wattsy Posted October 25, 2009 Share #21 Posted October 25, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) A curious mix of smugness and bitterness winding through this thread. In truth, the M9 hasn't been that hard to get hold of if you are fortunate enough to live in markets that Leica's distribution seems to be favouring. Here, in the UK, there has been a steady (if slow) supply of the cameras. I asked my dealer about a week before the 9th September to go on his list and was offered an M9 on the launch day. I was on holiday and decided to pass. I ended up taking delivery of my M9 a couple of weeks ago and my feeling is that if I'd been bothered enough (and been more persistent) I could have obtained it sooner. A poster in another thread obtained an M9 from Ffordes in only a few days by paying in full up front. My advice to anyone desperate for an M9 is to buy via a UK dealer. Not only does the supply seem to be better than elsewhere, but with the pound crapping out, it is probably the cheapest source. You also get a Passport warranty. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 25, 2009 Posted October 25, 2009 Hi wattsy, Take a look here Well, what happened (if anything)?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
wattsy Posted October 25, 2009 Share #22 Posted October 25, 2009 Plus of course UK VAT will rise back to 17.5% from 1 January or maybe more to say 20% from the current 15%. I think the rise beyond 17.5% is a given but it won't be on January 1st. That'll be announced in the budget to occur later in the year or more probably in 2011. No doubt the Chancellor will spin the rise to nearer 20% as harmonising the UK rate with most of the EU. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jelico Posted October 25, 2009 Share #23 Posted October 25, 2009 A curious mix of smugness and bitterness winding through this thread. In truth, the M9 hasn't been that hard to get hold of if you are fortunate enough to live in markets that Leica's distribution seems to be favouring. Here, in the UK, there has been a steady (if slow) supply of the cameras. I asked my dealer about a week before the 9th September to go on his list and was offered an M9 on the launch day. I was on holiday and decided to pass. I ended up taking delivery of my M9 a couple of weeks ago and my feeling is that if I'd been bothered enough (and been more persistent) I could have obtained it sooner. A poster in another thread obtained an M9 from Ffordes in only a few days by paying in full up front. My advice to anyone desperate for an M9 is to buy via a UK dealer. Not only does the supply seem to be better than elsewhere, but with the pound crapping out, it is probably the cheapest source. You also get a Passport warranty. That counts only if you know dealers who will get the camera soon. I am on the order list of UK dealer, camera paid in full, but in 6 weeks I moved from position 7 to 6, meaning they got only one camera in 6 weeks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnoble Posted October 25, 2009 Share #24 Posted October 25, 2009 For all it is worth, I got my (black) M9 in a matter of days a couple of weeks ago after leaving a modest deposit at Florham Village Camera in Florham Park, NJ. (The owner is Gary Stein. 973-822-2626.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted October 25, 2009 Share #25 Posted October 25, 2009 camera paid in full, but in 6 weeks I moved from position 7 to 6, meaning they got only one camera in 6 weeks. Not necessarily. In my experience, a dealer waiting list is not always set in stone and those who are better known to the dealer can often jump the queue. That said, there are clearly dealers who are not getting a fair share of the 'spoils' so far. The London dealers (and, it seems, Ffordes) do seem to be getting a more regular supply than many others. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jelico Posted October 25, 2009 Share #26 Posted October 25, 2009 Not necessarily. In my experience, a dealer waiting list is not always set in stone and those who are better known to the dealer can often jump the queue. That said, there are clearly dealers who are not getting a fair share of the 'spoils' so far. The London dealers (and, it seems, Ffordes) do seem to be getting a more regular supply than many others. Ian, thanks that is exactly what I thought.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yanidel Posted October 25, 2009 Share #27 Posted October 25, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Not necessarily. In my experience, a dealer waiting list is not always set in stone and those who are better known to the dealer can often jump the queue. That said, there are clearly dealers who are not getting a fair share of the 'spoils' so far. The London dealers (and, it seems, Ffordes) do seem to be getting a more regular supply than many others. People tend to forget that this is mainly an Anglo-Saxon forum so you basically get a lot of input from the UK, US and Australia, not so much from other countries. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennB Posted October 25, 2009 Share #28 Posted October 25, 2009 I'm on a list at what I've been told to be a major dealer in the USA, but I'm not holding my breath on a quick reception of a M9. I would like to have it before the end of the year though. I think some of the frustration for others (and for me a little also, truth be told) could be relieved if Leica would tell us what the production hold-up is about. I can understand if a supplier is having problems delivering a part Leica needs or whatever. Or maybe Leica could give us a time frame when production and/or delivery might be up to full speed. Of course, Leica doesn't have tell the consumer anything, but I think it might help the faithful keep faith if they did. again, just my 2 cents (7K$ ??) GlennB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMB Posted October 27, 2009 Share #29 Posted October 27, 2009 "So Andy - where can I buy a new Leica M9 right now?..." probably the same place you can tickets for this in Sydney... BIG DAY OUT 2010 - Music Festival - Auckland, Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth As I said: "If you wanted to drag your feet, see what Leica actually announced, see some reviews, let someone else do the beta testing - and now are miffed because you can't jump to the front of the line..." Where can you buy a Canon dMk.4? I just found a Panny GH-1 for the first time in a store today - and that was announced in April. B&H still says "backordered". I think your comments, while valid in theory, miss the point. When Leica announced the M9 with big fanfare, it said that products would be shipped and available in stores immediately, creating the expectation that that there would be a sufficient supply to satisfy demand quickly. However, it now turn out that the M9s are dribbling out of Solms at a rate comparable to the M8 and are available in shops only for split second. It is quite obvious that customers who relied on Leica’s 9/9/09 announcement feel frustrated. Second, I don’t think that Leica made the 9/9/09 announcement in bad faith. However, so far there had been absolutely no