Denton writes:
> But you know, Gary, some of the smarter ones are already taking advantage
> of it. Coupla weeks ago I was in a large NYC store and one of the owners
> told me that the mint-in-box-collectible stuff they are not bothering with
> in the store; they're putting it on e-bay!
I was in a lengthy thread on this subject on the Canon FD List. I know just
such shops. They aren't lamenting the fixed store retail market, but rather
adjusting their sales methods and taking advantage of the Internet. Las
Vegas-based brcamera (ebay user ID) is one such place. (He just auctioned a
17mm Vivitar and a Varimagnifinder last week). Less than 1 in 10 established
retail shops seem to be doing it, though. The old ways are VERY entrenched.
Some also have more $$ into their inventory than they can let the items go for
at Internet prices. Trouble with them is that they bought at too high a
percentage of what the old market was averaging. Fast turn over (an inherent
Internet advantage) is not an advantage when your inventory has been on the
books for years and you have lost money on non-appreciating assets, too.
There is such an advantage to sellers to use an Internet auction approach that
it is clearly pulling fine and highly sought items out of camera shows and
camera shops. I hear that over and over, also. It has even siphoned away
private FS listings on the Internet.
Gary Reese
Las Vegas, NV
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