Ororaro
Well-known
Maybe he was against the infinity thing and got fired for it? Who knows...
Steven K. Lee gone !
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Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear Bill,BillBingham2 said:
We adopt the same analysis, but with different premises and conclusions. My reading is that Lee WAS pushing, because his background was in marketing; not being an engineer, he could not lead. But I never met him; know only what I have read, or heard from those who have met him; and could be exactly wrong.
'Purse fattening' is hardly likely with Leica: the owner doesn't need the money, but he would like the company to survive, or he'd have sunk the same large sums of money in something that would fatten his purse faster.
Cheers,
Roger
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BNF
Established
Obsolete technology
Rabid loyal fan base
History
Expensive
Made where it all started
A dwarf compared to other industy players
As much as I dislike Harley Davidson and it's culture, this is really more the model that Leica should examine.
There is a place for Leica in a guise close to what they now have. Apparently the dealer network is strong and loyal as much as the customers.
The thing that strikes me, is that a significant portion of the people that call themselves "Leica customers", are 2nd/3rd/4th... hand buyers - an area where Lee claimed that the market does 4$ for every 1$ that Leica does. These people are really not Leica customers. (They buy the culture, but by definition are not Leica customers.)
This is why the focus switched to getting cameras and lenses back to Solms - as a service center. At least they try to make these 2nd/3rd/4th/5th hand buyers a true Leica customer.
I think the company, under deep pocketed private ownership, is the best way for them to grow and produce products that are deemed desirable. Once a path has been charted, under strong private leadership, they can target to again be listed.
Rabid loyal fan base
History
Expensive
Made where it all started
A dwarf compared to other industy players
As much as I dislike Harley Davidson and it's culture, this is really more the model that Leica should examine.
There is a place for Leica in a guise close to what they now have. Apparently the dealer network is strong and loyal as much as the customers.
The thing that strikes me, is that a significant portion of the people that call themselves "Leica customers", are 2nd/3rd/4th... hand buyers - an area where Lee claimed that the market does 4$ for every 1$ that Leica does. These people are really not Leica customers. (They buy the culture, but by definition are not Leica customers.)
This is why the focus switched to getting cameras and lenses back to Solms - as a service center. At least they try to make these 2nd/3rd/4th/5th hand buyers a true Leica customer.
I think the company, under deep pocketed private ownership, is the best way for them to grow and produce products that are deemed desirable. Once a path has been charted, under strong private leadership, they can target to again be listed.
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lns
Established
They are saying on another forum (LUG) that he was let go because dealers were complaining. Complaining about the product mix and about the M8 upgrade program. If you think about it from a dealer's perspective, the M8 perpetual upgrade program looks like a run-around. The dealers have to try to sell a $5,500 camera that is not state-of-the-art, so the company can capture all the profit from making it state-of-the-art. From a dealer's perspective, that's tough. Fits in with Fred's rumor from yesterday: the dealers wanted to sell the camera with the better shutter, and Lee said no.
And if you are a consumer who doesn't already own the camera: why would you want to pay all that money, then pay more and be without the camera while it is sent to Germany for an upgrade? And yes, I know it's optional. And maybe this upgrade isn't so great. But what about a full frame sensor upgrade? This whole upgrade thing was great for existing M8 users, great for the company, but not necessarily great for dealers or new users.
In any case, I'm sure there are a lot of reasons, most internal, that this didn't work out. At least he seemed to turn the company around when he was there. Perhaps he just wasn't the right guy for the next stage.
And if you are a consumer who doesn't already own the camera: why would you want to pay all that money, then pay more and be without the camera while it is sent to Germany for an upgrade? And yes, I know it's optional. And maybe this upgrade isn't so great. But what about a full frame sensor upgrade? This whole upgrade thing was great for existing M8 users, great for the company, but not necessarily great for dealers or new users.
In any case, I'm sure there are a lot of reasons, most internal, that this didn't work out. At least he seemed to turn the company around when he was there. Perhaps he just wasn't the right guy for the next stage.
aizan
Veteran
was mr. lee opposed to the upgrade program or not?
Ben Z
Veteran
lns said:
Anyone with a lick of business experience saw right away that wasn't going to fly. Not only with dealers, but with buyers too. When someone buys something they don't want to have to ship it off for a month and pay another 30%. That's the more urgent matter. Frankly, dealers don't do much for Leica's sales because there aren't enough full-stocking dealers within easy access to customers. I venture to say a minority proportion of M8 owners bought locally or actually handled an M8 at a dealer before they bought one. One of these days I predict Leica will sell direct from the factory on-line.
However while I think that Leica should sell M8's pre-upgraded at perhaps a 5% or less price increase, they should still offer to upgrade pre-owned M8's for a fee. I think they should also offer owners the option to purchase a 1, 2 or 3 year full warranty along with a full overhaul. It shouldn't upset dealers what Leica does in terms of service, which dealers don't have a stake in anyway, as long as Leica doesn't thwart new-camera sales by making new M8's less attractive purchases than buying a used one and sending it for upgrade.
