[Leica] Fwd: Chatterton reply

["Richard W. Hemingway" <n5xrd@telepath.com>]

I am forwarding this for Don as his attempt to post it was cut short.

Dick Hemingway
Norman, OK


>I would like to take  moment to thank all of you for the suppport, E, .mail
>messages, fax;s and calls about the negative things being said about me and
>our company on the LUG last week.  Since it is impossible to put the "Genie
>back in the bottle", and to take back back anythng once said,it is probably
>futile to attempt to make any defense to the number of negative things
>said, becaue once an accusation is made, people will always remember it
>...accurate or not.
>
>Anyway, to at least make a reply to those who seem so offended, I would
>like to make the following statements in the same forum you did, or else
>this becomes a kangaroo court where the same people are are judge,
>prosecutor and jury. I won't refer to any individual person by name, as we
>were not on the LUG at that time, and until warned by many of our customers
>as to what was happening. I have read the complaints, qnd send thanks to
>the many people who faxed and even hand carried copies of the messages to
>me.
>
>I started my collecting Leica in 1963 thanks to neat article in a magazine
>called Camera 35, which talked about collecting Leica cameras, and the
>history therein. Over the next few years I met more and more new Leica
>enthusiasts and together it evolved into the Leica Historical Society in
>1968. In 1969, another Seattleite named Glenn Patch, got laid off at
>Boeing, and went off to Florida with his wife, kids, total worldy
>possessions  and all looking for a job. The next year he started a little
>flyer that we all subscribed to call "Shutterbug", and we had medium to
>draw other collectors together.
>
>The paper grew like weed, and so did the LHSA. In fact during that time as
>Leica declined in market control and Nikon grew to be a giant, it was the
>collectors, enthusiasts and users that were about the only supporters of
>Leica. By 1978, LHSA wasa  big dyanamic organization, and I left my job in
>advertising, due to sickness in my family, to tried selling Leicas full
>time. Thanks to Shutterbug and the number of subscribers it attracted, the
>business boomed, and was a great success.
>
>In 1983 , I met Jim Kuehl who was selling for Leitz, and we became friends.
>Jim would find the used Leicas in his territory, send them to me to sell,
>and we would split the profits.  In 1987, I helped talk him into leaving
>Leitz and doing what I did, as I was having to curtail my busness due to
>serious illness in my family. Since that time, Jim and I have advertised
>together in Shutterbug, talk together often several times a day or at least
>once or twuce everyweek, from wherever we were. I consider Jim one of my
>best friends in the world, and would heartily support all of the wonderful
>things said about him. He is a good person to do business with.
>
>In 1992, I restarted the engines and pushed the business back to full time.
>
>As with many of the people in this business, it was started from a hobby
>which grew into a business. We started it because, as with so many of you,

>it was a wonderful fun hobby, and the business was and is built on the
>premise that it will be fun and enjoyable.  Our customers have been
>wonderful friends and I know hundreds of you personally. When it gets to a
>point where money, greed and anger are the only criteria,... and
>friendship, fun and comraderie are no longer the norms....we will be out
>the door.
>
>To more speciics, a complaint was voiced about the sale of anew  50mm f:2.8
>Elmar-M  lens sold into New York. A few weeks ago, we advertised on our
>website, that we would have eight (8) new lens for $555.00 (well below
>cost). This was the result of a dealer promotion when an M6-a 50mm f:2.8
>and 35mm f:2 old style,were purhase in lots of 10 pieces..
>
>We immediately received 37 orders for the 8 lenses; and not being able to
>repeat the miracle of the "loaves and fishes", we took the first eight
>buyers, and put the rest on a possible back order
>.
>The equpment arrived straight from Germany, and I would guess that it was
>probably no more than 60 or 90 days old. Only a few days after receiving
>the lens, we received a call informing us that the lens had problems. When
>it was returned, we examined it on our scope, and took to our repair person
>and none of us could find any flaw in the lens. By that time we had no
>replacements, and were advised that the promotion was a complete sell-out,
>We returned the purchase price immediately, and instantly the lens was sold
>as "used" to another person on the list. It was felt that we could never
>find anything better. We have never seen a brand new Leica lens from the
>factory with fungus in it. This only grows from long storage in damp
>facilitied, not from new unopned lenes. Unfortunately we did not respond in
>writing to the long letter received listing the many "problems, and I
>apologize that it offended that person.
>
>Next, there was a complaint was that we did not promptly accept and send
>send an order to New York,. When attempting to process the credit card
>number, we could not get the credit card company to verify the cross match
>on the address of the card and the location to be shipped to.
>
>As 98% of all our losses from credit card fraud occur in either New York or
>Los Angeles. The bank will not accept delivery to a Mail Boxes, etc
>location, without an identifiable signature. When contacted by the buyer,
>we simply advised him of the fact, and suggested a Fedex location near him,
>where it could be signed for and  secure. I personaly thought that this was
>a reasonable, secure  and professional compromise for both of it, based on
>the information we had to work with. In 1996, we lost $32,000.00 + in just
>such situations, and even though approved by the credit card carriers, we
>were out of pocket That was my decision, and while possibly causing an
>inconvience, we were both protected..
>
>Another complaint was that we had sold a Leica CL and 40mm as a package,
>and would not seperate them. Upon checking, this item was a consignment
>item, which as brought to us and sold as a set. When the condition of the
>lens was not satisfactory, we offered to refund immediately, but the buyer

