Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/06

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Too Many R8s.....
From: Bill Erfurth <m6rf@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 10:50:16 -0700 (PDT)

"Frank Filippone" Wrote:

...That brings up an interesting point.... Hasselblad
has, for
about 3 years
now, given away backs and done deep rebate discounts
to
promote new camera
sales and lens sales.......  Given say 5000 camera
bodies,
and a selling
price of $2000 right now, I wonder if.....
- - - - - - - - - - 

I think you will that the "real world" selling price
for an R8 right now is about $1,495 to $1,595 (USD)
for those who want to take the time to look at the ads
in ShutterBug Magazine.
- - - - -- - - - - -

"Frank wrote" 

What is your opinion: Which Lens(es) should Leica USA
require us to buy in
order to get a deeply discounted R8 body?
Base your opinion both on optical quality and business
sense..... They gotta
make money off the deal.....

- - - - - - - - - - - 
I think your above solution would only make the
problem worse.  The R8 is not a body that everybody
wants, therefore requiring the purchase of a lens in
order to get a discount would be counter productive.

Leica's best shot at getting rid of this less than
desirable product will be to offer it with a 5-year 
"exchange" warranty at no cost to the buyer.  If the
buyer has a problem with the R8, he can send it in for
a new one...and the warranty would have to be
transferable.

The problem with the R8 (other that it's history of
malfunctions) is that it is a BRICK.  It is as big as
a Nikon F5, it is as heavy as an F5, but it only does
about 1/3 or of what an F5 is capable of doing.

As I have said this before, Leica would be well
advised to make another production run of the R7s in
order to generate sales of both the R7 and R lenses. 
Because of the slow R8 sales, it follows that Leica is
therefore experiencing slow R lens sales.

Many times it is difficult for old, well established
companies to bring in the outside consultants who can
provide the third party opinions necessary to resolve
difficult problems.  Leica may be such a company.  The
"Catch-22" here is that the longer they wait before
seeking outside help, the more difficult the problems
are to resolve.

I will be interesting to see how this unfolds.


Kind regards,

Bill Erfurth
m6rf@yahoo.com





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