Stateside Linhof Pricing

[Weihan]

Can someone explain Linhof's pricing scheme in the United States, particularly why there are essentially across the board astonishingly high mark-up rates over Linhof's own list prices in Europe? Cases in point: the Technikardan 45 currently lists for 3,980 Euros; the Master Technika Classic for 5,980 Euros; the Kardan GT for 2,675 Euros. BUT, here in the USA, one famous retailer in New York whose name contains two simple letters lists these same cameras for an incredible: $6,900; $9,975; and $4,500 respectively! Those are mark-ups of $1,678, $2,128, and $1,000 over the original Linhof prices. Using current conversion tables, the asking prices SHOULD BE $ 5,222; $7,847; and $3,510 respectively. I don't get it. How could any camera company hope to stay in business with such ridiculously high mark-ups in the USA, whereas the exact same items sell for thousands of dollars less in Germany. Does anyone have a rational explanation for this?

[Daniel Stone]

remember than in Europe you have VAT, that's 20% extra IIRC

so if you took your "should be" pricing, and added 20% to each price, THEN multiply it by the ~1.31Euro-->1USD conversion rate(as of right now while I write this, # per google), your B&H numbers are still a bit high.

I agree, the prices DO seem a bit out of whack, especially since we here in the USA don't(yet???) have a "VAT" tax across the board. Just state/local sales taxes to worry about(hence why I purchase a lot from B&H vs locally, ~10% extra in sales tax can be an extra hit to the pocketbook!)

just run the figures as I laid out above, and you'll probably come to an answer. These are(IIRC) "special order, non-returnable" items?

just my observations on the matter

-Dan

[Weihan]

Also, the VAT is never charged on export items sold outside of Europe; the VAT is added only within the Euro Zone.

[Weihan]

As a follow-up: I just checked the German version of the Linhof catalogue and to cite another crass example of the enormous mark-up in prices for the US (and note that the original Linhof prices do not include VAT ("Mehrwertsteuer") which is never included on export goods): The Profi III pan/tilt head lists at Linhof for 1084 Euros. At the famous New York outlet alluded to above, that exact same item ist listed for $2329. That's a price increase of $900! Ridiculous.

[Weihan]

As a follow-up: I just checked the German version of the Linhof catalogue and to cite another crass example of the enormous mark-up in prices for the US (and note that the original Linhof prices do not include VAT ("Mehrwertsteuer") which is never included on export goods): The Profi III pan/tilt head lists at Linhof for 1084 Euros. At the famous New York outlet alluded to above, that exact same item ist listed for $2329. That's a mark-up of $900 over the German purchase price! IMHO, that is unjustifiable.

[Daniel Stone]

simple answer here then:

BUY USED EQUIPMENT

problem solved

lots of great Linhof stuff out there begging for a new home
kinda like buying a new car, you just let someone else get the instant depreciation by buying a slightly used/pre-owned car. but in this case, a camera

[Weihan]

Excellent suggest; yes, I think that pretty much goest without saying. I find, however, that there is far more available in the way of used Sinars than Linhofs. Too bad I didn't go the Sinar route when I first started accumulating equipment, but the Sinars are all quite a bit bulkier and heavier than a Linhof TK.

[Daniel Stone]

yes, Linhof has the "compact" system down to a science.

put up a WTB ad here in the classifieds, you might be surprised to find someone might have what you're searching for.
there are LOTS of people who read through, but don't post on this forum, amongst others.

-Dan

[Jim Andrada]

Re high US prices, I noticed the same thing with the Mamiya 7II - quite a bit cheaper in Japan than in the US

I think the US operation probably needs to cover their expenses on a very low volume.

[el french]

Or just buy an airline ticket to Germany and write it off as a business expense.