Re: [Leica] What I'd like to see.

["Anthony Atkielski" <anthony@atkielski.com>]

From: Larry Kopitnik <kopitnil@marketingcomm.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 25, 1999 05:01
Subject: Re: [Leica] What I'd like to see.


> That's the problem: They're not making a profit.

Overall, or just on their 35mm equipment?  Leica makes all kinds of optical
stuff, most of it very highly respected--if they are not even making a profit
_overall_, they have a management problem, not a product problem.

> That said, the financial report also relates that sales
> of the M system are up almost 25% compared to the same
> period a year ago.

Good!  (Meaning they'll sell 25,000 instead of 20,000!)

I was in the Leica store a few days ago and they had some sort of open house
going, and you could barely move among all the people.  So there are Leica
enthusiasts around.  Also, every time I've been there, I've almost never been
the only person in the store, and it's a tiny store.

It's interesting that the clientele differs.  Most people come in either seem to
know exactly what they want, or they are all dressed up and asking lots of
questions.  I was the bizarre one because I was dressed like a bum, asked lots
of questions, and yet seemed to have a good idea of what I wanted already.

> It's unlikely that the point-and-shoot will excite many
> participants of this list. But by continuing to develop
> the M system, there's good reason to believe that Leica
> can make both photographers and investors happy people.

Development of what kind?

  -- Anthony