P2 8Gig slashed price in Europe starting 2007

From the information i got,

pana europe steped back from the price drop and is back on the double price...which is a shame and ricilous, as they have shown hat they COULD sell it for a better price!!

I just sold my 4GB P2 cards, as i really need higher capacaties, i was calculating that i could get 8GB cards for the new price, now i am really pissed by thi policy of Panasonic!

I was one of the first buyers in europe and i payed 7000 Euro for the cam, plus the money for my 6 4GB cards.
I really feel trapped, specially as a user from europe, we always have to pay more here(not because of the VAT, but of higher prices for no reason..!), so i think it time that Panasonic grants our risk and will to support the HVX annd P2...i dont know how many people i recommended the HVX, i will definitly change my tactic if the only answer is a price dropp that is taken back after 1 week!!

My dealer told me that they probably stepped back, cause they cant bring out the 16 GB cards..so make some great money in the mean time...!

I really hope that panasonic will change the mind on this, not only for europe, ut the whole P2 market..its time for bigger and at least cheaper cards..!!

I will call panasonic germany on monday, i think as many DVXUSER as possible should call/write them, to make them understand that we love the HVX/P2 but we dont like to be fu***d like that....WORD!

enjoy your weekend!
 
Germanboy,

after discussing with Jarred & Barry, and all of us, wishing a correct price for P2, we gonna setup a group buy and see how many of us will join to express this, both by a group buy (hopefully siginficative by the number).

Writing together to Panasonic, signed by both of us, is also something I would like to invite you to participate.

Now authorized by DVXuser, a post for this specific topic, the group buy, and our way to organize will be open soon; am preparing some docs to join.

The group buy could have US and Europe groups, for those wishing to avoid foreign purchase.

The 550€ rebate, confirmed by 3 European countries, then cancelled because 16Gig will be later (confirmed by system5.co.jp, a major Japan reseller, showed clearly the freedom of price Panasonic can afford.

Germanboy, we won't be enough to work together on that, please team with me (France & Germany) to build up this group.

Jason and David_S, and all of you fellows, who asked how to help this idea, please join us, in a global P2 group buyer.

Showing up at Panasonic HQ for a gentle presentation of our letters can have an unprecedented effect, believe me.
This is the best starting point to ask for a rebate program involving both Panasonic AND dealers.
I worked for 3 major IT companies, and they are often very far from the end of the chain, the end-users.

Stay tuned! And all your feedbacks are needed and welcomed!
 
The Netherlands wants to join in as well. At the moment a single 8 GB P2 card costs 1499 Euros excl. VAT (that is 1784 euro's incl VAT). I am not lying I can send you the quotations (d.d. 27-12-2006) if you don't believe me. It is really rediculous and it is the main reason for me to wait with my investment. I think we, the Dutchies, are treated worst since we have to pay the highest prices and never got any rebate, free things like bags, 8 GB P2 card and not to forget Barry's fantastic book.
 
Cees,

Welcome on board!
Please keep an eye on our ongoing organization, a group buy thread is gonna be opened soon, and a smart and well-explained feedback presented to Panasonic HQ's is something I'd like to discuss in this project.
550€ in France, then cancelled, same in Germany & Denmark, then delayed, the Dutch price very high: all this show what a monopolied product is, the tremendous freedom of pricing they have.

I read well that most of you "JUST" wish a cool price by bidding thru dealers only, but, the level of margin dealers have is a strategy to control the pricing, the main part of the possible price reduction is in the hand of Panasonic.

The VIDEOPLUS case showed it clearly:
Have been told that a french dealer buys them between 700-770 € exVAT, and the 550€ proposed price means that Panasonic can give them something well below 700€.

So, our group buy must approach Panasonic Prosumer Dealers sales Dpt (and marketing) to ask for a special discount program involving dealers.
But dealers alone cannot discuss what we setup as a minimum : less 10/15%

It is about distribution, it is about filmmakers as buyers/consumers, it is important to understand that isolated buyer are silent monkey!

Group buyer are not only representative as end-users, but have the buying profile of wholesalers, or big online shop (like B&H) playing on volume purchase.
Products are designed for end-users, not anyone between Panasonic ans us.
Panasonic is not meeting User/Buyer Group everyday, and if the group is rich of member with a clear identity, we can have tremendous results.

This is not an instant opportunity, it is a daily work, growing and maturing, so please, be present, put your name, we cannot complaint anymore without trying something!
 
jennyparis,
got a lot of respect for what your doing,good luck with it,
im interested in this,shooting in SD right now due to (in my view) over the top price of HD with the P2's,
give it some welly!
 
Hey Jenny,

i really appreciate what you are trying to do,
i have been following the threads in the last days and i hope that this will be the way Panasonic can hear to our (united) voice!

As one could read from my previous post, i am more than disappointed by the way Panasonic did handle this so far.
I dont wanna point out how it would look like to me as a small businessman when i would treat a customer like that...!

P2 IS a great way to record, and i am really convinced that those techniques are the future, but i cant be much of the present-technique if we dont have acces to payable cards.(maybe some people are fine with 2 4GB cards, i will be happy starting from about 5 16GB cards...)

Jenny, i am defnitly in the boat, and yes, i can be very polite, so i am open to help this project from germany, feel free to private me if you need any help...!

Lets hope that this will work out sooner than later i have to get at least 2 8GB cards for the 550 Euro ex VAT. until the beginning of march.

