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Leica Boutique bites the dust


Pjay

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Less than three years ago, Leica Australia was very upbeat about the future of Leica Downunder.

http://www.photocounter.com.au/2013/new-beginnings-for-leica-in-australia/

 

Last week I visited what had been Brisbane's only Leica Boutique at Ted's Cameras to find that the Leica display had been replaced by Canon merchandise.  Remaining Leica stock is available for clearance prices, but alas they had nothing that I'm looking for.

 

Sad that it turned out to be non-viable after such a short time.  Probably a reflection of economic uncertainty and job insecurity that makes discretional spending the first thing to be curtailed...

 

SO I can buy from Leica Boutiques in Sydney/Melbourne/Adelaide or Perth, without the benefit of handling the goods first..  Online buying is not an option with our lousy exchange rate and steep customs charges.

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This can only mean that Leica aren't selling enough cameras in Brisbane, so the space is better used to stock Canon product which presumably is selling enough. 

 

Out of interest, were the Canon's on display mostly the DSLR's or the P&S models?

Higher end DSLR models - I guess the space had developed an association with class/quality...

 

A sign of the dwindling mining boom perhaps?

 

Other sectors are doing well, such as the new international airport at Toowoomba for shipping fresh produce to China and other Asian destinations.

Our housing bubble is a dampening factor on retail activity - 75% of household budget to service a mortgage is not uncommon!

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I've been buying Leica cameras and lenses in Australia since 1981, not really all that long in the overall scheme of things, but back then there were very few stockists

of Leica gear to choose from, and those there were did not keep much of a selection of stock. You had place your order and wait hopefully...thus enjoying the anticipation.

 

Last week I spent a few hours online researching prices and availability of the M262, and was mildly surprised to discover just how many Leica stockists there are in this

country by comparison to thirty years ago, even so the prices quoted for the M262 were not all that competitive, or maybe I'm just lousy at bargaining.

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The M262 is fairly new, so launch prices will survive intil supply exceeds demand.

So there should be a price drop later?....that would be nice, but I doubt there will be any appreciable difference over time. It seems to me (though I am always ready to be wrong) that we have always paid

some hundreds of dollars more for new Leica cameras and lenses in Australia than do buyers in the US. (Quite apart from our dollar difference and our sales tax)

This is certainly not necessarily an indication that Australian dealers are overcharging customers, rather more that Australian dealers themselves are paying more for their Leica stock.

 

It's a pity about the boutique in Brisbane, but it's probably not really surprising, there may still be a few too many Leica dealerships in this country for their own good.

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I had not heard that regarding the Leica Boutique in Ted's store in Brisbane. I can comment that DigiDirect hosted the recent SL launch here. I understand that they are establishing a Leica Boutique in Sydney (including being an S system stockist).  I wonder if this foretells that their Brisbane store (the only other authorised Leica M stockist here) becoming a Boutique location? That is entirely my speculation.

Pjay, maybe shop 100 metres up the road then  :) . A Boutique location has higher minimum stocking requirements I think?However that second authorised M dealer here has plenty of each system up to M available for viewing before you place an order. My M (Typ 240) was purchased from them by the way. 

Dee, I think that is a bit of a broad statement regarding comparing US and Australian prices. As you noted, sales tax there and GST here need to be considered as does the (fluctuating) exchange rate. Taking those into account, I saw recently that one camera body price (without the GST component) was actually exactly the same as BHPhoto. The US prices are not required to include their (variable) sales taxes of course.

Edited by hoppyman
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  • 2 weeks later...

There's already a 'Leica Boutique' in both Sydney Digidirect stores I'm familiar with (CBD & Bondi) and has been for some time.

 

I've fondled some of the M goodies in both and the staff were very helpful and courteous, though I didn't really see anything beyond the cabinets with Leica gear inside to indicate them being anything other than 'stockists' of Leica equipment. The prices are absolute top whack - but yes, just in line with exchange rates/including GST - just imagine what they'll be if the dollar continues to slide and the GST gets bumped to 15% :(

 

I prefer to buy from Leica dealers where there is the possibility of basic repairs/diagnosis, I don't get the impression this is something Digidirect do (happy to be corrected.)

I only have eyes for the M system, so haven't noticed anything about S equipment.

 

Shame about the Brisbane store. It's always better to have more choice available.

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Hi cron-r.
I live in Brisbane but my understanding is that the Digidirect CBD store is or will be a Leica Boutique location and is or will be a stockist for the S system. As far as I know their Bondi store is an authorised Leica dealer but not a Boutique.

Regarding Brisbane dealers, Teds and DigiDirect are certainly both authorised Leica Camera stockists for the M system and below. I don't know anything about the OP's original comment on the Boutique status of the Ted's store. I haven't been in there for some time.

 

For the S system, there are very few dealers in that tier of stockist in Australia  (2 or 3?). I don't know how many customers apart from me are out there! However it is now possible for any retail customer to deal directly with Leica Camera Australia for the S system (only). The product specialist for the S System is Connor.

For product knowledge for sure we would expect the authorised dealers to be familiar with the operation and settings of Leica gear, if you have questions. As far as basic repairs, I'm not aware of any dealership in Australia that would actually perform even minor repairs on site. I don't know of any dealers for the big Japanese brands that do that either for that matter. But then I don't buy much else ;-)

 

The authorised Leica Camera repair agent is Camera Clinic in Melbourne of course and if you took anything with a problem to the dealer you got it from, they would be sending it to that repairer for you. Anything that they can't do in Australia of course is then sent on to Wetzlar. Or you can actually deal with Wetzlar direct if you wish.

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Updating my previous comments.... I did visit the Brisbane Teds store yesterday, trying to find a suitable replacement for my rolling case. Despite the Boutique sign outside their door the nice red showcases no longer house Leica gear, as the OP told us. Nearly nothing left and nothing M. A staff member told me that they would no longer stock the M system next year.
 

On the positive side 50 metres away is DigiDirect (where I bought my M when they first arrived here) and they have more stock than ever on display including a great range of lenses, not just a selection. Oh and that SL which is a severe temptation!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Haha, my eyes remain averted from the SL - la, la, la, can't hear you! Thanks for the added info on options here.

 

I did try the Sydney CBD Digidirect store on a whim for a Leica M7 battery last week (was always going to be a longshot I know and I've since grabbed one online.)

The store assistant happily told me (without a trace of irony), "Oh, I know, the 3v batteries? We get people in all the time asking for them. No we don't sell them."!!

 

It gave me a chuckle at least, and there was still a heap of Leica gear available; pens, lighters, cufflinks, all sorts ;-) 

 

There was no shortage of camera buyers in the store, I'd hope they sell plenty of Leica (camera) gear to tourists, it's a real treat to be able to see things in the flesh,

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