As has been stated, a dealer can NOT advertise below a certain price point because it violates their dealer agreements.
There isn't a single product I sell that doesn't have a MAP (minimum advertised price). As a dealer, you are stuck. Would you all be complaining about people advertising MSRP?
Unless you're paying the fees to be considered a full blown advertising dealer, you can't post ads as dealer demos. Your ads, which are more expensive than a private seller, get grouped in with the private sale ads. No special section.
A slight correction: Von Schweikert is NOT allowed to be advertised here on Audiogon anymore. They are also a local, in store purchase line and require special permission on a case by case basis for the dealer to sell outside their local area. If a dealer is running an ad for a Von Schweikert product here on Audiogon, they are in violation of their dealer agreements and will be terminated as a dealer.
It's too bad that the ads bother you guys so much. For some dealers, this is a means of advertising their business outside their local area. For those people who don't have a local dealer for that product line, this is your opportunity to find out about great dealers who can save you a few dollars and provide the products you seek.
I tend to ignore them as well. However, if it is for a product that I am interested in, there is no harm in sending an email. A listed price would be preferable.
Noonan, You must have been looking at the classifieds for Pass Labs amps. Well anyway I just was and there is a bunch of that $$foryou junk there. It should be in the dealer's section eh?
Oh, Nutella, you don't even know...I was just getting started! In the forum threads, why are there so many queries that start out something like; "What's the best ___________?" and then don't list any of the rest of their system, their price range, nor their musical preferences!?! But what really gets me hockin' up bloody loogies is those brilliant myopic responses to such non-specific queries that offer up such pearls of wisdom like where the complete answer is: "RenownAudio Aural Holograph IIIa." Or even the more 'polite' version; "I'd suggest you check out the RenownAudio Aural Holograph IIIa. (usually followed by some glowing reports of the second coming of Christ embodied in an audio component), still completely ignoring all the missing information like it didn't matter. I guess RenownAudio got it right...it works for everyone, in every system, and with every musical preference in virtually any room size! Even when such queries are specific enough it is often comical when the responses start to pile up and every single one names a different component, yet none really takes the time to say anythiing at all about them, or why they are specifically recommending them to the person asking. Just the kind of information anyone needs to make an informed decision based upon anonymous heresay. Hang on, I gotta pop one of these PeptoBismol tabs before I go on here...OK, I'm back. Oh, and the one that really raises the hairs on the back of my neck and gets my rectal cavity itching, are those arrogant pri cks who find the need to qualify the price of some component by making some blatant comment specifically to indicate how that particular amount fits into their personal income category. I read one recently that went something like; "...I know that $12K is not a lot for a turntable, but it's all I can afford right now, so can anyone point me in the right direction?" It is particuarly annoying when the geek is ready to drop 1/3 of the anual income of the average individual American citizen after taxes on a record player! I really shouldn't be here! I'm gonna' need some more therapy and get back on my medication. Got'ta chunder now and then get back to the music!
I loose sleep over those ads every god damned day! Inconsiderate ponces have no idea the aggravation their causing us all! I think I got an ulcer coming on too from all those dolts who can't seem to fill in their zip code properly so I can estimate postage on my own! Oh, and what about those ham-fisted cretins who insist on keeping the caps-lock on for entire bodies of descriptive type?!?! I've gotta quit this site before it kills me!
Well I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that is annoyed by these ads. I understand you can "not call". I also understand there are reasons why dealers do this. It just seems that they are continually growing in number, and we have to scroll through all the spam.
I think we are all aware of the ability to negotiate with a dealer beyond what is printed. I also question their effectiveness. Oh well. Guess we'll just have to put up with it.
It seems to be that the discounts dealers give off MSRP are generally small enough that they would be covered under the "OBO" designation. So instead of righting $4Ucall.00, which is annoying as hell, why don't they just right the MSRP, and then be sure to include OBO in the listing? That would imply that they know what the MSRP is, they're not trying to scam you, and that they're willing to negotiate a bit on the price.
I guess it wouldn't be so bad if it was an occasional ad, but often, especially on New Today, someone will post like 10-20 of these adds in a row. At that point it becomes annoying and frustrating, particularly because there is a "Sales and Demoes" section. Use that.
One more thing,as a dealer can write off his/her taxes a demo as a business expense,potential buyers should keep that in mind when negotiating a price.
--Supply and demand. You will get one price if it's the Saturday before Christmas and they have one left and a different price if it's the third Thursay in June,they have five in stock,and their note payment is due the next day.
--Honest one mentioned the other factor I consider. Some lines don't like to see their products discounted in advertising but have little if any(I'm not a lawyer)control about what a dealer does with product.
For those few companies that actually allow internet sales (Von Schweikert, PS Audio, etc.) most of them require that the dealer advertise the MSRP of the product and NOT the selling price. This helps to avoid price wars, etc.
Anyway, that's the technical reason for the listing. But on stuff that isn't new I wouldn't even bother clicking. At that point they're just trying to sucker you out of your money.
OK, never mind the feeling stupid part from earlier. My post was declined because it was too similar, so Ill post it as a response to this post. I realize that this has probably been beaten to death, (duh) but whats up with dealers advertising in the classified section with the call for pricing crap. I know its a technicality, since they're not trying to sell dealer demos but isnt that where they belong, (Dealer demo section)? I enjoy quickly scanning through the amps for sale classified section regularly (as if maybe I can afford what I really want. Yea, right), but you never know when the right thing might come along at the right price. I have no problem with dealers posting here, dont get me wrong, its just that if I wanted to call, or visit a dealer to find out a price on a new piece then thats what I would do. It just seems as though the classifieds section should be for used equipment, or at least should have an asking price for each item listed. Its nothing to loose any sleep over, I just need to vent. Thanks, Brad
They are often dealers selling new stuff below MSRP. Supposedly, they can't print the price because the other dealers would complain to the manufacturer(as if they all don't know what's going on). I've been calling one of these guys for over a month waiting for him to get in stock the thing he was advertising. But he is an authorized dealer, according to the manufacturer, the nearest one (even at 2+ hrs away) for several products I want to audition.
Jeeze, you too! I just posted a thread while looking through the classified section and getting irritated. My post hasn't even come up yet, and now I feel sort of stupid because I bitched about basically the same thing before I even got to the discussion section today. However, I'm with you all the way. Just buck up and give me a price, if it's what I want, and the price is right, I'll be in touch. BNC
Is that what that means ? I never bothered to click on any of those ;-) I thought maybe it was one of those people from england who are scamming on ebay or maybe someone from timbuktu asia selling me some 25000 amp for 999 but I will be protected if I send them half up front and they will send me the merchandise and if I like it I can sens them the remainder -- you know -- with that type of deal it is really them the seller who is taking the risk. lol personally I would rather buy from someone like audiogon member fartingparrot (no offence fartingparrot whoever you are) who is selling me his new, unopened, in the box, totally minty, one of a kind, one off, prototype krell amp from a smoke free, kid free, drug free, dust free, hypo allergenic house because his wife just found out he didnt buy all that stereo equipment at a garage sale but actually had to refinance his home to swing the credit card bills this month.
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