Re: [Leica] New Items on E-Bay

["Karina Klaas" <shutterbug@iinet.net.au>]

Hi Tom,

Yes, and not all Leica owners are rolling in cash - mine was a long yearned
for distant dream - so when you work, save and finally that dream comes true
is would be devastating to go through the experience you had and hit a brick
wall - I almost felt relieved for you when I saw it had a happy ending -
there are some good people/businesses out there.

Karina


- ----- Original Message -----
From: <Tom.Henson@bakerbotts.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2002 1:59 AM
Subject: RE: [Leica] New Items on E-Bay


> Seth,
>
> I agree that having a personal relationship with the store you're buying
> from can really help in a pinch.
>
> I had the unpleasant experience of having purchased a new R8 and 100 f/2.8
> APO rom from a big camera store in L.A. and then found out about two
months
> after using the R8 that the serial number on the camera did not match that
> on the box, and worse yet, it did not match that on the passport warranty
> card that I had sent in and registered.
>
> The lens also had problems and had to be sent to Leica USA under warranty.
> They in turn sent it to Germany since they can't work on APO lenses.
>
> When I called the salesman at the store he was quite embarressed about
this.
> He did some research and then called me back later that day and apologized
> all over the place. Seems that someone in the store had shown two R8's to
an
> in store customer and then mixed up the boxes and cameras. It was a mess.
> Leica registration even got involved to try and straighten out the
> registration mess since the other camera had been sold also.
>
> I asked salesman if they would allow me to pull a new one directly from
> Leica USA stock with the serial # of my choice and he said he would call
> them.
>
> I sent the now used camera back to them, contacted Brenda Olesin at Leica
> USA and they shipped directly to me a brand new high serial # R8 from
their
> stock.
>
> When the 100 f/2.8 APO lens finally came back to me, it was not to my
> satisfaction, so I contacted Bredna Olesin again about it.
>
> She talked with the vice president and got permission to take it back from
> me for the full retail price that I had paid for it, then issued a credit
> back to the store I bought it from.
>
> I then turned around and had that same store ship me directly from Leica
USA
> and brand new R6.2 from their stock with a high serial #.
>
> The balance I simply got as a store credit that I used for other things.
>
> If it wan't for the store willing to go the extra mile, and Brenda Olesin
at
> Leica willing to really help me out I don't know where I would be.
>
> You can't get that kind of service from an auction place.
>
> But then, my circumstances were really quite unusual to say the least.
>
> Tom Henson
>
>
> Seth said: << My thing, Marc; when I buy new, I want a factory warranty
and
> a good merchant
> who will stand behind the product. I'm not interested in bargaining for
the
> last dollar. I know the good store usually can't compete on price with a
> discounter, let alone an auction site. But on a new item, I can't go back
to
>
> an auction site. And I want to let the good dealer make enough to be there
> for me to trade with for a long time.
>
> Years ago I bought a new Leitz lens from just such a solid Leica dealer,
> took
> it to Marty Forscher at Professional Camera Repair in NYC to check out.
> Marty
> said "the lens is a very good specimen, within spec, but with your
contacts
> at Leitz NY I think you can get a 'better' one". Took it back to the
dealer
> who sent it back to Hudson Street (that's how long ago it was) and Vince
> Fochtman hand-picked a fabulous specimen for me. Still have it. You can't
do
>
> that with the big discounters or with a website.   >>
>
> --
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>

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