Canon Flash UK pricing.

vinnyburns

vinnyburns

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There seems to be some serious discrepancies between Canon US prices and Canon UK prices for the new 600 EX RT Flash compared to the 580 EX II.

In the US, The prices at B&H are
580 EX II $499 roughly £310
600 EX RT $629 roughly £391

In the UK, The prices at WEX are
580 EX II £375
600 EX RT £675

This just does not make sense and it would seem that Canon have seriously got the pricing wrong or we are being fleeced. Would love to know the reason....
 
kokakaste2 said:
Welcome to Europe, everything here will cost you more than in US.
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In this case, there is about £60 difference between what we pay for the 580 EXII and what they pay in the US.
There is nearly £300 difference between the price of the 600EXRT in the US and what we pay.

So in the US, they are only paying roughly £80 more for the 600EX RT and we are paying nearly £300 difference. It does not add up at all.
 
vinnyburns said:
There seems to be some serious discrepancies between Canon US prices and Canon UK prices for the new 600 EX RT Flash compared to the 580 EX II.

In the US, The prices at B&H are
580 EX II $499 roughly £310 plus NYC sales tax
600 EX RT $629 roughly £391 plus NYC sales tax

In the UK, The prices at WEX are
580 EX II £375
600 EX RT £675

This just does not make sense and it would seem that Canon have seriously got the pricing wrong or we are being fleeced. Would love to know the reason....
Click to expand...

But US prices are pre-tax, UK ones are post-tax, and since NYC sales tax is about 9% the difference shrinks somewhat at least for the 580EX II.
 
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hunnymonster said:
But US prices are pre-tax, UK ones are post-tax, and since NYC sales tax is about 9% the difference shrinks somewhat.
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You are really not getting what I am saying. The price for the 580EXII would be more or less the same in the UK and US if you add the tax, the 600 is still hundreds more even after you add the tax.
 
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vinnyburns said:
You are really not getting what I am saying. The price for the 580EXII would be more or less the same in the UK and US if you add the tax, the 600 is still hundreds more even after you add the tax.
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I am guessing its not so much Canon as the UK dealers. If you go on Ian Kerso’s site (Flashcamera.co.uk) the difference between them is just £130 and thats because Ian gets them from USA and doesn’t rip off his customer base. Result, we or certainly I keep going back.

Mark
 
iPhoto said:
I am guessing its not so much Canon as the UK dealers. If you go on Ian Kerso’s site (Flashcamera.co.uk) the difference between them is just £130 and thats because Ian gets them from USA and doesn’t rip off his customer base. Result, we or certainly I keep going back.

Mark
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Cheers for getting what I was saying Mark.
I will certainly be buying from Ian too. I think it's completely out of order the pricing of these over here. There is no justification after comparing the price difference of the 580 in the states :-(
 
It's not for nothing that multinationals refer to Britain as "Treasure Island".
 
vinnyburns said:
You are really not getting what I am saying. The price for the 580EXII would be more or less the same in the UK and US if you add the tax, the 600 is still hundreds more even after you add the tax.
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Er - actually I am - but there's chuff all you can do about it other than complain to Canon UK then vote with your wallet and buy it from the US (or Dubai or a host of other low tax locations).

All you'll get from Canon UK (and the wider Canon Europe) is a polite thanks for calling/contacting us.
 
I'm sure the price of the 600 RT flash will fall within a few weeks of it's release. I've seen prices ranging from £679 at cameraworld.com and jessops to £449 at flashcamera.co.uk (Kerso's site) and £470 in between at digitalrev.com.
When the 5D3 was first announced it was listed as £3000 in the UK and $3500 + tax in the US which worked out at around £2400, and £600 difference is a lot of money towards another item. I don't know why the UK customers should get ripped off in this way and it's disgusting that we do, so it's no wonder there's been a big rise in online sales from abroad. I got my 5D3 for £2850 from Hdew cameras with a 3 year warranty, but I've seen them advertised on the net from around £2630.
 
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vinnyburns said:
Will do. Like to hear them explain this one away when the price of the 580EX II is so similar in both territories.
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The 430 is new. UK retailers will charge the MRSP for new gear to extract the maximum from those who simply must have the latest toys.
 
hunnymonster said:
Er - actually I am - but there's chuff all you can do about it other than complain to Canon UK then vote with your wallet and buy it from the US (or Dubai or a host of other low tax locations).

