Jason Greene wrote:There seems to be a common issue among the recent complaints in this thread. Things are stated as facts when none of us really have any information. For example, B&H is singled out as getting more than its fair share of cameras. If those making this claim can produce the same hard numbers to back up their claims that they demand of BMD, then I'll accept their statements as fact. Otherwise, these claims fall into the category of speculation.
How does anyone here know that B&H has gotten anything more than its pro-rata allocation of orders? Suppose that two retailers sent orders to BMD at the same time. Retailer A ordered 20 units and Retailer B ordered 10 units. If three units are produced, what is the fair allocation? Seems pretty simple to me: A gets twice as many units as B. This has nothing to do with when customers of A and B ordered their units. There is really no feasible way for BMD (or any other company) to monitor or enforce time priority of end-customer orders in the distributor model. Anyone who thinks end-customer time priority should be enforced probably would compain at the grocery that they see someone in another checkout lane getting done faster.
I also take issue with the observations that folks are posting about B&H. The recent posts seem to imply that B&H is shipping tons of cameras compared to their number of orders. I just don't see the evidence of this. Yes, quite a few B&H customers appear to have received orders compared to other retailers. But, this was true in the early days of shipping of other in-demand models, such as the Canon 5D Mark III. B&H is a large player. Same applies to the U.S. receiving more cameras than other individual countries. Perhaps I've missed it, but it is not as if people who ordered in June from B&H are receiving their cameras. The latest B&H pre-order date that I've seen that has received a shipping notice is an order from the first week of May. Some who ordered from smaller retailers (e.g., a small retailer in Kentucky) as late as October has received their camera. Even as someone who ordered earlier (but still quite late in the game) from B&H, I wouldn't cry foul on BMD for this. The line was simply shorter at that smaller retailer. I seem to recall someone outside the U.S. receiving their camera from a June pre-order. So what? Again, the line was obviously shorter there.
Frankly, cries of "unfair!" here sounds a little childish. This is a situation in which expectations are absolute fairness are very much misplaced. But, I understand the frustration, too.
In the end, the thing that seems most clear to me is that mass production means one thing to BMD and quite another to me. But, I'll hold myself to the same standard as indicated above. I don't have any hard numbers. That's why I'm being clear that these are impressions based on this and other forums. It just doesn't seem like many people (regardless of where they live or from whom they ordered) are receiving cameras. Would I like an update from BMD? Sure, why not? But, what do we really expect to learn that will change anything? They seem to be shipping some cameras.
As soon as there is something better than the BMCC for my situation, I'll cancel my preorder. Until then, I'll wait.
I have only asked BMD for a clarification on how they are supposed to be distributed. This is me trying to obtain hard data.
I know the hard data as of last week regarding how many units have arrived at my reseller. Based on people knowing their position in line and reporting if they have received their cameras yet.
I know that I have counted
at least 25 individual people who have received theirs from B&H so this is hard data to suggest that B&H are at least receiving multiples of units more than another major reseller.
I would not be surprised if the number of units ordered or when each reseller ordered is the cause of this difference. But like you, I also want hard data and not speculation.