Klarinet Archive - Posting 001064.txt from 2004/07

From: "DWH" <dwh46@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Feeling like Yamaha is one stupidly run company!
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2004 18:22:57 -0400

Bill, you're absolutely right. I can remember more conversations with sales
reps and district managers from instrument manufacturers than I care to
remember, where this subject came up (to their discomfort). I always got the
same answer, so I finally gave up asking why they sold cheaper to the
internet/mail order companies. I used to lose step-up and professional
instrument sales because WWBW clearly had bought so many of a particular
model that when my prices went up the next year, they still had a load of
that item on hand purchased at the previous year's lower net cost, andwe
couldn't touch them. We finally gave up doing school bids for background
instruments and such because we couldn't even make money for the
administrative costs, let alone pay any commission to the sales people.

And the point Lars makes about service from the local dealer is true. I made
more than one customer upset when they walked in to have an instrument
serviced that I knew came from WWBW, etc., because they had shopped us in
the process. We explained that their repair had to wait in the back of the
line because a person who bought their instrument in our store would not
only get priority service, they would pay a lower price because we stood
behind our goods and supported the people who supported the local dealer.

Don Hatfield

> It is not unusual for internet retailers to sell items at BELOW a local
> retailer's WHOLESALE price due to their larger volume discounts. It is
> pretty tough to compete with that sort of "reasonable." In fact, on more
> than one occasion, my old employer purchased items from WWBW and resold
> them, because it was cheaper than getting them from the factory!
>
>
>
> Bill Hausmann
>
> If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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