on 1/18/01 12:29 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> The US is the most important economic consumer market *in the world*, PENTAX
> or not. The delicious part is Americans have more disposable income than most
> anybody.
> While a new SLR might cost $3,000, there are simply tens of thousands of
> Americans who want a camera buy a $49.95 KMart APS rig just before they plunk
> down cash for a $20,000 Bassin' boat, or a $85,000 RV or spend their
> disposable income on expensive cruises like my Mom and Dad do, three or four
> cruises a *year*. My Dad shoots everything with his old Canon F-1 but spends
> tens of thousands to get to places he hasn't been so he can shoot the new
> scenery. There are tens of thousands of Moms and Dads just like them in
> America.
This is exactly what I was going to post. I do not know exactly how this
thread evolved as there was a black out in receiving PDML mails (I received
some 400 or so this morning in 30 minutes!).
But if the thread is about how Japanese mfrs, particularly camera mfrs, see
the US market vs. Europe etc, I think, with a qualification that I am no
expert, the U.S. market tends to be regarded as a price sensitive market, or
a P&S market. This has nothing to do with the purchasing power of average
consumers. The U.S. is the largest economic power in the world and in the
absolute term, there is no question that it is also the biggest consumer
purchasing power.
However, if we talk about cameras for now, Mafud is right on and I was
actually using this expensive boat vs. P&S camera analogy to illustrate the
U.S. consumer buying habit.
You see people on expensive boats in Florida etc, who drew cheap P&S cameras
from their pockets and snap like crazy. I think it is more of a cultural
thing. It's not that they can not afford expensive camera. People in this
list are camera (Pentax!) enthusiasts who may not be the typical cross
section of the market. Americans tend to be very practical and would not
spend money on things which they think are not necessary irrespective of
their bank account. My wife operates a boutique wherein some European brand
name products, say Christian Dior bags for example, are sold. Most
Americans, North Americans, won't buy these (there is always a market
segment who lust for these of course). Many of them are affluent type but
they pick up similar looking bags at much cheaper price at the store next
door. They tend to care less about the brand name and have no interest in
paying premium for things like "name".
I understand that MZ-5n was developed mainly for North American market (not
available in Japan). MZ-3 is still not available in the U.S. In Canada,
Pentax Canada decided to import it but I was told that there seems to be
more demand for Pentax in Canada, particularly in the West.
Camera mfrs tend to spec down the original model for exporting to the U.S.
I have a Canon IXe which I bought in Japan and has an eye control feature
but it is missing in the export model.
Similar thing can be said on cars. Except recent trend of luxury lines like
Lexus and Accura, most Japanese cars imported here are plain Jane (yet
solid) models, i.e., very practical. In Europe, on the other hand, they are
exporting fancier models not available in North America.
So you could say that the U.S. market tends to be considered as a mass
market, rather than as enthusiasts'.
I am sure Japanese mfrs work with U.S market research companies in
specifying export models.
I believe there definitely a cultural element in the formula.
Just my personal observations and opinions :-)
Cheers,
Ken
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