IT Show Good Place To Buy Camera? - Answers Here

[Prince Photogenic]

Hello everyone,

IT show is from 8-13 Mar 2012 and this is usually the time where many newbies would be interested to find out whether they should be getting their cameras at the shows. I created this thread with the intent of addressing this, and hopefully some would see this before asking. If there's a need to clarify some stuff, correct errors or ask related-questions, feel free to list them in this thread.

I will touch on 6 main points in this thread:

1. Price
2. Gifts
3. Purchase with Purchase (PWP)
4. Retail Shops vs IT Show - The Score Tally
5. Alternatives
6. My Personal Experience​

1. Price
Many CS-ers have observed that the retailers charge the recommended retail price (RRP) which is the full price of the camera. If you visit the official retailers, you may get a street price that is discounted off the RRP. Based on the price factor, it is not recommended to buy cameras at IT show.

2. Gifts
Many newbies will think,"well, if I pay for the RRP and get a lot of free gifts, isn't it more worth it than the discount?" This is going to be answered here.

The usual gifts are: cleaning kit, bag, tripod, screen protector, dry cabinet. This list is not exhaustive and it does not mean that IT shows retailers will offer you all of these free gifts. While these may be tempting and I don't deny that you need these, but consider the following points:

• Cleaning Kit - This sort of cleaning kit can be bought at Daiso for $2. I've seen it when I went there on Wednesday. For serious cleaning, a blower and lens pen is recommended anyway.
• Bag - the bag provided is usually very small, just enough for your body and the kit lens. Once you start buying more, you will change bags. These bags are at one point in abundance is BnS. We may see this again after the IT show.
• Tripod - The free tripod is usually short and flimsy. If this would really suffice, i believe it costs no more than $30. However, give it a thought if you want to risk your $1K+ DSLR on these tripods.
• Screen protector - Daiso has this for $2.
• Dry Cabinet - This is by far the only free gift that i think is worth it. But do note the capacity, as they usually give 20 or 30 litres. A volume of 20 to 30 litres may sound like a lot of drinking water but for a dry cabinet, this is really small. A 30 litre (that I own) can fit 1 body and 4 lenses, a 20 litre will hold much lesser. I bought my Digi-Cabi 30 litre dry cabinet for $118 from TK Foto. Can use this as a benchmark.

Most of the free gifts are what you don't need, and you are essentially paying for the free gifts by paying for the RRP. If the gifts are provided by the manufacturer, i.e. Sony, Canon, Nikon, Pentax et cetera, it is likely that the retail shops will offer the same gifts. Hence based on the free gifts offered, it is not recommended to buy from IT shows.

3. Purchase with Purchse (PWP)
When you buy a camera, there may be options to buy another lens at a discounted price. I've seen IT shows having this promotion but because PWP are usually offered by the manufacturers, the retail shops will offer the same PWP promotion. Hence, based on the PWP promotions, it is neutrel to buy from IT shows or retail shops.

4. Retail Shops vs IT Show
Based on the three points above, let's try and tally the score. (Since the PWP is neutrel, let's not complicate life and we should exclude this from the tally.)

Price Factor: Retail Shops 1, IT Show 0
Free Gifts: Retail Shops 1, IT Show 0
Hence the total tally is 2-Nil, in favour of the retail shops.​

5. Alternatives
Now, I believe a common question will be,"So, if I don't go to the IT show, how do I make sure I get the best deal and not over-charged? After all there have been so many complains on the papers, Stomp and various forums.". I now feel apted to introduce the next part of this post - alternatives.

We have a list of reputable shops in this forum. Although they are are the so-called reputable, they do at one point or another charge different prices. You are expected to do your own research before heading down. Call or visit their website to ask for an e-quote. If you have the e-quote, even better. Just print it out and bring it with you. Look for the price guides and reputable shops here. If you have the price, perhaps do all of us a favour and update the prices.

6. My Personal Experience
In 2010, after I have decided to buy a DSLR, I sought advice to help decide on the brand and model. After which, 1 question lingered: IT show or not?

When IT Show came, the promotion on Sony A33 was as follows:

Price: $1099 (RRP)
Free Gifts:

1. Lowepro Camera Bag
2. Sony Tripod​

PWP: Yes​

I called up several retailers and I got the following offers (Shop names are redacted):

Shop A:

Price: $1099 with kit lens
Free Gifts:

1. Lowepro Camera Bag
2. Sony Tripod
3. 50mm f/1.8
4. Sony High-speed Memory Stick​

PWP: Yes
Others: Discount for extra original battery​

Shop B:

Price: $999 with kit lens
Free Gifts:

1. Lowepro Camera Bag
2. Sony Tripod
3. 1 high-speed Sony memory stick, or 2 third-party memory stick​

PWP: Yes​

Shop C:

Price: $1399 with 18-250 lens
Free Gifts:

1. Lowepro Camera Bag
2. Sony Tripod
3. 1 high speed Sony memory stick​

PWP: Yes​

I went with Shop A, as I feel that the promotions best suit me.

