Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/03/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 07:13 AM 3/18/98 -0800, Frank Filippone wrote: >b) Countries have differing levels of fair trade laws. In the US, we have >anit fair trade practice laws that protect the consumer against the >practice that the manufacturer insists on the selling price of a product >and penalizes the seller for breaking that price This practice was >overthrown years ago, (but somehow Leica and others have managed to >circumvent the intent of the law and have instituted MAP ( minimum >advertised price. ) It is a different thing. Prior to World War II, the manufacturer could set the prices. Period. During the '50's, the manufacturer could set the prices on cameras ONLY if they came with a factory lens. Hence, most of the New York stores (Peerless & Willoughby, for instance, the B&H of the day) would sell Leica bodies with, say, JSK or CZJ lenses which, thus, got them by the problem, and they could sell the cameras for what they wished. From 1970 or so onwards, the manufacturer may dictate at what price the item is advertised (the "MAP") but NOT the actual selling price. Hence, all of the "call for best pricing" entries we see in ads today. Marc msmall@roanoke.infi.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!