michael friedberg Posted March 10, 2010 Share #1 Posted March 10, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) It’s not here yet, but my X1 is in transit. And my story of finding one is a little unusual, so I thought I’d relay it here. When the X1 and M9 were announced on 9/9/09, I didn’t want to commit to buy both, so I put a deposit down on an M9. I was fortunate to get that in early November. But I then decided to find an X1. My search didn’t go well. All the dealers I normally deal with –three major Leica dealers in the U.S. -- wanted large, non-refundable deposits with unspecified delivery times. I don’t blame them, but I’ve found in the past that this can be awkward. Sometimes, the selected dealer just can’t deliver for a much longer time than others. Also, these U.S. dealers were all pessimistic –their waiting lists were already long, and they anticipated dribbles in deliveries. I appreciated their honesty, but it didn’t help me. I also signed up on the Internet for notification of availability from all the large Internet dealers –those guys in NYC or Amazon—who didn’t ask for a deposit. But I heard nothing. Plan C: I called all local dealers. I figured some of them might not have the waiting lists of those known nationally and they don’t do a lot of Internet business. One even had a website with an X1 listed for sale. But no one had an X1 or knew when they might get one. None offered to put me on a waiting list. So much for them. Plan D: I wrote Leica USA. A woman in customer service told me she’d help. I then received a call from the area rep. A really nice guy, but he didn’t help. He said he couldn’t get one for himself, few were arriving, and all were committed to dealers who had long waiting lists. He told me to just sign up with a deposit for a dealer and wait, and said that, honestly, the wait would be many months or possibly at the end of this year. He even marveled that I had an M9. I appreciated his honesty, but that was no answer. So –I started an International e-mail campaign. I wrote a fair number of dealers in Germany, UK and Switzerland (the latter is where I travel regularly on business). It wasn’t easy to find all these dealers, since you can’t simply get a list of all dealers in Germany and their e-mail addresses from the Leica website. You have to list where you are, including postal code, and then ask for a list within a certain radius. I immediately received a large number of negative replies. The dealers were kind enough to write but there generally were two categories of replies. One was “Sorry, we only expect one (or two) in, but we have a long-waiting list”. The other was more or less “We haven’t received any and don’t know when any might arrive.” Except for one dealer. He wrote back “by coincidence, we got one in this morning –would you like it?’ I could have told him the answer to that –I couldn’t type quickly enough. Interestingly, the price in Euros, less VAT, including currency conversion, shipping, and bank wire charges was identical, more or less, to what the U.S. cost would be. Actually, with local sales tax here, the cost was probably $50 less –which probably is $50 more than if I had bought it from a U.S. dealer who was out-of-state and didn’t have to charge local sales tax. The dealer couldn’t have been more patient. I initiated the wire transfer on Thursday and it was only received six days later. I feared the dealer might have sold the camera in the interim –but he not only waited but then shipped right away, But, no, the parcel is en route and hopefully I won’t have a problem with U.S. customs; it should be duty exempt but sometimes electronic devices need special import information. So, it’s not over yet. But my X1 is en route. It just took a little work. And, no, sorry –the dealer doesn’t have any others to sell. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 10, 2010 Posted March 10, 2010 Hi michael friedberg, Take a look here My Search for an X1. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
stnolan Posted March 10, 2010 Share #2 Posted March 10, 2010 That's a cool story. I was lucky enough to have read a posting from a fellow US forum member about him buying from a european dealer. I emailed them on monday and instantly got an email confirming it was in stock and I figure (at todays exchange rate) that I saved about $130. Will arrive friday. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wda Posted March 10, 2010 Share #3 Posted March 10, 2010 Michael, a fascinating tale of perseverance enthusiasm and patience. Well done! I know you will enjoy it; the X1 complements the digital M perfectly and is a powerful little tool on its own. