Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]4season wrote: > MH20793@aol.com wrote: > > > > Seems to me Leica will not improve it's market share by changing the M6 > > battery cover... It will however, by introducing new,high quality, innovative > > products MORE consumers will want to spend their money on... and by an > > aggressive worldwide advertising/marketing campaign. Bottom line is: > > build a better product, even in a niche market, both technologically and > > quality wise. > > What would you suggest? I can't speak for the great unwashed masses, > whoever they are, but here are a few ideas that work for me: > > Seek new markets for existing products: I just leafed through a recent > Pop Photo (the one with the Bessa-L coverage) and found a full-page > Leica ad in there: Not a bad effort, but what about trying it in a > non-photo magazine read by well-to-do folks with lots of disposeable > income and hedonistic leanings? I've seen firsthand, greatly increased > sales for my employer following an unlikely writeups in Wired, Fortune, > etc. > > If you can't beat 'em, join 'em: Cosina's "Voightlander" products have > made M-ownership much more interesting to me, and I'm glad that they're > priced low enough that more people can give rangefinder-type cameras a > try. I think some amount of cooperation between Cosina, Leica, Ricoh, > Fuji and Konica could benefit everyone. Yes, I am eagerly awaiting the > delivery of my 15 mm Heliar lens and I may not stop there. > > Create affordable starter packages and sustain interest with periodic > promotions: Leica cameras cost too much up front, and there's little > support from 3rd party manufacturers who might've made the cost of > building a system a lot more manageable. It's awfully tough to face a > $1500+ cost for a new camera body, only to realize that a lousy 50/2 is > going to add another $800+. Zooms or macro lenses? Don't even ask! Now, > if $1500 bought an R8 and a Tamron zoom, you'd at least be out shooting > right away, Six months later, Leica, using the info from the warranty > registration card, sends you an announcement of lens promotions and some > easy financing deal, and in short order, you have yourself a genuine > Leica lens AND a pretty good 3rd party zoom. Let's face it, scrounging > for used gear isn't for everyone, and some newbies just don't trust > their judgement or luck. I admit to being tempted by the Nikon FM10 > package myself--cute and very lightweight. And from that comes an F100 > sale? Uh, maybe. > > Jeff Well now, a most sensible and logical post. Exactly what I meant. Had you posted this Email earlier, then it would have saved me all my effort, which most probably creates some mayhem and " bad boy" replays. Regards Horst Schmidt