Have Leica gone mad or just lost the plot?

[terry_rory]

Lousy freakin HTML please can someone tell me why </i> in html mode will not do the job?

[terry_rory]

</i> one more try

[fotografz]

Zeiss just dissolved their sales relationship with Hasselblad for the Ikon and lenses, and the

new ZF Nikon mount lenses will also be sold direct via the Zeiss web site.

 

Or so it seems ... if you go to their site all the ordering info is there already.

[icuneko]

Two words cover it: Marketing and profit(s).

[george_b1]

Leica versus Apple: Apple only has 5-8% of the overall personal computer market; however, the iMac and other Macs are superior products with excellent operating systems and (so far) zero viruses or malware.

 

IMO, the "Leica Store" concept breaks down based on numbers, and not on the intrinsic quality of the product. Apple sold millions of iMacs and iBooks last year and millions of their OS X operating system DVDs. Hundreds of developers provide third party applications that are sold in the Apple Stores and on the Internet.

 

 

Also, the iPod and iBook lured thosands of customers into the local Apple Stores, and it was difficult to determine whether the iPod or the iMac or the iBook constituted the initial lure. In any event, the Apple Stores have proven to be large volume outlets for Apple products - - so much so that the old-line resellers are presently in rebellion.

 

Go into an Apple Store and you have to wait for a sales clerk, but you can walk out with your purchase and not wait three wseeks for delivery. Reason? Extensive inventory in each and every store.

 

Apple products sell in the millions, Leicas and Leica lenses sell in the hundreds and thousands. Economy of scale works against the Leica Store concept. I just cannot imagine a Leica Store where there are so many customers in line that I would have to wait fifteen minutes to plank down $2700 for a new 75mm Summicron ASPH - - but then be able to walk out with one in my pocket.

 

George (The Old Mac and Leica Fud)

[nels]

The Leica store concept may work, if they started putting out "Buy One, Get One Free" type coupons in the local newspaper that someone can clip and take to the store.

[film rules]

I nominate Peter to be the next Leica CEO. I hope Leica is listening. Peter, when you become CEO of Leica, please make your first act is to issue a chrome 28 M lens to go with my chrome 0.58 MP. Thanks.

[steve_ries]

It is very expensive to run a traditional "brick and mortar" store especially with experienced/skilled sales help. Leica is going to have to sell a heck of a lot of cameras on a daily basis to make this work. Keep in mind all the dealers who were dropped will not be happy and I am sure a lot of "bad mouthing" will occur.

 

As mentioned above, Leica is an engineering company, not a marketing company. I think Leica should associate itself with retailers with a strong internet presence. With the right peoiple running it Leica could most likely even run their own Internet operation for better margins but even that has its costs and I doubt when the math is all done the margins would be that much better. "Stick to your knitting" as the old saying does. Leica builds a great camera but selling requires a different skill set.

 

"Long Live Leica"

[jerry_lehrer]

Avril,-- Well, Porsche does it, Ferrari does it, Bentley does it, why

not Leica?

[nels]

Peter, If only they sold these things at Hermes right next to the John Lobb counter where you get your custom shoes made...

[kevin m.]

I agree, Mr. A. I had to wait in line at the counter next to a Canon customer the other day,

and the smell of his musk aftershave nearly made me vomit my foie gras!

[raymond_tai]

Speaking of Zeiss, whenever I had a question for Zeiss or Rollei whether regarding

availability of a product, servicing of a product, or simply just wanted general info someone

from those two companies always responded, often quickly. Rollei has been above and

beyond on this regard. But not Leica. I e-mailed their service department and general info

department on several occasions and never got any response. I hate to see this as a

reflection of their general level of service when they get on web ordering. I took it they just

don't care.

[anthony_brookes5]

I assume you are talking of Leica in the US. Here in the UK I have found them of the best. Prompt ,efficient, and knowledgeable. -Not some of the UK dealers though.

