No R-D1 dealers in Holland?!

RML · 01-03-2005

Just out of curiosity I asked Epson Holland whether they have a list of dealers that sell the R-D1. I haven't seen the camera being offered in any ads or mags so I figured Epson would be able to tell me.

They replied and told me to follow this link:
http://www.epson.nl/contact/dealer/ .

I filled in my postal code, set the area to 10km and... NO DEALERS!
I filled in my city's name (Amsterdam), set the area to the maximum of 50km and... NO DEALERS!

Of course I wrote to Espon again asking for a list. The reply was short:

Quote:

Wij kunnen u helaas geen andere link geven als de dealer link in het internet.

which means they don't have any link but the dealer link.

Now, how is that for service?

jlw · 01-03-2005

It's not much different from the support we get from Epson US.

Being in the high end of the camera market is a completely new experience for them. The support people try, but I was told (apologetically) during one phone conversation that they don't have any info other than what they've gotten from Japan, and all that's already on the website. When you ask them a question, they're looking at the same material you can view for yourself.

RML · 01-03-2005

Yeah. One would think they'd want the RD-1 to be a success and have many customers signing up for a second batch of 11,000 cameras, but they can't even provide a list of shops or dealers that will sell the camera. And it'll be a cold (or at least an extremely cool) day in Hell before I pass over 3000+ euro on eBay.

jlw · 01-03-2005

Quote:

Yeah. One would think they'd want the RD-1 to be a success and have many customers signing up for a second batch of 11,000 cameras, but they can't even provide a list of shops or dealers that will sell the camera.

I think they want it to be successful -- it's just very hard to provide a high level of support for a new model and new type of camera when you don't have any existing corporate infrastructure for that category of product.

That was the reaction of my camera-store-owner buddy when I first told him about the R-D1: Epson will need to re-learn how to be in the camera business.

It's not as big a problem given the R-D1's limited production run, but I suspect it has a lot to do with why Hasselblad got tabbed to be the US distributor of the new Zeiss-Ikon camera and lenses: they've already got reps and a distribution network. If Epson had planned to sell R-D1s in higher volumes, they probably would have had to do something similar.

Quote:

And it'll be a cold (or at least an extremely cool) day in Hell before I pass over 3000+ euro on eBay.

Geez, as cheap as the US government has made the dollar in an effort to get you Europeans to spend money here (while discouraging Americans from spending our money there) you wouldn't want to just order one from B&H or Calumet? Or grab a cheap flight and come over to NYC for a buying trip?

RML · 01-03-2005

JLW, as much as I would want a RD-1 you won't find me coming to American soil any day soon. We (still) don't need visas to come to the States but the paranoid people in the US government want my fingerprints and iris scans at the airport, not to mention my address, my credit card number, and any other information the airline company has on me, like I'm some common criminal. So perhaps a short trip to the B&H website will do, when I have money to spend.

Socke · 01-03-2005

Hm, this company trades on e-bay and is a litle bit farther from Amsterdam, but they look trustworthy.

Dr. Lang GmbH

RML · 01-03-2005

Socke, thanks for the link! I'll check them out. Maybe I can get a rebate as I could be (remotely) distantly related; my last name is Lang as well.

chrisso · 01-04-2005

The Dr Lang price is $1000 more than Calumet.
I agree with you about the hassle of crossing the pond these days, but i don't feel like tossing a grand on the fire.

Socke · 01-04-2005

Yep, and the german producer aren't much better.
Leica M7 .72 chrome
Calumet USA $2,795
Leica bei Meister $3,612 (excl. VAT)

Living in Europe is too expensive for me, I think I'll aply for a job somewhere in Latin America :-)

willemvelthoven · 07-15-2005

sorry for noticing this discussion so late but I bought my RD-1 at Foto Nivo in amsterdam. They have sold some more and also have stock. (last week they had two RD-1 in their shop). I can recommend them as a dealer. I'm sure you'll find a cheaper deal somewhere on the net but with this camere i'd reliable local service...

laptoprob · 07-15-2005

Hee Willem, welkom op dit forum! An increasing number of people from Holland, great!

Rob.

gelmir · 07-15-2005

By the way, does someone know how many R-D1s were sold so far ?

peter_n · 07-15-2005

Anyone planning to buy from Klaus Lang PM me first.

~Peter

Quote:

Originally Posted by Socke

Hm, this company trades on e-bay and is a litle bit farther from Amsterdam, but they look trustworthy.

Dr. Lang GmbH

wdenies · 07-16-2005

Kijk eens op www.kieskeurig.nl. (zoek naar epson r-d1)
Ik kom hier meerdere Nederlandse leveranciers tegen (zelfs in Amsterdam)
Maar vergelijk de prijzen met Brenner Foto Versand
www.alles-foto.de

Wim

RML · 07-16-2005

I posted this thread on the 1st March, 4 and a half months ago. At that time there really was no-one selling the R-D1 in Holland.

In the meantime I got my R-D1. I bought it from Dr Yao in Hong Kong. Including shipping and taxes, slapped on by dutch Customs, the camera cost me a mere 2500 euro. I think it'll be a long time before I'll see that price here in Europe.

wdenies · 07-16-2005

Indeed,
The sheapest I found was Brenner at 2990 euro