jbk224 Loc: Long Island, NY

Looks like Nikon has notified their 15 or so 'outside' authorized service centers that they will be no longer be 'authorized'. All camera repairs will need to be done by either the Melville or LA Nikon service centers.
This article better explains what will transpire. I have always found Melville to provide a quick and reasonable turnaround. Nikon has just renovated and increased the size of the Melville service center. Could this be in anticipation of the changes to come? Maybe the delays will not materialize as feared. Time will tell.

https://gizmodo.com/nikon-just-made-it-a-lot-harder-to-get-your-camera-quic-1840324480

repleo Loc: Boston

Sounds like NikonUSA putting protection of its turf before its customers. Or, maybe it is just in response to this years 84.5% drop in profits for its Imaging Products Division - get rid of outside service centers so they can jack up rates in their own center.

This news is not very encouraging for anybody thinking of investing in its new mirrorless offerings that Nikon is staking its future on.

jbk224 Loc: Long Island, NY

I don't think it is as bad as you think. Let's see if Nikon ramps up it's service group and takes care of their customers. This decision wasn't made 'yesterday'. And why would mirrorless offerings be any different from DSLRs? Service a D850, D5..D500.....or Z6/7...

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

Do they, Nikon, mean warranty work or all work? The only way they could enforce such a policy for all non warranty repairs is somehow make it impossible for the repair facilities to get parts. If this is truly the case and Nikon will no longer supply parts then I have bought my last Nikon. It's really a shame the company is mismanaging its self out of business. Kinda makes me glad the bulk of my gear is Canon.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

I have only used Melville and have had great service from them.

letmedance Loc: Walnut, Ca.

I have used the L.A. service center many times, fast and efficient. The complexity of today's digital cameras demands highly trained technicians.

dpfoto Loc: Cape Coral, FL

I could see some lawsuits initiated by the local service centers against Nikon because of this. I wonder how that would play out in court.

OlinBost Loc: Marietta, Ga.

There is a great camera repair shop in Atlanta Ga. (Smyrna) that I have used in the past. This change does not set well with me.

agillot

when i was working in san diego , there was only one MERCEDES dealer in the city , so , they opened 3 authorized repair places .then later on due to the demand and a large san diego county , they opened up 4 dealerships , a few years later they put out of business the authorized repair centers .the newly opened dealers complained that the authorized repair centers where costing them business .

jbk224 Loc: Long Island, NY

I understand your analogy, but I'm not sure it applies in the same manner. Nikon has only two service centers in the US: Melville and LA. They are not opening up other locations. The 'Authorized Service Center' is/was thought of as a Nikon surrogate; but not for warranty repairs. Nikon has no interest in opening up other Nikon centers. I could actually be what is offered in the article. The new cameras and lenses are just too complicated for Nikon to allow less than qualified technicians service their products. This would require extensive training that Nikon is unwilling to do now. Older product is not an issue. Imagine you brought your D850 or Z7 (out of warranty) to an Authorized Service Center--and they messed it up. You, and all of us, would figure that 'Authorized' means that they are properly trained and supported by Nikon. Maybe Nikon would have some liability here that they now want to avoid. If it only means that we need to send in to Nikon's facilities-- so be it. We'll see if Nikon will continue to provide the good service that most of us have experienced.

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

Even big industries are cutting costs. The High Street outlets are closing because the banks are no longer looking at 'expansion by buying out your competitors' as a good reason for loans. hence several big names have become bankrupt.
Most electronic equipment is cheaper to replace than have repair shops. Anything more than comestables...easily replaced or like hoover bags, necessary replacements...are posted on-line. We have become a throw away population. Even what was once a Big Purchase, like tv and hi fi is now dumped for a 'newer model'.
In the scale of things a high end camera is probably a dinosaur to the company accountants. Add another generation and it will probably be obsolete. The second hand market certainly has a steep downward value towards older cameras.

However there are people out there who will continue to 'tinker'. So it may not be 'under warrantee' but still fixable.

Saildog83 Loc: So. Cal / Orange County

Go Canon