[BrettC]

I got an email address for James Malcolm from a friend who knows him and sent him an angry email basically reiterating some of the things I posted earlier. I wonder if he will reply...if he does I will post a summary of his response if appropriate.

BAH! wont let me edit me werds...but James Malcolm is the EVP of Marketing for Ricoh and hence Pentax...perhaps a letter writing campaign might help to show them how strongly some of us feel about this change.

[Uluru]

Not sure if folks are aware but I was trying to get a part to repair a K-x DSLR and I was told they are no longer providing parts to the general public but are required to go through a third party service company...the one they referred me to was chris or something like that...when I contacted them they informed me they will not sell parts either but I was welcome to send it in to them for repair...what a joke.

No, it is serious business. They probably know that they have better expertise in repairing, all the necessary instruments, etc. Even if they mess up one part themselves, they can get another one and complete repairs. You, however, don't have that luxury. Considering time they are saving to you, their repair is a cheaper option as it leaves you more time to do something else.

They also leave you the option to source material from eBay. Buying an old K-x is such a bargain today and it leaves you with plenty of other parts to play with in the future. In each case, you are better off with their new policy.

looks like I will be ditching all Pentax products I have and switch to a company that actually provides customers with what they need to use their products!

And that company is .. Lego Camera Ltd?

[aleonx3]

BAH! wont let me edit me werds...but James Malcolm is the EVP of Marketing for Ricoh and hence Pentax...perhaps a letter writing campaign might help to show them how strongly some of us feel about this change.

Someone mentioned in other threads that the other camera makers will likely make the same move.... as it may be the industry trend now. YMMV.

[MD Optofonik]

Shareholders count. Customers do not. Adobe knows this and their model for appeasing shareholders is the model for maximizing shareholder profits that every company is watching and that model puts customers at the bottom of every list. Companies know that we will accept buggy hardware and software, bad customer service, and build quality and still keep buying and buying. Shareholders know as well.

[neil1]

What parts would you be looking to buy!

[Steve.Ledger]

► Pentax Camera Repair Parts
► DSLR Camera Parts *Just Added! Pentax K-x Camera Parts*

[monochrome]

Shareholders count. Customers do not. Adobe knows this and their model for appeasing shareholders is the model for maximizing shareholder profits that every company is watching and that model puts customers at the bottom of every list. Companies know that we will accept buggy hardware and software, bad customer service, and build quality and still keep buying and buying. Shareholders know as well.

So, how many shares do you own then?

[BrettC]

No, it is serious business. They probably know that they have better expertise in repairing, all the necessary instruments, etc. Even if they mess up one part themselves, they can get another one and complete repairs. You, however, don't have that luxury. Considering time they are saving to you, their repair is a cheaper option as it leaves you more time to do something else.

They also leave you the option to source material from eBay. Buying an old K-x is such a bargain today and it leaves you with plenty of other parts to play with in the future. In each case, you are better off with their new policy.

no just no!! I cannot believe what I just read...honestly...just... WHAT????? are you so emotionally insecure as to believe what you wrote...it sounded like a brainwashed manifesto of a cult follower...the company knows what is best for you...you do not need independent thought....you are only as good as the company allows you to be...what drivel! I kept looking for the sarcasm tag but couldn't find it...please tell me it was all poorly formed joke.




Ok where to begin?

No, it is serious business. They probably know that they have better expertise in repairing, all the necessary instruments, etc. Even if they mess up one part themselves, they can get another one and complete repairs. You, however, don't have that luxury

seems innocuous to begin with but when thought about a little more rather ominous

Considering time they are saving to you, their repair is a cheaper option as it leaves you more time to do something else.

False...with the part in hand I can complete the needed repair in less than the time it would take me to box up the camera and take it be shipped...10-15 minutes MAX. very simple a few screws and simple electrical connector...I have already taken it apart to diagnose the issue and reassembled in less time than it would take to have it sent off.

They also leave you the option to source material from eBay. Buying an old K-x is such a bargain today and it leaves you with plenty of other parts to play with in the future.

So your solution is for people to obtain unverified, unreliable, and presumably already defective items to Frankenstein a working camera....sounds like a very bad solution to simple problem. I find it hard to believe this solution is offered in good faith.

In each case, you are better off with their new policy.

you may believe it but that does not make it to be true. I personally am worse off as has already been explained to you. Are you a marketing shill for Pentax...honestly I am beginning to wonder with some of the replies like yours here...something smells rotten in Denmark! The platitudes you are offering are very disingenuous.

[monochrome]

On the one hand we expect Pentax to support B&M Dealers so we can hold and try cameras before we choose and buy them. On the other hand, establishing a policy that actually obligates a consumer to purchase repair parts from an Authorized Dealer - which makes the Pentax Parts Department in Denver a 'Wholesale-only' operation - is a restraint of our freedom to choose our repair options.

And heaven forfend a company should structure its business practices to yield a profitable return in its investment so that it can reinvest in the brand, make new products, grow market share, live long and prosper (because Pentax Corp and Hoya did such a fine job of that when the former policy was in place). Those horrible shareholders might actually see share prices rise if that should happen.

