Cameras & Camcorders

[UnChained]

Nikon Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Telephoto Lens for Nikon DX and FX SLR Cameras

Model: 2164 | SKU: 9336284

Capture sharp digital photos from a distance with this telephoto lens that compensates for chromatic aberrations and reduces ghosting and flair for clear, detailed images.

 5 Read reviews (1)

Sale: $2269.99

Hello, I have been looking into purchasing a Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens and was considering the purchase (order online or from the store) from Best Buy.  However, the price at Best Buy is $2270 and $1700-$1900 everywhere else and without tax if you purchase from the big NY camera shops.

I understand that BB needs to have some overhead built in because of their corporate structure.  A good example is the pricing difference between BB and those same NY online stores for the Nikon 70-200 VR2.  Best Buy has it for $2400 and they have it for $2160.  Thats about a 10% over price.  The 24-70 is about a 25% over price.

Is it possible that the 24-70 Nikon price is a miss print?  I'd like to take advantage of the 18 month financing at BB but not at a $470+ penalty.

Thanks!

[Rrrrrrr]

Good question. Even my local shops are around $1900 (which is what Nikon has them listed on their website).

[UnChained]

Whoah!  I didn't even think to look there!

Here is Nikon USA's store page that you referenced:

http://shop.nikonusa.com/store/nikonusa/en_US/pd/productID.213460700

It's got to be a typo.  How can you charge $380 more than the manufacturer?

[UnChained]

It also appears that BB has the same price for the 70-200 VR2 (that I referenced in my original post) that Nikon has in their store.

I'd be happy if there was a way to order the 24-70 from a store and have the Nikon price matched.

[Entropy]

Technically BBY's price-matching policy applies only to brick-and-mortar competitors - one of the main reasons for this is that there is "reality" backing these prices, while some online prices are indeed too good to be true.

However, you might be able to convince a BBY store rep to pricematch against the manufacturer's own e-store.  No guarantees here.  (IMO it would be dumb of BBY not to do this.)

[UnChained]

Well I took all my "data" into the BBY closest to my office and presented my case.  The sales rep was willing to work with me and made several trips to "check" with his manager.  In the end, the best he could do was get to $2000 + tax.  That takes it to about $2150 or so.  I told him that it was still $450 over what I could get it from the NY stores and $300 more than what I could get it from Nikon direct (they don't charge tax to MI).  He said that was the best they could do so I left.

Again, I'm willing to pay a bit more to be able to finance this over 18 months - just not that much.

Do any of the Best Buy helpers here have any suggestions or is this just the way it is and I should spend my $1700+ somewhere else?

Thanks.

[Allan-BBY Community Connector]

Hi UnChained,

After reading your initial post I also thought it was a bit strange that we were selling this lens above MSRP. Because of this I have sent an email to the appropriate business team here at our corporate headquarters asking them if the price we have this lens listed at is correct. As soon as I hear back from them I will post back to this thread.

Thanks for posting,

[UnChained]

Thanks Allan.  I appreciate your help.  Like I've said all along, I have no problem spending a bit more to spread out the payments but there is a threshold.  I look forward to hearing what their response is.  Thanks again!

[Entropy]

At best, they will only match the pre-tax price.  You'll never see a retailer compensate for sales tax...  Doing so tends to attract the wrath of state revenue services and those are entities you do NOT want to mess with.

The whole "no sales tax for interstate orders" thing is a source of major controversy - I expect in a few years we'll be seeing that loophole close more and more.  (See, for example, NYS's "Amazon Tax" law that made affiliates trigger the "physical presence in the state" criteria.)

[UnChained]

Wow Allan!  I see the price on the web site has changed to $1899.99.  I guess your email got to the right person.  Really cool - Thanks.  I guess the customer really does have a word!!  And you rock!

If anyone wants to see for themselves just click on the link in the first post above - you'll see.