Fujifilm USA Announces X100VI LE Raffle on April 18, while Scalpers go Mad at FujiRumors

 

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The Scalpers Cry

Scalpers on their Discord are quite pissed off now that their orders got canceled by Fujifilm USA.

And they are also not happy about the fact that the vigilant eyes of FujiRumors are watching what they write.

And we keep being vigilant, hence would like to highlight for Fujifilm one comment:

Fuji Raffle Module soon

Now, Fujifilm USA has not yet announced how the raffle will be organized (but they told us when, see below). But in any case I advise them to keep their attention high.

18K X100VI LE

And just for fun: we got information about a guy, who pictured himself with two limited edition Fujifilm X100VI cameras on Instagram and wrote:

What a beautiful piece. The limited edition Fujifilm x100vi. Going for $18k each!

You can check out his Instagram page here and make up your own mind. But my advice to the guy: rephrase your IG post to make sure no misunderstandings arise, because write this way it is not surprising if people thing that both of the cameras are sold for 18K (as we can notice from the comments, where people think he is selling them for 18K).

Fujifilm US Raffle

In the meantime Fujifilm USA has announced here the date for the Fujifilm X100VI LE raffle. It will take place on April 18 and further indications will follow next week.

Fujifilm Manager: X100VI Production Boost in 4/5 Months and The Importance of Film Simulations

Sonder Creative had an interview with a Fujifilm UK manager Andreas Georghiades:

  • Fujifilm cameras deliver film-like look from a digital camera
  • it’s since about 2 years now that people come to realize that
  • not only X100, but also X-T30 and X-T5 enjoyed increased popularity because of that
  • Fujifilm increased X100VI production, but demand is just way bigger than Fujifilm could have anticipated
  • currently production is 15,000 units per month
  • Fujifilm is looking on how to increase production
  • increased production should be achieved 4 to 5 months from now (admin note: hence summer 2024)
  • stock is coming in regularly for silver and black
  • Fujifilm marketing strategy is a lot about film simulations and show people that Fujifilm has 90 years history in knowing how color works and should it should look

Get Yours:

Fujifilm Keeps Struggling: X-S20 and X100VI Orders Stopped (Again) in Japan and More Manufacturing Struggles (Instax Wide 300 included)

Fujifilm keeps struggling with the manufacturing of their gear… over and over again.

Just in February, orders for the Fujifilm X-S20 resumed in Japan after an extended period of unavailability. However, recent reports indicate that the camera is once again not available for order.

Also the Fujifilm X100VI is experiencing order suspensions in Japanese stores, despite only recently becoming available for purchase on March 28th.

And this is just the top of the iceberg.

The Fujifilm X-T5 was unavailable for many months in Japan.

Cameras like the Fujifilm X-E4 have been unavailable for most of the time, which makes me wonder why Fujifilm even bothered launching it considering that they discontinued the X-E4 before even being able to ship out lots of units that people actually had on order. The only ones happy with this situation are those who are reselling it at a higher price than its original MSRP.

Lots of lenses also suffered the same shortage (and still do), such as the lovely XF27mmF2.8 R WR and the versatile XF70-300mmF4-5.6.

Also Instax suffers, with Fujifilm announcing the suspension of orders for the INSTAX WIDE 300 in Japan.

Look, not all companies get all things right all the time. And Fujifilm has done (and is doing) its errors too.

But arguably the biggest error that they have done in the last 4 years is not being able to figure out how to ramp up production and make sure to actually be able to deliver products that people order.

Sure, Fujifilm has looked into solution, but they were all insufficient.

Dear Fujifilm: there is no “cheap” solution like Blockchain or whatever. If you want to sell more, you need bigger production capability and more workers. That’s it.

via asobinet (X-S20) via digicame-info (X100VI)

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Fujifilm Revolutionizes X100VI Distribution With Spectacular Pop-Up Shops in Iconic Locations

Fujifilm has just announced what I consider a brilliant solution to the immense request of the Fujifilm X100VI and also a great way to make sure that scalpers won’t get their greedy hands on it.

They have now completely stopped selling the Fujifilm X100VI via regular stores and have announced there will be pop-up stores set up in these 225 stunning locations all over the world.

The 225 location have been selected together with National Geographic.

Once sold out, Fujifilm will open 1,000 more new pop-up shops here.

This ensures that only those truly dedicated to obtaining an X100VI will have the opportunity, as acquiring one will require traveling to various locations rather than simply ordering online or finding it at a local store.

