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Why different names in different markets?
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 30, 2024 4:24 pm    Post subject: Why different names in different markets? Reply with quote
A question out of curiosity. I have noticed that it is not uncommon for a particular camera model to have a different name in different markets. Often it is called X in North America and Y in the rest of the world (although other variations exist of course).

Example: Minolta X500 / X570. Olympus OM-20 / OM-G (surely not for the acronym? I doubt that was even in use back then). OM-30 / OM-F. Nikomat / Nikkormat.

I am sure there are plenty of examples. But... WHY? What is the point of calling something by a different name somewhere? Especially when it is a combination of letters and numbers. Please enlighten me, because I don't get it.

Regards, C.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 30, 2024 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Possibly to make it easier to clamp down on the grey market and maintain differential pricing and marketing? - easier to spot by model name and/or number rather than having to check serial numbers.

Especially for the hapless buyer it would be easier to spot a grey market item offered for sale.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_market


PostPosted: Tue Apr 30, 2024 6:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Accounting for tax and trade purposes.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 30, 2024 7:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Aha. This makes sense, thank you.

Regards, C.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 30, 2024 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I am only assuming. Smile And I'm picking one reasonable explanation from the many often complicated, even irrational, "real" reasons. Such happens whenever governments try to regulate.

For example, shortly after WWII, lenses and cameras could not labeled "Made In Japan". I've bought and sold some Takumars that have both "Takumar" and "Made In Japan" removed with a grinder, I assume by returning service men to fool US Customs. By the 1970s Asahi Pentax cameras and lenses could be sold iin USA only if branded Honeywell. Now all products from Japan must be labeled "Made In Japan".

The reasons get political very quickly...

EDIT:

Another example Canon EOS 300D, 20 years ago:

Quote:
The Canon EOS 300D, manufactured by Canon, was marketed in North America as the EOS Digital Rebel, in Japan as the EOS Kiss Digital, and was also sold as the DS6041.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_300D

To get a picture of the political-eonomic situation of the time https://www.infoplease.com/year/2003


PostPosted: Tue Sep 10, 2024 6:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
RokkorDoctor wrote:
Possibly to make it easier to clamp down on the grey market and maintain differential pricing and marketing? - easier to spot by model name and/or number rather than having to check serial numbers.

Especially for the hapless buyer it would be easier to spot a grey market item offered for sale.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_market


A lot of this boils down to warranty repairs, and who's responsible for them. For example, Nikon USA is a distributor or trading company. It isn't going to ship cameras and lenses back to Japan for repairs, as part of their distributor arrangement there's an agreement with Nippon Kogaku in terms of parts, training of repair personnel, and who pays for what when it comes to warranty repairs. Generally Nikon USA isn't going to be responsible for absorbing the cost of warranties/returns for products they did not sell and have made no profit, so the use of different model names in different markets is an easy way to determine who and where it was sold new.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 10, 2024 7:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
StanR92119 wrote:

A lot of this boils down to warranty repairs, and who's responsible for them. For example, Nikon USA is a distributor or trading company. It isn't going to ship cameras and lenses back to Japan for repairs, as part of their distributor arrangement there's an agreement with Nippon Kogaku in terms of parts, training of repair personnel, and who pays for what when it comes to warranty repairs. Generally Nikon USA isn't going to be responsible for absorbing the cost of warranties/returns for products they did not sell and have made no profit, so the use of different model names in different markets is an easy way to determine who and where it was sold new.


This is the best answer I have seen, thank you. And by the way, welcome to MF Lenses Smile

Regards, C.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 10, 2024 10:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
visualopsins wrote:
I am only assuming. Smile And I'm picking one reasonable explanation from the many often complicated, even irrational, "real" reasons. Such happens whenever governments try to regulate.

For example, shortly after WWII, lenses and cameras could not labeled "Made In Japan". I've bought and sold some Takumars that have both "Takumar" and "Made In Japan" removed with a grinder, I assume by returning service men to fool US Customs. By the 1970s Asahi Pentax cameras and lenses could be sold iin USA only if branded Honeywell. Now all products from Japan must be labeled "Made In Japan".

The reasons get political very quickly...

EDIT:

Another example Canon EOS 300D, 20 years ago:

Quote:
The Canon EOS 300D, manufactured by Canon, was marketed in North America as the EOS Digital Rebel, in Japan as the EOS Kiss Digital, and was also sold as the DS6041.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_300D

To get a picture of the political-eonomic situation of the time https://www.infoplease.com/year/2003


After WW2 there seemed to be a lot of these 'regulations'. I can remember as a young boy that there were all kinds of restrictions and taxes on imported 'luxury goods' to the UK.

I can remember my Father buying a nice Swiss watch from a shady guy back in the late 1960's that was smuggled into the UK, I still have it and wear it regularly. There was a lot of of legislation about International trade back then.


PostPosted: Fri Sep 13, 2024 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
When I was in the trade people used to buy cameras cheap in Japan or the US. if there was a problem with it the warranty wasn't covered in UK and it had to be sent back to Japan for repair.

(Then camcorders came out. People bought them cheap in the US or Asia and later discovered that they wouldn't work with UK TVs)

However the answer is pricing. Looking through the US magazines in 1979 (ish) cameras were priced the same in $ as they were in £. Just about half the price. Japan was even cheaper.


PostPosted: Fri Sep 13, 2024 5:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
philslizzy wrote:
When I was in the trade people used to buy cameras cheap in Japan or the US. if there was a problem with it the warranty wasn't covered in UK and it had to be sent back to Japan for repair.

(Then camcorders came out. People bought them cheap in the US or Asia and later discovered that they wouldn't work with UK TVs)

However the answer is pricing. Looking through the US magazines in 1979 (ish) cameras were priced the same in $ as they were in £. Just about half the price. Japan was even cheaper.


In the 80's we went to the USA and Canada quite often, and the first thing I did was buy the Photography magazines to pore over the prices, then I'd make sure we went to some big town or city and hit up Ritz Camera's or whoever were in the malls. Sometimes the $ was two to one against the £ - happy days, I bought very little brand new kit here in the UK, or indeed used kit. Which was safer to get through UK Customs with. I remember buying so much used stuff in Toronto they threw in a used but nearly new big Habuka case for me to carry the stuff out of the store!
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