Nikon tax?

bwana

bwana

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I was having a look at top end prices for Canon and Nikon and noticed a discrepancy…

Canon 1Dx Recommended retail price: $6,799.00
SA Retail price (Orms): R76,995.00

Nikon D4s: recommended retail price: $6,499.95
SA Retail price (Orms): R89,995.00
 
Any chance that they could have been imported under different exchange rates?
 
bwana said:
I was having a look at top end prices for Canon and Nikon and noticed a discrepancy…

Canon 1Dx Recommended retail price: $6,799.00
SA Retail price (Orms): R76,995.00

Nikon D4s: recommended retail price: $6,499.95
SA Retail price (Orms): R89,995.00
Click to expand...

They even practice price gouging on the software. I could buy a Capture NX license for almost half-price internationally. Actually got a call from someone at Nikon SA to try and justify this mark-up when I emailed them about this. In the end, I just bought Lightroom.
 
creeper said:
Nope. Nikon distributors in SA has always been doing it.
Click to expand...

Yes, been happening for a long time, it is because Nikon SA is not a Nikon subsidiary, but a distributor (Foto Distributors).

Means there is an additional margin in there of about 15%

And they have forced B&H New York not to ship most Nikon stuff to SA, as it is often cheaper to import.
 
fvdbergh said:
They even practice price gouging on the software. I could buy a Capture NX license for almost half-price internationally. Actually got a call from someone at Nikon SA to try and justify this mark-up when I emailed them about this. In the end, I just bought Lightroom.
Click to expand...

I bought my CNX from here: http://www.imixermedia.com/product_info.php?products_id=107&gclid=CJXti6Lm-LwCFaQfwwodtGUArw
Some report its not legit,but others report if they had problems they got given a new key.
I've updated & not been locked out.
 
Jola said:
Yes, been happening for a long time, it is because Nikon SA is not a Nikon subsidiary, but a distributor (Foto Distributors).

Means there is an additional margin in there of about 15%

And they have forced B&H New York not to ship most Nikon stuff to SA, as it is often cheaper to import.
Click to expand...

They can do that? Sucks cause I love my system. Not in the budget to change it now.
 
Jola said:
All this means that there is a strong disincentive to use Nikon in this country.
Click to expand...
Yes... yet many gladly hand over the cash because somehow Canon sucks??????

I have used Canon all my life, no need to go to anything else.
 
I was also stumped by this - I am currently wanting to replace my Canon SX40 bridge camera with a new superzoom camera.

Now...the new Canon SX60 with 60x optical zoom seems like the likely candidate, however, after lots and lots of browsing I see that it is a sick puppy - images are very poor and smudged at the long end, way inferior to the Canon SX50 that it replaced.

So, I kind of like the images and reviews for the Nikon P600 which has a comparable 60x optical lens, and am wanting to buy it. HOWEVER, in the USA the Nikon P600 (and elsewhere in the world) sells typically for $395. The new Canon SX60 sells for $ 550. So, the Canon is about 20% more expensive than the Nikon. But in good old sunny SA these cameras are selling for the same price. So Nikon (South Africa) is charging around a 20 % premium/tax.

Nikon P600 USA - $ 395
Canon SX60 USA - $ 550

Nikon P600 SA - R 5895
Canon SX60 SA R 5695

??????????? Nikon S.A ????????
 
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Does either Nikon or Canon offer local backup service i.e. factory trained technicians? Or does either one replace a faulty unit? That might be where the difference comes in.
 
maumau said:
Does either Nikon or Canon offer local backup service i.e. factory trained technicians? Or does either one replace a faulty unit? That might be where the difference comes in.
Click to expand...

I would think that whatever backup Nikon or Canon offer in the USA or in the UK....they would offer the same in SA, there should be no difference. But why the huge markup in SA ?

I hope there is a Nikon rep here that can explain/make an excuse
 
surfs-up said:
I would think that whatever backup Nikon or Canon offer in the USA or in the UK....they would offer the same in SA, there should be no difference. But why the huge markup in SA ?

I hope there is a Nikon rep here that can explain/make an excuse
Click to expand...

Maybe the Nikon guys are paying for the "free" sensor cleaning?
 
maumau said:
Does either Nikon or Canon offer local backup service i.e. factory trained technicians? Or does either one replace a faulty unit? That might be where the difference comes in.
Click to expand...

Nikon have a Service Centre in Centurion. My D70 was repaired (jammed lens) and serviced at no charge. +-8 years old.
 
maumau said:
Does either Nikon or Canon offer local backup service i.e. factory trained technicians? Or does either one replace a faulty unit? That might be where the difference comes in.
Click to expand...

I know Canon has Cameratek with branches in Cape Town, Jnb, and Durban. They're also kind enough to give me loan units while they're repairing my gear which comes in very handy.
 
IMO the service is the same.

With Nikon there is just an extra margin of over 15%.

I usually import my lenses because of this.
 
It's strange how some Nikon prices have shot up in South Africa. My brother was looking at cameras about a year ago and it was the same price or more expensive to import the cameras from the US. Checking now the lens prices are all over the place. Some lenses are less than the US price, others are much higher.

To import the D4S yourself would cost R91,000 from a place like Adorama.
 
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Import taxes on cameras are just plain crazy! I buy on eBay mainly and import taxes are almost a third of the camera price. I usually make use of services on eBay that offer the Global Shipping Program, which takes care of import charges when you place the order and also ships with Fedex.

I know for a fact that you cannot import a camera any longer, as it will cost you more than just buying it locally. One example I looked at was the Canon 7D Mark II.

It averages for about $1800 (R20,000). Import charges is $457 (about R5100) and shipping fees between $50 and $80. The camera works out about R28000 at the end of the day while you can get it locally for just over R20k.
 
DSLR's are over-priced, inferior cameras to mirrorless alternatives anyway. And Premium Brands (Nikon SA) are scurrilous price gougers.
 
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