Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/12/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Marvin Moss wrote: > Japan is a different situation all together. > There seems to be a group that is buying from Leica, at factory prices > (not wholesale but factory cost) they are unethically skipping the cost > mark-up of the distributor and therefore can sell for less than wholsale. > Sooner or later they will be caught by Solms & the practice will stop. Marvin, please forgive me, but I fail to see what is unethical about = selling for less than wholesale? I take it you are a dealer yourself, = but please remember that the Japanese dealers just follow what to = them seem like good business practice. What=B4s wrong in buying and = selling cheap? I well understand the Leica desire too keep up the = prices and image of their products as beeing exclusive, but the = Japanese dealers just follow an old tradition that eventually benefit = their customers. It=B4s called COMPETITION! And they still make quite = a profit for themselves. You make your Japanese counterparts sound like extremely immoral and = ruthless, but I=B4ll tell you that I=B4ve never met such knowledgeble = salespeople anywhere else around the world. It=B4s really a pleasure = talking Leica with them. They know absolutely averything about = anything Leica! And they are, as you vell know, also avid collectors. = In other words, they are dedicated and always want to give their = customers the very best deal. > My advice would be to avoid the > so called "grey market" and if you can't afford to pay the complete > service Leica price, don't buy it, as service (as bad as it seemtimes > appears) is an inherent part of the Leica mystique. I for one will certainly continue to look for the best deal I can = find, whatever I=B4m looking for. And Leica quality is exactly the = same wherever - or for how much - you buy it! I always find it = amusing when an American salesman right after having told me about = how well made and undestructable his merchandise is start bragging = about his cover-all warranties! Why not compete with low prices = rather than trying to con your customers? Claes