Rick,
It's been close to 20 years since I've looked at a Pentax camera or lens
at a brick-and-mortar store in the US.
(That was at Adorama in 2001).
So, all 4 Pentax DSLRs I've owned (and a bunch of Pentax lenses) were
purchased by mail, - mostly from B&H and Adorama.
With the proposed change (if I understand it correctly), Pentax
products might no longer be available through B&H, Adorama (and
Amazon).
The decrease in the number of channels lowers the competition, and that
drives the prices up. If Ricoh own outlets will be the only source, there
will be no big Black Friday/Cyber-Monday sales from B&H/Adorama, as those
in several pre-pandemic years.
But, as Bill wrote, - Ricoh needs to change something to revive the brand.
The time will tell if they bet on the right horse.
Igor
Rick Womer Fri, Jan 21, 2022 5:25 PM wrote:
From my home in Philadelphia (metro population ~1.6 million), the nearest
Pentax dealers are B&H and Adorama in New York, a 2 1/2 hour drive away.
So, this isn’t going to make shopping I might do any less convenient.
Rick
On Fri, 21 Jan 2022, Igor PDML-StR wrote:
That's a sad news.
But, I am afraid, you missed even a worth one:
"the Pentax and GR camera brands will undergo a dramatic restructuring that
will see mass production end".
At least, that's the interpretation of PetaPixel.
Curious about what exactly they plan, I've read the translation of the
original Ricoh announcement.
https://news-ricoh--imaging-co-jp.translate.goog/rim_info/2022/20220120_031454.html?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp
Just two interesting excerpts from there:
"PENTAX ... We will expand the range of various customization to further
reflect the needs of our customers and provide workshop value. In addition,
we will build a system that enables manufacturing together with customers
from the product planning stage through communication through online fan
meetings."
"We will shift from a sales method centered on the distribution network via
retail stores to sales via the Internet to improve the efficiency of business
operations. In addition to our own EC direct sales site, we will develop
directly managed malls in major marketplaces to expand opportunities and
places where Ricoh Imaging and customers can directly connect."
I am not sure what type of model they envision, but either it will be weird
and rejected (like K-01), or it will lay down some new path that *might* have
a chance to make Pentax great again. (no pun intended)
I hope these innovations will not affect availability and relative
affordability of the great lenses Pentax still offers. Although, it is hard
for me to imagine what they are going to do.
Cheers,
Igor
Larry Colen wrote on Fri, Jan 21, 2022 1:43 AM:
https://petapixel.com/2022/01/20/ricoh-to-stop-mass-producing-cameras-sell-direct-to-consumer-only/
As of April 1, 2022 (no fooling) Ricoh will stop selling Pentax and GR
branded cameras through the distribution network and will only sell through
their own website and branded stores.
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