Zeiss Brand - Down the Drain

[UnckleBob]

Great - private equity bought the brand. What could go wrong?

https://hl.com/about-us/transactions/zeiss-palero/

 

[Wapiti151]

Shit.

 

[JGRaider]

Their CS already sucks big time. Not sure how it can get much worse. I don't even consider Zeiss anymore for anything.

 

[4th_point]

@gr8fuldoug has commented on it elsewhere.

He thinks this is actually an improvement as Zeiss still controls product dev and Palero has the financial resources for quicker development.

 

[IdahoJoe29]

Their CS already sucks big time. Not sure how it can get much worse. I don't even consider Zeiss anymore for anything.

Idk their sfl’s are pretty dang nice

 

[WRO]

They lost their way a while ago, they diluted their brand with oem Chinese glass capitalizing on the their brand name, then just failed at marketing and product roll out.

 

[Samson7x]

@gr8fuldoug has commented on it elsewhere.

He thinks this is actually an improvement as Zeiss still controls product dev and Palero has the financial resources for quicker development.

He’s also in the business of selling Zeiss products.

When has PE takeover ever been good in the gun related industry?

 

[slm9s]

Just a small anecdote, but I recently had a great experience with Zeiss cust service receiving an older scope and replacing with a new one.

 

[4th_point]

He’s also in the business of selling Zeiss products.

When has PE takeover ever been good in the gun related industry?

You should ask Doug, not me.

I just posted what that forum sponsor stated.

I have not posted whether it's a good situation or bad.

 

[IdahoJoe29]

I think there is a difference between German private equity and American. With American being more focused on making profit here and now with the European model is focused on long term value and creating something that will last. After all it still is a German company and the same engineers that will be designing the optics. Whether that translates to quality in the future we will see. Zeiss wasn’t making money on their sporting optics so something had to change.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Samson7x]

You should ask Doug, not me.

I just posted what that forum sponsor stated.

I have not posted whether it's a good situation or bad.

It was more rhetorical but point taken.

I’m not a zeiss customer so it matters not to me.

 

[Quandary]

They lost their way a while ago, they diluted their brand with oem Chinese glass capitalizing on the their brand name, then just failed at marketing and product roll out.

Where/in what product is Zeiss using Chinese glass? I assume you are aware Zeiss owns Schott. Schott does have a production plant in China but it is not for product used in scopes, spotters or binos.

 

[Quandary]

Their CS already sucks big time. Not sure how it can get much worse. I don't even consider Zeiss anymore for anything.

I have only had one experience with Zeiss customer service. Sent a V6 in that had a reticle slightly off. They reported back that it was within acceptable tolerance but nevertheless because I could see it they sent me a new scope to replace it. Hard to complain about that.

 

[Ryan Avery]

Their CS already sucks big time. Not sure how it can get much worse. I don't even consider Zeiss anymore for anything.

How does it suck?

I've had great CS, now I think their RF binos are fragile, but the CS has been great. I bought the binos from an online retailer, so there was no connection to RS.

 

[WRO]

Where/in what product is Zeiss using Chinese glass? I assume you are aware Zeiss owns Schott. Schott does have a production plant in China but it is not for product used in scopes, spotters or binos.

Terra’s and other lower end zeiss branded optics diluted the brands reputation imho.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ucsdryder]

How does it suck?

I've had great CS, now I think their RF binos are fragile, but the CS has been great. I bought the binos from an online retailer, so there was no connection to RS.

I’ve also had exceptional customer service with zeiss. Way better than leupold that touts best warranty you’ll never (remove never) need.

 

[JGRaider]

How does it suck?

I've had great CS, now I think their RF binos are fragile, but the CS has been great. I bought the binos from an online retailer, so there was no connection to RS.

I’ve also had exceptional customer service with zeiss. Way better than leupold that touts best warranty you’ll never (remove never) need.

To start with there were threads on this very board complaining about their charging for services that should have been warrantied. Several years ago I had an 85TFL spotter that the focus knobs quit working. Sent it in and it took them 7 months to get it back to me. IME, they absolutely suck.

 

[Bowfinn]

Zeiss currently has a pair of my Binos for the last 4 months with no date of estimated finish. Oh and, I’m paying for the repair.
Edit it’s been 5 months. It took 1 month for Zeiss to inspect them.

 

[Quandary]

Terra’s and other lower end zeiss branded optics diluted the brands reputation imho.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Eh. Product for price points and different consumers.

That said I think they’d be better served by broadening the higher end market in the US with FFP and MIL hunting scopes rather than lower margin bottom market stuff, But they are Germans and based on my experience working with Germans they have a capacity to make bewildering decisions to us Americans.

 

[IdahoJoe29]

Eh. Product for price points and different consumers.

That said I think they’d be better served by broadening the higher end market in the US with FFP and MIL hunting scopes rather than lower margin bottom market stuff, But they are Germans and based on my experience working with Germans they have a capacity to make bewildering decisions to us Americans.

Yea they are trying to move into the more affordable market. They want to make products that are available to a wide range of customers so there will definetly be some cheaper options coming out. Hopefully they continue to provide higher end options as well.