>wanted us to sell the body only. It was priced as a set, based on condition
>and at a very  reasonable price and on consignment. I simply wanted to
>satify the gentlman with a refund, and not get into a big argument.
>
>The huge hoop-la over SALES TAX, is really wierd, has little to do with
>Leica and seems a lot based on just plain meaness and piling on. In 30
>years of being in this business, and through two State tax audits, this has
>never come up before. Since we carry ONLY Leica and a little Hasselblad, we
>have never have had a retail store front operation. There is not enough
>business in most cities, except perhaps New York ,to support such a two
>product operation. We have a great Leica dealer here in Seattle, with whom
>we are good friends and we refer all of our local customers to them. They
>carry everything from Linhof to Zeiss and darkroom to computers ,and are
>Glazers' Cameras...good people.
>
>Cheating our state and beating the tax system in Washington State was never
>even a remote idea when we started business. The State has known how we
>operate, which is the same as thousands of other  businesses in this State,
>such as Amazon.com and hundreds of computer software companies such as
>MacWarehouse" etc. I am advised that it would not even be legal to collect
>tax from out of state buyers. If the complainers are so worried about the
>State of Washington, or the other states not receiving tax from sales to
>their buyers, I am informed that you can obtain free tax forms from your
>own State with which to send them the use tax fees..
>
>It appears to me that the complainer moved to Washington State and is angry
>that we will not sell to him and take the time to let him roam through our
>inventory, since our prices and overhead are much lower than our local
>dealer.
>
>I have sent personal messages to a few customers and one abroad to whom I
>apologizd for any oversights that may have occured, which are very minor in
>nature.
>
>Since the day this business started, it has been for fun from a fun hobby
>and a wonderful product. I have spend almost half of my life studying,
>researching, collecting using and selling Leica. We have been Authorized
>Leica Dealers for years. It has always been my goal to try to give nothing
>but honest and fair treatment to all of my fellow Leicafiles.
>
>On any given day, 7 days a week, we receive from 50 to 211 (last weekend)
>E..mail messages, 15 to 20 faxes and untold phone calls. Divide that by the
>3 to 4 employees that we have, and there is hardly time to eat or sleep.
>99% of the E..mail brings absolutely no business. Most are questions about
>appraisals, assistance with using and identifying equipment, where to
>service items, etc., plus a lot of chit-chat. The faxes result in about 40%
>business and there goes the day.
>
>I spend at least 5 hours out everyday simply answering questions, and
>trying to help people with problems. Sometimes I get pooped, and I
>apologize if I am curt or not "Mr Smiley Face"  when you happened to call,
>it was not my intention, and I am sorry. However, as in "the theory of jet
>propulsion" that every action is met with any equal and opposite reaction,

>if anyone calls and  starts a conversation with a nasty, insulting and
>unfriendly  manner, they are likely to get the same treatment in return.
>This happened in one complaint not elaborated on.
>
>As to the objection to having to do with our answering machine and the
>complaint about a mistake made when we were all out with the flu, and could
>hardly talk a couple of weeks ago....sorry, that's just life !
>
>I do deeply appeciate the wonderful phone calls, e..mail message and faxes
>of support from so many friends around the world, and a special thanks to
>Guido Ridoli, Stephen Gandy, Marvin Moss. Glenn Thrall, Bill Welch, Van
>Barletta, DonMcClure, Harrison McClary, Gabe SachsTom Kachadurian, Dick
>Hemmingway, Marc Small ,Paul Collura and all of you who took the time to
>comment.
>
>I am not a typist, and not very articulate, but I wanted to post this
>mesage myself, and apologize for the poor syntax, typing,and  spelling.
>This came from the heart, as I take this part of my life very seriously.
>
>Jim Kuehl has suggested that I do like him. Eliminate the E..mail and shut
>down the website, and  go back to what we have done before, and have lots
>more free time and stay out of trouble.
>We will shut down the E..Mail April 1st.
>
>Last week was like being a fire hydrant in a dog pound.
>
>Thank you for your time and my apologies to anyone who is ever felt
>slighted by me or any one of our crew, it was never our intention.
>