Originally posted by JimC1101 "I don't want that, I think it has failed because it did not give me what I want". Those here who can see the logic behind why certain releases are sent out, even thought we would never buy one of them, they need to look past their own wants and think more of what others will like.
When I was a retail buyer one of the hardest lessons to be learned was that I was NOT buying what I wanted but buying what other people would want. It is very difficult to put yourself into the mind of other shoppers and say "I hate this, but we are sell to the heck out of it." Just trying to say that if we assume the majority of PF posters are 'enthusiasts' and they hate this camera, then I suspect Ricoh is going to "sell the heck out of it". Because this camera is most definitely not for them.
Originally posted by monochrome Yeah, and RIAC has been soooooo successful putting the previous 'good' cameras in more stores where people could actually see and touch them.
Retailers have limited inventory budget, limited shelf space and limited employee training time. So if you have 3 black cameras on the shelf in three price points and a salesperson comes in with the latest and greatest black Pentax DSLR the story has to be very, very compelling to put another black, boring DSLR on the shelf that employees will have to learn about and then try to sell to customers. Much easier to say, "no" we already have 3 black cameras on the shelf at 3 price points, I do not need another one.
But show them something truly different and striking, with shiny LEDS and a new look and maybe, just maybe they will find a spot on the shelf for it. Ricoh is fighting for shelf space. At this point what the customer wants is immaterial. What retailers with shelf space want is the only thing that matters. I keep hearing Ricoh has no retail presence, which is true. You do not get retail presence by showing the store buyer another 'me too' black DSLR that is not essentially different from the ones already on the shelf. This is a long term battle, and the small wins now are at levels the consumer will never notice.
Just another example of Ricoh breaking the mold, being where the other guys are not.