Now your X100VI journey will start with a great adventure!

Press Release

Fujifilm Revolutionizes Camera Distribution with Spectacular Pop-Up Shops in Iconic Locations Worldwide, Combatting Scalpers Along the Way

[TOKYO, April 1, 2024 ] – FUJIFILM Corporation (President & CEO, Representative Director: Teiichi Goto) is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking shift in its distribution strategy with the introduction of stunning pop-up shops set amidst some of the world’s most breathtaking landscapes.

These immersive pop-up shops, located in iconic destinations ranging from serene mountain peaks to sun-kissed beaches, will offer enthusiasts the opportunity to collect their coveted Fujifilm X100VI cameras in person, adding an unforgettable element of adventure to the purchasing experience.

“By creating these unique pop-up shops in awe-inspiring locations, we’re not just selling cameras; we’re creating unforgettable memories for our customers,” said Teiichi Goto, CEO at Fujifilm. “We believe that picking up your new X100VI camera should be as extraordinary as the photos you’ll capture with it.”

In addition to providing customers with an unforgettable experience, these pop-up shops serve as an innovative solution to combat scalpers. By requiring in-person pickup in remote locations, Fujifilm aims to ensure that genuine photography enthusiasts have access to the X100VI without falling victim to scalping practices.

Fujifilm has collaborated with National Geographic to pinpoint these 225 locations for these pop-up shops, ensuring that each site offers a truly remarkable backdrop for the camera pickup experience. Additionally, once the initial batch of X100VI samples is sold out, Fujifilm plans to launch 1,000 more new pop-up shops, further expanding accessibility to the coveted cameras.

This pioneering distribution strategy underscores Fujifilm’s commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction, providing photography enthusiasts with an unforgettable opportunity to experience the magic of Fujifilm firsthand.

About Fujifilm
Fujifilm is a global leader in imaging technology, providing a wide range of products and services to meet the needs of photographers and enthusiasts around the world. With a commitment to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction, Fujifilm continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of photography.

Warranties for Fujifilm X100VI Limited Edition are Non-Transferable in UK (UPDATE – also in USA)

UPDATE: In USA every Fujifilm camera/lens/accessory has a non-transferable warranty – see document here.

A FR-reader had an exchange with a Fujifilm UK employee regarind the warranty for the limited edition Fujifilm X100VI.

And I think this is an important bit of information for those of you who plan to buy any of the X100VI LE that will soon pop up in UK on eBay.

Warranties for Fujifilm X100VI Limited Edition are non-transferable in UK. Here is what Fujifilm UK said:

I don’t know what the policy in the US is but over here [UK] when people register to purchase the camera the warranty won’t be transferable and we’ll have people signing up to a ballot. So it’s a randomised system on who’s getting the opportunity to buy one.
Unfortunately we won’t be able to stop the people reselling them on eBay but at least we can make it more difficult as whoever purchases it from eBay won’t be able to get it serviced under warranty from Fujifilm UK.

Another good move by Fujifilm UK.

Strict Rules Can’t Stop Fujifilm X100VI Madness: Instant Sold Out in Japan, Causes Website Crashes and Order Suspension Issued

Back in early March, Fujifilm announced that the Fujifilm X100VI will be for sale in Japan starting today, March 28.

Well, today the sale started, and the Japanese Fujifilm webstore crashed due to “heavy access”.

Moroever, the first batch of X100VI cameras already sold out and hence Fujiiflm Japan issued an order suspension. Fujifilm writes:

Both “X100VI” Silver and Black have exceeded the planned number of sales, so we have temporarily suspended the acceptance of orders. I’m very sorry. We will post the future sales schedule as soon as we know.”

And all this despite Fujifilm Japan having set strict purchasing rules such as restricting sales to individuals with a purchase history at their store and limiting purchases to one unit per person/household.

Apology due to heavy access to Fujifilm official shopping site “Fujifilm Mall”

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I am Sorry Scalpers, But Fujifilm USA Cares: Large Number of Limited Edition X100VI Order Canceled and Raffle Announced

 

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Fujifilm USA X100VI LE Raffle

You know what’s funny?

When scalpers grabbed a large numbers of limited edition Fujifilm X100VI cameras using bots, they started bragging about how many they were able to snatch.

And when somebody called them out and said that Fujifilm USA is looking manually into every order, they just gave a cheeky reply that Fujifilm is bluffing and they won’t care, as you can see from this screenshot.

