On 2011-06-07 00:05 , Peter Lawrence wrote:

> On 5/18/11 2:27 PM, Alan Browne wrote:

>> On 2011-05-18 13:10 , shiva das wrote:

>>>

>>> I wanted to get my hands on the Fuji GF670 folding 6x6 / 6x7 120 film

>>> camera to see what the excitement is all about. (photos of it are posted

>>> here, more than available on Fuji's website:

>>> <http://photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/00OF7F>)

>>>

>>> I also wanted to see how it fit my hands, how the rangefinder focusing

>>> is, how heavy it is, how its meter reads out, and other standard

>>> pre-purchase questions.

>>>

>>> So I went to B&H to talk to their medium format people. In essence, this

>>> is how the conversation went:

>>>

>>> Me: I'd like to look at the Fuji GF670, please.

>>> B&H Salesman: Umm, well, we do have it in stock, but I can't show it to

>>> you.

>>

>> <snipped>

>>

>>> So having invested who knows what in bringing out a new folding medium

>>> format film camera, Fuji apparently isn't too concerned about actually

>>> selling any of them.

>>

>> Your story just shows that narrow application cameras like the GF670

>> are not

>> expected to sell in such quantities that demo models are made available.

>>

>> I don't think Fujifilm are to blame. B&H have to pay for the demo

>> model. I'd

>> guess it would take about 10 sales to break even. They may not be

>> confident

>> that there is such a market.

>

> It would take less than 10 sales to break even. B&H is probably making a

> minimum of 25% profit on every one sold, maybe a profit as high as 50%.

That's margin, not profit.

> Usually when a camera store has such a policy on a particular product,

> it is because of very *high* demand for the product and very *short*

> supply of it. So they don't want to squander one of the cameras shipped

> to them from the manufacturer or distributor as a demo if they know that

> soon it will fly off the shelf.

They are not shy at all when it comes to marketing costs.  Breaking out 

a demo unit simply means they have a "store demo unit" to sell later.

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