[Leica] Leica Japan stories

[afirkin at afirkin.com (afirkin at afirkin.com)]

> W.R, I think I would have done the same as you, just on instinct.
>
> Many Japanese people have been wonderfully warm and kind to me in my
> nine years here, but no amount of cultural politeness can mask the
> cool, unfriendly types one meets here or anywhere else.  I suppose
> your salesman thought he was being funny.  He lost a sale though.
>
> To add a bit of context, in Japan, a Leica store is like a barrel for
> shooting fish.  The local customers pay prices higher than anywhere
> else in the world, so the salesmen are probably used to foreigners
> looking, then asking to handle items they won't buy because they will
> buy it cheaper in their home country.  The hired sales staff might not
> know their prices are inflated, and mikght just think foreigners are a
> waste of their time and sales energy.  Still, no excuse for rudeness!

Leica prices at Lemon Camera in 1998 were very cheap, well at least
reasonable by Leica standards, and the service was FANTASTIC. I was
personally served, each item brought out for me to see, handle and
consider, and every guarantee card filled out with loving care and
attention.

Times change.

Alastair