[wayne_murphy8]

Err, is it a bit early to take this as fact? One hearsay comment from a retailer? Has Leica

stated this is the way that Leicas will be sold? No. Good idea? Yes, my opinion. These

days, no one , that is NO ONE just goes into a shop cold, and is sold a Leica by a friendly

knowledgeable salesperson unless the customer has a lot of Leica knowledge and is aware

of the stratospheric prices. Most customers know far more about Leica products that the

counter staff.

The problem is that there are too many people in the supply chain, each trying to gouge

the max profit. The Leica Agents are the worst. They are the true bloodsuckers and need

to be eliminated from the chain. If you also remove the traditional retailer's profit margin,

then there might be some hope of survival for Leica.

It works for Dell Computer.

[roger_hicks1]

Dear Kevin,

 

Waiting in line? Good Lord? You mean they don't bring a selection of cameras around to your house for you to look at? I'd change dealers if I were you...

 

But I am glad there is someone else on the forum who has foie gras for breakfast. Have you tried drinking Monbazillac with it? Next commune over from Sauternes; very agreeable, early in the day.

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[grant_lupton1]

Peter and Nels, A push for greater exclusivity can have the opposite effect. In the UK, the only people now wearing the Rolex are gangsters, career criminals and scrap-metal merchants. Shaved heads and tattoos all round.

 

Kevin, Why didn't send your valet?

 

Grant.

[kevin m.]

Roger,

 

I'm ashamed to admit this in public, but I only buy...

 

...USED Leica gear. My Leica dealer gives me the evil eye. :-(

[EricM]

Not sure about other cities, but about 10 years ago and at the same time Levi Straus started losing their share of the jean market, they went and opened boutique stores in every shopping mall and in the highest per sq foot retail shopping districts. I don't see them anymore here except back where they started, in a corner of a department store.

[deecy]

When Apple opened Apple stores they didn't pull their products from other vendors. Why in Heaven's name would a merchant do such a stupid thing?

Are they TRYING to go under? Who makes the decisions in that crazy company anyway?

 

T//

[roger_hicks1]

Dear Kevin,

 

Ah, I see. Entirely understandable: leaves more to spend on foie gras. But Monbazillac is less expensive than Sauternes too, if you are economizing as we all do in these troubled times. Most people can't tell an everyday Sauternes from a Monbazillac and there's a useful reverse-snob factor in serving the cheaper wine, with "Terribly sorry, can't afford Sauternes these days.."

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[dan_fromm2]

Grant, real people don't wear Rolexes. Patek Phillip, Vacheron et Constantin, ... , perhaps, but Rolex, never.

[david j.lee]

that's it ! off goes the GMT master and the explorer 2..!!

[grant_lupton1]

Dan, I have a page ripped from a magazine with a picture of a Patek Phillipe stuck next to my desk - a "Gondolo" apparently. Possibly the most beautiful watch I've seen. Don't know the price; let it remain a fetish object.

 

If I did buy one, I think I'd feel very un-real. Maybe one day.

 

Grant.

[joseph_wisniewski]

Marc - "Zeiss just dissolved their sales relationship with Hasselblad for the Ikon and lenses, and the new ZF Nikon mount lenses will also be sold direct via the Zeiss web site."

 

Actually, Stephen Gandy has signed up to distribute the ZF and ZS lenses in the US.

 

http://www.cameraquest.com/

 

Sort of makes sense, because he already is the largest Voigtlander distributor in the country, and the Zeiss ZF, ZS, and ZM lenses are made at the Cosina factory, right alongside the Voigtlanders.

[wayne_murphy8]

Oh Dear, Roger,

 

Can you honestly say that you have never received a rather favourable deal, wink, wink,

nudge, nudge, from one of the camera manufacturers that you shamelessly, or perhaps

genuinely, praise in some of your "reviews"? Even in private, I would be ashamed of

soliciting favours but in print???? Give us a break Roger, you have a massive vested

interest in the status quo, with or without the tax deductable travel, perks, etc, etc.

 

If Jay was still about, you would really get a pasting instead of this mild feather dusting.

Oh well you still have the ALPA as we hear in every article ad nauseum. Cop that.