XH-A1 pricing

[humdrum]

I would usually go with B&H for a purchase like this, but JR.com lists the A1 for $3499 (less than B&H by $200). The listing seems to include the same stuff, but it's tough to tell exactly. Anyway, JR.com is listed on Canon's web site and they have a good rating on epinions, so I'm not sure there is a reason not to go with them if I decide to pull the trigger. Thoughts?

[Barry_Green]

If they're listed as an authorized dealer for the XHA1 (and that's key, it has to be for that specific product line) then why not go with 'em? You'll have the weight of the Canon organization backing you up if they try any funny business.

But it could be that they're authorized to carry consumer cameras, or still cameras, and not the XHA1. So make sure.

[Robert86]

I'd order from them. Amazon.com does a lot of business with them and I think I've ordered stuff from them through amazon and didn't have any problems.

[EastCoastMike]

Go for it. I just picked up my XHA1 from "abesofmaine.com" for $3550.00.
I know where they are located so I went in and did it over the counter. They were cool, I originally bought a DVX100B from them. I was so torn between the cameras, both are really good. But I decided if I was going to spend the money I might as well get a "cross over" rig to get me into the HD world.
They took the DVX back without question. Pull the trigger, it's a nice camera.
It's worth it to get it in your hands to be come familiar with it sooner, rather then later. Don't procrastinate, it's not worth the $50 bucks you may save by waiting.

[PaPa]

i found one dealer in montreal whos selling it, as he said over the phone so i hope i heard correctly : 4399.00 canadian dollars.

im wondering if it would be better for me to order online, as it might come cheaper.

[Stu Siegal]

For about the same money, call Lee Drady at Roscor, I paid $3538. I don't use J&R because I can't be 100% certain that its not grey market stuff, though I'm not saying this is, I'm just saying why risk it for acouple of bucks.

www.roscor.com

[humdrum]

Which would mean that B&H isn't authorized either, right? Something is amiss.

And here is a listing for the online dealers from Canon, for the A1: http://canon.links.channelintelligence.com/pages/prices.asp?sSKU=XH%20A1

[Barry_Green]

Oooh, nice link!

Something is indeed amiss, because that link shows them clearly. I'm gonna delete my prior post because it's clearly wrong.

[apabari]

Well, incase you wanna go with B&H, remember there is that weird link that has it for $3599. The link is:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=11230&A=details&Q=&sku=476824&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

Somebody on dvxuser found that link. I have no idea why if you follow the main page links, it has it for $3699.

[vsansal]

I would usually go with B&H for a purchase like this, but JR.com lists the A1 for $3499 (less than B&H by $200). The listing seems to include the same stuff, but it's tough to tell exactly. Anyway, JR.com is listed on Canon's web site and they have a good rating on epinions, so I'm not sure there is a reason not to go with them if I decide to pull the trigger. Thoughts?

I bought an elura 90 from them 2 years ago with a lot of accessories totaling $700 without any problems.

[Faustus]

I'm looking to purchase the A1 in a about two weeks and I would love to keep this group buy idea alive. So if other people are still willing to give it a go, PM me and we'll start all over. I'll contact all the dealers (one has already told me that he's willing to go $3500 for a 10-20 person deal) and get back to you.

There was a group buy being set up by Jade8472 a while back but it died as it looked like he traded a camera in at Adorama. Group buyers who dropped out looked like they were willing to settle at $3550-3600. The B&H price of $3599 was a MacWorld promo price. A number of people have purchased successfully at $3500 from various internet dealers. ebay prices are going sub $3500. Go for it if you trust the dealer. Somewhere on the site was a link to pictures of these internet fulfillment places. Some of those places are pretty scary operations.

[Zerkalo]

I would usually go with B&H for a purchase like this, but JR.com lists the A1 for $3499 (less than B&H by $200). The listing seems to include the same stuff, but it's tough to tell exactly. Anyway, JR.com is listed on Canon's web site and they have a good rating on epinions, so I'm not sure there is a reason not to go with them if I decide to pull the trigger. Thoughts?

Hey humdrum, I'm about to purchase as well (hopefully today). Have you made your purchase yet? To buy from J&R or B&H... both offer an ampersand but $100 difference? resellerratings.com makes J&R seem somewhat suspect. :undecided

[humdrum]

I haven't purchased yet, but I am leaning towards B&H. My guess is that J&R would deliver the goods just fine, but I've used B&H on many occasions and trust them, so I don't mind the $100 premium for peace of mind.

I usually like ordering over the phone on an item this big. I am hoping that they will honor the $3599 price from that link. If not, I may either order online through that link, or reconsider J&R.

The other thing is that I will probably order a tripod and mic, and B&H has a better selection, so I might as well get them all in one shipment.

What do you mean by "both offer an ampersand"?

[mc9000]

Amazon says about the A1, "Availability: In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available."

I take it this means that the camcorder won't be coming from J&R, right?

That's a pretty good deal at $3499 w/ free shipping

[BARYE]

I've bought lots of stuff from them over the years -- they've been around for more than a decade -- and never any problems.

