Jessops coming to Grafton St

FinoBlad

Photographic Retailer - Jessops to open string of shops here
by Jack Fagan Irish Times 1st Sept 2004
email proprety@irishtimes.ie

The photographic retailing market is about to get a major shake up with the decision by the giant UK multiple trader, Jessops to open a string of shops here after the launch of a flagship outlet in Dublin's Grafton Street.

Sources close to the company suggest that the next stores will probably be opened in Dublin's main shopping centres and that eventually up to 40 outlets will be rolled out in other major towns and citities.

Jessops has been at the forefront of the digital camera boom in the Uk and Europe where it has 250 retail outlets. It's first Irish shop will open near the bottom of Grafton Street where it has leased a building occupied by Malborough Recruitment until the latter collapsed in February 2002.

Jessops will be paying a rent of EUR265,000 p.a. for No 111 Grafton Street equating to zone A rate of EUR4,553 per sq metre.

The Clarendon Group which bought the building from Allianz after the Marlborough debacle is currently enlarging the ground floor to provide a floor area of 100 sq metres.

There will also be storage space in the basement and ancillary accommodation on 4 overhead levels bringing the overall space up to 371 sq metres. Once the city planners cleared the way for the ground floor to be revamped, there was a high level of interest from Irish and overseas traders including a pharmacy, mobile phone company and specialist food operators according to the joint letting agents, CB Richard Ellis, Gunne & Hamilton Osborne King.

Fergus Keane of HOK says it was particularly satisfying to have secured Jessops as a tenant and he has no doubt that it would make quite an impact on the street. IF the company's reputation in the UK is anything to go by, it will make the most of the digital camera boom in Ireland. Although Jessops has been in business since 1935, it has only pursued an aggressive expansion strategy in recent years to become one of the major players.

It already has a large following in Ireland through its website.

In 2002, Jessops attempted to float on the stockmarket with a valuation of STG100MM.

Despite having a profitable website and a thriving over-the-counter business, the company was forced to pull it's offering at the last minute.

Stock market was already plummetting largely because of the dot.com brigade.

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What d'yall think?

alleepally

Basically it continues the trend of every major shopping area in Dublin becoming a clone of the British High Street so not a major surprise but a surprise it took them so long.

It will be interesting to see if this British company rips off Irish consumers vis a vis the Euro prices V sterling ala Argos, Boots et al.

Is there enough tatla's in the above?

DotOrg

In the UK they hire staff who know about photography so hopefully they'll do the same here and cater to pros, semi-pros, amateurs and all the point and shooters. It's hardly a bad thing as regards competition as it's very hard for any independant retailer to compete pricewise with the likes of argos/dixons etc...

davej

I know jessops aren't the greatest but hopefully it will give the other shops (the likes of the camera centre on grafton st.) a kick up the ass....

davej

FinoBlad

I'd be just worried for the likes of Gunns on Wexford St. I hope they are unaffected.

Sleipnir

They're here for the money (obviously)
Their prices here will be much higher than they are in the U.K. because people over here will pay it.
I think Gunn's and the like who actually provide good value for money and service will be okay because those in the-know will generally stay away from Grafton st where there is a greater chance of being ripped off.

Burago

Hopefully they will offer better value than the rest of the photo shops in Dublin but they may just toe the line with the prices we already face.

I'd love to know how much money leaves Ireland as a result of the many UK retailers here.

FinoBlad

I reckon they will price just under the competition and not similar to their UK price but with irish vat, we'll see.

CuLT

Rumour has it that they may be buying Spectra...

FinoBlad

CuLT wrote:

Rumour has it that they may be buying Spectra...

i heard this too, any idea where the rumour came from?

eth0_

Burago wrote:

Hopefully they will offer better value than the rest of the photo shops in Dublin but they may just toe the line with the prices we already face.

I'd love to know how much money leaves Ireland as a result of the many UK retailers here.

What!!! Jessops are *very* over-priced! I saved about 150 euro just by buying from Dixons in Dublin rather than getting my camera from Jessops in Newry, and the exchange rate wasn't too bad at the time.

Having said that, their staff are usually very knowledgeable, although I wonder will that continue in the Dublin branch.

SOL

Rumours come rumours go but there was this strange guy surveying in work the other day, we were told "its an annual thing" (Shop is only open as spectra since a few months ago) I will reserve comment, you are allowed do otherwise

FinoBlad

I think Jessops do a nice staff discount, nice range of products to be getting discount on.

raphaelS

I hope they will do what they are doing in UK and NI: you can browse the second hand items (huuuge list) online and ask the shop where the item you want is to transfter it to any other branch in UK or NI.
I've done that for my D30 a while ago and ask the transfer from somewhere in Scotland to Belfast. After one week I was checking the Camera in Belfast... the good thing is that you are buying it only after a visual check, test,...
I do really hope they will do that here...!

Raphael

raphaelS

raphaelS wrote:

I hope they will do what they are doing in UK and NI: you can browse the second hand items (huuuge list) online and ask the shop where the item you want is to transfter it to any other branch in UK or NI.
I've done that for my D30 a while ago and ask the transfer from somewhere in Scotland to Belfast. After one week I was checking the Camera in Belfast... the good thing is that you are buying it only after a visual check, test,...
I do really hope they will do that here...!

