 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-28 02:55
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=6840&t=6816
This was a topic from back in 1999 that started discussing someone's choice of buying a Bass Clarinet, but in the last 6 posts on the topic, Robert Small made two that interested me. Basically he said that WWBW has a policy of selling their instruments at 35% lower than whatever they list. The two price sets he gave (one an estimate, the other after calling them) gave these numbers for a Selmer 37:
Estimate:
List Price - 8465
Real selling price - 5500
After calling WWBW:
List Price - 8630
Real selling price - 5395
The second one (probably the more important) comes pretty close to that 35% mark he spoke of. Does WWBW still do this? If we apply that to today's prices, that's:
List price - 6600
Real selling price - 4290
2300 (the difference) would've been the price of a New R13 w/silver keys a month ago before the "price increase". Definitely not chump change. Anyone aware if WWBW still has this or a similar policy, 5 years later? I'd ask them myself, but y'know, no one at WWBW will actually tell me anything. So I'm hoping someone has some personal experience in this.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2004-06-28 02:59
This is the general policy of all large retailers of instruments. 65% of the "list price" would be about right for "street price". It's similar to that for consumer electronics and other high margin products, too.
Smaller retailers can't give those discounts, however.
I can't figure out what you're missing in the WWBW web site, though ...
The list for a Buffet 1183 bass is 10,094 and they sell it at 6408 ...
I've never met anyone who ever paid 10 grand for an 1183, though.
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-28 03:08
Ah, excellent. Incidentally, though this is completely off-topic, I haven't seen many nicknames for you around this board. Can I make one up? "MC"? Or how about "The Big M"? Or perhaps "Charette-man!", the super hero who fights crime with his Clarinet. All villains fall to the mighty power of the Clarinet squeak!
All seriousness aside, thanks for the reply. That should makes things a bit easier with the wondering where I'm going to get that last bit of money for freshman year of college. Now I just have to swallow my pride, call JimD, and start the dealing.
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-28 03:31
Ooh, right! List price is the crossed out one! Dur. Yeah, I should've caught on to that some time ago. So not quite the huge gap I was hoping for. Ah well. Most things that sound too good to be true usually are!
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Author: Bnatural
Date: 2004-06-28 03:51
just for some prospective on it, the little shop i work for marks about 15-20% off of list price
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-28 03:56
So basically what I was doing was taking their reduced by 35% price and reducing it by 35% again! And y'know, that worked wonderfully in my surviving-on-3-hours-of-sleep mind. Unfortunate that reality does not bend to my sleep deprivation.
Out of curiosity, Bnatural, what state is that shop in?
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Author: Bass1193
Date: 2004-06-28 04:02
Just a comment...
I payed about 7,300 US for my 1193. Was that highway robbery? I'd tell yall the shop name, but they might send their mafia after me ; )
p.s. I'm a youngster yet, and I hope what I'm saying is right, but if it's not then give me a shout so that I may stand corrected!
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-28 04:05
WWBW, which has as low prices as anyone for Basses, charges 7020 for the Buffet 1193, so what you got it for wasn't bad. Add in charges that accumulate when trying things out through the mail, like many of us would have to do, being pretty far from Indiana, and you may have gotten a better deal than had you bought it from WWBW. If the shop you bought it from does maintenance before selling the instrument, you most certainly did.
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Author: msloss
Date: 2004-06-28 12:30
Since this issue keeps kicking around, I'll try to put a portion of it to rest.
TMG (Buffet) put a MAP program into effect June 1st that sets the (m)inimum (a)dvertised (p)rice for their products. So, when you look on the web or in a catalog, you won't see their instruments for any less. From what I can tell, this applies to instruments but not accessories like barrels. The MAP policy in no way sets the minimum selling price, though. We are at liberty to lose as much money as we'd like on the sale -- we just can't advertise it.
Soooooo, there was NOT a manufacturer-driven price increase this month, just a change in advertising policy. I'm sure some merchants took advantage of that fact to squeeze a little more margin out of their sales, but enterprising individuals should at least ask for the "old" pricing. Ya never know...
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-28 19:24
Hm. The MAP, are we talking street value? Because I didn't check the list price, but we know that the listed street price has gone up. So one might be able to negotiate it down just a bit from their advertised street price? Not the 2000 I was babbling about earlier, but anything helps!
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Author: msloss
Date: 2004-06-28 21:49
No, MAP is just the minimum price you will see out in public. Street price is the average that a customer actually can and does purchase the product at. What MAP does is give the dealer some breathing room if you walk in and ask them to beat a competitor's price. They can match or beat the price and still make a couple dollars. So yes, negotiate away. They'll deal with you to win your business.
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