Shop space and marketing

[doug_newman]

As a Canon owner has anyone noticed a disturbing trend. Shop window space. I was in fourways. The particular shop I looked at had 4 shelves at eye level for Pentax, 2 shelves at eye level for nikon and half a shelf right at the bottom for canon. I have seen the same trend in many shop windows and in every single newspaper insert the nikon Dslr outnumbers canon 3 to 1 and in many add brochures there is not a single Canon Dslr advertised?

Any idea why no one is advertising the canon gear and when it is, it is shoved in the bottom of the shop window at ankle height vs other brands getting prominence at eye level?

Might it be warranty returns on 1d that has made reseller nervous or hAs the brand started to loose it's sparkle? I hope neither. I would still hope my canon gear retains some resale value

[Luc Hosten]

Think you should change brands - you nagging posts are getting tiresome.

[BrerFox]

Personally, I think it is quite wise for Canon to stay out of your way, Doug. Don't you?

[dylansalt]

Well it's nice to see Pentax getting some self space - at last.

[doug_newman]

Twice that of Nikon and 8 times that of Canon? If the shelf space is bought... nice marketing spend then.... Should eventually result in bigger sales. If only they had a better range of glass.

[Dumay de Boulle']

Dude....Enough already! There are 100's of togs on this sight who love Canon and everything they offer...Change your gear or stop bitc@##!

[dylansalt]

The shops are possibly just going through a cycle to see if the Pentax stuff moves because in the past it never has.

They don't have to even try "hard" sell Canon as everyone knows the brand and every dslr owner/friend has one - mouth to mouth marketing.

Pentax has the most affordable compact "pro" aps-c glass in the world (just not at the long end) and the bodies are built like tanks

16-50 2.8 - Fully weather sealed

50-135 2.8 - Fully weather sealed

60 -250 2.8 - Fully weather sealed

200mm 2.8 - Fully weather sealed

300mm 2.8 - Fully weather sealed

55 1.8

15 2.8 - zero distortion

17-50 F4

12-24 F4

10-17 Fisheye

55-300 F4.5/5.6 - a real sleeper zoom lens - incredibly sharp from 5.6 upwards

18-55 kit - @ F8 regarded as the best kit lens

21mm, 40mm pancakes

35mm 2.8 macro

31 1.8

All the lenses are have the benefit of IS as well & are all available in SA

K20D, K7, KM, KX

KX is a monster beginners cam coming from a p&s and usable Iso 6400

So if you are not into BIF, Birding, 600mm game shots..........

[kay]

15 2.8 - zero distortion

It does have a fair amount of distortion actually, DPReview reviewed it. Still, nice and compact - noone does anything like Pentax's Limiteds.

17-50 F4

I'm guessing you mean 16-45 f/4? Very nice lens, I had one for a couple of years - just sold it but it's given me fantastic images.

Yeah, I was also quite surprised to see so much Pentax stuff *in stock* and on display at Universal Image in Fourways today. But I think that's a bit of an anomaly - none of the camera stores in Sandton have much Pentax stock, in fact only Etkinds has anything beyond the normal body + kit lens.

[PhotoMad]

Companies "pay" many stores for shelf space. Better positioned shelves cost more. If your product is selling well already, why cut into your profits & pay for shelf space you do not need.
Products will typically pay for improved shelf space if their product is not moving particularly well & they need to put it "in you face" as such to increase the sales.
NikNaks advertise like crazy. Ever seen a CheeseNaks ad? CheeseNaks out sell NikNaks hence don't need to bother advertising.
When your product starts suddenly raising it's advertising profile, be afraid. Otherwise... no problem.

[dylansalt]

It does have a fair amount of distortion actually, DPReview reviewed it. Still, nice and compact - noone does anything like Pentax's Limiteds.



I'm guessing you mean 16-45 f/4? Very nice lens, I had one for a couple of years - just sold it but it's given me fantastic images.

Yeah, I was also quite surprised to see so much Pentax stuff *in stock* and on display at Universal Image in Fourways today. But I think that's a bit of an anomaly - none of the camera stores in Sandton have much Pentax stock, in fact only Etkinds has anything beyond the normal body + kit lens.

Hi Kay

The 16-45 has been discontinued for the 17-50 F4 but on Pentax forums the 16-45 is still regarded as better.

Only two shops stock in Durban, Whysalls & Photoworld

ciao

[dylansalt]

Companies "pay" many stores for shelf space. Better positioned shelves cost more. If your product is selling well already, why cut into your profits & pay for shelf space you do not need.
Products will typically pay for improved shelf space if their product is not moving particularly well & they need to put it "in you face" as such to increase the sales.
NikNaks advertise like crazy. Ever seen a CheeseNaks ad? CheeseNaks out sell NikNaks hence don't need to bother advertising.
When your product starts suddenly raising it's advertising profile, be afraid. Otherwise... no problem.

So then do we have to worry about "Coke"

Personally I don't think Cheesnaks outsell Niknaks;-)

[Roberto]

[Roberto]

doug, have you ever noticed when a camera accessory of some sort is advertised, what camera is it that they use 99.999999999999999999% of the time... Canon! There's the advertising, a heap of it so no need for all them shelves!

[Martin]

It's always nice to sit back and see how things get nasty

[MacDee]

I thought the OP was posing a marketing question. Why all the paranoia about brands? Good to see so many brand loyalists though.