All you'll get from Canon UK (and the wider Canon Europe) is a polite thanks for calling/contacting us.
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No you were not. You said it was due to the sales tax added in the US. It isn't.
Explain why the 580 EX II is not hundreds more too.
I am sure Canon will give me the brush off :-)
 
All I was initially pointing out is that you weren't comparing like-with-like - ie. the price you would pay at the till in the shop.

There are markedly different costs associated with doing business in the EU compared to the US (multiple languages, 2 year warranty compared to 1 year, different tax regimes, etc.) all of it reflects in the end price.

It's not new and is unlikely to go away any time soon.
 
modchild said:
I'm sure the price of the 600 RT flash will fall within a few weeks of it's release. I've seen prices ranging from £679 at cameraworld.com and jessops to £449 at flashcamera.co.uk (Kerso's site) and £470 in between at digitalrev.com.
When the 5D3 was first announced it was listed as £3000 in the UK and $3500 + tax in the US which worked out at around £2400, and £600 difference is a lot of money towards another item. I don't know why the UK customers should get ripped off in this way and it's disgusting that we do, so it's no wonder there's been a big rise in online sales from abroad. I got my 5D3 for £2850 from Hdew cameras with a 3 year warranty, but I've seen them advertised on the net from around £2630.
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I paid £2999 for my 5D3. Had problems with two 5D2's bought here in the UK having hot pixels straight out of the box and didn't want to go through the grief of having to send a camera back let alone one from 'out' of the country.
The only good deals you can get over here are imports. The B&H prices I quoted are regular US over the counter prices and not imports. You can actually get the 580 EXII cheaper if you buy an import from B&H.
Don't forget the flash has only just been released over in the states too. It will drop in price there after a few months.
This price gouging is terrible.
 
hunnymonster said:
All I was initially pointing out is that you weren't comparing like-with-like - ie. the price you would pay at the till in the shop.

There are markedly different costs associated with doing business in the EU compared to the US (multiple languages, 2 year warranty compared to 1 year, different tax regimes, etc.) all of it reflects in the end price.

It's not new and is unlikely to go away any time soon.
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The whole point of this post is the comparison between the price of the 580EX II and the 600EX RT in each territory. Sales tax does not effect that.
 
vinnyburns said:
The whole point of this post is the comparison between the price of the 580EX II and the 600EX RT in each territory. Sales tax does not effect that.
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Of course it does - the UK price includes 20% VAT (sales tax) the US one doesn't include any which you would have to add on top. The only realistic comparisons are either the pre-tax price (so you're looking at the raw price of the goods ignoring the tax regime) or post-tax (where you include it and see the 'true' cost).

You cannot compare pre-tax price in the US (apples) against post-tax in the UK (oranges).
 
hunnymonster said:
Of course it does - the UK price includes 20% VAT (sales tax) the US one doesn't include any which you would have to add on top. The only realistic comparisons are either the pre-tax price (so you're looking at the raw price of the goods ignoring the tax regime) or post-tax (where you include it and see the 'true' cost).

You cannot compare pre-tax price in the US (apples) against post-tax in the UK (oranges).
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Actually Jason I think you are missing the point a little.

You are correct with the 580EXII - when you take UK tax into account then the price is about right really.

But with the 600EX it is not. Drop the VAT off the UK price and you are still looking at £565 which is well above the US price. In NYC sales tax is 9% which puts the price at £426. So there is still a good chunk in it there that is not accounted for by taxes.
 
Agree with that - but then it's not actually out yet... and retailers behave in very different ways in different markets. Now it looks 6 months after it comes out will be totally different (as you can see with the mature market pricing for the 580EX II)
 
hunnymonster said:
Of course it does - the UK price includes 20% VAT (sales tax) the US one doesn't include any which you would have to add on top. The only realistic comparisons are either the pre-tax price (so you're looking at the raw price of the goods ignoring the tax regime) or post-tax (where you include it and see the 'true' cost).

You cannot compare pre-tax price in the US (apples) against post-tax in the UK (oranges).
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You are not getting this at all.
I am talking about the DIFFERENCE between the 580EX II and the 600EX RT in both territories.
Even with your magical 20% added it would look lie this

In the US (with 20% added)
580 EX II $598 roughly £372
600 EX RT $754 roughly £469

A difference of £97

In the UK, The prices at WEX are
580 EX II £375
600 EX RT £675

A difference of £300

This is about the difference between the price premium of buying one flash over the other in both territories.

