Re: Retail vs. Mail-Order [was: Re: [MDOsprey] Spotting Scopes]

pjohn@wlgore.com
Sat, 20 Nov 1999 14:24:32 -0500


     Excellent point, it's not fair, and I did not mean to infer that this is my
preferred practice.  However, the store's price far exceeded my means and I
thought the scopes were overpriced.  My only means of retribution was to join
the New Jersey Audubon Society, as a "donation" and buy about $100 worth of
books that I could have got for a lot less at Amazon.com.
     A minor compensation, I admit.  I could bring up the free enterprise
argument, but I guess I'll just forget about applying for sainthood.


Parke.




Phil Davis <PDavis@ix.netcom.com> on 11/20/99 12:15:44 AM

Please respond to mdosprey@ARI.Net

To:   mdosprey@ARI.Net
cc:    (bcc: Parke H John/WLGORE)
Subject:  Retail vs. Mail-Order [was: Re: [MDOsprey] Spotting Scopes]




Been on travel ... catching up on messages ...


At 07:37 AM 11/16/1999 -0500, Parke John wrote:

>      I recently purchase a Leica  APO-TELEVID 77 .
>      Because I was confused by all the advise I was getting on spotting
> scopes,
>I went to the New Jersey Audubon's: Center for Research and Education ,
>Cape May
>Court House, NJ 08210, 609-861-0700, which is on Rt. 47 near Goshen. I
>compared
>all the top brands.  I lined them up and compared apples to apples right there
>on their deck.

(snip)

>      I purchase the scope from one of the photography warehouses in New York;
>Adorama. (save a few hundred $)



Parke, et al. -

I dunno ... this bothers me.  As the former co-owner of a "wild bird
store", does everyone think this is fair?

Specifically, the scenario in question is to go to a "nature store" whose
owners pay good money to keep expensive inventory (like 77mm spotting
scopes) in stock; and has rent and utilities to pay; salaries to pay for
people to set up the scopes, answer questions, etc.; to use their equipment
for comparison shopping; pick what you like; and then go and mail order the
item from a discount house?

If people want to buy discount, that's fair, but to "use" a retail store
for comparisons and then not buy from them seems unfair to me.

Thoughts?

Phil




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Phil Davis

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