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Selling Leica like bread??


Paulus

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Last week I was in the Leica Store München.

 

There seems to be a difference in Leica stores all over the world, looking at the way costumers are treated or better to say " spoiled ".

 

What I noticed, that the store doesn't have good seats. So that you can sit down and feel your new Leica and think about it.

No: everything happens standing, like buying a bread? I happend to notice this also in Düsseldorf, Berlin and in London a few years ago.

 

In the " better " Leica Stores f.i. in Lisse Netherlands, you see leather cosy seats. You get coffee or something else, just to make your custumer life nice.

 

In a Juwelly shop I use in Rotterdam, there is even a kitchen, so that on special occasions a cook can make some things to eat or just make cappucino.

 

Al those things just to sell the expensive items in and exclusive way.

 

For me the luxurious approach is nice and " cosy " . What about your experiences with Leica shops all aroung the world. Do you get coffee, or do you have to leave the shop as soon as you can?

 

Or is this " cosy ' way, just a Dutch thing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Leica Mayfair has no seats but does have coffee. Red Dot cameras has comfy seats (where I usually put my bag) but I don't remember being offered coffee.

The old Campkins in Cambridge had no room for seats and saw coffee as an alien invention. You stood at the counter while the assistant cleaned your lens on the end of his tie. (This was 30 years ago).

Edited by LocalHero1953
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The Leica Mayfair shop certainly used to have a sofa (haven't been in it for a while). There are seats and tables in the customer care place opposite – in fact, they have rejigged the layout recently and it looks more like a coffee shop than it does anything else. The Leica shop in the Royal Exchange doesn't have seating but does have a nice gallery space upstairs with an interesting show on at the moment (which I think is preferable to a free coffee). As I'm perfectly capable (like most people) of standing up for many hours on end I'm not sure why I might need "leather cosy seats" when I'm buying (or thinking about buying) a camera.

Edited by wattsy
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...There seems to be a difference in Leica stores all over the world, looking at the way costumers are treated or better to say " spoiled "...

 

 

 I have purchased my M gear only by remote control (internet) so far; I have never been to an official Leica dealership like http://leicastoremiami.com/

 

In giving this some thought, I can only say that when a person is purchasing an M camera body or M lens that will easily set them back in the range of $5000-10,000 USD, the buying experience should be made as enjoyable as possible.  Of course, the S system gear is even more costly.

 

We customers "spoil" Leica by forking over large sums of money for these cameras and lenses.  Leica dealers should "spoil" us right back.  ;)

Edited by Carlos Danger
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I've never been offered a coffee in any camera shop I've been to, including the various Leica outlets. 

 

Maybe I don't look rich enough to bother with! 

 

Anyway, if I want a coffee I'll go to a good coffee shop - not sure I want a dodgy instant coffee from a sales rep! I don't need pampering either, I usually know what I want before I go to a shop - if I'm looking at a couple of options I just want to be left alone whilst I decide. 

 

I do understand that some people want pampering and to be made a fuss over. It's just not me. 

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There seems to be a difference in Leica stores all over the world, looking at the way costumers are treated or better to say " spoiled ".

Al those things just to sell the expensive items in and exclusive way.

 

It was once much worse.

 

leica-line.jpg

 

Note the Billingham bag in front.

Edited by pico
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I've never been offered a coffee in any camera shop I've been to, including the various Leica outlets. 

 

Maybe I don't look rich enough to bother with! 

 

Anyway, if I want a coffee I'll go to a good coffee shop - not sure I want a dodgy instant coffee from a sales rep! I don't need pampering either, I usually know what I want before I go to a shop - if I'm looking at a couple of options I just want to be left alone whilst I decide. 

 

I do understand that some people want pampering and to be made a fuss over. It's just not me. 

Maybe it is a Dutch way? By the way, the word coffee shop in the Netherlands, is not the place to drink coffee. ;)

 

The philosophy behind it, could be, that the longer you stay in a shop the more you see and the more you actually buy.

 

On the other hand. We don't have so much Leica shops and some people have to travel for hours to get there.

One good cup of coffee ( surely not the stale or dogy instant coffee, they have good espressomachines ) is a welcome gesture then.

 

I really do appreciate such a gesture. It's more shops not even camera, or jewelery, but also I other shop where people have to feel their instruments to decide, like diving shops and musicshops.

 

There's even one famous Bass shop in Holland, where the coffee is so renowned, that people talk about it. The first thing the owner says, sitting on a large wooden table, with a superdeluxe coffeemachine says. " Hi, would you like some coffee? :

 

Read it in the website:

 

http://bassmatters.nl/en/about-us/about-us

Edited by Paulus
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  • 2 weeks later...

When I bought my 1st Rover 3ltr (1960's) the dealership had afternoon Tea & Biscuits.. Mid 1970's Porsche in Slough UK had coffee..

RR Service in St Pancras UK offered excellent Tea in real china cups... Oh' that bill!!

Never been offered a beverage at any Leica retail store.. (US/UK/Europe)... Bought my R6.2 @ Harrods, just a T/You and a carrier bag..

Paid for my own afternoon tea in the restaurant..

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I've bought my new Leica gear from my local dealer. Just friendly service and a chat, and after using them for over 30 years I know them very well. Chairs, yes but not luxury chairs. Been offered coffees at time but never bothered to accept. Better than coffee is the helpfulness and ease of doing business - been loaned stuff at times (pretty open ended), tried stuff out, taken new customers to them, sold stuff through them and yes, inevitably I've bought far too much from them. I use other dealers too of course, but if they are able to help and supply an item I tend to use my local dealer. Not at all like buying bread - rather old fashioned really, but no lens cleaning with ties ;) ,

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