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RSPB discontinue Zeiss, Leica and Swarovski Bins from website (1 Viewer)

S

Sollas

Well-known member
It appears that the RSPB have discontinued offering all top binocular brands from their website this week. Gone are Zeiss, Leica and Swarovski.

The explanation (fluffy) appears to be they have had issues with fraud (whatever that means) and they can only be bought through the branch shops.
Given the local branches only carry limited stock I doubt this very much.

They are however still offering RSPB and Viking brands so that doesn't quite tally with the explanation.

Sounds like a major fallout with their supplier.

If anyone could shed more light on this I would be most interested.
 
Sollas said:
It appears that the RSPB have discontinued offering all top binocular brands from their website this week. Gone are Zeiss, Leica and Swarovski.

The explanation (fluffy) appears to be they have had issues with fraud (whatever that means) and they can only be bought through the branch shops.
Given the local branches only carry limited stock I doubt this very much.

They are however still offering RSPB and Viking brands so that doesn't quite tally with the explanation.

Sounds like a major fallout with their supplier.

If anyone could shed more light on this I would be most interested.
Click to expand...
That's very disappointing to hear as I bought my Zeiss 8x42 HT Binoculars approx 3-4 years ago from the RSPB online shop. It seems very strange there reasons why the RSPB are not selling them now, as the RSPB started selling the top brands because of demands from there customers.
Ian.
 
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At a time where the majority of retailers are trying to capture the online customer and expose themselves nationally it is quite a surprise that they have taken this backward step.

A very political organisation for sure and possibly commercially naive in many ways. It took them long enough to realise that the birding clientele might actually want to buy quality optics.
 
Sollas said:
At a time where the majority of retailers are trying to capture the online customer and expose themselves nationally it is quite a surprise that they have taken this backward step.

A very political organisation for sure and possibly commercially naive in many ways. It took them long enough to realise that the birding clientele might actually want to buy quality optics.
Click to expand...
Yes as I mentioned the reason the RSPB started selling the top brands was because of demand from there customers. I would love to know the real reason why the RSPB have stopped selling the top brands of binoculars.
Ian.
 
Sollas said:
At a time where the majority of retailers are trying to capture the online customer and expose themselves nationally it is quite a surprise that they have taken this backward step.

A very political organisation for sure and possibly commercially naive in many ways. It took them long enough to realise that the birding clientele might actually want to buy quality optics.
Click to expand...

Not sure of the economics, but some charities here in the US have linked into Amazon.
They still get some percentage of the proceeds but they don't have to bother with the merchandise purchasing/fulfillment aspects.
 
I've brought this up on the RSPB Community Forums and a member of the that forum says that he or she will try and get some information about this subject.
Ian.
 
All 3 manufacturers referred to offer hunting optics. As in rifle scopes and range finding binos. Could this be a very public statement of their distain and desire to distance the Society from such association?

Just a thought

K
 
LGM

You must know that what you've just said is absolute nonsense. Birding and wildlife optics are a popular and increasing market in this country. The hunting gentry market are niche in comparison.

Supply and profit are more likely to be the issues.

Plus if you think about it we're all hunters...... even though yours might be in a supermarket.
 
I've just been reading through the RSPB Community Forums. And apparently the tops brands of Binoculars are still on sale at RSPB shops on the RSPB reserves, but not on sale on the RSPB Online Shop. Why that's happened, I don't know, as no reason given.
Ian.
 
Sollas said:
LGM

You must know that what you've just said is absolute nonsense. Birding and wildlife optics are a popular and increasing market in this country. The hunting gentry market are niche in comparison.

Supply and profit are more likely to be the issues.

Plus if you think about it we're all hunters...... even though yours might be in a supermarket.
Click to expand...

I may have incorrectly phrased my suggestion.

What I was trying to say is the RSPB may have been seeking to distance themselves from Orgaisations trading in products designed to assist the hunter. It's certainly the kind of thing that could be tabled at an AGM by a less tolerant/enlightened element of such an Organisation's membership.

But as you say I'm almost certainly wrong.

