Price paid for top end equipment


Hello,

I looked at a premium Audio Research preamp lately and it lists for about $13K. Max discount avail is 5%. Is that normal?

Also for other premium manufacturers is list price expected by dealers? (Rowland, Simaudio, etc).

Seems like 5 to 20 years ago 10% or more was readily available. Have times changed? Am I missing something here? Or do they need to charge list or near list (5% discount) to stay in business?

Or does the dealer want to off-put me so I don't bother buying there anymore?

Thanks,

Bill
billeames

Showing 1 response by russe41

In 2004 I bought a Cary V12R stereo amp from the owner of a local store for 30% of list,He told me he marks up around 40% and gives deals like this to larger purchases. A year later I went back and got another one (because of the discount)at the same price. Visited the store a few years later for a sony sacd player and found it was sold to another owner and now discounts were very small. So bought the sony 5400 for a better discount somewhere else, everytime I go past this place no one is there. So you give people some kind of deal and sell more or no discount and sell less.