use credit card cashback and do not buy from B&H but from some shop that does not charge sales tax to see across the state border and you will end up even w/ less
Indeed! But I guess that particular case counts as one where we’re technically supposed to declare and pay the sales tax ourselves at a local level and not doing so is technically illegal. Whilst keeping things strictly legal I’m reckoning that the B&H Payboo route is probably as good as it gets, unless you use an alternative card that happens to give you casback that exceeds the amount of sales tax which is unlikely in most cases?
Edit: Of course we know that all this pay the sales tax, cash back stuff is being financed by those who do not pay off their credit and maintain balances at obscene interests rates. So in the end the money is always coming from somewhere else.
China Mainland sells for $27999 CNY which if you use google, it's about $4000 USD and they don't have any additional taxes. HOWEVER, China being one of the cheapest countries to buy camera gears, their sales channels normally have price increases due to different demands, many, many people paid a premium when ordering z9( from their authorised dealers)
I suspect HK will be even cheaper than Mainland
If you are travelling to Japan in the next few months, you might be able to get Z8 for approx. $3600 USD after duty free. however with new releases its hard to nail the timing.
Here in NZ it's not too far off, our price is $7999 NZD, approx $4950USD. when I said not far off, professionals can get 15% tax back from their business, so could people leaving the country for holiday etc. so realistically speaking one could buy it for $4300 USD.
The above are google exchange rates, realistically banks would charge more and given the price, even 1 o 2 % could mean few hundred
but in addition, out of pocket figures(all converted to USD) : I have just sold my z9 for $4750 and ordered/paid for the z8 for $3610, I sure will be buying an extra battery but that's about it. extra $1k I can spend it on a good trip or towards a lens.
I counter - get to a state w/o sales tax and use Amazon Prime 5% back card... 😍 ... but as a poster above indicated, wait a little and travel to pick up duty free ... it seems he used USD$3600 as a price paid
In the context of this conversation, I don’t see the point of “reducing” the end cost using every trick possible. Presumably, every market has it’s special deals and ways of working the system. The idea here, as I understand it, is to provide a look as to how the costs generally compare across various markets. Particularly for those of us who are just going to go to our local camera store to buy a camera — not cross-shop it thirty ways to Sunday. There’s always a deal. There’s always a scheme.
I cited Midwest Photo above. They are representative of US prices and consistent with the offerings from B&H, Adorama, and my local camera store. Midwest doesn’t charge sales tax on items shipped to me here. However, I’ve recently reconsidered my role as a consumer and member of a community. I now support local camera shops whenever possible. In general, the prices are consistent with the big names. The difference is the tax I (grudgingly but willingly) pay.
Import duties? Local salaries and benefits? The varying cost of doing business in any given location?
It’s naive to assume that Nikon can sell the same camera for the same price everywhere on the globe, or that a higher price automatically translates into gouging or more profit …even without considering fluctuating exchange rates.
Yes, good points. I was not accounting for states with no sales tax, Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. Presumably then if you live in a state with sales tax like I do (AZ ~7.8% in my local area), I would have to travel to Oregon or Montana, nearest states to me, to buy it (which in itself costs money unless I am combining it with a planned trip there) or have it sent to someone in those states that I know and trust and have them send it to me (which costs some amount of money too)… When it comes to the duty free model I guess only certain parts of the world would be favorable for this such as Japan and China mentioned above? Then what happens to your one year warranty and ability to get it repaired, keeping the discussion to Nikon USA here? So, lets say I want the camera as soon as possible (only hypothetical as I don’t 😊), what is the cheapest method for me to get it in my hands in AZ whilst keeping everything strictly legal, above board and maintaining my warranty and ability if needed have Nikon USA repair it in the future?
Yes, I like the “thirty ways to Sunday” point, and that is what I’m trying to get at too, the no schemes, no tricks legitimate price to buy. In other words, what is the lowest legal buying cost for the camera in the US, whilst maintaining your Nikon USA warranty, ability to send it to them and have it repaired at any point in the future. Ans: ~US $3997, and this is a representative US price to include in the OP’s spreadsheet.
By the way, a minor correction, SEK = Swedish kronor, not Norwegian kronor or “NOK”. The poster of the SEK price info was in Sweden. And, yes, the Swedes really do get shat on with prices and 25% sales tax (MOMS). I know I lived there for many years 😊.
Oh nope, duty free isn't only at pick up, you could buy duty free in store, on the street, but only selected stores, you don't even have to get GST refunded, you just pay the duty free price once. My wife will buy it from the store that's what I meant by pick up =D
After allowing for exchange rate differences and USA prices not including sales tax the USA price should be similar in $.
At $3999.95 the USA pice is similar.
Buying as a kit with the 24-120 saves about 20% on buying them separately.
Calling a difference of 5% being ripped off seems to me a little bit exaggerated.
Besides this, comparing the prices only based on the exchange rate shows only part of the picture. To get a valid price comparison additional to the exchange rate the national general price level has to be considered.
Another point is that the prices should be converted from local currency to Yen for comparison because Nikon is a Japanese company. And even then the prices (without sales tax) in different country must differ because the sales price must include the locale cost in the sale country:
locale price = global price + shipping + locale costs