Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/09/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Don, In the next 5 years, there are three spots with meaningful numbers where wannabe buyers will be chasing luxury: 1. Russian rich (or mafia, one and the same) 2. China - already under way 3. India - just about starting As in all markets in times of asset appreciation, it is far easier to make money than retain it. Greed bankrupts 99% of the investors, who over invest, and are wiped out in a reaction. We will see after the bubble deflates, whenever it may be. Cheers Jayanand On 9/22/07, Don Dory <don.dory@gmail.com> wrote: > > Jayanand; > I don't think so. The world is undergoing one of those profound changes > that we see every few hundred years, similar to the industrial revolution, > the printing press revolution, etc. We have more profoundly rich people > around the world than has ever been seen before; Russian Mafia, > entrepreneurs in developing countries, bond traders everywhere, real > estate > speculators in London, oil barons in just about every part of the world, > and > the list goes on. But, the real money is made by selling to the next > rung > down the economic ladder. We have a saying in Atlanta: If you want to > live > with the masses, sell to the classes; if you want to live with the > classes, > sell to the masses. > > On 9/20/07, Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > Well, you guys might know photography, but I know companies, I study > them > > for a living. Leica is extremely fortunate that the global asset > inflation > > of the last few years coincided with a down period of their finances, so > > they were able to get out of jail. With possible global recession around > > the > > corner (at least a major economic slowdown), do you think the amateur > > market > > for camera bodies and lenses at their prices will sustain? As far as I > can > > make out, even the diehard Leica lovers on this list think that, in > > general, > > buying new Leica equipment is a rare event. All luxury brands will see > a > > major slowdown, and Leica will be no exception. The ones with strong > > balance > > sheets will survive, and the weak? We will see....at the very least they > > will go through major cash flow problems. > > Cheers > > Jayanand > > > > On 9/21/07, Christopher Birchenhall <crbirchenhall@googlemail.com> > wrote: > > > > > > Ric > > > > > > Spot on. A premium brand that charges premium prices to > > > non-professionals need to give buyers a sense that they are buying an > > > investment not just top class photographic kit, to that end a healthy > > > second hand market is crucial. > > > > > > Chris B > > > > > > On 20/09/2007, Ric Carter <ricc@mindspring.com> wrote: > > > > I buy used by necessity. > > > > > > > > My used buying usually helps fuel new buying. Much of the used stuff > > > > moved on this list is likely to raise money for an upgrade or to > help > > > > pay for new equipment. > > > > > > > > Should we call it trickle up? > > > > > > > > ric > > > > > > > > > > > > On Sep 20, 2007, at 1:40 PM, Jayanand Govindaraj wrote: > > > > > > > > > Well, Sonny, if you decide that your photographic objectives are > > > > > best met by > > > > > Leica, you better try keeping them solvent. I think it will get > more > > > > > difficult for them unless they move production to Asia. They > should > > > > > do what > > > > > Nvidia does, become a design house, and get others to manufacture > > > > > their > > > > > products to whatever tolerances they want. In that case a lot more > > > > > money can > > > > > go into R&D. As they are structured at present, and at their size, > > > > > it looks > > > > > bleak IMHO. If the world economy does slide, they could be wiped > > out. > > > > > Cheers > > > > > Jayanand > > > > > > > > > > On 9/20/07, Sonny Carter <sonc.hegr@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > >> > > > > >> On 9/20/07, Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > >>> > > > > >>> Well thats nice to know. If we want Leica to survive, we should > > > > >>> buy more > > > > >>> new. > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> Um. Innovation, competition, and good marketing practice > > will allow > > > > >> Leica > > > > >> to survive. > > > > >> > > > > >> Do I charitably purchase a $2000 lens that I do not need so that > > some > > > > >> share-holders get a piece of it, and thus decide to invest > further? > > > > >> > > > > >> Nope, I buy the bits I need, like an M8 and batteries, and a > > > > >> grip. That > > > > >> was > > > > >> not a purchase made in hopes Leica survives. These things > > > > >> further my > > > > >> photography. > > > > >> > > > > >> I truly believe Leica has seen the worst and wants to prevail. > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> -- > > > > >> Regards, > > > > >> > > > > >> Sonny > > > > >> http://www.sonc.com > > > > >> Natchitoches, Louisiana > > > > >> USA > > > > >> > > > > >> _______________________________________________ > > > > >> Leica Users Group. > > > > >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more > > information > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > Leica Users Group. > > > > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more > information > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Leica Users Group. > > > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Leica Users Group. > > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Leica Users Group. > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > > > -- > Don > don.dory@gmail.com > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >