sanyasi Posted December 17, 2009 Share #1 Posted December 17, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have not read every thread in this forum so I don't know exactly what Leica may have said to the world, but: Leica has problem on their hands that every business would like to have. They also have a very loyal user base. As I read the various posts, I see frustration, conflicting speculations, and a sense of mystery. Why, if they haven't, hasn't Leica released more information about the flow of product, waiting lists, and fulfillment? Why the mystery? If I were in their shoes, I would want my customers to have the facts, with the understanding that circumstances could change for any number of reasons. Jack Siegel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 17, 2009 Posted December 17, 2009 Hi sanyasi, Take a look here Leica, Where Are You. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jonoslack Posted December 17, 2009 Share #2 Posted December 17, 2009 I have not read every thread in this forum so I don't know exactly what Leica may have said to the world, but: Leica has problem on their hands that every business would like to have. They also have a very loyal user base. As I read the various posts, I see frustration, conflicting speculations, and a sense of mystery. Why, if they haven't, hasn't Leica released more information about the flow of product, waiting lists, and fulfillment? Why the mystery? If I were in their shoes, I would want my customers to have the facts, with the understanding that circumstances could change for any number of reasons. Jack Siegel HI Jack I suspect that, like others, they have learned that to make announcements to internet forums simply increases the furore, added to which, they are not in control of, or responsible for the way their local distributors handle distribution, even less the way that dealers organise waiting lists. The M9 is substantially hand made, the best they can do is the best they can do - working weekends etc. and that, they do seem to be doing. So, I assume, the facts are that 1 They're making them as fast as they can 2 They can't make statements about waiting lists because they aren't in control of them, their distributors and dealers are. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d2mini Posted December 17, 2009 Share #3 Posted December 17, 2009 1 They're making them as fast as they can That's pretty much all their is too it. The only other thing I can think of is how do they decide how many units to send to each dealer? For instance I would expect that B&H would get a lot more than the mom & pop shop in Vermont. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonoslack Posted December 17, 2009 Share #4 Posted December 17, 2009 That's pretty much all their is too it. The only other thing I can think of is how do they decide how many units to send to each dealer? For instance I would expect that B&H would get a lot more than the mom & pop shop in Vermont. Isn't that a decision for Leica New Jersey, and not to do with Leica themselves? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted December 17, 2009 Share #5 Posted December 17, 2009 Isn't that a decision for Leica New Jersey, and not to do with Leica themselves? Is Leica New Jersey independent of Leica Germany? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted December 17, 2009 Share #6 Posted December 17, 2009 I have not read every thread in this forum so I don't know exactly what Leica may have said to the world... Plenty. Read the interviews with Stefan Daniel and some of the other materials out in the main forum. Leica has problem on their hands that every business would like to have. They also have a very loyal user base. Yup. Why, if they haven't, hasn't Leica released more information about the flow of product, waiting lists, and fulfillment? Why the mystery? It's a European thing. There is simply no perceived need for Leica to occupy it's own version of the Truman Show, or to spout it's every waking thought in some form of corporate marcomm tourettes. Patience. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwelland Posted December 17, 2009 Share #7 Posted December 17, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) .... There is simply no perceived need for Leica to occupy it's own version of the Truman Show, or to spout it's every waking thought in some form of corporate marcomm tourettes. Bill Damn, that's funny but so true. I need to find a use for the term "corporate marcomm tourettes" in my day job. As painful as the wait for goods from Leica has been over the years, I'd still rather that they keep to their artisan based assembly and testing model. I'm sure it would be a huge mistake to over compensate for the current excess demand to delivery capacity - if I were Leica I'd certainly like to be in a position to plan some time ahead for continued manufacture and distribution, even if that really meant restricting supply to stay in business. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted December 17, 2009 Share #8 Posted December 17, 2009 As to the distribution pattern. 1. Solms decides worldwide pattern - how many to Asia, NAFTA, Europe, Germany. I would guess that that is done based on total demand (dealer orders) for each area rather than pre-orders or individual's orders. 2. Leica USA distributes US cameras among 17 regions, each with its own rep. There is a balancing act there, between maintaining some flow to all the regions and reps, and also filling the "big" orders like NY stores. As someone who preordered a month before 9/9 in Denver ("Mom & Pop" store) - I'm glad NYC did NOT get the first 500 cameras just because it is a big market. But obviously at some point it will (and should) begin getting the lion's share of cameras if it is really producing the lion's share of demand. 3. The regional reps in turn distribute the cameras they get from each US delivery more or less in rotation among stores, but also taking into account which orders were first. A rep may service 25 stores in his/her region. One small store may have only one order left outstanding, but dating from 9/21. Another, bigger store may have 5 orders outstanding, but none older that 10/10 - and got a camera out of last week's shipment. Yet another store may be the biggest in the region (in terms of total Leica $$ orders - lenses and scopes and such) and have 6 backorders - but got one in each of the past TWO weeks. Two cameras come in this week for the region - and the rep has to decide who gets them. And one is silver and one is black ----- and of those 12 backorders, 2 are for silver, 8 are for black, and 2 are for "any color". How does s(he) divvy them up? 4. The dealers have their wait lists. And color preferences. And good long-term customers as well as orders from first-time buyers they've never heard from before. You can see it is not a cut-and-dried process. I guess my question would be - what can Leica say (and which Leica? Leica Solms? Leica Tokyo? Leica NJ?), and could they say anything that would make things less of a "mystery"? Leica Solms may determine how many cameras the US gets - but have very little say (or even knowledge, in detail) of which individuals and stores get those cameras once they are in-country. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanyasi Posted December 18, 2009 Author Share #9 Posted December 18, 2009 I have no angst, just curiosity, particularly as I read this list. I am new to Leica and am waiting patiently. In the meantime, I've been enjoying this list, particularly the people who include galleries of their photos. Lots of amazing photos. The one thing I'd like to know is how much duplication (people who are on the list at four different dealers) there is in orders--I suspect a lot. I am on one dealer list and he told me that he expects at least half the orders to be canceled for any number of reasons when he calls to ask for payment. I suspect Leica has a sense of the true demand from talking with dealers and I would be interested in a realistic assessment of how this will all play out it. In the meantime, I am having a good time with my Canon camera and using my new Leica lens as a paperweight. Jack Siegel A more pertinent thread might be one that asks people how many lists they are on, but I suspect paranoia might limit the responses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-hawinkler Posted December 18, 2009 Share #10 Posted December 18, 2009 I have no angst, just curiosity, particularly as I read this list. I am new to Leica and am waiting patiently. In the meantime, I've been enjoying this list, particularly the people who include galleries of their photos. Lots of amazing photos. The one thing I'd like to know is how much duplication (people who are on the list at four different dealers) there is in orders--I suspect a lot. I am on one dealer list and he told me that he expects at least half the orders to be canceled for any number of reasons when he calls to ask for payment. I suspect Leica has a sense of the true demand from talking with dealers and I would be interested in a realistic assessment of how this will all play out it. In the meantime, I am having a good time with my Canon camera and using my new Leica lens as a paperweight. Jack Siegel A more pertinent thread might be one that asks people how many lists they are on, but I suspect paranoia might limit the responses. Good question. I am exactly on one list. I cancelled on another list before I signed up with and prepaid B&H. I am sure dealers have experience with these situations and take into account some folks being on multiple lists. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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