Guest Gilgamesh Posted June 23, 2013 Share #1 Posted June 23, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) It makes you wonder: why haven't Leica brought out a grip you can actually buy? Why so may aftermarket leather goods and no Leica branded products? That, I think, is but scratching the surface regarding Leica, as a company, reflecting a pi££ poor strategic marketing and after sales products strategy. I can't imagine Jaguar or Maserati, for example, not having goods already sourced and lined up for customers to buy post the purchase of their car. You can't even buy the M for goodness sake! What a hopeless business plan, can you imagine, just for one minute, yourself, approaching ones own bank with such a half-baked business plan? Fly. Seat. Pants. It's German and TBH, it should be a great deal more professional, slick and frankly, workable. This is a top flight product with third rate most-everything else, save their history and reputation to trade upon. The Leica experience thus far is somewhat tainted; I never had these reservations when I bought my M6 back in the days. Am I alone in thinking along these lines? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 23, 2013 Posted June 23, 2013 Hi Guest Gilgamesh, Take a look here Leica. Why such a half backed business plan?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
bill Posted June 23, 2013 Share #2 Posted June 23, 2013 Probably not. I am confident that this thread will shortly be populated by a whole furniture warehouse full of armchair CEOs. Regards, Bill Sent from another Galaxy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted June 23, 2013 Share #3 Posted June 23, 2013 Leica do have form for announcing new cameras & accessories but failing to deliver on the latter. I posted my thoughts on this in the X Vario thread. I don't think anyone would disagree that it's madness not to have the accessories available for customers to purchase along with their new cameras. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannybuoy Posted June 23, 2013 Share #4 Posted June 23, 2013 Problem is that they create hand built niche products that don't have mass market supply chains. It's unfortunate but there's nothing that we can really do about it :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted June 23, 2013 Share #5 Posted June 23, 2013 Problem is that they create hand built niche products that don't have mass market supply chains. It's unfortunate but there's nothing that we can really do about it :-) I agree for the multi-function hand grip but the dumb hand grip and the R to M adapter are simple hunks of metal. Any half decent machine/metal stamping shop could turn them out after a couple of days spent making the CNC files and having the stamping dies for the base plate made by a toolmaker. It may not even be that complicated, as the base plate may be milled from a solid brass billet, rather than stamped, then it's off to the chromers/painters. I think the OP is correct, Leica really do need to learn the PPPPPP approach (Prior Planning Prevents P*** Poor Performance). Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gilgamesh Posted June 23, 2013 Share #6 Posted June 23, 2013 P6 - a while since I last heard that! All I want is something similar to the grip on my M6 - not to bring world peace to the planet, or assemble Ikea furniture without a headache and one missing part; in short, I don't think I am asking much. We have the Thumbs Up and similar items to help, plus the various lovely leather 1/2 cases, but with just a smidgin of planning and foresight, and that's not a rare commodity, surely the company could take their collective thumbs out of their respective backsides and have planned ahead. The M240 was announced late last year. Leica, if you are reading this, shift-ass and get your house in order, WE, THE CUSTOMERS, are, unimpressed with this half-baked product launch to date, and we haven't even touched on software issues, faulty lugs, over exposure issues (and that's just from following some threads here on the site). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gilgamesh Posted June 23, 2013 Share #7 Posted June 23, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) "Problem is that they create hand built niche products that don't have mass market supply chains. It's unfortunate but there's nothing that we can really do about it :-)" Actually, I think we maybe can. Start telling them what a company of this standing is expected to do in the second decade of the 21st century, and that maybe, just maybe, they should put the customer at the very heart of their business plan. With lenses selling for thousands of £$£, bodies for more still, they have a ready made, affluent, aspirational market place, one that is ever expanding. You can't by an M and you can't buy a hand grip. Marks out of 10? 0 thus far Leica. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted June 23, 2013 Share #8 Posted June 23, 2013 I agree for the multi-function hand grip but the dumb hand grip and the R to M adapter are simple hunks of metal. Any half decent machine/metal stamping shop could turn them out after a couple of days spent making the CNC files and having the stamping dies for the base plate made by a toolmaker. It may not even be that complicated, as the base plate may be milled from a solid brass billet, rather than stamped, then it's off to the chromers/painters. I think the OP is correct, Leica really do need to learn the PPPPPP approach (Prior Planning Prevents P*** Poor Performance). Wilson Is the 'new' R to M adaptor actually made by Leica? I think that it might be made by Novoflex - as was the Leica branded R to 4/3 adaptor. Other accessories might not be made 'in house' either - I recall the R9 motor drive/battery/charger was made in China. The Leica EVF is certainly not made in Solms and I imagine that leather accessories are contracted out too. Bringing all these 'bits' into the market place at the right time might not be as simple a logistical exercise as we like to think. But I agree that the supply chain seems to be a bit 'slack Alice' and appears to need tightening up. dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalfx Posted June 23, 2013 Share #9 Posted June 23, 2013 If its not made by Leica, then even more shame on them. They couldn't coordinate production with their vendors to have these ready when the camera shipped? Basic business 101. