Stateside Linhof Pricing

[David A. Goldfarb]

I think Bob has stated that Linhofs purchased abroad won't be eligible for US warranty service, except by special arrangement (say, for instance, you are a European photographer working on a project in the US, and your camera fails). In the age of international shipping, credit cards, and internet commerce, this does not strike me as an enormous risk, particularly considering how well made the cameras are and how little is likely to be wrong with them out of the box. There are no electronics to fail, and Linhof quality control couldn't be better.

If you're a busy studio, though, or a library using Linhof equipment for copy work, and you don't have time to wait for international shipping, it may be worth paying extra for an officially imported US camera with a US warranty.

I've had no trouble with Linhof service from Marflex in NJ or Martin in North Carolina or Nippon Photo Clinic in New York on my second hand 4x5" or 2x3" Tech V's, both of which happen to be of foreign origin (the 4x5" I think originally came by to the US by way of Argentina, and the 2x3" I purchased from a photographer in Slovenia), but that was normal, out-of-warranty service that I paid for.

[Weihan]

Yes, as I mentioned in a previous post, I've never had any problems with the two Linhofs I have; they're wonderful cameras. But I am still irked by the US mark-up in price that is nothing short of exorbitant. I'll definitely be ordering from the Eurozone instead of paying perhaps close to double the price here in the States.
Does Linhof headquarters in Munich determine these US prices?

[Henry Carter]

The UK Linhof distributor and the US Linhof distributor are both supplied by the same factory, yet their pricing is very different. It is not the factory that is responsible for higher US prices, it is the importer/distributor who determines what the market will bear.

[Weihan]

The UK Linhof distributor and the US Linhof distributor are both supplied by the same factory, yet their pricing is very different. It is not the factory that is responsible for higher US prices, it is the importer/distributor who determines what the market will bear.

WOW! How can Linhof be happy with that kind of gross imbalance? If Linhof's prices ever came down to terrestrial levels, there would likely be runs on TKs and MTs as well as the new Techno. As it is, they seem to be quickly pricing themselves out of a potentially enormous customer base among LF enthusiasts. Thanks for enlightening me Henry!

[jonreid]

Apple and Adobe do the same thing to us here in Australia all the time. Adobe even asks considerably higher license fees in Australia when the product is a downloaded installer file.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Apple and Adobe do the same thing to us here in Australia all the time. Adobe even asks considerably higher license fees in Australia when the product is a downloaded installer file.

That might be due to certain national policies related to software liability. In some countries, the standard disclaimer regarding damage to a customer's profitability due to bugs does not apply, so the maker passes the expense to the customer.

[Sal Santamaura]

...Any minute now I expect Bob Salomon - HP Marketing to give us the lowdown.

Note that, although very recently active on the forum, Bob has not met your expectation, instead staying completely out of this thread.

...they seem to be quickly pricing themselves out of a potentially enormous customer base among LF enthusiasts...

The potential customer base of LF enthusiasts in 2013 isn't even close to "potentially enormous" from an industrial manufacturer's perspective. It's tiny compared to the number of Linhof customers -- sheet film-using professional photographers -- who existed before digital changed things radically.

Bob has described many other contemporary LF camera makers as a "cottage industry," and he's correct about that.

[Bob Salomon]

You are confusing a few things:

In the USA there is suggested list price, retail selling price and dealer cost price. You are quoting one dealer's retail selling price. Other dealer's will have other prices.

Secondly you are assuming that prices change with the exchange rate. But there is inventory in the USA. That inventory was purchased at the exchange rate in effect at the time that it was shipped to the USA. So prices in the USA reflect the cost prices that the merchandise was bought at.

Since there is inventory in the USA that is sitting on 20' of shelving that inventory has to be paid for. And since it is paid for there is a value to the money used to pay for it. If we went to a bank and financed it we would pay interest on the monies used to pay for it. Your conversion didn't include finance charges.

For some reason our landlord likes to receive his rent in a timely fashion each month. That 20' of Linhof shelving - 20 linear feet 7 feet high) has to be paid for each month. Part of that rental cost goes into each and every product sold, from a Rocket Blaster to a Linhof.

You would feel much better if the new camera or head or tripod that you purchased had a warranty. In the USA the Linhof warranty is 5 years. We have to pay the service center for those warranty repairs.

You might like to have printed literature for the products. We have to buy that literature and mail it at our expense to you as well as ship it to the trade shows if you get a piece there.

Speaking of the trade shows we have to pay to be at one. The NY Javitts show last year cost us in excess of $40,000.00, not including personnel time, transportation, hotels and meals. Those cost contribute to the cost of goods.

So do ads.

And none of our employees work for the fun of working. They all want to get paid regularly. So do the 20 reps that call on our dealers across the country. Unlike the UK or Germany the USA covers a rather large area. A sinngle location can't adequately cover that much space. So we have dealers that we are very loyal to.

Lastly someone has to pay to ship the merchandise and insure the merchandise both from the factory to us and from us to you or your dealer. We have to bear that cost as well.

And maybe you want technical support. By email, phone or even in person. We pay for that 800 number so you don't have to use your dime. We spend time telling people when their camera was made. We answer each and every email as promptly as possible. We have a human answering our phones and transfering you to the proper department.

And we have to make a very small profit to stay in business.

The prices you quote are just a starting point. Check with other dealers, call and do it in person or on the phone. You be surprised.

After all, when you bought your last car didn't you dicker just a little bit?

And why do you play a game with the name of the dealer? You aren't hiding their identity. Fess up and name your sources.

[Bob Salomon]

Note that, although very recently active on the forum, Bob has not met your expectation, instead staying completely out of this thread.

The potential customer base of LF enthusiasts in 2013 isn't even close to "potentially enormous" from an industrial manufacturer's perspective. It's tiny compared to the number of Linhof customers -- sheet film-using professional photographers -- who existed before digital changed things radically.

Bob has described many other contemporary LF camera makers as a "cottage industry," and he's correct about that.

Sal,

Thanks, timing was bad as this weekend was my wife's and My 50th Anniversary and we were a little tied up.

But now that we are starting on the second 50 today I had some time.

[Bill_1856]

...we were a little tied up.
Kinky! Well, whatever turns you on; I hope no one got any serious rope burns.