Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/03/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Y'all, I had read that Kodak makes and coats all its FILM here- it is sent to europe where it is slit and packaged, and that differences in price are actually due to packaging and handling. Anyone know for sure? I am convinced that the europeans have an advantage with some of their technology; a friend of mine works for a company that buys its packaging machinery in Germany because the quality is better, it is more efficient, and it is faster than domestic machines. I could buy into the idea that the same film was cheaper coming from europe simply because the handling costs are less. Dan'l dwpost@msn.com - -----Original Message----- From: Donal Philby <donalphilby@earthlink.net> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> Date: Monday, March 16, 1998 3:10 PM Subject: Re: [Leica] Gray Market vs US Import?? Leicas and Jeans. >Eric Welch wrote: >> >> At 07:35 PM 3/15/98 -0800, you wrote: >> >> >coming from Rochester directly to my photo store. Same film out of same >> >machine. Something is wrong. If they can indeed export film cheaply >> >enough to come back here cheaply, they are over charging the US >> >customers. Period. >> Donal, >> >> It's not the same film. They have plants in other countries that make film. > >Sorry Eric. Kodak does have such plants and undoubtedly some of the >film from them makes its way to US markets, but Kodak reps have >acknowledged what I say and admit they have no justifiable answer. >> >> >Same situation with grey market cameras. How possibly could foreign >> >dealers get Leicas and export them to the US, pay customs charges and >> >still have them sell for less? If US distributors won't match grey >> >> They have to pay for advertising, and for staff in the U.S. (or Canada or >> elsewhere). On top of that, they are giving more value with the Passport >> than other distributors are. Maybe it's too expensive, and they should >> offer with or without Passport to save a couple hundred bucks for those who >> never take their cameras out. >> >> But the way they trade with each country is a matter of dealing with that >> country. Import taxes here vs. there. But it's mostly the cost of doing >> business in that country that can determine the difference. That and "what >> the market will bear." I.E. Capitalism. > >If Leica is wholeselling cameras for different prices to different >countries, the various distributors should be yelling and screaming. >The only acception I can think of is differences in import duty. Yes to >advertising, but so do other countries in their own countries which are >also re-exporting. As for the Passport cost, perhaps you have a good >idea. But I still am cynical about all the pricing. And stand by what >I wrote earlier until (I'll listen!) I hear more specific arguments. >The most egregious violator is Kodak and I love their films anyway. >The world is growing too small for these kind of games and greed. > >donal >> ========== >> >> Eric Welch >> St. Joseph, MO >> http://www.ponyexpress.net/~ewelch >> >> I exist as I am - that is enough. >> >> - Walt Whitman > >-- >Donal Philby >San Diego >http://www.donalphilby.com >