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted June 23, 2013 Share #10 Posted June 23, 2013 If its not made by Leica, then even more shame on them. They couldn't coordinate production with their vendors to have these ready when the camera shipped? Basic business 101. It's not an economic proposition in most businesses to make all products in-house. Consider the Swiss watch industry where most ebauche movements are outsourced - and the car industry where hundreds of components are outsourced. Leica do not have the resources or the need to make everything in-house. We tend to regard Leica as being a very independent manufacturer but the reality is somewhat different. Leica make what they're good at making and outsource specialist items they do not have the facilities/resources to manufacture. To imagine that Leica employ eg saddlers 'in-house' to make leather cases would be a rather too romantic view of the company. Economies of scale can be effected by specialist sub-contractors who produce parts for more than one manufacturer. dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanJW Posted June 23, 2013 Share #11 Posted June 23, 2013 I am usually very willing to cut Leica some slack as a "small company". But it certainly is puzzling to say the least why they couldn't bring to market the "dumb" handgrip and the R to M adapter. RRS got their replacement baseplate out and in the hands of customers before anyone has even seen a Leica handgrip and Novoflex and others have M to R adapters out there too (uncoded, but how much is entailed in that?) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted June 23, 2013 Share #12 Posted June 23, 2013 Problem is that they create hand built niche products that don't have mass market supply chains. It's unfortunate but there's nothing that we can really do about it :-) Yes, we sometimes forget that Leica are actually just 3 gnomes who operate out of a tree house in the depths of the Black Forest and whittle everything they make from solid material with just a toothpick and a sharp stone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalfx Posted June 23, 2013 Share #13 Posted June 23, 2013 It's not an economic proposition in most businesses to make all products in-house. Consider the Swiss watch industry where most ebauche movements are outsourced - and the car industry where hundreds of components are outsourced. Leica do not have the resources or the need to make everything in-house. We tend to regard Leica as being a very independent manufacturer but the reality is somewhat different. Leica make what they're good at making and outsource specialist items they do not have the facilities/resources to manufacture. To imagine that Leica employ eg saddlers 'in-house' to make leather cases would be a rather too romantic view of the company. Economies of scale can be effected by specialist sub-contractors who produce parts for more than one manufacturer. dunk I think you misunderstood. I was saying if Leica used a third party to manufacture components, then they should have ordered those components early enough that they would be available when customers need them...how hard is that? Of course all companies use third parties to manufacture components or parts. My comment was regarding the timing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunil Posted June 23, 2013 Share #14 Posted June 23, 2013 P6 - a while since I last heard that! All I want is something similar to the grip on my M6 - not to bring world peace to the planet, or assemble Ikea furniture without a headache and one missing part; in short, I don't think I am asking much. We have the Thumbs Up and similar items to help, plus the various lovely leather 1/2 cases, but with just a smidgin of planning and foresight, and that's not a rare commodity, surely the company could take their collective thumbs out of their respective backsides and have planned ahead. The M240 was announced late last year. Leica, if you are reading this, shift-ass and get your house in order, WE, THE CUSTOMERS, are, unimpressed with this half-baked product launch to date, and we haven't even touched on software issues, faulty lugs, over exposure issues (and that's just from following some threads here on the site). I just want the frigging M to start with. I have the case, the polarizer, the uv filters, the screen protector, the memory cards and two brand spanking new lenses. I'm off to see my local quack now to have my head examined. I will then light a bonfire and throw all my accessories into it, all the while running around it cackling gleefully like Rumplestiltskin. I have been finally done in by Leica - their nefarious plan to take over the world by driving everyone crazy is finally succeeding. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted June 23, 2013 Share #15 Posted June 23, 2013 I can't imagine Jaguar or Maserati, for example, not having goods already sourced and lined up for customers to buy post the purchase of their car. Start imagining. The normal waiting list for a new model Maserati is typically between 12 and 18 months...Jaguar F-type about eight months right now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted June 24, 2013 Share #16 Posted June 24, 2013 Start imagining. The normal waiting list for a new model Maserati is typically between 12 and 18 months...Jaguar F-type about eight months right now. We have F Jaguar and several types of 2014 Maseratis piled up like cord wood here. How many would you like? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted June 24, 2013 Share #17 Posted June 24, 2013 Hell hath no fury as a spoiled-rotten wanna-be luxury consumer scorned. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenPatterson Posted June 24, 2013 Share #18 Posted June 24, 2013 Leica spends millions to build a new boutique and gallery in Los Angeles, invites celebrities and photography luminaries from around the world, and at the grand opening party has how many M240s on hand for guests to see and try? Zero. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted June 24, 2013 Share #19 Posted June 24, 2013 Leica spends millions to build a new boutique and gallery in Los Angeles, invites celebrities and photography luminaries from around the world, and at the grand opening party has how many M240s on hand for guests to see and try? Zero. So how is that any of your business? All you ever do here is piss and moan about Leica as they held the mortgage to your self esteem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenPatterson Posted June 24, 2013 Share #20 Posted June 24, 2013 So how is that any of your business? All you ever do here is piss and moan about Leica as they held the mortgage to your self esteem. Speaking of worthless comments. I find your post above referencing the OP as a spoiled luxury consumer especially insulting. Shame on you. I am a Leica fan, and have been for over thirty years. I am not an apologist for every decision they make. What exactly are you, except a troll? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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