Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/06/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]> > Just wondering....if gear does not arrive from one country to another > > through "official channels," then how does it arrive? The parent > > company must be selling it to someone who is not an official channel, > > right? > Generally, gray market importers take advantage of differing exchange > rates, countries that have few if any import duties, and so forth. So? The gear is STILL purchased from Leica, and Leica gets the same money for it. > They avoid the support costs that Leica USA has, and the inventory > stocking costs that US dealers have. What they avoid is the Leica USA piece of the pie, and that's it. Companies could 'get away' with this crap for years, but now that the economy is a global economy, Leica, and others, better get their act together, or it WILL be the death of them. If Leica gear were less expensive, more people would be buying it, and Leica AG would sell more or it, and make more money. Also, importing restrictions and costs have come WAY down in the past decade. > The main reason Leica USA or Nikon > USA (or whoever USA) object is that the gray market equipment can be sold > for less than the dealers pay. And...why DO US dealers pay more? Well, because Leica USA CHARGES them more. Duh. > If everyone buys gray market, there are no more USA dealers. My gawd, that's a completely silly statement.