And look, I get their mindset. I mean, Fujifilm couldn’t care less who bought the cameras. Bots or not, Fujifilm cashed in its money and could move on happily.

But sadly for scalpers, Fujifilm actually cares about its customers and on their social media they announced they have looked into every order, canceled a large number of them and will offer a raffle in future to give a fair chance to loyal fans.

Now it will be funny to follow all those scalpers on their discord servers and see their reaction when hundreds of their orders get canceled.

Sorry guys, this is what happens when a company actually cares about its customers!

What’s Good Customer Service

It’s when things go wrong, that you really see how good a customer service is. And things definitely went wrong in many countries with the limited edition X100VI sale.

And I call it great customer service that Fujifilm USA admitted that things went wrong, then manually checked every single X100VI LE order, canceled all suspicious orders and found new ways to distribute the X100VI LE.

Here in Europe (except for UK) we might have had the same scalper issue judging by the sheer speed all the X100VI LE sold out all across Europe. And I can find lots of X100VI LE now sold in Europe at a higher price on eBay. But I have no information on which steps Fujifilm Europe took (if any) to minimise the scalpers issue.

Scalpers Possibly Grabbed 92% of Limited Edition Fujifilm X100VI Cameras in USA thanks to This Bot

A FR-reader found some clues as far as the bot goes that people used to purchase multiple Fujifilm X100VI limited edition.

The scalpers seem to indicate in their Discord server that their checkout software (bot) secured 92% of orders on day 1.

This assertion appears credible, especially considering the notifications of successful purchases visible in the Discord server. In fact, as shown by the video below, hundreds of X100VI LE units seem to have been ordered through this bot.

One guy claims that he was able to grab four X100VI LE and he was planing to snatch a 5th model (screenshot above).

Also, below I will share a video that shows which software was used and how it works.

The video shows the time stamp of when those hundreds of orders were placed (for March 21/22). As far as the order for March 23 goes, I share them as screenshot here and here.

My hope is that the time stamp will help Fujifilm to track down every single scalper, cancel their order and find a better way to distribute the X100VI LE to make sure it falls into the hands of enthusiasts and not scalpers.


Fujifilm USA Verifies X100VI Limited Edition Orders for Fraud as Overpriced X100VI Limited Editions Flood eBay

It could not work. And it didn’t.

Fujifilm USA and Europe opened the door to scalpers by deciding to sell the limited edition Fujifilm X100VI on a first-come-first-served basis.

Well, today was D-Day, and of course all units available today sold out within minutes.

The demand was so high, that the Fujifilm USA website even crashed as we can see also from reports over at our massive X100 user group.

And then the inevitable happened: within minutes, lots of overpriced Fujifilm X100VI limited edition cameras started to show up on eBay (usually sold for around 5K).

So far all as we expected.

But now Fujifilm USA has issued a statement (see above), that they are “manually verifying orders for fraud and suspicious activity“.

So not only the server crashed due to the traffic overload, but it seems also other problems might have occured.

We can only speculate on the nature of the potential fraud Fujifilm is investigating. Maybe some people found ways to grab several units using different accounts?

We do not know, but at least it’s good to know that Fujifilm USA is aware of it and looking into it.

Limited Edition Fujifilm X100VI Sells Out Within Minutes All Over Europe, Except for UK Who Takes a Different Path

The X100VI Madness Continues

Today the limited edition Fujifilm X100VI was available for sale in almost all European countries.

And guess what?

It sold out within a few minutes everywhere.

The system Europe has set up: who comes first, gets the camera!

Of course this system is dream come true for scalpers, and I’d not be surprised if in a few days we will find 90% of the purchased limited edition X100VI cameras highly overpriced on eBay. Let’s see if somebody will be able to top the 18,000 USD X100VI limited edition.

Fujifilm UK Goes a Different Path

Fujifilm UK instead has decided to take a different path. A path that will make life to scalpers a bit more difficult.

Here is how Fujifilm UK will distribute their 110 units of limited edition X100VI cameras:

  • subscribe to the newsletter of Fujifilm UK
  • on March 25, subscribers will receive an email with a link
  • using that link, you can enter a ballot for the X100VI between March 25 and March 27
  • on April 2nd the winners will be selected and notified
  • on April 6 the winners can pay and pick up their limited edition X100VI at the House of Photography

If you want to know how to grab the limited edition X100VI in USA, check out this article.