Jenny, if you are talking about 10-15% off from the original price, i guess you are speaking about the 550 Euro taq right?
All i know from my dealer(according to him they RECEIVED! cards for this price, as they immediatly ordered some to that price when Panasonic announced the new price...well, he told me they were not really happy to ship them to them, as Panasonic went back to the expensive price after a couple of days....of course they had allready sold the cheap ones when i talked to him..!)
is that they dont make much money with the cards, so i dont know if we can push Panasonic 10% sub the 550 Euro, but its worth trying it..!

I would be happy for the moment if they just go back to the 550 Euro officially, but i am just a little conumer, so why am i so stupid to dream..!?
 
This is absolutely ridiculous. I have never seen or heard of a global brand pissing on its customers like this: you drop the price on a product by 50% and even inform your sales-staff only to raise it up those (now) 100%. Just because they can.
I have last week committed to a project, because I planned to get several 8GB cards for € 550. And I planned to order my HVX finally tomorrow (monday). Of course now I will hold back my order and fulfill this project with my DVX and I am really strongly considering leaving the Panasonic boat. It is such a slap in our faces to play with prices like this. This was not a 10% discount or price-cushion, this was halfing and doubling the price in days. It shows they wanna cash on us in Europe. And Panasonic Europe is simply not at all dealing with us in a customer friendly way. I really appreciate the way Jan and the dealers on DVXuser handle the US-market. But in Europe they show an arrogance towards the customers that is uncalled for with SONY being so strong. Yes, there are studios buying hundreds of P2 cards for whatever price. But why introduce a 5000 cam if you are not interested in the userbase a product brings when it is positioned against SONY-HDV. Why don´t they stick to Varicam priced cams then all together. I don´t get this strategy and am royally annoyed at how they screwed my plans for February.

JennyParis, I am very pessimistic as to the chances we have. I asked Panasonic Europe for help once when I offered them HVX footage of big sportsevents (because they have only crapfootage at their tradeshow presentations, while SONY and Canon always show great stuff) in exchange for cameras for that shoot. A fair offer (I didn´t want the cam, just the "rent" in exchange for rights), but they more or less didn´t even answer me. In fact they sent me a number where I could buy the cams. Of course...we shot the show on SONY DSRs then and it came out great without their help.

I am in with this group, but I will not pay 1000 euros for 8GB. Then I rather not use the HVX all together.

I will contact Pana Austria and try to find out what bug bit them on this issue. Someone there must have been on drugs.
 
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Alpi,

i can feel your pain, and i think we are all in the same boatm its right that the 50% down and back to 100% is ridicilous, and i hae stop thinking about it, otherwise i go crazy..!

I know that i am doing great footage with the skillfull help of a great DP, and the project i am doing right now, going to Festivals(and hopefully be a succes...!!) will be more comercial for the HVX then Panasonic can pay us, i guess its time to say "sorry" for an expensive and scrappy strategy and giving us the price on P2 the offered us a couple of days ago....its really crazy...but it is David against Golliath...hey wait..who was the winner in the end...??-i personally dont hope his name is SONY or CANON....lets see...you should definitly exolain all this to your austria dealer, i will do as i said the same to the german broadcast headquarter..!

Lets hope that the group and Jennyaris can chance this into something positive(or at least something that was PROMISED to us!!)
 
Jennyparis,
I really really hope that Panasonic is made aware of this thread because reading the through you get a real sence of hurt out there with regards their P2 pricing.

A friend told me when I spoke to him of the HVX before it's launch and he was saying that if Panasonic are the only suppliers of the P2 technology then your going to get screwed... looks increasingly like he was right :(

I have 1 4Gb card and will stay with that until the prices become more reasonable.... I'll buy 2x8Gb the moment there offered at 550 euros.
Cheers

Indy....
 
Paris, Jan 15th 10AM
First practical action took place this morning. I contacted Panasonic Europe HQ to find the right person to talk to, presenting myself as a Prosumer Buyer Group representative to talk about P2 pricing scheme.

I got the right person name with role name.

I plan to contact this person very soon, to expose our concern.
 
hi Guys, in Australia, we are paying $1800AUD for the 8Gb card.
And we had a Buy One get one free , in Nov last year.
And Of course i missed out.
I was told by my panny rep that the 16Gb card has been delayed and is due for July release.
 
Nice job Jenny Paris, as stated before, prices here in Holland are going trough the roof, would be great to get things for reasonable prices...
 
Please, fellows, add your name to the P2 group buy, even without short-term buy, or by stating 16Gig. This will help even more then your nice posts do here.
I need a 100 members or so, to dare calling Pana Europe for a worth.
 
eureka said:
And we had a Buy One get one free , in Nov last year.
And Of course i missed out.
Click to expand...
Damn, I never even knew of the offer. I am still waiting to buy my cards and using DV Rack for now. Itching for a card or two.

Not sure what to make of this thread by powderfinger. AU$1k 8gig cards would be a good start.
 
Please don't tell others what to do.

Personally I do not believe you will get any movement from your group buy initiative, but I am very interested in when the 8GB cards will come down. That is what this thread is about.

Bob
 
Bob Gruen said:
Please don't tell others what to do.

Personally I do not believe you will get any movement from your group buy initiative, but I am very interested in when the 8GB cards will come down. That is what this thread is about.

Bob
Click to expand...

Amen.
 
Bob Gruen said:
Please don't tell others what to do.

Personally I do not believe you will get any movement from your group buy initiative, but I am very interested in when the 8GB cards will come down. That is what this thread is about.

Bob
Click to expand...
calchip said:
Amen.
Click to expand...
double ditto here also~!

JohnG
 
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