Any one notice prices going up?

[spinetnglr]

Has anyone else been watching the price of any particular piece of equipment they are interested in and it has gone up recently? I have been watching the prices at all the usual online stores (J&R, Amazon, B&H, Adorama, and Beach) for the Nikon D300 body only. Since November the price at all of them has been the same .. $1469.99 except for Beach which was $1565.96. The prices I was watching was the price listed on the description page and also the price when placed in the cart. This has been the case since early November. I hadnt checked prices for about a week and when I did this morning they are all over the place. J&R went to $1699.95. B&H's new price is $1579.99 but offers a rebate of $100 for a new price of $1479.99. Adorama has a price of $1696.95 on the page but when placed in the cart it is $1479.95. At Beach the price is listed on the description page as $1799.95 with a rebate to 1696.95 but when placed in the cart price of 1469.95 comes up. Amazon is the only exception to the rule, their price has remained the same (1469.99) except for a few brief days between Christmas and New Years when it was offered for $1448.99. I had read there could be a price decrease then but Amazon was the only one who offered it and only for 2 or 3 days. I was wondering if anyone noticed the price of anything else going up. I am going to order a D300 but was waiting for some coins I am selling to be sold but now I am wondering if I should just jump on the Amazon price before it goes up too. I apologize for the long post.

 

[annnewjerz]

I've been watching the price of the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 just because I have been eyeing it up for a few months now. Around Christmas, it was down to $374(ish) on Amazon. After Christmas it went up to around $386, but now it's back down to $375. I think it's just the eb and flow of the market...kind of like with airfare, how they change the prices something like 3 times per day. Luck of the draw I guess.

If you think you are going to end up paying a few hundred extra in a month or two but you know you are going to get it, might as well get it now to save the extra money in the long run...however, if the price has only been fluctuating slightly on the site you will buy it from, I wouldn't worry.

Happy shopping, can't wait to see some shots with your new D300!

 

[GrillMouster]

FYI...Amazon has a price guarantee, so if the price drops within 30 days after your purchase, they'll refund you the difference upon request. This has saved me hundreds of dollars in the past few years. On a couple of occassions they've even given refunded money well beyond the thirty day period following the date of purchase. By the way, the offical purchase date, for Amazon, is not the order date, but, rather, the date that they ship the item. They don't charge your credit card until they ship it.
EDIT TO ORIGINAL POST: I've just discovered that Amazon discontinued its price guarantee 4 months ago.

Lots of other retailers offer similar pice guarantees, but the conditions may vary. For example, rather than wait until after Christmas for decorations to get marked down 50%, we bought stuff, including a $300 artificial tree a week or so before Christmas at the Home Depot, then went back a week after Christmas (we waited to avoid crowd & lines) to get refunds for the clearance price difference. This saved us hundreds of dollars (we got back $200 for the tree alone). Another benefit was that there was a better selection of items prior to the holiday.

I saw a news story about a web site that will track prices for you. You enter the URL (web address) of a specific item listing from any online retailer, and the site will alert you either by email or when you log onto the site, if the price drops for the items you're tracking. This is a great way to remind yourself to request a price guarantee refund from that retailer. I can't remember the name of the site, but if you do a Google search you should find it or similar sites.

Happy hunting (bargain hunting, that is)!

 

[dpic]

I heard that the yen was getting stronger vs. the dollar and that anything imported from Japan would be getting more expensive.

I'm no economist, so take it for what's it worth. It looks like there may be something to it, though.

 

[GoofyontheHiSeas]

I have been reading rumors that Nikon will be raising their prices in the near future. Price increases are already hitting Australia and UK starting next week. I have been holding off ordering a D90 but decided last night not to chance it and took the plunge. I am using this excuse to explain to DW that I needed to get it now.

 

[Code]

FYI...Amazon has a price guarantee, so if the price drops within 30 days after your purchase, they'll refund you the difference upon request. This has saved me hundreds of dollars in the past few years. On a couple of occassions they've even given refunded money well beyond the thirty day period following the date of purchase. By the way, the offical purchase date, for Amazon, is not the order date, but, rather, the date that they ship the item. They don't charge your credit card until they ship it.

Sorry but the Amazon price guarantee was discontinued Sept 1 2008

 

[spinetnglr]

I have been reading rumors that Nikon will be raising their prices in the near future. Price increases are already hitting Australia and UK starting next week. I have been holding off ordering a D90 but decided last night not to chance it and took the plunge. I am using this excuse to explain to DW that I needed to get it now.

I may just have to take the plunge myself this weekend if that is the case. And since I dont have a DW, DH or DSO to explain it to there is no reason for me not to other than I wanted to have the sale of my coins money in hand before I placed the order. The price reduction rumor that I had read was from the Nikon rumors site you linked. Turns out Amazon was the only one that offered a reduction and it was $21 ($1469.99 to $1448.99) and lasted 2 days. Appears now perhaps prices may be going up so I better get that lens and flash I have been eyeing at the same time

 

[GrillMouster]

Sorry but the Amazon price guarantee was discontinued Sept 1 2008

What?!?!?! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!