Re: [Leica] Country of origin

[Mikiro <arbos@mac.com>]

Pascal-
As you and others point out, many, if not all, of us instinctively expect 
Leica to be "made in Germany" and pay more for "made in Germany".  That is 
why Leica labels it instead of "made by Leica, assembled in EU". It is my 
understanding that the final check-up at Solms, which may appear an excuse 
for the use of "made in Germany", in fact adds the highest value to their 
products. ;-)

Mikiro


At 11:20 PM +0100 29/11/00, Pascal wrote:
>1. In a legal sense, "made in ..." is the country where the highest added
>value of a good is coming from. So, a manufacturer should IMHO clearly
>state where the product is "made".

>2. I doubt it whether many people would pay the hefty prices (and the
>premium) we Leica users are willing to pay because of the Leica tag and,
>in most cases, the "made in Germany". I for one, would not be willing to
>pay as much for a product that was made in a country where the total cost
>package is significantly less than e.g. the German level (since we are
>talking Leica here). This may sound odd to some, but, as a consumer, I
>expect to also receive my "part of the benefit" if a manufacturer is
>simply producing goods in a place with lower costs. I have difficulty in
>accepting to pay such manufacturer a price that reflects this additional
>profit.
>
>3. It has to be repeated that much of the attraction of the Leica brand
>has to do with its German and European roots. If Leica were to become,
>e.g., Japanese, it just wouldn't have the same fascination any longer
>with a sizeable part of the customer base. This does not necessarily mean
>anything for the quality of Leica goods, but there is more involved than
>just this. Leica is a name with a certain tradition and not a simple
>commodity.
>
>Pascal
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