Jessops

RoryW

Sorry to hear that Jessops has gone into Administration

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/9790689/Jessops-collapses-into-administration.html

CianRyan

Ah no, my GF was planning on buying a USM 50mm from them next month.
I thought they had a fairly good strong hold on the market.

Kenny Logins

CianRyan wrote: »

Ah no, my GF was planning on buying a USM 50mm from them next month.
I thought they had a fairly good strong hold on the market.

Can't compete with Amazon...

http://www.camerapricebuster.com/Canon_EF_50mm_f1.4_USM_pc.html

magicbastarder

CianRyan wrote: »

Ah no, my GF was planning on buying a USM 50mm from them next month.

get it now if they've a stock clearance sale?

brokenarms

They are not accepting returns and will not honor gift vouchers. Terrible stuff.

TomasMan

Ah no, I was going to go to Newry tomorrow to get the camera. Well, Amazon it is then.

TomasMan

Hm, I wonder if I go up there today will I get a good deal on the camera and some lenses? Would it be worth a trip?

magicbastarder

unless the deal is pre-existing, you'll probably find that the shop assistant you speak to has no authority to do a deal.

CianRyan

Never thought of looking in Amazon, trying to get a good deal off them now is a good plan too, nice one.

Syferus

Not surprising. Camera specialist stores are on the verge of extinction. If even Jessops can't stave off administration then no one is safe.

Beyond trying a lens before you buy (elsewhere in a lot of cases) there really isn't much need for these stores anymore. They simply can't compete with the lack of over-heads and buying power that online stores have.

KevinGossRoss

I wouldn't buy from a retailer. Online is just too much cheaper.

brokenarms

Jessops in Derry was great. You could go for a goo at all their over priced gear while the missis was clothes shopping.

But to be honest, the only thing I ever bought was a lens cloth .

Amazon and Argos are king and everyone else is just hanging on now I think.. looking in the papers today of the spending over Christmas . Not good for anyone.

sprinkles

I always found them far more expensive than Amazon and therefore never bought anything from them. Good for an browse around but I'd stand there looking at a "deal" they had on and check the same thing on Amazon on my iPhone to find that is was 10 - 15% cheaper than Jessops sale price.

It's sad that they're going into administration because of all the job losses but they didn't change with the times either. I very much doubt that specialist camera shops will become a thing of the past, expecially as more and more people are getting into photography as a hobby. Running classes/tutorials, field trips etc is what the smaller shops do in Vancouver and do very well out of it too. Jessops concentrated too much on pushing to product rather than providing a service. I'm sure the smaller independant stores will proser in their wake.

Syferus

I think they're already dead in the water.

Independent stores or small chains that can survive in almost any field are the exceptions that prove the rule but the main street/high street electronics sector has been completely decimated by online.

When general media/electronic stores like Comet and HMV find themselves bankrupt or in serious trouble you know that products many of those types of stores encapsulate themselves are going to find it very difficult to be profitable as stores on their own.

Some will try to diversify into teaching but even then online can provide in most cases better and more accessible knowledge (nevermind the big selling point over store options, that it's free) and they'll be competing with the many community courses and trips run by clubs and individuals all over the country. When people go to a store they mainly want to buy something physical, there's not really any perception that enough people out there want their stores teaching them as well. Honestly most camera stores and indeed most electronics stores don't even have people with enough skill or passion to provide those services.

The future just makes for grim reading if your business is dependent on selling anything related to electronics and you own brick and mortar stores.

The recession has only exposed businesses that were already rotten and hastened their demise.

ciaranr

It's a pity the camera brands don't (on these islands at least, and that I know of) run their own shops/showrooms and cover the cost from marketing budget. Would give potential buyers and especially brand loyalists the chance to try stuff out before buying elsewhere (like the Apple shop in a way)

Syferus

Apple is one of the largest and most well-known companies in existence. Canon and Nikon have cache but honestly to the vast majority of people they have no meaning whatsoever. Love or loathe Apple are too big to ignore, it's comparing perhaps the strongest brand the world has ever seen with companies who, let's be honest here, have all of zero personality and maintain a very utilitarian approach to their products.

I don't think specialisation towards either brand is a particularly good idea because even then it's unlikely the prices they would be able to offer could beat online - the Sony store being the prime example of this very fact.

Unless you're an indie trying out quirky ideas in the field you really shouldn't be bothering setting up brick and mortar cameras stores if you can't equal or undercut online prices.

ciaranr

Hmm, I think the problem with the Sony stores (to my mind) was that they put the sell on too much, and had "special offers" that weren't that special. If they went more down the car showroom line, with only one store in Dublin, and set themselves up as brand ambassadors rather than just another retailer, then maybe...

ImagenEstilo

I saw that. Awful that they do not honour vouchers. That is horrendous. I bought a 70-200 f/2.8 off them two years ago as they were top on price and was almost placing an order with them online last week. Fantastically glad I didn't. Sad to see them go though, they were great for filters.

magicbastarder

any time i was in a jessops, i can't say i liked the experience. like being in a camera supermarket.

Hogzy

According to Sky News there wont be a fire sale to raise money. All stock is being returned to suppliers.

Logie-1

Shops in the North closed from today, not nice to kick a man when he's down, but I was looking forward to getting some good bargains:(

villafan09

Has anyone noticed the rise in prices in Ireland after the Jessops closure? I was going to buy a Nikon D3200 with 18-55 VR Zoom from PC World in Ireland (at a good 516 euro which was very competitive) but it has gone up to 550 euro since the announcement. Less competition or some other reason??

sebphoto

villafan09 wrote: »

Has anyone noticed the rise in prices in Ireland after the Jessops closure? I was going to buy a Nikon D3200 with 18-55 VR Zoom from PC World in Ireland (at a good 516 euro which was very competitive) but it has gone up to 550 euro since the announcement. Less competition or some other reason??

Check EUR/YPY rates here.

nucker

With all these online retailers and camera phones plus other electronic retailers selling them, its no wonder it has bottomed out for Jessops, its sad to see it go.