I just yesterday ordered my XHA1 from them as well -- $3500 w/free shipping is less than the deal I had made orignially as part of a small group purchase. (which would have been for $3537 + $20 shipping)

(btw -- as sort of a perverse experiment, I also placed an order using my Amex card for a second XHA1 with a well known scamhouse which listed the price as about $1300 -- I'm waiting for them to call to tell me that I have to buy the parts a la carte ...)

[jsaadein]

You guys may be interested to hear, but I was looking in my Shutterbug Magazine and saw a great price for the XH A1. I went to Broadway Photo, http://www.bwayphoto.com, and they listed the XH A1 for I think $3199.

Any ideas on this?

Justin

[mc9000]

I went to Broadway Photo, and they listed the XH A1 for I think $3199. Any ideas on this? Justin
I wouldn't chance it...

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Broadway_Photo

[Faustus]

Was not this Bway photo discussed in another thread on this forum last week?

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=82809&highlight=broadway

[jsaadein]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I stand corrected. Thank you for the heads up. It does look like bway photo has some serious sales issues!

[BARYE]

I've bought lots of stuff from them over the years -- they've been around for more than a decade -- and never any problems.

I just yesterday ordered my XHA1 from them as well -- $3500 w/free shipping is less than the deal I had made orignially as part of a small group purchase. (which would have been for $3537 + $20 shipping)

(btw -- as sort of a perverse experiment, I also placed an order using my Amex card for a second XHA1 with a well known scamhouse which listed the price as about $1300 -- I'm waiting for them to call to tell me that I have to buy the parts a la carte ...)

A follow up to my "perverse experiment" ...

I just got my XHA1 from J&R via UPS about 2 hours ago. (no problems at all).

(btw -- I've just had time to open the packaging and look at the camera -- but who ever designed the battery compartment/external power arrangement ought be FIRED by Canon ASAP !! Has no one there ever heard of mounting a battery on rails on the camera's back like Sony does on its camcorders ?!!???)

Weirdly -- less than an hour after receiving J & R's camera delivery, the well known scamster store called me about my camera order from them. I'd been expecting their call -- and anticipating a series of excuses for why they could'nt sell it to me at that $1350 price -- that it would be grey market, no US warranty etc etc.

They began by tellling me that that were not able to process AMEX (temporary problem he assured me), but that they would be able to take Discover or Visa.

I asked if the XHA1 was covered by a US warranty -- he assured me that it was.

He tried to get me to buy a Canon battery and charger -- I said I didn't need one, and that they came with the original Canon package (which I'd just opened minutes earlier.) Not in the package that I was getting -- he said that some Canon packages are sold without the charger and battery.

OK I said -- not a deal killer since I already had the one charger from the J &R order.

He attempted (politely) to get me to buy a UV filter (for $300 !!), and an extended warranty -- both of which I declined.

I then (with some trepidation) proceeded to give him my Discover card number -- and he promised to ship out the XHA1 for $1350.

I'll let everyone know how things turn out...

[philnerd]

<snip>
I then (with some trepidation) proceeded to give him my Discover card number -- and he promised to ship out the XHA1 for $1350.

I'll let everyone know how things turn out...


I'm sure I'm not the only one waiting to see how this turns out :)

The tension is killing me!

[Sacksnack]

Definitely keep us posted BARYE, your perverse experiment is quite interesting.

[Elton]

The words 'no free lunch' come to mind.

Trepidation indeed.

[Stu Siegal]

What exactly is the experiment? Do you really have $1350 to burn?

[BARYE]

What exactly is the experiment? Do you really have $1350 to burn?
presumably there's some protection in using a credit card against outright thievery ...

[Barry_Green]

I can save you some anticipation -- a month or two from now when you haven't received anything you'll call screaming and he'll say "oh, dude, that's out of stock. But if you want the US package I can get those in in just a day or two. They're $3500."

But good luck. You may have to cancel that Discover card by the time this is all over.

[BARYE]

Sorry to disappoint everyone who was hoping for a dramatic, and perhaps gory finale to my perverse experiment -- but I just received the following rather anti-climatic email message:

Dear Customer,


Unfortunately we are currently oversold on the item you have ordered,
and it is currently on a backorder. We will notify you once it is back in stock.

If you would like to cancel please do so by responding to this email.

Thank you, we are sorry for any inconveniences.


Shipping Department.

[Eric Reid]

Yeah thats now those guys roll. I will be conducting a similer experiment of my own soon from expresscameras.com. Imma try ta trix em!

[BARYE]

Yeah thats now those guys roll. I will be conducting a similer experiment of my own soon from expresscameras.com. Imma try ta trix em!

I hadn't really wanted to not mention their name, but expresscameras was the company with which I was dealing.

I wouldn't recommend anyone else to do what I do -- but if you're crazy enough to do it anyway, it seems that you'll have to be prepared to call their "bluff" somehow and compel them to deliver on their "offer"-- which is a form of a contract.

Its appears as though they have already lost AMEX -- the loss of Discover and Visa would effectively end at least the current permutation of that company.

Are you ready to accept their demand that you buy a $300 UV filter and a dubious extended warranty in order to test if they would then deliver the camera for an efective cost of maybe $2000 ???

The great probability is that they would charge you for the filter and the extended warranty -- and then string you along and only then later tell you with great regret that they can no longer get you the camera -- they would then either refund or have never charged you for the camera. ( But try and get a refund on the warranty and filter ).