some background knowledge & enthusiasm for the subject.

ETA: 10... Is it you that's beardy, or do you own a Beardie? (I've seen you post about dogs before)

Edited by GetCarter on Wednesday 12th January 11:57

[mcflurry]

Before making the Canon/Nikon choice, I visited Jacobs.
The assistant got both cameras out, and said "try them both".
Can't say fairer than that

[Gad-Westy]

I do sympathise with the more specialist outlets (not just camera shops). They're increasingly competing with web-based businesses who have much lower overheads. To keep costs down, shops pay low wages (this seems to me to be universal in retail) which means that they don't attract well qualified people readily as those people are already earning more money doing something else. Shame, but what can they do?

[Fordo]

GetCarter said:

I saw an ad for 'sales assistant needed' on one a well known camera outlet... "No experience necessary" With all the keen unemployed amateur photographers out there, you'd think they'd hire one with some background knowledge & enthusiasm for the subject.

i'm with you on this one. I know shop wages are low, but thats always been the case. Theres no excuse for sloppy service, especially when photogrpahy is very popular, and there are, like you say, many keen unemployed photographers out there.


Jacobs seem to be getting a good rep at the moment- i was in one a while ago, and I was after some belts and pouches- needed to get several made up for some guys covering some events, and needed all their kit with them. Guy in the shop got everything out of the packaging, and helped me work out what would work well. Top bloke.

Edited by Fordo on Wednesday 12th January 13:52

[Beardy10]

Gad-Westy said:

I do sympathise with the more specialist outlets (not just camera shops). They're increasingly competing with web-based businesses who have much lower overheads. To keep costs down, shops pay low wages (this seems to me to be universal in retail) which means that they don't attract well qualified people readily as those people are already earning more money doing something else. Shame, but what can they do?

Incentivise their staff better...the guy I came across clearly didn't care whether I bought a camera or not. Telling me to go home and read an online forum to get the answer is hardly the way to close a sale..... I literally wanted to spend £1000 yesterday and walked out empty handed.

There is nothing wrong with paying low wages IF you give the staff good upside if they work hard. If you just pay low wages it's game over unless you have a USP. Electronics retailing is a st business because your business is driven by the product which you are reliant on Nikon,Apple,Sony etc to come up with the products to get people in the shops...so all you can do is be a better price or have better sales staff. Being a High St retailer and having st staff is only going to end one way.