Bi-Latrel Pricing....

Off topic posts have been removed. Do please avoid personalities on the forum - concentrate on discussing the subject, not each other.

Many thanks.

I'm not normally one for joining in on Pentax "corporate" threads but the recent price rises have prompted me to comment on this one.

Personally I have no real interest in a "brand" as such, merely in a product and in this respect I'm extremely happy with the K5, I think Pentax have produced an excellent camera which deserves a little more credit than it perhaps gets from the general public so to speak.

Having said this there's no doubt in my mind that perceptions of Pentax are quite low in comparison to other marques and that it should really be making efforts to not only maintain its current customer base but also attract new ones and this is where the price rises really don't make sense.

As pretty much a niche player it probably has 2 main options - sell on price or sell on quality, at the moment it certainly doesn't have the status to sell on quality (despite how good the K5 is in reality) so personally the chance I see it having of expanding its customer base is by selling at reasonable prices and it's obviously decided that this isn't going to happen either.

It is difficult to see how as a brand it is going to gain more market share, unless Ricoh have dramatic plans we don't know about. Unfortunately at the moment I see the greater risk as being losing existing customers whilst gaining very few. I only want to see Pentax progress as I'm very happy with the equipment I have at the moment, I won't be making many purchases in future at the new pricing levels however and this move will almost certainly make me take a closer look at the offerings from other manufacturers when the time arrives to upgrade the K5, although this probably won't be for a while yet.

Simon

Probably by then Simon the picture will have fully evolved into whatever direction it is ultimately heading. There's big money involved and big investment, so we can be sure there is a plan even though we are not in on the details.

I am guessing the price increases are as a result of the general increase in all supplies & services we have all suffered from this year.

The last lines of Desiderata come to mind.

"And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful."

G

I've just been reading what they think in the US and it seems to be a method of protecting high street, or bricks-and-mortar, stores from unfair online competition. Things there are a little different to the UK, but it was an interesting read.

Amen, George.


Roger.

Apparently...so why do they supply the grey market at all? Seems the manufacturer has been shafting the dealers all along by supplying all and sundry.
Pete

But that would explain the minimum resell price, not the increase in the list price of the lenses. That I assume is due to other factors.