I hope this post helped any newbie that might be thinking of this and hopefully I'm not just wasting bandwidth.

Thanks

Regards,
Bryan


Adding on a second part of this post.
Buying Accesories from IT show

A friend of mine recently bought a tripod from the IT Show. Turns out that the price is the same as the retail price at TK Foto, that is same price, but more crowded.

If anyone has any experience to share of your visits to IT Show to buy camera/accessories/equipment, please feel free.

 

[fabskong]

Good post there! Potential for a sticky, and perhaps expandable. Even computers I prefer to purchase at other places other than IT Show. Gives me a better environment to think through, try out and decide on purchase.

 

[edutilos-]

This is a good effort , thanks for that.

Unfortunately, not to throw water on your parade or be a wet blanket but I suspect a lot of people who will start such threads will also not take a look at this thread even if it's a sticky. This is a fact that I've realised after a bit of time spent here. Well, at least a few people will benefit, at the very least.

 

[Cowseye]

I think just let it linger as the top thread every time during PC shows (March, June, Sep, end Nov) periods. Or simply cut and paste the above as a reply to those who ask but never bother to read....

Good Job Prince

 

[yc2005]

Also a reminder to all, please check the RRP from the local websites of the different brands and the latest promos, free gifts, PWP that comes along with it. Remember never to pay above the RRP, and to get all the freebies you are supposed to get from the manufacturer

Dont go buying an overpriced camera and come back to the forums to complain.

 

[luckyorange]

Nicely done here~!, Hope people will read this 1st before posting.

 

[Prince Photogenic]

Thanks everyone.. I knew many post without searching and that's why we see so many similar threads. But for the small percentage who does, I was hoping this might help. Hopefully people do read it, perhaps like Cowseye suggested, I bump this thread everytime during this period lor.. or if the mods are kind enough to sticky this?

If i left out anything, do add on, or PM me for cleaner thread. Thanks!

 

[Kongfu]

Hi Prince,

Nice effort!

 

[ed9119]

Good post there! Potential for a sticky, and perhaps expandable. ....

took the words right out of my mouth

Stickied

 

[Prince Photogenic]

took the words right out of my mouth

Stickied

Thanks for the sticky, ed.. hopefully some newbie will read it and not post new threads on this..

 

[ipwireless]

Appreciate.

 

[dougs]

this is a very useful guide to answer the usual queries on IT show. Then again, I was wondering, what's the purpose of such shows? And...what can we actually buy at a good price at such shows?

 

[rhino123]

this is a very useful guide to answer the usual queries on IT show. Then again, I was wondering, what's the purpose of such shows? And...what can we actually buy at a good price at such shows?

We can buy good IT products (as the name implied) from these shows (things like harddisk, thumbdrives, and heck... even laptop computer). And it is a good place where all the different products are placed together.

And again as the name implied, it was IT products but not camera products.

 

[nerdmachine]

My experience was really good, buying camera during IT show. it was underwater olympus camera which lots of goodies!
Thing is, know what you want, do your homework research first.
Then, wait for last hours on last day.
Not gonna be dissapointed

 

[weeloong]

One of the reasons why I bought my camera there was the option to pay by 0% credit card instalments. Will the other camera shops have this?

 

[Prince Photogenic]

Buying Accesories from IT show

A friend of mine recently bought a tripod from the IT Show. Turns out that the price is the same as the retail price at TK Foto, that is same price, but more crowded.

If anyone has any experience to share of your visits to IT Show to buy camera/accessories/equipment, please feel free.

This has been added on to my original post so that newbies who don't want to plough through the posts can get a round-up at the original post.. am i spoiling them? =)

 

[Squid108]

Body price or kit price will be the same with Recommended retail price, but PWP price of additional lens maybe a good deal occasionally.

 

[Cowseye]

One of the reasons why I bought my camera there was the option to pay by 0% credit card instalments. Will the other camera shops have this?

Of course they do offer, however there's an additional fee of 2% ~ 4% charged, then 0% installment on the total amount (including the initial charge). The only shop I know that does not charge you the initial charge is Cathay Photo.
Also to note, different shop has different lists of banks' credit card for installment plans. Do ask which is best to your favor (earning points, rebates, etc.. etc...)

 

[Prince Photogenic]

Of course they do offer, however there's an additional fee of 2% ~ 4% charged, then 0% installment on the total amount (including the initial charge). The only shop I know that does not charge you the initial charge is Cathay Photo.
Also to note, different shop has different lists of banks' credit card for installment plans. Do ask which is best to your favor (earning points, rebates, etc.. etc...)

I've worked in the IT shows before. Usually if the retailer offers you 0% installment, the bank actually charges the retailer. The retaiiler in turn adds on the full cost or part of the cost to your item. Not sure if this practice has changed..

 

[Panaromic]

my conclusion is that singaporeans like to queue.
it's the atmosphere that we like. the 'feeling' that we are getting a good bargin.
who wins? the organisers la