Steve'sDigicams

Alisande · Nov 12, 2005, 7:39 AM

I just bought myself a Panasonic FZ5 and want to get one for my son for Christmas. I was thinking I might get a bargain if I wait a few weeks...I'm envisioning dealers in competition for holiday shoppers. Plus I'm assuming the warranty starts when I buy the camera, not when I put it in my son's hands. But someone suggested that the prices might go up around the holidays, rather than down, and there's also the issue of depleted stock to consider. So now I'm thinking I should buy now. Advice, please! Thank you.

Alisande

tclune · Nov 12, 2005, 9:39 AM

If there's going to be another price drop, it woiuld be in January after Christmas. But the FZ-5 has been out long enough to be pretty widely discounted now, so I doubt that you'll find much of an additional price break. That usually happens with cameras that have been released as new in time for the Christmas season (first shippingin Oct or Nov typically). Those cameras can see a price drop that is genuinely worth the wait for those of us not made of money.

dashboardgyno · Nov 12, 2005, 9:46 AM

I manage a big box store in Canada, and you typically don't see sales or discounted prices at Christmas, on anything, as they know the people will buy anyhow, regardless of price. Customers don't have time to shop around etc comparing prices. It is all about having something "hot" in stock. Boxing day is a day you will see the huge deals, and obviously in January and Feburary as we try to clear out all of our left over stock, or clearance pieces. Just an FYI

Alisande · Nov 12, 2005, 10:14 AM

Thanks, guys! Good to know. I'll get busy...

atlantagreg · Nov 13, 2005, 11:35 PM

I think it depends on the area. Where I'm at (Atlanta) prices do not typically go down on high sales items before Christmas. The stores get rather greedy. If anything you MIGHT see a few "deals" where they will include a memory card at no charge if you buy the camera or something like that.

The only time you might see a good sale here, is right after Christmas during the week before New Years. Some store chain manager's bonuses depend on their store sales for the year. They'll do what they can to clear out old stock before Jan. 1 to "up" the sales numbers for the year (bigger bonus checks). Also people who return items from Christmas for swapping increase, and the stores will have more "open box" items at a discount, during the period after Christmas. My experience around here is that Circuit City is better at checking the returns than Best Buy is. In Atlanta anyway, the Best Buy stores are fairly well known for sticking defective returns back on the shelves without even asking the customer why they're being returned in the first place. (yuck).

But hey, it's Christmas. Don't make the kid wait until AFTER the day just to save a few dollars.

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Nov 12, 2005, 7:39 AM	#1
Alisande Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 37	I just bought myself a Panasonic FZ5 and want to get one for my son for Christmas. I was thinking I might get a bargain if I wait a few weeks...I'm envisioning dealers in competition for holiday shoppers. Plus I'm assuming the warranty starts when I buy the camera, not when I put it in my son's hands. But someone suggested that the prices might go up around the holidays, rather than down, and there's also the issue of depleted stock to consider. So now I'm thinking I should buy now. Advice, please! Thank you. Alisande

Nov 12, 2005, 9:39 AM	#2
tclune Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,093	If there's going to be another price drop, it woiuld be in January after Christmas. But the FZ-5 has been out long enough to be pretty widely discounted now, so I doubt that you'll find much of an additional price break. That usually happens with cameras that have been released as new in time for the Christmas season (first shippingin Oct or Nov typically). Those cameras can see a price drop that is genuinely worth the wait for those of us not made of money.

Nov 12, 2005, 9:46 AM	#3
dashboardgyno Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 157	I manage a big box store in Canada, and you typically don't see sales or discounted prices at Christmas, on anything, as they know the people will buy anyhow, regardless of price. Customers don't have time to shop around etc comparing prices. It is all about having something "hot" in stock. Boxing day is a day you will see the huge deals, and obviously in January and Feburary as we try to clear out all of our left over stock, or clearance pieces. Just an FYI

Nov 12, 2005, 10:14 AM	#4
Alisande Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 37	Thanks, guys! Good to know. I'll get busy...

Nov 13, 2005, 11:35 PM	#5
atlantagreg Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 243	I think it depends on the area. Where I'm at (Atlanta) prices do not typically go down on high sales items before Christmas. The stores get rather greedy. If anything you MIGHT see a few "deals" where they will include a memory card at no charge if you buy the camera or something like that. The only time you might see a good sale here, is right after Christmas during the week before New Years. Some store chain manager's bonuses depend on their store sales for the year. They'll do what they can to clear out old stock before Jan. 1 to "up" the sales numbers for the year (bigger bonus checks). Also people who return items from Christmas for swapping increase, and the stores will have more "open box" items at a discount, during the period after Christmas. My experience around here is that Circuit City is better at checking the returns than Best Buy is. In Atlanta anyway, the Best Buy stores are fairly well known for sticking defective returns back on the shelves without even asking the customer why they're being returned in the first place. (yuck). But hey, it's Christmas. Don't make the kid wait until AFTER the day just to save a few dollars.