Re: [Leica] LEICAUSA: That ain't no customer, that's....

[John Collier <jbcollier@home.com>]

My explanation was meant to be generalised as this list goes world wide and
I am not familiar with Leica USA's operating mandate. I assume there are
separate accounting books so it matters whose pocket it comes out of; it
just does not seem as important to us as it is not our pocket. :-) There
does seem to be no question that someone(s) is buying a great deal of
product and importing into USA, Canada and other places. In Canada,
Lesle-Kelco is willing to sell passport protection to people who have
purchased grey market product. Whether this is temporary, as they are new at
distributing Leica, or not I cannot say.

John Collier

> From: "Bill Larsen" <ohlen@sierratel.com>
> 
> Your explanation seems generalized and not Leica-specific.
> 
> Leica USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Leica Camera AG as are several other
> companies in the Leica Group.  Your scenario would imply that Leica is dumping
> equipment outside of its own company-owned distribution channel.  Only 900 of
> the 1,600 Leica employees are in Germany.  Given that Leica USA is a
> subsidiary, what difference would it make it the camera was repaired in Solms
> or NJ???  (Hell, labor costs in the US are less than in Germany).
> 
> 
> |Many of us on this list do not realise how products are distributed and
> |warranty repairs done. The national distributor buys product at a fixed
> |price. Out of the mark-up they add on, comes all the distribution, sales,
> |advertising, etc expenses of the company(oops...and profit!). Warranty is
> |not "free" to the national distributor.
>