Dealer price gouging?

jps · Post by **jps** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 2:16 pm

Ries tripods are the same way with regard to their price fixing.

MAP is Minimum Advertised Price. A lot of photographic manufacturers do the same, such as Leica and Hasselblad.

rickaddict · Post by **rickaddict** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:09 am

Too bad about Mesa. I might have bought one of their products if they were competitively priced.

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:22 am

I'd like to get a Mesa 4x12 to go with my early 90's Dual Rectifier, but they cost way too much. Besides, any spare money goes for more Rickenbackers anyway!

If the FTC investigated enough then maybe Mesa would get corrected on their pricing.....

rickaddict · Post by **rickaddict** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 10:12 am

I kinda like that Walkabout Scout 1X12. I just don't $1200.00 like it!

86kubicki · Post by **86kubicki** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 2:00 am

I tried one of those recently as well Jeff and liked it quite a bit. Like you, "sticker shock" put me off!

firstbassman · Post by **firstbassman** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:04 am

MAP pricing issue?

Alisha,
If you search back on the RIC forum, you'll see that JH has posted long explanations about this topic. Including (!) links to some ... uh ... very interesting academic studies on the effects of pricing.

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:08 am

But be forewarned, it's CEO homework kinda stuff!

tennis_nick · Post by **tennis_nick** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:26 am

Mesa has the same price no matter where you go for a reason. It's not too trick anyone into spending more money, it's simply to get rid of the whole store-wars for their products. Instead of having to call 80 different spots to find the best price, you can go to wherever you want, and know you're getting the same price as any other place (not including trade ins, if you give one in)

For what it's worth, I hear the MEsa Mark II and Mesa Sillouhette more than make up for the terrible Rectified series.

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:43 am

Nicolas, that's also called price fixing, and at least used to be illegal. Ask McIntosh Labs about that.

tennis_nick · Post by **tennis_nick** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 11:17 am

Don't see why it would be. It's a fantastic idea for stuff like guitars and amps. If Gibson had fixed prices on all their stuff, I would buy fro ma dealer based on their reputation for good service and not on their price.

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 11:35 am

Sometimes good, reliable service is worth a few extra dollars up front.

Knowledgeable sales staff aren't easy to come by, and won't work for minimum wage!

I tend to lean more toward the dealers with a better attitude, price be damned.

leftyguitars · Post by **leftyguitars** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 11:59 am

Price fixing is illegal here in the UK, garages often get a slap for fixing petrol prices and 'catalogue' shops (Argos and the likes) have also had their ears tweaked recently for doing it.

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 2:09 pm

It's illegal here too and in my opinion not a fantastic idea at all, Nick. Sure it might make the dealers more diligent as far as their reputations are concerned but it doesn't do much for the buying public who see any sort of discount as a 'deal' and doesn't give a dealer any leeway when wanting to look after long standing and loyal customers - apart from throwing in some bits and pieces to make it attractive...... no law against giving stuff away.

Over here the only power a manufacturer has over a dealer as far as selling prices are concerned are those that are publicly advertised because low advertised prices can be construed as detrimental to the reputation of the product and its manufacturer. It may be the same in the US but I can't be certain.

A couple of companies over here have been 'sprung' and had multi-million dollar fines imposed by the relevant authority.

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 2:26 pm

As far as I know, what Mesa does with their pricing is illegal and I have no idea how it has been allowed to happen for all these years. If a manufacturer is allowed to set the price their product sells for, then what is to stop them from setting a higher and higher price? It essentially gets rid of competition which isn't how our economy works. Some manufactuers like Carvin for instance just sell factory direct and then they can set their prices lower and don't have to pay the middlemen, but they also don't have as much distribution and visibility either. There is such a thing as suggested retail price, and just about everyone has that, and also, just about every consumer knows that things almost never sell for that and are usually a smaller price....except in the case of Mesa's products. The dealers won't do anything because to do so is to lose their dealer status with Mesa. So its up to the consumers or the government, or Mesa's competitors I guess.