Letter of the week: Save us from Street!

To: POP Editor
Subject:  Save us from the “street”!

Dear Editor:

I’ve been enjoying Popular Photography magazine for decades, but something is bugging me so much that I must write to complain: It’s the use, AD NAUSEUM, of the term “street” when giving the price of a product. I don’t know where this term originated, but it’s become an aggravating cliche. Besides, it’s not even necessary.

We all know that there are the manufacturer’s suggested retail price and the price a product is actually selling for. Sometimes those two prices are the same, but far more often they are not. Therefore, on the occasions that something can be found only for the MSRP, all you have to do is list MRSP after that price. In all other cases–the great majority of cases–you can just give the going price.

To see how clear and simple this can be, just go to Amazon.com (who sells more stuff than anyone). You’ll see the MSRP (when there is one), and then the going price afterward. THEY know that WE know what “price” actually means. And now, I hope, you do too.

Thanks,

Gerry Bishop
Charlottesville, VA