Change in repair policy at Mamiya America

For those of you who don't read the Mamiya 7 forum on the Mamiya USA
Corporation (MAC) website...

In the past MAC's policy towards repairs was quite reasonable - they
would repair any Mamiya camera or lens, regardless of where it was
purchased or how it entered the US. Items purchased through normal
US retail channels, i.e. imported by MAC, were eligible for warranty
service at no charge, otherwise you had to pay, but at least you could
get service. I don't want to start an argument about the cost or quality
of that service, I know there are some strong opinions, but I was pleased
that MAC was willing to upgrade the viewfinder in my Mamiya 7 to that
found in the M7-II for what seemed a quite reasonable fee. It seemed
to me this was a no-lose for MAC - they could generate incremental
revenue and keep a lot of people reasonably happy at negligible cost.

MAC's policy has recently changed, as mentioned, almost in passing,
in a recent reply to a question posted in the M7 User's Forum on the
MAC website. MAC will no longer provide service for Mamiya items
not imported into the US by them. This includes items legally brought
in by returning toursits. [US trademark law allows returning citizens to
bring in one of any trademarked item, regardless of trademark ownership,
provided said item is carries with the retunedd, is for personal use, and
is not resold within one year.]

This will certainly affect my future buying plans, for both Mamiya
and other brands imported by MAC 9Toyo and Sekonic come to mind).
I doubt that a letter- or email-writing campaign will have much effect,
but I've already registered my own opinion on the MAC forum and
encourage any of you who care to do the same, either through their
forum or by email. I'm not much of a fan of restraint of trade, and
MAC's recent policy change has the look and feel of exactly that.

Steve

Stephan Goldstein wrote:

I'm not much of a fan of restraint of trade, and
MAC's recent policy change has the look and feel of exactly that.


I refused to buy any mamiya products after viewing the heavy gouging MAC
does to US customers. The "service" they provide isn't worth the HUGE
percentage they jack up the prices of their stuff over here. The fact
Mamiya allows this convinced me to look at other sources for my gear.

--

Stacey

Stacey wrote in message ...
Stephan Goldstein wrote:

I'm not much of a fan of restraint of trade, and
MAC's recent policy change has the look and feel of exactly that.


I refused to buy any mamiya products after viewing the heavy gouging MAC
does to US customers. The "service" they provide isn't worth the HUGE
percentage they jack up the prices of their stuff over here. The fact
Mamiya allows this convinced me to look at other sources for my gear.

Unfortunately, gray market problems are a very complicated set of
issues. What this probably means is that MAC is tired of providing a
complete marketing and distribution arm in the US for Mamiya products
(local stocking, advertising, service, expertise, trade show presence,
listening to the market, helping develop products, etc.) at
considerable cost, meanwhile the products are being brought in for
profit by 3rd parties who do not have these overhead costs.

The only real solution is a globally harmonized price structure, but
this is something very challenging to administer. Perhaps Mamiya Japan
is not ready for this or has not yet recognized the need for it. So
MAC is trying to protect themselves, although perhaps by not the best
means.

-Karl Winkler
http://pages.cthome.net/karlwinkler

Karl Winkler wrote:


The only real solution is a globally harmonized price structure, but
this is something very challenging to administer. Perhaps Mamiya Japan
is not ready for this or has not yet recognized the need for it. So
MAC is trying to protect themselves, although perhaps by not the best
means.


I think MAC owns the US rights to the Mamiya name. Personally I find
Mamiya products to be cheaper in the US then up here north of the border.

Nick

I1EH¬?tena wrote in message ...
Karl Winkler wrote:


The only real solution is a globally harmonized price structure, but
this is something very challenging to administer. Perhaps Mamiya Japan
is not ready for this or has not yet recognized the need for it. So
MAC is trying to protect themselves, although perhaps by not the best
means.


I think MAC owns the US rights to the Mamiya name.

It's very likely. Usually, the local "exclusive distributor" owns the
brand name in the country where they operate. They can only use this
if someone is advertising with copyrighted materials, such as a logo,
text or photographs. An example would be if an ebay seller used one of
MACs (and probably therefore Mamiya's) photos of a product. MAC can
have those auctions pulled by Ebay for copyright infringement. But it
does not stop people from importing the product. Customs typically
won't interfere on issues like this because Mamiya and MAC are
business partners and "should work it out between them".

-Karl
http://pages.cthome.net/karlwinkler

In article ,
(Karl Winkler) wrote:

Usually, the local "exclusive distributor" owns the
brand name in the country where they operate.

Not so. To own and register the name the officiaal importer can not be a
subsidiary of the foreign factory. So MAC, as an independent US company
can register the name of their products with Customs if the factory
assigns the name to them.

However Hasselblad, Minolta, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, etc. can not
as they are factory subsidiaries.

--
To reply no_ HPMarketing Corp.

It is not true the MAC is owned by Mamiya?
So the only reason for the trade mark ownership would be to
limit gray market importations.

It is simply a matter of trying to get more in this market than other
markets. This is like the drug companies are doing. The difference
here is that we are more addicted to photography.

Joe


"Bob Salomon" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Karl Winkler) wrote:

Usually, the local "exclusive distributor" owns the
brand name in the country where they operate.

Not so. To own and register the name the officiaal importer can not be a
subsidiary of the foreign factory. So MAC, as an independent US company
can register the name of their products with Customs if the factory
assigns the name to them.

However Hasselblad, Minolta, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, etc. can not
as they are factory subsidiaries.

--
To reply no_ HPMarketing Corp.

"Joseph Schutz" wrote in message
news:XkW%b.136163$jk2.563943@attbi_s53...
It is not true the MAC is owned by Mamiya?
So the only reason for the trade mark ownership would be to
limit gray market importations.

MAC is not owned by Mamiya Japan but by a group of investors.

Joseph Schutz wrote:
It is not true the MAC is owned by Mamiya?

No.

Nick

Please, What does MAC stand for?
Gary

It is not true the MAC is owned by Mamiya?

No.

Nick