Brits: buying a Df? Buy it in the US

I think Baggles is advocating not declaring the new camera in customs to save any money this way... Or spending about £100 more than retail in the UK and get an almost free vacation in NY.

Merco_61 and K-9: yes, the point I tried to make was to highlight the vast difference in new camera prices between Britian and the US. OK, there are other factors to take into account such as the exchange rate and 20% VAT we pay here. Even with import duty, it is possible to have a trip to the US and get the camera. Just. But this doesn't really explain why this is £1000 more expensive here. Basically, I think we get ripped off in Britain.

Having said that, I expect the camera price to drop significantly this year. It will be interesting to compare the price of the Df between the two countries at the end of 2014.

The exchange rate between UKP and USD is not a good way to compare, because the rate between both currencies and the yen does not reflect on the rate between the two currencies.

Then we have economies of scale, a larger market always get better pricing from the supplier.

A distribution network costs about the same to set up and to maintain whether it covers a small country or a large one. But the cost per item is, of course, higher in the smaller country.

Then we have the situation that mail order suppliers in the US give their prices without sales tax because there is no federal tax.

I don't think stores in Europe has a *much* larger margin than in the US, but there might be more layers between the producer and the end customer.

Together this gives the difference between the two countries.

/Peter

In the UK, I would recommend using HDEWCameras. they have the DF at £1765 body only and they ship from their shop. No doubt they have imported the camera, but since it already in the UK you will not run the risk of having to pay import duty on delivery. Since it is an import they offer a 3rd Party 3 year warranty. I bought my D610 from them and had no issues. I did a lot of research and checked their credentials and they are a properly set up business who sponsor their local hockey team. I ordered by telephone so actually spoke to the owners rather than ordering online. They confirmed the camera was in stock and it was delivered by courier next day.

If you don't take the wife, you can spend the money in gear... She certainly will be angry, but you ill be certainly happier! 

A lot of the time the suppliers who import items to the UK know that the consumers will pay out, so they put a bigger mark up on the prices, unfortuneatly here in the UK we do not have a say in the matter.