Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/11/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Flicking through the latest Amateur Photographer I espy an interesting camera. It's a Contax/Nikon RF/Kiev looking thing which turns out to be a retro-looking cover for Japanese photo-obsessives to slip over their 35mm disposables for extra kudos. It's a neat idea. Someone out there is thinking. Now how about top-end?... Given the Yasuhara's likely success (if we can believe all we read on the Web), I believe there's undoubtedly an appetite out there for retro-styled rangefinders. Surely Nikon have latched onto this... What can Leica's marketing folk do to catch this wave? Here's my piece of free consultancy. Conjoint analysis - price elasticity survey. See what would happen to demand if you drop prices by increments. Focus group some serious amateurs, get a handle for their likes/dislikes, aspirations, opinions, etc.Work out the psychological price barriers. Survey readers of photomags. Worldwide. 'Fill in this survey and win a Leica M6 and a trip to Solms'. See if a 25% cut in price would prompt a 40% rise in sales. I've been loyally buying Leica for the past 17 years. Anybody asked my opinion over that time? Anyone from Solms looking in here? My guess is that Leica's marketing people have a mildly arrogant, complacent mindset. They seem to ignore the basics of marketing. All the stories we've heard here about the Passport club, shipping delays... The re-appearance of a Nikon R/F would sure wake them up!