Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/03/15

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Gray Market vs US Import?? Leicas and Jeans.
From: Eric Welch <ewelch@ponyexpress.net>
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 00:15:58 -0600

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. 

>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.
==========

Eric Welch
St. Joseph, MO
http://www.ponyexpress.net/~ewelch

I exist as I am - that is enough.

- - Walt Whitman