Raphael

From the web site (http://www.jessops.com/used/):

How do I order the item I want?
Simply contact the branch who have the item in stock.
They will confirm the condition and selling price. You can then choose to either:

* Visit them to collect the item
* Have it delivered to your home (at extra cost)
* Or have it transferred to a nearer branch (free of charge)


And because the price is given by the 1st shop, hopefuly no rip-off exchange rates!

Raphael

miss~lola

jessops is totally over priced, isnt it....??

raphaelS

miss~lola wrote:

jessops is totally over priced, isnt it....??

Compare to what...?
Let's take few examples (different prices, different brands):

Jessops
Manfrotto 102 CARRYING STRAP £19.95 -> €29,36
Flash Canon SPEEDLITE 550EX £249.90 -> €367,88
Nikon D100 £999.90 -> €1.471,97

Conns
Manfrotto 102 CARRYING STRAP €38.08
Flash Canon SPEEDLITE 550EX €449.99
Nikon D100 €1,950.00

NewYork Camera
Manfrotto 102 CARRYING STRAP €24,90
Flash Canon SPEEDLITE 550EX €397,90
Nikon D100 €1.434,00

B&H
Manfrotto 102 CARRYING STRAP $34.95 -> €28.51
Flash Canon SPEEDLITE 550EX $319.95 -> €261,00
Nikon D100 $ 1,499.95 -> €1.223,60

You decide... shipping and hassles to pay NewYork and B&H, or walk in a shop.

Raphael

SOL

well it wont be overpriced till it gets the others out of the dublin market, so until then...

paulj13

raphaelS your equation assumes that Jessops will charge the same as its UK stores allowing for the currency conversions. From stores like Dixons, Currys and even Argos we know that price is based somewhat on local value for products and not Uk prices. I'd feel that they'll under cut a lot of the rip off stores here but would not be much cheaper. Their market in the less informed purchaser in most cases.

HOWEVER, jessops is known in the UK for offering a price promise. If you can show them the price of a product cheaper elsewhere they will match it. In the UK and Northern Ireland this includes Web stores. If this includes Cam-ireland or NT-camera (a on shop I would never use again I might aid terrible service and customer care) then we're in for good high street action.

raphaelS

paulj13 wrote:

raphaelS your equation assumes that Jessops will charge the same as its UK stores allowing for the currency conversions. From stores like Dixons, Currys and even Argos we know that price is based somewhat on local value for products and not Uk prices. I'd feel that they'll under cut a lot of the rip off stores here but would not be much cheaper. Their market in the less informed purchaser in most cases.

HOWEVER, jessops is known in the UK for offering a price promise. If you can show them the price of a product cheaper elsewhere they will match it. In the UK and Northern Ireland this includes Web stores. If this includes Cam-ireland or NT-camera (a on shop I would never use again I might aid terrible service and customer care) then we're in for good high street action.

We will see when it is opened but believe me I will go with a printout of their web site and ask why are they overcharging, if they do!

They already have a free delivery to Ireland (and UK) when your order is more than 50 pounds which make me believe that they might be consistent with their UK prices...!

Raphael

SOL

you know alot of there prices differ even at different places in the UK although mostly on services like printing that aren't so easily web ordered

raphaelS

Will be opened the 29 October:
http://www.ephotozine.com/news/fullnews.cfm?NewsID=1798

FX Meister

Does anyone have a phone number for Jessops, they ain't in the phone directory yet and their catalogue only has UK prices. I'm trying to get some prices for a few bits and pieces and don't want the hassle of going in to them.

FX Meister

rang the UK to get it. In case anyone else needs it the number is 6796077

SOL

would 11811 not have been a smarter ring?

FX Meister

Not really, seeing as they are not in the phone directory yet as I had mentioned in the post above my last one.

FinoBlad

its on their website

Dublin

Address: 111 Grafton Street
IRL - Dublin D2
Tel: 00 353 16796077
Fax: 00 353 16796180
Opening Hours:
Mon:8.30-6.00
Tue:8.30-6.00
Wed:9.30-6.00
Thur:8.30-8.00
Fri:8.30-6.00
Sat:9.00-6.00
Sun:12.00-5.00

Manager: Andy Kerr
Store ID: 426

rob1891

has anyone been in there and looked at the prices? Is it an alternative to buying cameras on the web?

sliabh

rob1891 wrote:

has anyone been in there and looked at the prices? Is it an alternative to buying cameras on the web?

I had a quick look as I am pricing digital compacts for my brother.

The Canon Powershot A75 is €285 in Jessops.
Spectra next door had just reduced the price of the same model from €350 to €299, so I guess Jessops are already having an effect.

But Amazon have the same camera for Stg£141.70, or €202.

So I guess it still pays to shop online.

I did buy a 52mm polarizer in there though. It was about €5-10 cheaper than the others I had priced that day.

FX Meister

You're probably better off buying from Jessops in the U.K., it works out cheaper and they have free shipping anyway.