It is a shame Gerald that you feel that way and paint all dealers with the same brush, I deal with Capture Integration, and am a Happy Camper, they certainly have gone to bat for me and they have allot more pull and credibility with Phase than I do.
I agree that 2K is not going to be an incentive, but I assume this is Phase thing and not a dealer issue. Talk to your dealer, if they don't help, get a new one. In short I feel my dealer earns their money.
I cant think of many manufacturers that go direct to the public and anyways, would be a high maintenance bushiness model, and doubtful it would lower the cost.
Thanks
Phil
Hi Phil -
It's the business model that I don't agree with here, not the performance of any particular dealer. Clearly any dealer that has been in business for a number of years can only be successful if they are keeping their customers happy.
Phase One is sold by a completely different business model to "regular" brands such as Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Sony, et al. Products from those companies are sold in an internationally transparently open and competitive market that benefits the consumer. I can go online right now and buy products from any of those manufacturers from practically anywhere on the planet.
At the end of the day, it's just gear in boxes. Shift boxes with reliable contents. That's all that's needed. I'm not talking about direct from manufacturer, just dealerships selling boxes to the consumer filled with reliable products at a reasonable margin and with decent warranties, and without any FUD.
Phase One gear is way, way simpler to learn, understand & operate than
any of the high-end offerings from the other brands I have mentioned. Why? Because functionality-wise, it is extremely basic. Compare functionality and manuals for the DF+ (or XF when it becomes available) to those for the 1Dx.
To reiterate. There is nothing special whatsoever about Phase One gear that requires a complex and costly support structure selling products to consumers through what are more akin to franchise partnerships than manufacturer>distributor>retailer.
I have worked (in retail) on both the franchisor and franchisee side of the business (same brand on each), and also built financial planning systems for both sides of the relationship. I know how these business models work and the additional margins that have to be added in to support such a structure.
Why should you need a dealer to "go to bat" for you with the manufacturer? If there's a problem with any equipment (not of your doing) and it's under warranty, then it gets fixed. That's the law.
I have 6x 1Dx's at work. One of them died after about 6 months of use. I didn't have to wait months for it to be fixed whilst using a loaner camera. It got replaced. Immediately. No one had to go into bat on my behalf with Canon.
Why should Phase One equipment be any different? I had an issue with my IQ180. The calibration seemed to have drifted out somewhat over the time since I owned it (I bought it second hand sight-unseen from half way across the world without ever having met the guy who sold it to me. Saving myself a ton of money in the process.). It was still under warranty. It went to my local dealer, who forwarded it on to Phase One. Who fixed it, and returned it to me via the dealer.
The dealer was nothing other than a post box. Apart from when buying stuff, it's the only thing I've ever needed from them.
The XF is a great looking camera. We will be getting one for work without any doubt whatsoever. My local Phase One dealer is fantastic. Great guys. I am happy to buy gear from them (not only Phase One).
But at the end of the day, as far as I'm concerned they are just shifting boxes. That's all I need them for. Why - if I want Phase One products - should I have to pay additional margins to support a business model that provides no benefit to me whatsoever?
Kind regards,
Gerald.