Leica frequently produces variations of regular models. So allowing for the contingency of greater than expected demand - and then if need be, being able to promptly meet the demand
- should be a routine provision in their planning process
John,
You answered your own question in your previous post: computerized inventory management. The person who is running this computerized system has a goal: save money. A natural way to do that is to reduce inventory to an absolute minimum. And that's why the original poster is experiencing.
Your thinking (the phrase I highlighted) belongs to the age before MBA graduates took over businesses. Look at the airline industry to see what I mean. In our last vacation trip to Hawaii, I wanted to
purchase some food items from the menu during the flight. The lady said, sorry we have run out of these items. We only have some biscuits left. I told her -angrily of course- if you don't have these items, why do you provide a menu?!! You know exactly how many passengers you have so you should have enough items for everybody. She said, the new policy is to "pre-order" your food online when you purchase a ticket. So, they only stock up a few of each item based on the "predictions" of how many items they are going to sell. The rest of the passengers will go hungry thanks to this high-efficiency inventory management system. (FYI, this wasn't a cheap flight or 2nd rate airline, we were flying American Airlines which is a major carrier in the US)
Same "modern" business mentality is likely being practiced by Leica too.
-Omid
PS1. Did you notice I highlighted the word "purchase"? A decade ago you didn't have to "purchase" food on a flight. They served you hot meals without a charge.
PS2. Since about a year ago, if you want a reserved seat, you have to "buy" it at the time of booking. Various seats have different prices (which dynamically change by some f$%#ing algorithm).
PS3. I am an expert in machine learning and algorithmic optimization. This very field is ruining human life. Prices of many items dynamically change by algorithms (hotel rooms, flights, consumer products, etc.). More $%it will come as things get more automated. :C