Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/11/13
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Pascal, I know it is common perception abroad that the Japanese have some sinister plan to kill off industry in Europe and America so that they can take over. The truth is rather more prosaic. Things are expensive in Japan because it is an expensive place to do business and because the competition among retailers is weak. Japanese cameras are cheaper in New York than in Tokyo because the competition in New York is fierce and the retailers are willing and able to live on razor-thin margins. The price of many European products is cheaper in the U.S. than in the country of origin for similar reasons. You even see this within Europe: you can probably buy a Swiss watch cheaper in Belgium than in Switzerland--not because the Swiss are dumping watches but because wages, store rents etc. are higher in Switzerland and because competition among retailers is not as intense as here. Nathan Pascal wrote: > On 11-11-1999 19:15 Dr. Joseph Yao wrote: > > >Japan is primarily an export country. For most consumer products, such > >as cameras and electronics, they are often sold for less in the US than > >in Japan. > > This is nicely put... > It has been consisent Japanese practice to flood overseas markets with > "cheaper" products (by comparison to the prices at which these goods are > being sold domestically), the purpose of which has more to do with > agressively wiping out foreign competition on their territory, while at > the same time maintaining high walls of all sorts around Japan itself > that will stop foreign imports or make them quite incompetitive. > In fact, as you say, nothing new here... > > Pascal > NO ARCHIVE > > -------------------------------------------------------- > See my photo pages at http://members.xoom.com/cyberplace/ > -------------------------------------------------------- > <<< PGP public key available on request >>> - -- Nathan Wajsman Overijse, Belgium General photo site: http://belgiangator.tripod.com/ Belgium photo site: http://members.xoom.com/wajsman/ Motorcycle site: http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/1704/