[Leica] The honeymoon is over (was Leica prices)

[Bill Erfurth <m6rf@yahoo.com>]

Dan States Wrote:

I hope Leica and their new CEO have learned from the
successes of other 
German marques.  They CAN be the best and still be a
volume
dealer. 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Hi Dan,

I hate to say it, but I am afraid that the people at
Leica..."just don't get it".

The honeymoon is over next month for Herr Cohn.  He
has been there for a year now.  The price of Leica's
stock is almost exactly where it was when he took
over...in the dumper...along with Leica's sales and
profits.

Leica's Marketing and Public Relations departments are
doing exactly the same thing that they were doing a
year ago...not one hell of a lot...except collecting
their salaries.

Competition for the M market products has greatly
increased.  They still have that mill-stone R8 hanging
around their neck.

New products have been a yawner...and that is being
polite.  All though you may see a slight increase in
sales in the 4th quarter, these will be sales to
dealers and not pass-through sales to customers.

And, if that is not bad enough, it is just a matter of
time before Leica's dealer network goes down the
tubes.  Cameras and lenses are light weight and easily
shipped internationally.  A good example of this
happening is  Marklin (the high end German model train
manufacture).  In the past year all sorts of Marklin
products have become available in the US and elsewhere
from various European countries via the Internet.  I
don't know for sure, but I would think that a Marklin
train engine is heavier to ship that an M6.

No, the people at Leica..."just don't get it".  For me
it is extremely frustrating to sit here and watch
Leica needlessly self-destruct.  Herr Cohn...can we
talk?

Best wishes for a great holiday season to all.


Regards,

Bill Erfurth
m6rf@yahoo.com



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