Now do you get it?
 
hunnymonster said:
Agree with that - but then it's not actually out yet... and retailers behave in very different ways in different markets. Now it looks 6 months after it comes out will be totally different (as you can see with the mature market pricing for the 580EX II)
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What do you mean it's not out yet. there are people who already own them.
It has just been released in both territories at the same time. In a few months the US one will have come down in price too.
 
vinnyburns said:
You are not getting this at all.
I am talking about the DIFFERENCE between the 580EX II and the 600EX RT in both territories.
Even with your magical 20% added it would look lie this

In the US (with 20% added)
580 EX II $598 roughly £372
600 EX RT $754 roughly £469

A difference of £97

In the UK, The prices at WEX are
580 EX II £375
600 EX RT £675

A difference of £300

This is about the difference between the price premium of buying one flash over the other in both territories.

Now do you get it?
Click to expand...

I think you are going to have to resort to pictures or bigger letters next :shrug:

Mark
 
vinnyburns said:
There seems to be some serious discrepancies between Canon US prices and Canon UK prices for the new 600 EX RT Flash compared to the 580 EX II.

In the US, The prices at B&H are
580 EX II $499 roughly £310
600 EX RT $629 roughly £391

In the UK, The prices at WEX are
580 EX II £375
600 EX RT £675

This just does not make sense and it would seem that Canon have seriously got the pricing wrong or we are being fleeced. Would love to know the reason....
Click to expand...

Welcome to Treasure Island.

I t is more than a well know fact we here in blighty pay more than other countries on a wide range of goods and services.
 
vinnyburns I understand what your saying and I think you have a good point

In the USA a 580 EX II is $598 and the 600 EX RT is $754 a 26% increase

In Australia a 580 EX II is $394 and the 600 EX RT is $569 a 45% increase

Here in the UK a 580 EX II is £375 and the 600 EX RT is £675 an 80% increase
 
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acetone said:
vinnyburns I understand what your saying and I think you have a good point

In the USA a 580 EX II is $598 and the 600 EX RT is $754 a 26% increase
In Australia a 580 EX II is $394 and the 600 EX RT is $569 a 45% increase
Here in the UK a 580 EX II is £375 and the 600 EX RT is £675 an 80% increase
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Yes, that is exactly the point.
It's like they have made a massive error in pricing but are now waiting to see if anyone is gullible enough to buy them at that price before correcting it :-)
 
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vinnyburns said:
Yes, that is exactly the point.
It's like they have made a massive error in pricing but are now waiting to see if anyone is gullible enough to buy them at that price before correcting it :-)
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As I said earlier - yes there are people gullible enough to pay the full MRSP for something brand new. The retailers know this so they keep the price very high initially. Once all the stupid/rich people have bought their new toys then they'll drop the prices.

It happens with every bit of new gear, every time.
 
hollis_f said:
As I said earlier - yes there are people gullible enough to pay the full MRSP for something brand new. The retailers know this so they keep the price very high initially. Once all the stupid/rich people have bought their new toys then they'll drop the prices.

It happens with every bit of new gear, every time.
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But that is the same in US too?
 
vinnyburns said:
But that is the same in US too?
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No. There are a lot more retailers over there and competition is fiercer. So they start discounting from the very start. Here in the UK there aren't as many retailers so there's less competition.

It's a bit like petrol prices in urban and rural areas. In the latter there tends to be just one or two petrol stations, so they can afford to keep their prices high. In urban areas there's a lot more choice for the motorist so competition lowers the prices. The same explanation works for motorway service stations.

You can see the effect on the Canon 70-200 f2.8 II on camerapricebuster - HERE. For the first few months the price doesn't change much - around £2200. Then it suddenly plummets to around £1700. The graph for any new product is virtually the same - check out the 60D for a great example.
 
Tysonator said:
I t is more than a well know fact we here in blighty pay more than other countries on a wide range of goods and services.
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It is a well known 'fact', especially amongst Daily Mule readers. But it ain't true. In fact the prices are near identical.

Let's look at the 7D

Wex Price = £1100
B&H Price = £1550 = £1000 + 8.875 sales tax = £1090



What about the 70-200 f4 IS

Wex price = £945
B&H Price = $1349 = £950 (with tax)

If you're a pro and can claim the VAT back then the UK is drastically cheaper than the US.
 
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Just to add, anything that we get from the US or anywhere else for that matter we are liable to pay customs tax, can't have blighty out of pocket now can we, so if we do work it all out, it ends up around about the same price, but I do get the point the OP is making in that we do always pay a premium for living in the UK.
 
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