LGM
 
I wonder what proportion of "alpha" binoculars sold by the RSPB are to online customers. The advice on these forums is "try before you buy". I accept a minority of people in the UK may not be able to easily access a suitable retailer and even some of the so called top specialist retailers do not stock all the top brands.
On a personal note I have bought my Nickel Supra mail order from Opticron in 1975 and my Swarovski 30x75 drawtube from Ace Optics both models not readily available in optical retailers. My Nikon Fieldscope I bought at the Birdfair in 1991 and my most recent purchase a Swarovski ATS 65 was from RSPB Titchwell in May.
Most of my binoculars were bought in store CZJ 10x50 Dekarems, Zeiss 10x40 Dialyt, 7x42 Dialyt and most recently (June) Zeiss 10x42 SF. My Swarovski 8x25 and 8x32 were purchased online, the later from Photospecialist (pre Brexit referendum) and saved me almost £200. All the optics I bought on line I had tried at various birdfairs and demonstrations so I knew what I was buying, variations in manufacturing quality not withstanding.
Many popular bird reserves in the UK now stock optics or hold optical demonstrations.
 
JabaliHunter said:
|^| Is the birding gentry market also niche?
Click to expand...

Good point!

I'm also minded to observe the interesting use of the words "hunting gentry" displays a very unhelpful prejudice that may sit well with Nicola Sturgeon and her take on 21st Century Highland clearances but not this Birdforum member.

This statement may suggest I don't always approach the Waitrose checkout with my meat supper but rather take a more challenging approach to filling the fridge/freezer and you would be 100% correct!

LGM
 
Patudo said:
Probably too many folks "trying" at RSPB stores and "buying" the cheapest deals they could find online.
Click to expand...

IAN JAMES THOMPSON said:
Well I did that and I'm very disappointed the RSPB have taken well known top class Binocular Brands offline at the RSPB Shop Website.
Ian.
Click to expand...

And why are you disappointed? You should be cheering, another thing for you to slag the organisation off, seems your obsession.

But more to the point, really why are you disappointed? Here you say that you try the optics out at an RSPB store then go elsewhere to buy at the cheapest you can find online. So if you are buying the cheapest deal you can find online, why do you care if the RSPB stocks them on their website?
 
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Jos Stratford said:
And why are you disappointed? You should be cheering, another thing for you to slag the organisation off, seems your obsession.

But more to the point, really why are you disappointed? Here you say that you try the optics out at an RSPB store then go elsewhere to buy at the cheapest you can find online. So if you are buying the cheapest deal you can find online, why do you care if the RSPB stocks them on their website?
Click to expand...
Why do you always have to say I'm slagging the RSPB off. That's not very friendly and I've donated to the RSPB regularly with there appeals. But if the RSPB need criticising, I will certainly do that if I feel it's warranted.
Ian.
 
IAN JAMES THOMPSON said:
Why do you always have to say I'm slagging the RSPB off. That's not very friendly and I've donated to the RSPB regularly with there appeals. But if the RSPB need criticising, I will certainly do that if I feel it's warranted.
Ian.
Click to expand...

It needs criticising for withdrawing the sale of certain binoculars? The binoculars that you yourself admit that you use the RSPB stores for trying, then go online elsewhere to find the cheapest deal? That's very charitable of you.

Maybe you misunderstood the post you responded to earlier, but you are saying you don't buy from the RSPB website, but you are disappointed they stopped selling them there? Weird, if you don't buy there, why do you care if they have stopped selling them there?
 
Jos Stratford said:
It needs criticising for withdrawing the sale of certain binoculars? The binoculars that you yourself admit that you use the RSPB stores for trying, then go online elsewhere to find the cheapest deal? That's very charitable of you.

Maybe you misunderstood the post you responded to earlier, but you are saying you don't buy from the RSPB website, but you are disappointed they stopped selling them there? Weird, if you don't buy there, why do you care if they have stopped selling them there?
Click to expand...
I always check where the items are sold the cheapest and I always will whether it's a charity or not. And yes another criticism from me of the RSPB Shop the items sold in the RSPB Shop are to expensive and you can usually buy the items cheaper elsewhere of which I do. So no doubt you'll say something again about me slagging the RSPB off and also not being very charitable!!
Ian.
 
IJT, I think you're confused. Of course we try before we buy......then we go online and get the cheapest deal. If the RDPB Cant see that then they get what they deserve.

As for donating regularly with their appeals...... get real. The RSPB are one of the richest and most powerful charities in the country. Save your cash.....for binoculars maybe!!
 
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