[EtienneB]

Hi Doug,

The reason you see more space for a specific brand on a shelf is very simple. Each company has a marketing budget. How to spend it is decided by a company strategy that is executed by a marketing manager. Some marketing managers have a lot of decision making power some not. Some will spend on buying shelf space, advertising in retail leaflets (they pay for it ...it's all negotiated when a buyer gets a supplier in), others may spend huge amounts on road shows and others yet may decide to completely dominate one or two annual events. If you look at the type and amount of rebates happening overseas at the moment it is very plain to see that pricing is part of the arsenal as much as quality of product and quality of service are. There is nothing under handed in any of this, it is all just marketing strategy. That should answer your question i hope.

Now for a gripe from my side.In my opinion, the OP has raised issues with the brand he uses in other threads, and others decided to carry that conversation here. Since it has spilled over i'm going to add my say.

I find it very disturbing to see how quickly and eagerly some members tell another user (not only Doug) of the same brand to simply switch if he doesn't like it. Sorry guys and girls but it is the same mentality as somebody telling me to leave the country if i complain about my tax money being wasted after I've bought a house and have all my family here (read investment).

As somebody that has paid his hard earned money for the equipment (read made an investment) i believe he is entitled to do so.

My guess is that by the time you're done reading this post half of you will be checking the exif info in my gallery to see which brand I use...just so you can tell me to shut up because I don't use 'your' brand. I'll save you the trouble, I shoot Nikon... Ironic isn't it. I don't use Canon so I'd better shut up, he does use Canon so he'd better shut up.

You're a bunch of hypocrites. I've lost count of how many times I was openly and not always kindly laughed at for my choice of brand. From the day I walked into a store to check out a camera and was told how piss poor Nikon was (by a sales guy wearing a Canon shirt) right through to being singled out and picked on in photography classes and workshops. I've even had bitingly negative comments on a picture on ODP - a picture of a guy with a Nikon neck strap. How bloody silly and childish is that?

The guys i respect the most are the likes of John D and Elsa H for switching, and Ian W and the like for not. They have very good, rational and objective reasons for making the choices they did and i can bet you that brand and user hype was not one of them.

There's another thread around here somewhere asking what people want for Christmas. I'd like to add to my original wish. I wish you'd all be more like Ian, Elsa and John.

Merry Christmas Everybody.

[Peter Veitch]

Have you ever thought that the quantity on display reflects what has not or cannot be sold? Perhaps your fears are unfounded as the shops sell Canon stock as quickly as they get it!!

[jaykay]

Looking at Orms in Cape Town, both Canon and Nikon have huge, but about equal and prominent shelf space. To a lesser extent, but still prominent, is Sony. They do not appear to stock Pentax.

The reality is that retailers will stock more of what sells and less of what does not. So if you want your local dealer to stock more of what you use, buy more!

[Witblits]

So then do we have to worry about "Coke"

No, but Coke is VERY worried about Pepsi - who have the exclusive rights to sell their product at all 2010 World Cup venues! Seen the latest ad from Coke? ALL about the World Cup without actually mentioning it.

Coke is a classic example that "it pays to advertise".

Anyway, back to the thread .................

[dylansalt]

Hi Doug,

The reason you see more space for a specific brand on a shelf is very simple. Each company has a marketing budget. How to spend it is decided by a company strategy that is executed by a marketing manager. Some marketing managers have a lot of decision making power some not. Some will spend on buying shelf space, advertising in retail leaflets (they pay for it ...it's all negotiated when a buyer gets a supplier in), others may spend huge amounts on road shows and others yet may decide to completely dominate one or two annual events. If you look at the type and amount of rebates happening overseas at the moment it is very plain to see that pricing is part of the arsenal as much as quality of product and quality of service are. There is nothing under handed in any of this, it is all just marketing strategy. That should answer your question i hope.

Now for a gripe from my side.In my opinion, the OP has raised issues with the brand he uses in other threads, and others decided to carry that conversation here. Since it has spilled over i'm going to add my say.

I find it very disturbing to see how quickly and eagerly some members tell another user (not only Doug) of the same brand to simply switch if he doesn't like it. Sorry guys and girls but it is the same mentality as somebody telling me to leave the country if i complain about my tax money being wasted after I've bought a house and have all my family here (read investment).

As somebody that has paid his hard earned money for the equipment (read made an investment) i believe he is entitled to do so.

My guess is that by the time you're done reading this post half of you will be checking the exif info in my gallery to see which brand I use...just so you can tell me to shut up because I don't use 'your' brand. I'll save you the trouble, I shoot Nikon... Ironic isn't it. I don't use Canon so I'd better shut up, he does use Canon so he'd better shut up.

You're a bunch of hypocrites. I've lost count of how many times I was openly and not always kindly laughed at for my choice of brand. From the day I walked into a store to check out a camera and was told how piss poor Nikon was (by a sales guy wearing a Canon shirt) right through to being singled out and picked on in photography classes and workshops. I've even had bitingly negative comments on a picture on ODP - a picture of a guy with a Nikon neck strap. How bloody silly and childish is that?

The guys i respect the most are the likes of John D and Elsa H for switching, and Ian W and the like for not. They have very good, rational and objective reasons for making the choices they did and i can bet you that brand and user hype was not one of them.

There's another thread around here somewhere asking what people want for Christmas. I'd like to add to my original wish. I wish you'd all be more like Ian, Elsa and John.

Merry Christmas Everybody.

Then I best slink into my corner with my Pentax K10D which apparently does not seem to rank anywhere as a photographic tool