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsrockit Posted March 10, 2010 Share #4 Posted March 10, 2010 I went the European route as well after a similar search and wait for the X1. Mine arrives tomorrow and I also saved $130. Thanks to this forum and JP, the wait is almost over. I just hope it lives up to MY expectations... which aren't as strict as many others here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stnolan Posted March 10, 2010 Share #5 Posted March 10, 2010 I went the European route as well after a similar search and wait for the X1. Mine arrives tomorrow and I also saved $130. Thanks to this forum and JP, the wait is almost over. I just hope it lives up to MY expectations... which aren't as strict as many others here. Great point about YOUR expectations. I agree wholeheartedly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eduardoho Posted March 10, 2010 Share #6 Posted March 10, 2010 I got mine from a web retailer, Optics Planet from Northbrook IL, I got it complete with US warranty, free shipping, and mailed from Leica Allendale rather than the retailer's warehouse. The waiting was about 3 weeks, closer to 4 weeks. I had complained to the retailer but Leica responded and stepped in to help me out, which in turn routed me to their West Region Sales office rep who expedited my order. The camera received was of good finish, I am not being sarcastic, but don't know how much of the 1,995.00 bucks I paid for the camera went to the packaging, which in my estimation must have cost at least one hundred plus bucks. But Leica being a super luxury product, it succumbs from appearance marketability sake. Just like Cartier or Jaeger-LeCoultre watchmakers, the boxes are more ostentatious than the product itself. The X1 exhibits a physical fragile appearance, however it does not negate its ability to take serious photos under dim ambient lighting, but I am afraid it will not withstand the rigors of abuses from every day handling. Although I am worried about one of the edge of the leather will be curling up and the peel away, at the right side where it meets with the usb/sd card compartment door; since one is always exerting a pulling effect with your right hand fingers in that area. May be that's one of the reasons for them to charge another 119.99 for a hand grip. Don't want to sound I am a nay sayer, but quite on the contrary I am satisfied with X1. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael friedberg Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share #7 Posted March 10, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) I got mine from a web retailer, Optics Planet from Northbrook IL, ... I had complaint not to the retailer but to Leica, which in turn routed me to their West Region Sales office rep who in turn expedited my order.. I also contacted Optics Planet --they were the one with the product on their website, but they had none in stock and no knowledge about future deliveries, if any. I talked to a different Leica sales rep (I suspect) --he didn't owe me anything about expediting any order, but in the past I've found sales reps resourceful about (a) knowing which dealer, if any, took delivery and has an item not yet spoken for or ( knowing when future deliveries will occur and how they will be allocated. This sales rep, while a friendly enough guy, wouldn't or couldn't go that extra step. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eduardoho Posted March 10, 2010 Share #8 Posted March 10, 2010 Michael you stand correct in your statement about Optics Planet. They captured the sales order amount immediately by swapping my credit card. They did not say at their webpage that this product was not in stock, and that was my reason in lodging my frustrations directly wtih Leica Camera USA in Allendale NJ. They stepped in on behalf of Optics Planet and I got my baby on March 3rd, and have ever since been enamoured by this cute sweet thingie. Good luck in your quest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZDavid Posted March 10, 2010 Share #9 Posted March 10, 2010 Still none in New Zealand and no idea when they may be available. As I'll be in Germany next month I may look around then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
artyca Posted March 12, 2010 Share #10 Posted March 12, 2010 I got mine in Germany. Michael, are you the same guy I bumped into at a particular watch museum in Schaffhausen back in 2007? We chatted and had a cup of coffee together for abit. Rgds, raymond Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael friedberg Posted March 12, 2010 Author Share #11 Posted March 12, 2010 I got mine in Germany. Michael, are you the same guy I bumped into at a particular watch museum in Schaffhausen back in 2007? We chatted and had a cup of coffee together for abit. Rgds, raymond Raymond, it well could have been! -- I think so; I'm in Schaffhausen often given the work that I do for IWC. I will be there next week and was hoping my X1 would arrive before then --I love shooting there and it would have been a good field test of the camera. But bank and customs delays got in the way. I'm taking instead an M9 with 28/2.8 and a Digilux-4 Nice to meet you again here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ccmsosse Posted March 15, 2010 Share #12 Posted March 15, 2010 Michael you stand correct in your statement about Optics Planet. They captured the sales order amount immediately by swapping my credit card. They did not say at their webpage that this product was not in stock, and that was my reason in lodging my frustrations directly wtih Leica Camera USA in Allendale NJ. They stepped in on behalf of Optics Planet and I got my baby on March 3rd, and have ever since been enamoured by this cute sweet thingie. Good luck in your quest. Thanks for the info - almost ordered from them... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ccmsosse Posted March 15, 2010 Share #13 Posted March 15, 2010 I am with you - I have the M9 but still want the X1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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