This is why consumers have choices. Please find a better camera company (according to your stated needs), come back here and tell us which one it is.

[BrettC]

What parts would you be looking to buy!

I need a mount ring for a lens and a new LCD screen...possibly a mainboard but wont know until the LCD is replaced. As it is right now the camera takes great pictures in auto setting...well as good as auto ever is...but without the lcd screen no other functions can be accessed. I am assuming the main board is fine based on the performance of everything about the camera except the LCD screen. Shutter, zoom, autofocus all work fine...just need to transfer pics to computer to view them. If after replacing the screen it still does not work then on to the next potential issue...which it will probably need to be sent away for....mainboard pcb. But all indicators are that the mainboard is fine.

---------- Post added 05-08-14 at 06:44 PM ----------

This is why consumers have choices. Please find a better camera company (according to your stated needs), come back here and tell us which one it is.

Obvious sarcasm aside...which I very much appreciated...it does look like it is coming down to one of those lesser of the evils type situation. As I just recently found out about Pentax's policy and the recent change I have not yet had the time to perform effective research. If you truly would like an alternative I would be glad to share with you what I discover....however, given the phraseology of your reply and the consistent tones of dismissal from "many post members" I highly doubt objective evidence and fact base decision making will really have any effect.


Cheers!

[Rupert]

I bought an Olympus C720 years back maybe over 10 years ago....I gave it to a friend a couple of years ago. The little door for the SD card broke. I called Olympus for him, and they not only sent him a new door, they sent it to him for free, along with some Oly advertisements for their systems.
It will be a cold day in hell before you will ever get that kind of service from Pentax. I was hoping that with Ricoh we would see a company more in tune with their customers, more open, and more accommodating to the needs of their base. Haven't seen any sign of it yet.

Regards!

[monochrome]

IObvious sarcasm aside...which I very much appreciated...it does look like it is coming down to one of those lesser of the evils type situation. As I just recently found out about Pentax's policy and the recent change I have not yet had the time to perform effective research. If you truly would like an alternative I would be glad to share with you what I discover....however, given the phraseology of your reply and the consistent tones of dismissal from "many post members" I highly doubt objective evidence and fact base decision making will really have any effect.


Cheers!

Yes, my comment was intentionally snarky but the question is real. I understand fully the business reasons behind Pentax's change. I have bought parts from Denver retail at Dealer price in the past. A few points that come to mind - they won't change your opinion but they are at least an explanation - and they aren't necessarily exhaustive.

• The 'Parts Department' is literally one person
  • As you have experienced, it is hard to contact 'Parts'.
  • Servicing retail detracts from (her) ability to service dealers; (she) is actually a hard-working, dedicated employee and Pentax is lucky to have (her).
• The Parts inventory must be carried by Pentax in retail quantities to provide retail sales
  • partial cartons broken to sell one part are not re-saleable to a Dealer
  • Credit Card handling is a chore and always subject to uncontrollable consumer refusals.
  • Shipping is a chore and the time cost is unrecoverable at any price
• Selling to retail at Dealer Prices undercuts Dealers
  • Pentax has an outsourced 'Webstore' for retail NIS purchases, but it is a contract company, not really Pentax - they don't actually 'service' NEW products, either.
  • As linked above, Pentax apparently now has some retail parts 'Dealers' who are equipped to sustain the issues of retail parts distribution.

Pentax simply does not have the revenue in the USA to justify retail parts distribution. As a business manager one must make decisions regarding allocation of scarce resources. Given a choice I would choose not to lose money on retail parts and redirect that saving to acquiring new dealer-customers.

[Rupert]

Pentax simply does not have the revenue in the USA to justify retail parts distribution.

Ahh yes! But they have the money and resources to sell you a camera in this country! Not much different in far too many corporations nowadays....after all it is ALL about the money and little else.
Funny thing though, those that take that approach soon learn that their customers go elsewhere......JC Penney......they went for the money and most likely won't be around another year. Home Depot was only weeks away from bankruptcy when they fired their CEO and installed a new one that thought customer service was a MUST...and if you look at the current HDepot stock, you will see he was right.

If you can't provide good service to your customers you don't deserve to stay in business.......and probably won't! I haven't seen any indication that Ricoh has much concern for their customers......if you have, let's hear it?

Regards!

[Eyewanders]

Fair enough I suppose clearly we have different standards by which we value our individuality and abilities.

Dear Mr. C... It's clear that you have great reservations about this news and I am empathetic toward it, but your 9 posts on this forum are in this single thread and have an air of combativeness to them. I don't blame you for being up-at-arms, but could you tone down the "debate". Perhaps it's not meant to come across that way, but scanning this thread has already made me weary. Many here likely agree with you, but this thread, if it is to serve a purpose would be far more interesting if it did not contain 50% retort.

Welcome to the forums.
Kevin

[kdf9511]

They also leave you the option to source material from eBay. Buying an old K-x is such a bargain today and it leaves you with plenty of other parts to play with in the future. In each case, you are better off with their new policy.

I wouldn't exactly call the current prices a bargin. As a matter of fact I wouldn't call most of the Pentax DSLR's on eBay a bargin. I just spent three weeks trying to find one that fit the budget and wound up with a K200D.