JB Hi Fi has scored a double whammy after Canon bowed to pressure and dropped their digital camera prices to match overseas digital camera prices. The move is a blow to Kogan who is now forced to import the same digital camera stock from overseas without the benefit of a manufacturer’s guarantee.According to Scott Browning, the Marketing Director of JB Hi Fi, the move by Canon to lower their prices several months after Nikon moved to lower their prices in Australia has resulted in the national consumer electronics retailer now being able to “offer digital cameras cheaper than US online retailer Amazon, when freight is taken into consideration.”
Late last year, JB Hi Fi moved to match Amazon and several online retailers by directly fully importing digital camera stock from Asia.
This upset local digital camera manufacturers after orders from the mass retailer dried up overnight.
Within weeks Nikon moved to match overseas prices. They also offered an extended local warranty.
Canon, who have not denied their digital camera sales have been hit by consumers moving to purchase Canon products online due to price gouging, have refused to comment.
ChannelNews understands that sales of Canon digital cameras have fallen by over 32%.
Scott Browning said “we have disbanded the direct import of digital cameras because vendors have decided to match overseas pricing. This means we can offer an extensive range of digital cameras online that are below the price that Amazon is offering especially when freight is taken into consideration”.
It’s now expected that several other digital camera retailers are set to ask for the same price reductions.
Currently Kogan online is forced to source Canon, Nikon and Sony digital camera brands from Asian distributors. These are sold without the benefit of a local manufacturers warranty.