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neelin
Established
If they want all the revenues, then they should be making pantyhose or light bulbs. 😉 As mentioned earlier the HD model is interesting. A couple of years ago at the World Trials in Duluth, I talked to someone that was in marketing at HD & how they would sell only certain products to Wallmart (kids clothes & a few trinkets) but shunned Walmarts request for more extensive offerings. They saw it a brand killer. Really good product management in my mind. Use Wallmart (mass marketing) for your purposes, not the other way around. Get the Leica kiddie clothes into Wallmart & generate a market.BNF said:
robert
jarski
Veteran
I truly hope it stays "serious" camera biz, as its been past few years. not like the Royal Danish Wedding editions etc.., M6 clowns in the 1990's.. 🙁
damien_demolder
Newbie
Amateur Photographer has the story here http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/news/Leica_Camera_sacks_CEO_Steven_K_Lee_news_182225.html
AP broke the M8 full frame story after an interview with Lee at PMA.
AP broke the M8 full frame story after an interview with Lee at PMA.
Harry Lime
Practitioner
BNF said:
That wouldn't surprise me. If he tried to cut costs to the bone and run the place like a Best Buy, he was bound to bite on granite. Business culture in Europe and the US are very, very different. They both have their strengths and weaknesses.
Gabriel M.A.
My Red Dot Glows For You
Every time I've walked in to a Best Buy, it gives me the creeps, even after I get some mechanical, loud, in-your-face "HOW ARE YOU" at the door by one of the revolving-door employees at the entrance.Harry Lime said:
The headquarters down in Richdale (suburb of...hmm... is it Minneapolis and/or St. Paul?) are also in a desolate, creepy area where few dare walk on the streets.
CEOs on this side of the pond are interested purely on numbers today. Damn the consequences tomorrow; as long as they get to keep their money after the ashes have blown away.
nksyoon
Well-known
damien_demolder said:
Perhaps you should mention you're the Editor of Amateur Photographer magazine when posting links to your own publication?
tomasis
Well-known
sitemistic said:
Would you like the present from me - a brand new M8? 😀
damien_demolder
Newbie
nksyoon said:
Sorry Nick - very bad form, you are right. I do use my real name though, so I wasn't trying to be sneeky. Been a bit busy tonight though!
Apologises again.
damien
bmattock
Veteran
veraikon
xpanner
Leicas press release:
bmattock
Veteran
Translation:
Some German town nobody ever heard of, February 22, 2008
Leica Camera, built by gnomes in Absurdistan
Doctor Kaufmann became very angry to discover that he had a ladies first name (Andrea) and while working with some mangled sows at Leica, he saw a neglected tag attached to a heifer.
He hurled many consonants around and created new words on the spot, he was so angry at Steven K. Lee, a Hermaphrodite. He called him a bisherigen (beyotch) and a Versizenden (dizzy beyotch) and then he threw furniture at him and said that's All Good.
Doctor Kaufmann has a strategy, and that is to keep Leica in the dark for a very long time, then joing the group "Berlin" and make a hit record. But he will insist that all their releases be made on LP and not CD, and be pressed in Germany.
Doctor Kaufmann has gone home, because he has a headache after all this. Please call Leica with any questions, not him.
Just trying to help our non-german-speaking readers.
veraikon said:
Some German town nobody ever heard of, February 22, 2008
Leica Camera, built by gnomes in Absurdistan
Doctor Kaufmann became very angry to discover that he had a ladies first name (Andrea) and while working with some mangled sows at Leica, he saw a neglected tag attached to a heifer.
He hurled many consonants around and created new words on the spot, he was so angry at Steven K. Lee, a Hermaphrodite. He called him a bisherigen (beyotch) and a Versizenden (dizzy beyotch) and then he threw furniture at him and said that's All Good.
Doctor Kaufmann has a strategy, and that is to keep Leica in the dark for a very long time, then joing the group "Berlin" and make a hit record. But he will insist that all their releases be made on LP and not CD, and be pressed in Germany.
Doctor Kaufmann has gone home, because he has a headache after all this. Please call Leica with any questions, not him.
Just trying to help our non-german-speaking readers.
Riaz Mesbah
Advocate Photographer
- Local time
- 12:21 AM
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2006
- Messages
- 11
bmattock, this is really getting to be a problem... that is the second keyboard you have caused me to ruin, and these are not cheapo keyboards either. please, for the sake of this starving student budget, stop being funny. I know it may be hard but I can't really afford another $50 keyboard.
amateriat
We're all light!
Bill, you are bad, mean, twisted, and extremely, dangerously funny. 😀
Where'd we be without 'cha?
Barrett (who barely saved his keyboard)
Where'd we be without 'cha?
Barrett (who barely saved his keyboard)
bmattock
Veteran
Riaz Mesbah said:
I do apologize, but I cannot be held responsible for ruined keyboards or startled cats. I am a product of the public sk00l system.
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