setuporg Posted September 10, 2019 Share #1 Posted September 10, 2019 Advertisement (gone after registration) The Q2/SL battery price in the US is $250. Even on top of the usually outrageous Leica markup, this is simply a ripoff. If you have nowhere else to go you pay it and go home (nursing your butt). But, I was in EU and bought several at €150. With a typical exchange ratio it is still quite a bit less than $250. As it stands the battery is more expensive than the charger! Why do we allow such a blatant collusion among the US dealers? What could be the reason Americans are singled out like that for a special ripoff? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 10, 2019 Posted September 10, 2019 Hi setuporg, Take a look here BP-SCL4 ripoff of Americans vs Europeans. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted September 10, 2019 Share #2 Posted September 10, 2019 That appears to be a bit strange, indeed: https://www.cameranu.nl/nl/p816405/leica-bp-scl4-accu € 123, 95 I suppose they have to be carried one by one across the Atlantic Ocean by special courier. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRTZMO Posted September 11, 2019 Share #3 Posted September 11, 2019 Even in high-markup Japan they’re less. I attributed that to a regional manufacture and a low tariff situation, but that is a guess. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ko.Fe. Posted September 11, 2019 Share #4 Posted September 11, 2019 I want to add second digital Leica to my M-E. Knowing what Leica Camera AG has a deal with Chinese manufacturers to install chip in OEM labeled M9 batteries (this allows to gauge us with ridicules price for MiC M9 battery) , I was checking Panasonic made Leicas. Many advanced PanaLeica P&S were reported, confirmed to be working with Pana batteries. Q series are among them. So, here is no problem with Leica 250$ battery for Q. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphh Posted September 11, 2019 Share #5 Posted September 11, 2019 They have to do something to offset the losses they're making because of the value of the pound going towards parity with the euro since the Brexit vote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourne Posted September 11, 2019 Share #6 Posted September 11, 2019 I was in London recently and purchased a spare battery for 120 GB pounds. Wish I had purchased several at that price. You are right... there should not be such a price disparity!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritzen Posted September 11, 2019 Share #7 Posted September 11, 2019 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) Crazy indeed! But then again. For all Apple products its the exact opposite. The new iPhone is $400-$500 cheaper in the US compared to Europe. Edited September 11, 2019 by Ritzen 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted September 11, 2019 Share #8 Posted September 11, 2019 1 hour ago, Ritzen said: Crazy indeed! But then again. For all Apple products its the exact opposite. The new iPhone is $400-$500 cheaper in the US compared to Europe. We should consider the money market. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lykaman Posted September 11, 2019 Share #9 Posted September 11, 2019 1 hour ago, pico said: We should consider the money market. I thought All Leica's Owner/Users already were..!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
setuporg Posted September 11, 2019 Author Share #10 Posted September 11, 2019 (edited) I think this is something worth bringing to the attention of the US operations of Leica USA/AG, because it is probably the price recommended to the dealers. At least they would acknowledge whether they set it or not. They are all made in Asia and shipped, can't be the shipping since the West Coast is closer and cheaper for most shipments from Asia to the US by sea. I'm also not buying the money market theory, it's tiny volume and not iPhone. This is not a free market as the supply is tightly controlled by Leica and it probably has a say in this... Edited September 11, 2019 by setuporg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullmoon Posted September 12, 2019 Share #11 Posted September 12, 2019 Damn, I was just in the EU - I wish I'd had looked for one while there. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizard Posted September 12, 2019 Share #12 Posted September 12, 2019 Am 11.9.2019 um 00:52 schrieb setuporg: What could be the reason Americans are singled out like that for a special ripoff? You should not complain too much, because usually it is just the other way round. Jeans in the US typically cost less than half of what we get charged in Europe. Sneakers likewise. A Maglite torch, which is 10 dollars in the US, is 25 Euro over here. Go figure. And cars are even worse. The models they sell in the US are typically well equipped, and still cost about what the base model costs in Europe. I once mentioned that to a BMW employee at the factory in Munich, and his answer was "BMW cars in Europe are more expensive because each buyer can select all the desired options, resulting in the fact that almost no car is like the other. Regarding the US, BMW fully equips the cars which are being sent stateside, which is cheaper than having each client select his particular options." I then asked this guy why BMW does not follow the same scheme in Europe, as I could assure him that European buyers, too, would rather buy a fully equipped car for less money. Of course, I did not get a response to that one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zampelis Posted September 12, 2019 Share #13 Posted September 12, 2019 On 9/10/2019 at 11:52 PM, setuporg said: The Q2/SL battery price in the US is $250. Even on top of the usually outrageous Leica markup, this is simply a ripoff. If you have nowhere else to go you pay it and go home (nursing your butt). But, I was in EU and bought several at €150. With a typical exchange ratio it is still quite a bit less than $250. As it stands the battery is more expensive than the charger! Why do we allow such a blatant collusion among the US dealers? What could be the reason Americans are singled out like that for a special ripoff? Next time you are in EU don't forget to go to a european Applestore and grab a MacBook at a bargain price too! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LexS Posted September 12, 2019 Share #14 Posted September 12, 2019 "But, I was in EU and bought several at €150." Sure it was not a fake ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucerne Posted September 12, 2019 Share #15 Posted September 12, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, LexS said: "But, I was in EU and bought several at €150." Sure it was not a fake ? Not fake. Standard U.K. Leica price (or less) this side of the pond. https://www.leicastore-uk.co.uk/products/leica-sl-battery-bp-scl4 £120 Edited September 12, 2019 by lucerne Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted September 12, 2019 Share #16 Posted September 12, 2019 2 hours ago, LexS said: "But, I was in EU and bought several at €150." Sure it was not a fake ? Probably not, it is still 15 Euro more than the official price. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD70 Posted September 12, 2019 Share #17 Posted September 12, 2019 While I can only speak for the Q, there are several third party batteries out there that work fine. (Pro) master, and Watson are two that I use. I don't see any difference in the way the camera seems to work with any of these. About $25 U.S. from Amazon or the like. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucerne Posted September 12, 2019 Share #18 Posted September 12, 2019 (edited) 21 minutes ago, MikeD70 said: While I can only speak for the Q, there are several third party batteries out there that work fine. (Pro) master, and Watson are two that I use. I don't see any difference in the way the camera seems to work with any of these. About $25 U.S. from Amazon or the like. Thanks. It’s true that Alternative batteries (Panasonic etc) for the Q have always been available. This debate concerns the Q2 and large discrepancies in price between high list price in US, Australia, and much lower list price U.K., EUROPE.. There are no low price clones available. $225 in the US and £120 in the U.K. WHY? Edited September 12, 2019 by lucerne Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicci78 Posted September 13, 2019 Share #19 Posted September 13, 2019 Even worst than that US prices are without tax. But UK and EU prices are VAT included. 135€ with tax Converted, it should be only 125$ without tax Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
setuporg Posted September 18, 2019 Author Share #20 Posted September 18, 2019 (edited) My research shows that the blatant price gouging of Americans did not start with the SL, or now the SL/Q2 battery! In fact, it started with the S system's PRO 1 battery. The PRO 1 exhibits the same, now hallmark, price structure: €150 in Europe, $250 in America. Because it is a pleasure to part the Americans with an extra $100. After all, Ben Franklin went to Europe himself! Hence, a Leica arbitrage rule: if a battery has a groove and is inserted directly, flush with the camera body, without a lid, charge Americans an extra $100 to celebrate this ingenious design! Edited September 18, 2019 by setuporg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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