"1. This measure is not about the Japanese domestic market that can be easily taken care of. It is rather more about the overseas markets wherein the form of the delivery contracts is different from the domestic. Normally, Pentax (or probably any other camera mfrs) have tight contracts with importers/distributors in each country, which stipulate the "simultaneous release in the world", and the contracted quantity to be delivered by then."
Ken, thanks very much for taking the time to clarify this. Are these stipulations in the delivery contracts new? Here in the U.S., we have been accustomed to getting new Pentax equipment nearly last in the world. Sometimes (when I have had travel coming up) this has been a real problem for me. The DA 14 arrived in Europe in June of 2004. It arrived in the U.S. October. When the DA 40, shipped, the difference was less--only a few weeks. Earlier this year, the DA 10-17 was being sold in Canada several weeks before it was available in the U.S. But when the DA 21 came out, it seemed that there was a lag of only a few days between when it went on sale in Europe and here. And the poor Australians seem to be last on the worldwide list. So the lag in getting new equipment to the U.S. has been decreasing. Is this because of the contracts? But aren't most of the importers now subsidiaries of Pentax Japan? What does that mean for these contracts? Would Pentax sue itself? So many questions. Maybe someone in Japan can answer. Anyway, Ken, thanks again. You are a wonderful resource for us. Joe -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
