Micro 4/3 m4/3 prices on the rise ... urghh

Armanius

Bring Jack back!
Location
Houston, Texas
Name
Jack
A week or two ago, prices at B&H:

Oly 14-150 $489
Oly 9-18 $579
Pany 20 $349
Pany 14 $349
Pany 14-140 $749
Pan 45-200 $269

Tonight:

Oly 14-150 $519, including an advertised $80 instant off
Oly 9-18 $599, including an advertised $100 instant off
Pany 20 $379
Pany 14 $379
Pany 14-140 $769
Pany 45-200 $299

Adorama prices are all over the map too, but generally higher. I have my speculation as to why prices are increasing, but I'll refrain from commenting.
 
About a month ago I ordered a GH2 on the Panasonic EPP site (through facebook). Yesterday they announced that they will be shipping all "legitimate" orders by the end of this week.

(Why did I post in this thread?)

I was trying to figure out why I ordered it at $675, and it's now listed at $765 (body only). I finally figured it out: the EPP price is 15% of list, and the list price went up by about $100 in the interim. I hope (a) they deem my order legitimate, and (b) they honor the original price.
 
About 4 months ago I had an interesting chat with the importer of major 3-rd party lens brands into Australia. I was advised that prices are negotiated annually and generally set once a year and price changes are normally done around March-April. There are of course exceptions, e.g. where there a manufacturer cuts (or rises prices) due to a new competitior or some other industry change. Well the short story is that back in early December, he advised that there would be price rises in the US and countries that negotiate prices in USD due to the fall of the USD relative to most other currencies.

What you are seeing now is this playing out into the market.

There may also be a bit of price gouging due to shortages (or perceived shortages) out of Japan but much of the stuff we buy these days hasn't got much to do with Japan.
 
Strangely, someone reported that Amazon prices on the 20/1.7 changed at least 2 yesterday! I ordered one for $340 in the morning. By the afternoon it was in the $360's. And reportedly it was in the $360's before it went down to $340. And a few days ago, it was in the $320's. Weird.
 
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