The K-m and Jessops

My partner has bought (after some gentle persuasion) the K-m (from Gales cameras in Woodford- very helpful, I have no connection). A nice camera, small and light and does the business. She was going to buy in our local Jessops- it's in their new catalogue and on their website. But Pentax tells me that they are definitely not supplying Jessops with the model. And a chap in Cameraworld told me that Jessops will not be selling any more Pentax product. After a quick look in a branch yesterday he could well be right- not a single Pentax model on display.

So....why? And isn't this bound to be detrimental to Pentax?

Sounds like it may be more detrimental to Jessops though I believe Jessops were in finacial difficulty recently so maybe theyre cutting down on what they stock.

You also have to bear in mind that the supply/demand relationship is a totally different ball game when it comes to manufacturers and distributors supplying products to retailers. If this is true I would hazard a guess that either, Pentax are fed up with Jessops lack of interest in displaying and promoting the Pentax brand, or, Jessops have a grievance against Pentax for whatever reason.

Or Jessops making alot of money from Sony only thing is if Sony dropped Jessops, I think it would be goodbye Jessops..

As Jessops seem set on self distrution by only stocking brands that are mediocre it's no problem to get Pentax items from knowledgeable independant stores. How many times have you heard a spotty Jessops lad recomend a totaly crap camera to somebody with more money than sense?

Even in this months Digital Photo, Jessops are not showing Pentax just Nikon, Canon, Sony, and the local store here have none on show. May be Jessops have been kicked into touch by Pentax.

But that is a problem for Pentax. Jessops is everywhere, and yet they don't have Pentax. The guy looking to move to DSLR is as likely as not going to visit his local Jessops, just because they are well known, advertise a lot, and most of all because they are handy. No Pentax for sale there then they will walk out with a Canon or a Nikon or a Sony. This is NOT good news for Pentax.
If we want Pentax to survive and keep producing great cameras then they have to sell cameras, and only having a few select (but really good) dealers seems the wrong way to go to me.

I'll agree with that.

I was in Jessops' biggest Glasgow shop yesterday, they have closed their 'Pro' department which I have to say was really quite good. All the staff there were knowledgable, enthusiastic Photography HND graduates who actually displayed their own excellent work in the shop.

Now, there are three large display cases showing Nikon (masses of it), Canon, and Sigma lenses. Most of the floor space was taken up with garish 'bundle' Sony Alpha kit boxes on special offer. There was a smattering of the remnants of the pro department - a few Billingham bags and Manfrotto legs.

The guy in front of me was trying without success to buy 120 film and I got their last pack of Hi8 tapes (dont ask why I'm buying them!)

It was all a bit like TK Maxx who I have to say are actually stocking Pentax kit - well genuine Optio cases at any rate.

I think now, here in Glasgow at least, we have a totally polarised situation where Calumet is for pros and Jessops (and there are no independent dealers any more) for the rest.

As far as Pentax kit is concerned I'll stick with SRS because I dont feel that I really have to go and play with it before I buy it.

If and when Jessops go, there really wont be much of a high street photgraphic retail trade left. I live in the biggest city in Scotland, the Hasselblad and Leica dealer went years ago, there really wont be anyone left at all.

A bit like the corner shops dissapearing after the rise of the supermarket, even my local ASDA sell DSLRs

The obvious main reason though is the internet and people having the luxury of shopping with their fingers, then maybe a trip to the local dealer to try before you finally buy....elswhere

Don't worry about Jessops not seelling Pentax,
In Harrogate this morning I left the Sony store, sorry I mean Jessops,( )walked up the street and examined a K-m in Currys.
It seems that the Dixons group are stocking our favourite brand in their stores.

Even PcWORLD!

And Argos have Pentax, which I always thought was odd. But I bought mine there since I had no other choice.

Indeed but what's all this then?

Pentax smc-DA 50-200mm f/4.5-5.6 ED. 058/1921 ...more detail
£299.99

Er 50 quid from Jessops who must have had a lot of stock to clear and 75 from PC World I believe.

Mike

PS Just looked at flickr - some very nice shots there

I don't visit UK very often but out of interest I went into Jessops in High Wycombe at the weekend.

The Pentax brand name was nowhere to be seen. A quick scan of their display cabinets revealed only Canon, Nikon, & Sony.

An assistant was 'selling' a Sony product to a potential customer and all I heard of the conversation was:-

Customer: "So it's the lens that does all the work and the cameras are all similar?"

I left . . . in a hurry.

PS: I went in out of curiosity to look for a Tamrac bag. Only Lowepro on display.

On a similar anecdotal theme when in Japan my son took me to the photographic area and the main shops seemed to have large stocks of Pentax. While I didn't look for them I am quite confident they had all the lenses so it's not all gloom and doom for Pentax but the UK does seem to lack real drive in promoting what seem to be very competent cameras.

I bought my K100D as after a modest review of entry level DSLR it seemed to offer the best bang for buck ratio. Now I have a few lenses I can't see why I'd bother to change and I'm struggling to think that the quality offered by a K10 will fall short of my needs. I have yet to try really large prints but I suspect they'll be fine. My daughter is currently negotiating the use at cost of her employer's printer that does A0 plus prints which would be interesting.

Mike

I suppose if Pentax are marketing the K-m as the next step up from a P&S then Argos, Currys, Pc World (Same owner as Currys) and suchlike are the perfect retailers to stock it.
If they can pull it off and make Pentax more of a household name then users of the K-m are more likely to choose Pentax if they decide to upgrade at a later date.