Nikon Price Bump?

I'm just passing this along—I know nothing. Rumor has it that Nikon has a price increase going into effect tomorrow. Or could it be just the end of the current series of rebates? I don't know. Yes, I know this could be viewed as being self-serving. I'm just sayin'.

Mike

Featured Comment by Thom Hogan:

The instant rebates officially expired today, so the D700 goes back to US$2999 MAP instead of the US$2699 that was being advertised. There were smaller instant rebates on consumer SLRs and Coolpix models that are also expired now. As of Feb 1, Nikon has no plan in place for any incentives for the month (and it usually takes a month advance notice for these to trickle into the system, so I'd say it's safe that there will be no rebates for the next few weeks).

Meanwhile, the new lens policies have gone into place. ALL lenses now have MAPs (minimum advertised prices). Most non-consumer kit lenses have had their prices raised, and from old street to new MAP that number can be as much as 20%.

Bottom line in the US:

DSLRS: no price increase, but instant rebates cancelled.

LENSES: price increases on all but kit lenses, ranging from a few percent to nearly 20%.

KIT LENSES: no price increases.

It'll be interesting to see how long this holds. NikonUSA seems to think that it'll hold through spring. Nikon is in danger of having a very bad 4th quarter without some return to discounts, but they had a pretty decent 3rd quarter (Oct-Dec) so perhaps they're not particularly worried about year numbers now.

However, I don't think the prices will hold. I'll predict that we'll see a return of discounts come April or May.

ADDENDUM by Thom, Feb. 02, 2009:

And no sooner do I write something...

On Sunday afternoon, Nikon sent word to dealers that the existing rebates on the D40, D60, D300, and D700 would be officially extended through March 28th.

Comments

[Joe]

Word is that the "$300 Instant Rebate" goes away. One clue that this is true: some spots like J&R are marking the D700 "out of stock," a sign that they're actually in stock, but are in the midst of rejiggering the price...

[Mick Brooks]

Nikon and Canon have bumped our prices here in the UK. Canon twice in the past two months. There goes my new 5D Mk II..
Sigma are putting up their UK prices by 40% according to the latest news.

[Richard de Lhorbe]

Nikon prices have already jumped in Canada this past week .... looks like at least 10 percent on a wide variety of items.

[Bryce Lee]

Yes...the Nikon D700 Body in Canada was listed at C$2999.00.
Now the price is C$3399.00, an increase
$400.00!

Back to film full frame I guess.

[Stuart]

It wouldn't surprise me... Canon prices have jumped 30-40% in the UK in the last week or so. The Canon 1DsIII has gone from around £4300 to £5300, and all "L" lenses are massively increased. It's not great news, but certainly a time to reflect on the gear you currently own!

[chip w]

What the world really needs right now is a 10k D3x. Along with a 6.5k M8.2; so, maybe what these guys need is a real deep depression?
Prices have gone from insane to obscene... it's like taking in a corporate seppuku, or watching lemmings race for the cliffs.
My take on it? Buy now, while they're still in business and warranties are being honored... In Bus 101 they made nice generalizations about not raising prices in a long period of contraction, but I guess that chapter got lost in translation???

[Ricardo]

Lookin' to fund a new frivolous poster in your office?

[Kent]

That's the word on the street. Seems to be pretty reliable info.

I think you'd better run out and buy that D700 and AF-S 24-70 f/2.8 zoom today!

Use up another teeny fraction of that bonus.

:-)

[Rick Wilcox]

Has anyone checked the currency exchange rates for anything against the Japanese Yen? I think it is normal as the Yen strengthens against other currencies.

[Jeff Greer]

Just checked B&H's site on two Nikon lenses that I knew the price of in the last month.

The 17-35 2.8 went from 1449.00 to 1499.95 and the 105 VR 2.8 macro went from 734.95 to 759.95.

[David H]

Meanwhile, in Japan, the price of the Nikon D300 body that I purchased from Amazon Japan at ¥208,000 about 1 year ago is now going for ¥152,740. I was hoping for an increase here (Japan) too so that I would not feel like such a sucker.

[David H]

To add to my post above: It is already February 1 in Japan

[Zane Davis]

Nikon and Canon both are increasing their prices 10-20% (depending on the item), as are plenty of other Japanese vendors, because of the devaluation of the yen compared to the dollar over the past six months.

Here's a handy chart from a currency exchange site: http://www.x-rates.com/d/JPY/USD/graph120.html

Phase was very, very close to doing the same thing in the spring because of how weak the Euro was to the dollar, but it has since picked back up.

It sucks, but, I mean, what can they do? For every dollar they have collected in America they are making almost 30% less profit in Japan, which has to just obliterate your profit margins.

(Bear in mind this is my best guess based on rumors I have heard through the industry and well, you know, looking at the exchange rate.)

[erlik]

Canon prices have already increased over here. Sigma supposedly goes up tomorrow. Olympus seems to have gone up. So no wonder about Nikon...

[Remek]

interesting. to give a bit more global flavor to this bit of information, I'd managed to reserve my d700 on the very last day (hah!) before the prices have been increased by ~20% in a major Polish electronics chain. but... i've been waiting for the actual delivery since then, as they're out of stock.

One has to wonder--in the times of recession the supply should actually be higher than demand, common sense is telling. no d700 for a full month will naturally affect yearly results of Nikon Poland, but it's not weak demand that's causing it, by no means...

[dale moreau]

As of 8AM this morning (Feb1 East coast USA)
B&H has dropped the $300.00 rebate from its listing but the price $2,329.00 remains the same as before.
(whew! I decided to hold off my D700 purchase for a month while I cleared up fall expenses)
dale

[Tony Collins]

I suspect that a lot of people will look at their old pictures and realise that they never needed a new camera anyway.

[KeithB]

Bob Atkins has some thoughts on Canon prices here:
http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/Canon_prices_2009.html

[SH]

Updating Jeff Greer above, the 105 VR macro is now $894 at B&H. Almost a 122% increase...crazy