communication from Leica as to why deliveries are so slow. The result is obvious: Numerous rumors (strikes, workers on short shift, technical problems, missing third party parts etc.) and frustrated, unhappy customers. A (potential) customer who knows that there will be (unexpected) delays and why will be understanding; a customer who is kept in the dark will be angry. Third, deliveries seem to be erratic. Some markets seem to get a large share and others not so. In London some dealers apparently had several M9 available on 9/9/09, whereas other countries did not see a M9 for several weeks. And then they show up in some towns or dealers who have no waiting list at all. Finally, there is the issue of black vs. gray. If it is correct that there are problems with the gray version, Leica should be forthcoming and say that there will no grays for several months/weeks etc. so that customers can make informed choices whether they want to wait for the gray or take a black now. In conclusion, the problem is the hype and the expectation of quick delivery built up on 9/09/09 and the lack of communication afterwards. BTW, I continue happy shooting with my M8 and the longer it takes for me to move up the list, the more likely that I skip the M9 and pre-order the M10. Perhaps I would even be first in line Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
george_b Posted October 27, 2009 Share #30 Posted October 27, 2009 . . . . In conclusion, the problem is the hype and the expectation of quick delivery built up on 9/09/09 and the lack of communication afterwards. BTW, I continue happy shooting with my M8 and the longer it takes for me to move up the list, the more likely that I skip the M9 and pre-order the M10. Perhaps I would even be first in line Many here echo this sentiment. When Leica's cash flow feel they need my UK£.p I wonder if it will be a 9.x with all the bugs ironed out or 10? Any guesses, conspiracy theories are just that BTW. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jelico Posted October 27, 2009 Share #31 Posted October 27, 2009 I think your comments, while valid in theory, miss the point. When Leica announced the M9 with big fanfare, it said that products would be shipped and available in stores immediately, creating the expectation that that there would be a sufficient supply to satisfy demand quickly. However, it now turn out that the M9s are dribbling out of Solms at a rate comparable to the M8 and are available in shops only for split second. It is quite obvious that customers who relied on Leica’s 9/9/09 announcement feel frustrated. Second, I don’t think that Leica made the 9/9/09 announcement in bad faith. However, so far there had been absolutely no communication from Leica as to why deliveries are so slow. The result is obvious: Numerous rumors (strikes, workers on short shift, technical problems, missing third party parts etc.) and frustrated, unhappy customers. A (potential) customer who knows that there will be (unexpected) delays and why will be understanding; a customer who is kept in the dark will be angry. Third, deliveries seem to be erratic. Some markets seem to get a large share and others not so. In London some dealers apparently had several M9 available on 9/9/09, whereas other countries did not see a M9 for several weeks. And then they show up in some towns or dealers who have no waiting list at all. Finally, there is the issue of black vs. gray. If it is correct that there are problems with the gray version, Leica should be forthcoming and say that there will no grays for several months/weeks etc. so that customers can make informed choices whether they want to wait for the gray or take a black now. In conclusion, the problem is the hype and the expectation of quick delivery built up on 9/09/09 and the lack of communication afterwards. BTW, I continue happy shooting with my M8 and the longer it takes for me to move up the list, the more likely that I skip the M9 and pre-order the M10. Perhaps I would even be first in line This all is very correct. The question is why Leica doesn’t come up with some kind of answer, at least information on when they will be able to deliver. Informed client is (in most cases) happy client. I understand that it will take time but can they tell us WHEN ?? I don’t mind (well debatable) waiting but I don’t want to keep calling my dealer just to hear him saying “we don’t know”, or as he told me the last time “Leica is still in stealth mode” At least a bit of decency for our money already given to dealers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
samdoshi Posted November 1, 2009 Share #32 Posted November 1, 2009 If you order and paid for M9 now they can't charge you more, that's for sure. But UK VAT definitely goes up, and traditionally Leica raise their prices every year a bit. Demand for M9 is a great surprise for Leica as well as production limitation of Solms factory is surprise for all of us. Does anyone know what time of year Leica usually put their prices up? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thompsonkirk Posted November 3, 2009 Author Share #33 Posted November 3, 2009 IMO GMB & Jelico have summed things up very well: An informed consumer can make an intelligent decision & perhaps be patient; an uninformed one can feel frustrated for good reason. A concrete example: In my case, I decided to keep my beat-up M8u & sell my pristine one when the M9 was announced - on the assumption that M8 prices would drop rapidly. I was fortunate to sell it for the asking price, which was more than I or my dealer expected. I was happy to get by for a while with one camera body, but by now I find it a damned nuisance for the work I do. There's another M8u on Craigslist in my area - cheaper than what I got for mine. I really NEED to know if I should re-purchase an M8u or M8.2 for a second body to use in the short run, or should wait for an M9. Info about the approximate duration would make a lot of difference to me. This is a practical example of GMB's point that an informed consumer can make a good decision about what to do, & an uninformed one is really quite frustrated by Leica. Kirk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jelico Posted November 3, 2009 Share #34 Posted November 3, 2009 Kirk, wait a bit more, it seems that Leica got bit proactive and the cameras are coming in, if you order it in September you will definitely get it soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoppyman Posted November 3, 2009 Share #35 Posted November 3, 2009 Agree. My estimate is that they have made maybe 200-300 since late August. Mind you, according to Fanboys it isn't a problem. "Just be patient"... I'm sure this episode will go down in marketing lore as "How to fumble a brilliant product and instead shoot yourself in both feet and then trash your brand". Am trying really hard to see the bright side in all this =) Andrew, for what ever its worth, the Portugal factory was quoted here as having made 600 I think by the start of October. Man I intensely dislike that label "fanboy" for the folks counselling patience though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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