Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2014/09/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]As I have posted before, when analysing historic price trends it is instructive to compare prices of consumer goods not to the official cpi, but rather to the rate at which the value of a primary residence has increased over the period under consideration. In 1955 an M3, DS of course, with 50 mm Summicron sold for approx DM 1100, $ 275. Today a new M7 + 50 Summicron will cost $ 7400. Over the same period of time a 'starter' middle class home in one of NYC's boroughs has gone from ca. 10k to 800k. As Piketty and others have pointed out, we are living in new Belle Epoch so it is not a surprise to see that brands which were formerly accessible to the middle class have adjusted their pricing (and market positioning) in order attract a more upscale buyer and maximise profits. BTW, this link from Fortune magazine might be of interest: http://fortune.com/2012/05/06/how-top-executives-live-fortune-1955/ Regards, Akhil -----Original Message----- From: LUG [mailto:lug-bounces+alal=poly.edu at leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Larry Zeitlin via LUG Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2014 9:04 PM To: lug at leica-users.org Subject: [Leica] Leica prices So contrary to the assertions of the most avid Leicaholics on the LUG. you don't get what you pay for. Like jewelry or cosmetics you get the price that the market will bear. Given the cost of the new models, I'm shocked, shocked that Leicas aren't made of platinum and gold by Black Forest elves. I guess I'll stick with my 60 year old M3. Larry Z - - - - I am surprised that the price has only doubled in real terms. Other companies that have made the leap from manufacturers of relatively mass market consumer durables to high luxury (like Montblanc and Rolex for example) in the same period have seen much higher increases in prices in real (i.e. inflation adjusted) terms. All these companies price their goods at what the market will bear, and not on plebeian principles like cost plus, so there is no point going down that road. It is like trying to figure out the price of a Dior Couture dress by the cost of the cloth and thread. Pointless. Cheers Jayanand