[Uluru]

It might be a dream for some but it's a nightmare for many more. Every unit short on supply is a potential lost sale to the competition.

I agree with you. There isn't any golden mean, that works best for both parties.
However, the fact that camera is hard to get only tells prospective buyer about its unique selling value, and it becomes even more desirable for those who understand it.

[Aristophanes]

It might be a dream for some but it's a nightmare for many more. Every unit short on supply is a potential lost sale to the competition.

Well...some products like the GR are the type people are willing to wait for, and waiting can actually drive UP demand and therefore the price.

It's an odd fact of consumer philosophy that people will actually pay more for waiting longer! The opposite of the fast food philosophy.

IN practical terms, the GR will have its heyday right away,then fade, as virtually no digital camera becomes a "classic". So for Ricoh there's no way to permanently beef up the assembly line without incurring long term costs, so they ration.

[Kunzite]

Actually, that is every manufacturer's nightmare. Time is the only truly non-renewable resource. Each day you don't meet demand is a forever-lost opportunity to post earnings.

While it's definitely not a dream situation, I would not call it a nightmare either. Sure, they don't sell as many products as they theoretically could, but:
- they're meeting sales targets (which means they're making a profit)
- they don't gather unsold products sitting on shelves (grossly overestimating the demand, that is a nightmare!)

[Zygonyx]

I wonder what narrative you'll switch to in September. Sigh.

We all hope for the best, otherwise we wouldn't come here.

May you be right in this "good news to come soon" anticipation !

For the time being and as far as we've seen, heard and read, LaurentOE is correct : all we just need are "reversing mind" facts...
And the more time goes, the more concurrence pressure increases.

... So for Ricoh there's no way to permanently beef up the assembly line without incurring long term costs, so they ration.

Again, if confirmed, dangerous game ; moreover inadequately played versus corporate declarations...
You cannot keep "bigger eyes than your stomac" forever... or the competitors will eat your marketshares !

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Last edited by Zygonyx; 07-15-2013 at 04:07 AM.

[Aristophanes]

Again, if confirmed, dangerous game ; moreover inadequately played versus corporate declarations...
You cannot keep "bigger eyes than your stomach" forever... or the competitors will eat your marketshares !

The only competitor is the Nikon Coolpix A at $300 more. I think people will wait 30-60 days rather than spend another $300.

There is no market share yet for an $800 APS-C compact. Sony may enter with an RX-10 and we might see Fuji get in.

these are small volume cameras that sell well initially then fade as newer models loom, so it would be financial folly to keep a larger assembly line going and too much inventory in the pipe.

[Zygonyx]

Yes, the GR is a good case in this respect.
I meant they would be wrong to apply this "ration" strategy to K mount.
Or to Flash development !

[glanglois]

At one time, General Motors limited Corvette production to 50,000 units per year, even if demand exceeded that number significantly.

The chief reason was that the very expensive molds (and perhaps other tooling) used in body production had a useful life of about 50,000 bodies. The cost to build the body production line anew was very large - selling another 5,000 or 10,000 units would be a drag on profits.

The result: the Corvette demand was fueled by the scarcity of supply and prices remained high. So did profits. And the Corvette's cachet was enhanced.

Honda in the US was in the same position quite some years ago - vehicles were selling at more than the sticker price as retailers added add'l dealer services or accessories at inflated prices.

Nothing new here. Managing supply, demand, customer perception, fixed and variable production costs, etc. is a complex task. There are no easy answers, particularly as each case will differ somewhat from the last.

So far I've seen only one or two members posting in this thread who seem to get that. Most are better photographers than business analysts. Me? I'm pretty poor at both. That's why I don't claim to have the answers .....

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Last edited by glanglois; 07-22-2013 at 09:26 PM. Reason: Syntax - I failed to pay it.

[Alizarine]

Damn, can't you hear the sound of hooves behind the hill, that will show up on the peak with first rays of dawn?

But will he show up and say "You shall not pass?"

on the other hand, the guys at the Pentax plant are very secretive. We're happy the rumored repair/calibration workshop from 6 months ago turned out to be true (just opened recently). So I'm still positive something nice is happening inside the plant. It's just taking really long. Dunno if it involves pixies or banana-colored minions though.

[Uluru]

But will he show up and say "You shall not pass?"

on the other hand, the guys at the Pentax plant are very secretive. We're happy the rumored repair/calibration workshop from 6 months ago turned out to be true (just opened recently). So I'm still positive something nice is happening inside the plant. ...

|
:
It's time to send in some guinea pigs spies:

[lsimpkins]

Folks. Give me one example, where a company made cheap products and worked their way up to the luxury market - while retaining the same "brand".
Very few companies can pull that off.
Some have, but the products were always quality to begin with, and were honest.

.

One example of a company working (rather successfully) up to the luxury market is Hyundai. 10-15 years ago the Elantra was c**p. Today the Genesis and Equus are well received, if not yet quite Lexus' or Mercedes' stature.

I don't think Pentax has the problem of building their quality so much as building their market. And while the enthusiast market may drive technology, it does not necessarily drive revenue.

[mike.hiran]

samsung, honda, toyota, nissan (datsun)... all were value brands at one point.

[Clavius]

I don't know if there's a seperate thread on this already, but I thought I should post there here, as it's related to the latest Pentax flash patent: Ricoh ??????????????????????So-net??? Maybe this gets the thread back on topic again?

I may be mistaking, but it appears to be a flash with a motor in the bounce head that automatically turns?! If true, then it is worthy of its own prize: That of the most annoying feature ever! Imagine trying to compose an image and the flash pivotting and living its own life. Brrrrr....

They can keep their AF360FGZ II now, if it ever surfaces.

[Uluru]

I don't know if there's a seperate thread on this already, but I thought I should post there here, as it's related to the latest Pentax flash patent: Ricoh ??????????????????????So-net??? Maybe this gets the thread back on topic again?

I may be mistaking, but it appears to be a flash with a motor in the bounce head that automatically turns?! If true, then it is worthy of its own prize: That of the most annoying feature ever! Imagine trying to compose an image and the flash pivotting and living its own life. Brrrrr....

They can keep their AF360FGZ II now, if it ever surfaces.

/
/
Or it could be something else; remote control of the head, programmable positioning of the head, ability for same flash unit to be used and shared by two camera bodies (each controls angle and rotation), storing of flash presets, etc. I actually think it could be amazing ..
In any case, let's wait, see and then moan about it..,

[Wawa]

Sorry to disappoint your gloom; new 360 flash is ready and coming next month together with TC.

Just spent some time viewing your gallery. Great selection, high standard and an inspiration to follow. Thanks. Wawa.

[DaveBlack]

Just spent some time viewing your gallery. Great selection, high standard and an inspiration to follow. Thanks. Wawa.

Wow!! Finally the TC and something from Pentax that I wanted to buy. It has been a long time since the K-5 and the DA15 Ltd that Pentax has came out with something that I wanted to buy and could afford. Yes, I do want the DA560 but can not afford it.