jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

Thank you Henry for your input on this. I know that every business wants to thrive, but those that do, understand that it's more than just price. Customer service, attitude and doing the extras will always earn my patronage. Of course, price is always a consideration, but companies with principles shouldn't need to make price the reason to purchase from them.

I don't mind paying a bit more if the company serves my needs. I purchase a lot from B&H, sometimes on price, mostly on service and availability. I also buy locally and I don't consider paying sales tax as a penalty for doing so. Taxes help with local and state services, of which I want available for my use. Can't complain about our infrastructure if I am not willing to support it...

Hammer Loc: London UK

I wish I had a local camera store ! Its gone . I should not complain too much because there is one that is not too far from my workplace but..........

Arubalou

Bergen county camera in westwood nj.....just to compare their pricing on a lens i wanted as compared to amazon's pricing. Turned out to be the same price and by driving up there i got the equivalent of same day delivery!

swartfort Loc: Evansville, IN

I am a 2.5 hour drive from Roberts Camera, and they are my go to "local" camera store. I have purchased "in house" as well as purchasing from their website. Great staff, prices are competitive, and the sales tax I just chalk up to as a premium paid for service and the ability to touch/feel/try items prior to purchase. A small price for me to pay.

tiphareth51 Loc: Somewhere near North Pole, Alaska

Allan's Camera... isn't that the store Jared Polin is affiliated with?

Jim70 Loc: Delaware

My local camera store is Cameras, Etc. in Newark, DE. The staff are knowledgeable, friendly, and quick to offer advice when asked. Prices are about the same as B&H (when shipping is included) and I love being able to peruse their used lenses and cameras.

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Henry, you and the team are the good guys. I love you guys almost as my as my local guys!

Honest, more than fair, and often the very best price.

Mazel Tov!

Andy

rfmaude41 Loc: Lancaster, Texas (DFW area)

We've got 5 or 6 of them in the Dallas - Ft Worth area, and I do buy locally if their prices are OK and have the stuff available.

wet3843

We lost our camera store a few years ago, I now have to travel over 100 miles to visit a real camera store. When possible I do purchase from Murphy’s Camera store in Louisville even if I could have bought the item from Amazon or one of the big internet stores. Some items, I believe, needs hands on in order to make a the correct choice.

MTG44 Loc: Corryton, Tennessee

I would but we do not have one in Knoxville.

PeterDragon Loc: Harlan, KY - Kona, HI - Phoenix, AZ

Well, in Arizona 41 miles is not very far, about 45 mins on a good day. If it was back East that could be half day trip. That is a good store by the way.
Jim

JoAnneK01 Loc: Lahaina, Hawaii

I used to always purchase from my local store. They never did match the big stores but by the time I paid shipping the price would be within $5.00. Unfortunately, today we don't have any here on island nor in the state. So the big stores have won out. When I travel, I'll always look for a brick and mortar store and purchase from them. I usually have been able to find someone in the store that could answer my questions. (I usually do research before I leave home from the big boys.)

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Yeah. He mentions them a lot.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Heck, you are almost in NYC. B&H and Adorama are local stores for you! On the other hand, perceptual distance varies. Often people on the east coast (including me) view a 45 minute trip as reason to hesitate, while citizens in many western states think nothing of a two hour drive. Heck, driving 10 miles in LA can take an hour! The traffic is insane!

dickwilber Loc: Indiana (currently)

It’s about time we fixed the sales tax inequity that had local stores penalized for being local while the internet suppliers had an automatic “discount”! I don’t like paying taxes any more than anyone else, but they are a part of life — a necessary part. So now, when you order through B&H or Adorama, or ..., your local and state governments will not be starved of the funds required to keep it going. Oh, and by the way, legally you were always responsible for those taxes, it was just that the internet store avoided the expense of collecting and remitting them (incidentally showing that automatic discount); you had the duty of calculating them yourself and remitting them directly to your state. (No, neither did I.)

I started in photography many years ago when there were camera stores on every corner in Chicago’s Loop, where I worked. (There were also pawn shops on every block where great values in used cameras could be had.) I found the sales people in those camera stores invaluable. Alas, there are only about three camera stores in all of central Chicago today, and yes I still love browsing in Central Camera, though I get there very seldom now.

I then spent a quarter century in New Jersey, where there were a lot of good camera stores, now nearly all gone. I worked briefly in Sandrian’s in Clinton which was a fine shop but alas went out of business about five years ago. But Pete Sandrian in discussing the demise of his business didn’t cite the internet competition as the primary cause, but rather the loss of the developing and printing business brought about by the digital age! Pete stated, “developing film and making prints were 50% of Sandrian’s business”.

Since returning to the Midwest, I have only a single local camera store within an hour, and they have not kept up with my needs, so I am forced to go on-line too often. For instance, I needed a new card reader but they just didn’t have any. And I have not been satisfied with their printing services and find myself using Costco. None-the-less, I do try to buy from them as much as possible.

I do have a favorite camera store though, back in New Jersey where I have family and visit once or twice a year: Unique Camera in Fairfield, New Jersey. It is a well stocked shop with knowledgeable sales personnel that are happy to show you all the latest gear. I recommend you drop in when you are in the area — they are on Route 46, but hard to spot, particularly if you are eastbound.