Originally posted by Mistral75 According to Ricoh's strategy as presented during an investors meeting on the 3
rd of March the use of digital communications to connect directly with customers and the workshop approach to production are a
global strategy, not an approach limited to Japan.
"
Relaunching camera business: Become valuable brand by connecting directly with customers through digital communications and workshop approach to production"
"
As we recently announced, we made a fresh start for our camera business by consolidating it within Ricoh Imaging. We will make the brand more valuable by using digital communications to connect directly with customers and by taking a workshop approach to production."
Source:
https://www.ricoh.com/-/Media/Ricoh/Sites/com/IR/pdf/presentation_text_2021.pdf page #6.
Note the emphasis put on the J limited initiative in the iconography.
I think the point is that this is a new strategy for Ricoh Imaging overall, but the extent to which the average customer will be aware of it varies by country.
In most countries, the majority of sales are online anyway, so the fact that Ricoh is prioritizing online sales doesn't make much difference. Likewise, the way they organize production is irrelevant as long as customers still get the cameras they order. So from that perspective, Ricoh's clarification that there is no change for other markets makes sense.
The big change is for Japan, because we may see Pentax cameras disappear from some of the stores where we are used to seeing them (Still not clear how many stores will cease to stock Pentax after April 1). The Imaging Square locations are closing. We are getting more invitations to events - already happening. And we may get more customization options, enabled by the new manufacturing style. The changes are going to be more visible in Japan, so they have been announcing the specific changes we will see in this market. But even though it's just Japan, it's by far the biggest market for Pentax, so one way or the other it will be quite significant to their fortunes.
I'm not sure whether the J-Limited image is meant to be significant, or whether it is just a pretty image to decorate the slide. I guess those images give off a "premium" vibe to investors.