Stores vs. Internet?

[jmtigerfan]

I've had much better luck buying optics over the internet vs. the stores. My last two purchases of optics have saved me alot of money! I bought a pair of Pentax binoculars last year for $140 vs. $240+ tax at a hunting store.

I also bought a Nikon Monarch Gold 2.5x10x50mm w/30mm tube scope, for $479. The cheapest I found it for on the "Big Boy Site's" was for $699.

It pays to spend a little time searching the web for the best deal!

 

[Wanted]

Good luck with buying over the net. More than likely you're getting refurbished/repackaged merchandise or grey market. High end optics ie:Zeiss, Swaro, Leica ect. have set pricing, meaning it's all sold for the same price no matter where you buy it. If you find it cheaper it either means it's grey or it's stolen!

 

[coonhound40]

>Good luck with buying over the
>net. More than likely
>you're getting refurbished/repackaged merchandise or
>grey market. High end
>optics ie:Zeiss, Swaro, Leica ect.
>have set pricing, meaning it's
>all sold for the same
>price no matter where you
>buy it. If you
>find it cheaper it either
>means it's grey or it's
>stolen!


I don't think your correct on that, for example,
Camera land sells considerably cheaper than the big box stores and they are very reputable. I do agree you have to be careful but there are a few really good suppliers out there that offer great service.

Coon

 

[Foreman4x4]

>Good luck with buying over the
>net. More than likely
>you're getting refurbished/repackaged merchandise or
>grey market. High end
>optics ie:Zeiss, Swaro, Leica ect.
>have set pricing, meaning it's
>all sold for the same
>price no matter where you
>buy it. If you
>find it cheaper it either
>means it's grey or it's
>stolen!

B.S.! A little commonsense goes a long ways!......

 

[Wanted]

I won't skimp on optics, but yes there are deals out there. I purchased my Swarovski 10x42 SLC's for $875 back in 2000, not a deal then, but now they're $1450! I purchased my Leica CRF for $499 (after a $100 rebate offered by Leica). I purchased my Swarovski 15x56 SLC's for $1500 on closeout because the company was making room for the "new" model.

 

[ForkWest]

I found the best deal I could online, then went down to my local mom-n-pop shop, Kents in Ogden, gave him the skinny, they said they'd rather give me a better deal and not make any money, than have me send my cash out of state. Bought a scope, went back a couple months later and got another killer deal on some bino for my dad. Would recomend them to anyone, and WILL be back for future purchases. Don't write off the brick and mortar unitl you really give them a shot.

 

[Rem308]

I buy all my firearms from local sports stores ,but for my optics I have bought the last 8-10 scopes off from the internet,some for half what the local stores are asking.I never buy used,only new !

 

[Fire_Hawk]

>Good luck with buying over the
>net. More than likely
>you're getting refurbished/repackaged merchandise or
>grey market. High end
>optics ie:Zeiss, Swaro, Leica ect.
>have set pricing, meaning it's
>all sold for the same
>price no matter where you
>buy it. If you
>find it cheaper it either
>means it's grey or it's
>stolen!


Wanted.

I believe what you are referring to is "MAP" pricing. Many optics companies have a "Minimum Advertised Price" or MAP. If the dealer puts out an advertisement that lists a price less than the MAP price, they can loose that line of products. However, the dealer is fine to charge whatever they want, they just can't advertise the price for less than the MAP pricing.

I am sure that Doug at Cameraland could give a better explanation to this, but it never hurts to ask questions of the dealer;>)

Firehawk

 

[timberline_shedfreak24]

Internet for sure.

Timberline

"Live for somethin' or die for nothin'"

 

[out4elk]

I buy from both, depends on the situation.

I am wary of buying high end optics from the internet unless it is an established business like Camera Land.

I have been told by a friend who is a swarovski dealer that optics with European warranties can be bought online for great prices. You won't know the difference until you need to use the warranty, in which case the optic heads to Europe and won't come back for quite a while.

If you buy online verify it has a US warranty.


?Here?s to the hero's that Git-R-Done!!?

 

[WIshedhead]

I recently bought a pair of Brunton Epoch 10.5x43 camo from Sportsmans warehouse for $500. They were originally tagged at $1499 and were then discounted to $999. The store wanted to discontinue carrying the line so they had it marked down to $500 for a very short time and I was lucky enough to take advantage of it. I also swindled the clerk down to $39.99 on the $100 doubler a free $10 nikon lens pen and a $5 spudz cloth as well.

You can get awesome deals at stores. You just have to be patient and have a litle luck.

By the way- They had the big three and Leupold HD binos thier that I tried against the Bruntons and only the Swaros were a tad bit nicer. Awesome glass and the bombproof pelican case and tripod mount are included. Unreal warrenty- If your on a hunt and something happens they will next day air you a pair of loaners to your hunt sight!

Shedhead

 

[BPKHunter]

While I have not purchased from Doug at Cameraland, I believe his is one of the few clearly reputable and "service" oriented net based optics dealers. I did purchase and return a few web items, but seemed to get misled a little too often. I have actually purchased my 3 main items(15x56 SLC's, 8x30 SLC's, and 65MM HD Swaro's) all from local stores here in Boise. I got great deals on all three, paying $750 for the 8x and $1900 for the spotter, and all gave me the opportunity to bring them back if I didn't like them. Though based on a lot of positive posts on a number of websites I would give Doug a try.

 

[DIYHunt]

Swarovski does have two different warranties. One for US optics and one for overseas.

It is important to note that US spotting scopes have a lifetime warranty but are sent over seas for almost all service. The binoculars are serviced in Rhode Island. I have used warranty service several times for both spotting scopes and binoculars. Binoculars are turned around very fast, often in a day or two if you really need them done. My last spotting scope had a chip in the glass. They sent it to Austria and charged me $100.00 for the new glass to be put in. It was my fault, but please note that they don't fix everything for free as we are often led to believe. This scope was out for repair for 11 weeks.

I currently own 5 pieces of Swarovski optics and have owned more the 15 over the last 5 years. I would personally not own anything else even if they charge me $100.00 now and then for a repair.

As far as buying over the internet. I always buy from Cabela's over the net. At least in Utah they do not charge sales tax and generally shipping is free for higher end items. In Utah the no sales tax saves you about $140.00 on a $2,000.00 product. They will also let you pay for it over a period of time with no interest.

 

[HNTBIGBULLS]

I buy my sworos from a grocery store
in northern Utah, My buddy bought a
pair of 10x42 els 2 days before our
Colorado deer hunt and never took them
out of the box till we were down there,
for some reason we could not focus the
right eye piece, We called the store, they
called sworo, in 24 hours he had a new pair
at our motel, mom and pop stores are the only
way to go for me.