Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/02/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]The arrogance, and dissembling, in this response is yet another reason not to do business with these folks. - -----Original Message----- From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Vahe Christianian Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2000 8:00 PM To: leica-users-digest@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us Subject: [Leica] Lyin' needs retractin' Mr. Lawson: Please allow me to reply to your posting about Mike's Camera advertising from someone that can actually do something about it. My name is Vahe Christianian, and I am one of the owners of Mike's Camera, responsible for sales and marketing. The ad that you are questioning was conceptually my doing, as well as its final proofing and approval of it. As a Colorado family owned and operated business for the last 33 years, we have grown to be the largest Leica dealer in the state not by misleading people, but by offering genuine value in price, service, and selection. As we sell over 200 different kinds of cameras in each of our stores, it would be very difficult to list every single one on a 5 column by 14 inch ad. I feel excluding 5 camera models distinctly in the ad from our entire camera inventory is one heck of a promotion. Of course, it has always been, and it will always be your prerogative to ever shop in our stores. The people that did so over the last weekend received great values: 10% lower than our guaranteed lowest price in Colorado! However, It is not your right to use libelous accusations at the expense of people that are genuinely attempting to provide professional, competent, and valuable service and resources to the community. On Behalf of the over 130 people that work at Mike's Camera and provide quality alternatives in imaging and photography, please accept our sincerest apologies for not meeting your standards in advertising. As an "adman" myself, I would challenge your advertising guidelines and morals with ours any day. Please feel free to call me personally at (303)443-1715 x112 to discuss further, or simply e-mail me back at your convenience. Sincerely, Vahe Christianian Vice President, Sales & Marketing >> >>Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2000 12:25:12 EST >>From: LawsonCL@aol.com >>Subject: [Leica] Lyin' Mike's Camera >> >>Denver, CO, USA area camera chain runs a full page ad that leads with the >>headline: >> >>EXTRA 10% OFF >>ENTIRE STOCK WINTER CLEARANCE* >> >>OUR GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICES - JUST IN TIME FOR VALENTINE'S DAY! >> >>EVERY CAMERA, CAMCORDER, DIGITAL CAMERA, BINOCULAR, TELESCOPE AND LENS IN >>STOCK! >> >>Near the bottom of the page, the asterisked copy informs of the following: >> >>*SALE EXCLUDES NIKON F5, CANON EOS1n, NIKON N90s, LEICA M6, HASSLEBLAD >501c, >>MEADE ETX-125EC MODELS >> >>Excuse me? Doesn't ENTIRE STOCK mean just that, ENTIRE STOCK? Doesn't EVERY >>CAMERA...IN STOCK mean EVERY CAMERA...IN STOCK? >> >>If a vendor wants to advertise a clearance sale with restrictions, he >>shouldn't claim that the ENTIRE STOCK is on sale. >> >>I called the main store in Boulder to see if the noted Leica exclusion >>included M-Series lenses. As providence would have it, the call was routed >>to >>a branch store where it was answered by a representative who claimed to not >>know what was included in the ad. Further, he told me I should call the >>Boulder store for clarification, but their phone lines are down and that's >>why my call was routed to another store. Hmmm. Curious a chain would place >a >>full page ad in the paper and not inform the sales staff of the promotion. >> >>As an adman who takes this sort of blatant, misleading advertising almost >>personally, I suggest we in the Denver-Boulder area not let Mike's off too >>easily on this. Call every store and tell them you resent this misleading >>ad. >>I realize Boulder area photographers have fewer choices, but a boycott of >>Mike's might drive home the point. In Denver it's a simple matter to visit >S >>& S Optika, Werner's, The Camera Trader and others for Leica gear. That >>said, >>I further realize few LUGGERs in the area would be tempted to buy a new M6 >>from Mike's anyway. However, a lens at 10% off might be tempting. From now >>on, whenever I buy any photographic equipment or supplies, I'm going to >tell >>Mike's how much I spent, where it was spent and why it was not at Mike's. >> >>BREAKING NEWS: According to a sales representative I just spoke with at the >>Park Meadows store, Leica lenses in stock will be selling at 10% off. >> >>Chris Lawson >> >>--------------------------- >> >> > > > >