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Quote: Wouldn't have thought so because after looking at Jessop's exhorbitant prices I'd go over to Jacobs which was cheaper.
That's exactly my point.
It doesn't matter how many goods you sell, if you don't cover your overheads. The reason shops on the high street have higher prices, is because they have higher costs (rent, leccy, staff, etc) to pay.
Quote: There's so much advice on the web, including on EPZ, from a multitude of individuals why would anyone need to go to a shop for advice and be dependent on the knowledge and willingness of one particular individual?
I like to handle kit before making a decision because other folks opinion doesn't count for much: it'll be me that uses it. For the smaller items, I don't always want to trek up to Grays or the nearest pro dealer. Major items are chosen very carefully so I don't buy often and normally keep them for years or even decades.
The staff at Jacobs were just nice to deal with.
Quote: I like to handle kit before making a decision because other folks opinion doesn't count for much
If you buy from an online retailer, you will (generally) have 14-30 days to handle the kit, and return it if not suitable. Not just a few minutes in a shop.
Jacobs in Leicester were really good, my lad was out for about 30 minutes and then had time to download and look at the shots and chat with the manager before making a decision. I just think that it's a real shame we are losing good shops with such excellent staff. The Jessops in Leicester is not half as friendly.
Its a real shame that shops of the calibre of Jacobs are closing. Overheads, especially hight street rents; internet, supermarkets, and the "pain" of getting to the high street, amongst other things, have had an major impact. At one time if you wanted photographic equipment stores like Jacobs would be the first, if not the only, place to go. Now you can just pop into your local Supermarket and buy something, that once would only be available from a photographic store, and at the same time do your weekly shop, buy a paper, a book, flowers for the other half, and a couple of CD's!!
The specialist knowledge that the likes of Jacobs had is sadly being lost.
Sadly I think its an area government have let people down on. They've bought into the supermarket method of business and they've let the internet almost outgrow them to the point where they are totally out of touch with it. I still feel that warehouse traders (ie most internet shops) and supermarkets should come under some special taxation so that they compete at a more even level with highstreet shops . (plus add in some relaxation of the costs of doing business on the highstreet).
Heck the reason many local country shops are gone is simply because they couldn't afford the rates and tax not because they couldn't do a trade (ok you can argue that they didn't do enough trade to cover the overheads, but I think when it results in the widespread loss of shops that its a problem with the taxation and rates not a problem with the shops).
Sadly the supermarkets can undercut almost any other market they want, esp if they consider the line a loss leader just to get people in the door (who remembers supermarkets selling Harry Potter books for less than wholesale prices).
Quote: Sadly I think its an area government have let people down on. They've bought into the supermarket method of business and they've let the internet almost outgrow them to the point where they are totally out of touch with it. I still feel that warehouse traders (ie most internet shops) and supermarkets should come under some special taxation so that they compete at a more even level with highstreet shops . (plus add in some relaxation of the costs of doing business on the highstreet).
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Not on your Nelly.
The British malaise of blaming the government for everything.
Frankly, I have no interest in driving 20 miles to the Park 'n' Ride and then taking a bus to my nearest High Street, merely to pay inflated prices for something that I could have obtained (with far greater choice and at a fraction of the price) on eBay without leaving the comfort of my own home.
Time saved by internet shopping is far better used by getting out with the camera taking photographs.
A few years ago - when Woolworths went down the sewer - I made a point of asking everyone I heard girning about their demise when they had last shopped in Woolworths. The vast majority had not been inside one in years!!
Stuff the High Street. We don't want them or need them.
.
I'm sorry about this, Jacobs sponsored the National Police Photographic Competition for seveal years. I bought my 7D from them (cheapest price on internet) and I have bought studio and wedding equipment from them.
At Jessops you know, if you are lucky, they will only have 1 item in the store,whereas Jacobs could be more 'generous' in the stock they carried.
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