traderjohn Loc: New York City

B&H pays the tax from your purchase price. Do you think there is a bump in the price of goods? Or does it come straight from profits?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

And if they aren't charging sales tax, they probably should be charging it.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I wonder how that works. Do they just lose 8% on those sales? How high is their profit margin?

Some info on sales tax -

https://www.thebalance.com/which-sales-tax-rate-do-i-charge-my-customers-3193251

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Don't go near them with a 10,000 foot pole. How is that for advice?

hammond

I had a really bad experience with them, bought a fisheye lens - they then called to confirm the order and clarified that it did not come with the lens cap, which is custom to accommodate the curvature of the fisheye... found it cheaper elsewhere so told them it was fine. Then they said it actually wasn't in stock, even though on their website it clearly said it was in stock. Finally I posted a complaint to consumer affairs and they then offered to fulfill the order as originally placed: by then I had already ordered the lens elsewhere.

There are hundreds of negative reviews about Abe's of Maine on Consumer Reports and elsewhere; they are not an enjoyable retailer to work with.

I have had good experiences with B&H, Unique Photo, and KEH (for used equipment).

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

No, no, and no! Not reputable!

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Every time I see a poster asking about Abe’s of Maine, I have the same thought. “Don’t these people even try the search function?” AofM have been discussed numerous times on this forum, always with the same response. Do a search, you’ll remember it and get the point! 🥺😳👍

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

In an earlier thread, there was a short discussion (diatribe) about why brick and mortar stores are going the way of the dinosaur. This is one of many reasons why the Internet stores are becoming more prolific. One of many reasons is because the costs to operate a brick and mortar store is far more than we all can imagine. Selling something (on sale) must draw the customer traffic in. However, there may be a limited number of ticket items available. As a result, the store runs out of stock. So, since you there and in the mood to buy, a merchant will offer something else and add on items that you end up paying for. This is the way of mercantilism. A better example would be if you go into a delicatessen to buy a corned beef on rye sandwich with a coke for $7.99. When you get to the counter and are ready to order, they are out of corned beef. They only have a pastrami on rye and a coffee for $12.99. By the way, a very small side of cole slaw is an extra $2.99. This is one of many reasons why this bait and switch happens.
When I go into B&H I am treated well. When I am ready to buy something, it is not because I have a go and see (GAS) attack. I have thought about the purchase for sometime. When I get to the store, A clerk offers to direct me to the proper counter. When I get to the counter, the salesperson takes time to listen to what I need. Another clerk may be necessary to demonstrate the item or items I am interested in buying. I Get To Fondle These Things! That clerk also answers all of my questions. When I'm ready to make my final purchase, the item is provided to me almost immediately. I have a complaint that parking is a chore so I often use mass transit. But I'm not worse for wear.
This whole experience takes a great deal of time on my part and theirs. You bet you will have to pay for some of it at the counter. But I'm loyal to B&H for this great service. They know that and that is why they keep doing it. Other stores can't compare to their quality. And if you are going to throw down a stack of cash, I definitely want to get my money's worth.
Just cause a store offers an item below its manufacturer's ticket price makes me believe there is something wrong going on somewhere.

Happy Shooting!

queencitysanta Loc: Charlotte, North Carolina

Run away, don't walk, run.`

RKL349 Loc: Connecticut

Just plain NO, unless you enjoy bait and switch.

twillsol Loc: St. Louis, MO

Never heard anything good about Abe's of Maine. ALL BAD!!!

epd1947

The fact that they offer prices below other reputable dealers (like the ABCs - Adorama, B&H, Cameta) should throw up a big red flag. Authorized and reputable dealers are required to sell the major camera brands at a price set by the manufacturer. So - stick to the ABCs is a good way not to get scammed. As to the sales tax issue - if you live in NY and have an item delivered to you in NY you are responsible for the sales tax even if the vendor did not collect it from you at the time of sale. There is a specific line on your NYS income tax return where you are required to report such purchases and pay the tax.

BebuLamar

I think it would come from profits. I believe B&H would sell at lower prices if camera manufacturers allow them to do so. I think because they bought in very large quantity they have good discount from manufacturers but the manufacturers do not allow them to sell for lower prices.

BebuLamar

I believe they have very high profit margin. They would sell lower prices to get more sales but camera manufactures have set prices so they can't sell lower. So it's a way to sell at lower prices than manufacturer's set prices.

Dalek Loc: Detroit, Miami, Goffstown

Caveat emptor!