When you have to ask how much it costs you can't afford it; that's why I never go through the trouble of finding how much it costs.
They Almost Never Quote A Price , Why?
Have you ever noted that most expensive audio gear web sites from manufacturer to retail stores withhold prices for most items. I find this annoying, I can afford a certain level of expense but not any. I know you can look for sales of used gear etc. etc. but I really want to see the regular retail price, it gives me something to think about or put money aside for. what are your thoughts abut this.
38 responses Add your response
As orpheus10 pointed out, one of the oldest slogans in sales says: If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it. This isn't only in audio. Watch any car commercials on TV. They will show you all sorts of actors (people) looking for this feature or that feature in a vehicle. Yet I can't help but notice that no one ever seems to care about the price of the vehicle in any of these commercials. Everyone walks into car dealerships with unlimited budgets according to these commercials. Apparently, money is no object in the world of marketing. |
I'm going to swim upstream and disagree with the common belief that " if you have to ask how much it costs you can't afford it." If I'm shopping for let's say a frying pan I look to several factors to determine what I will purchase. Does it feature even heat distribution, safe non-stick cooking, durability of design, reputation of manufacturer, and the cost all play a role in my selection. I'm pretty sure I can afford any frying pan I want. |
I call after hours and leave a message to get a price that the dealer can leave on my phone message then call back if I feel the cost is worth it to me. I can buy 100K speakers, but I still want to know the price, or I won't even bother with that company. They want you on the phone, so they can pitch their product or sell something else. |
I don’t see any difficulty finding high end pricing as it’s seemingly always mentioned in reviews and often in simple audio show blurbs, and if this is really an issue why not call a dealer? I also like high end watches and sports cars that certainly would seem to fall into the cliche’ zone of "if you have to ask," but Ferraris and Richard Mille watches generally always state the price someplace…although I don’t plan to buy a million dollar watch anytime soon (there’s one Mille with fancy colors painted on the movement I kinda like…around a million bucks…still…maybe get a used one later...), I know it’s price…and often think, "maybe I could get them to come down a few hundred thousand." Bargains…I like bargains… |
Orpheus 10 I could if I wanted to. It's cash, not a budget. I did my budgeting a long time ago. Whether I buy 100K speakers or not has nothing to do with why prices are not shown up front. I like to know what the cost is first. Just because I can, doesn't mean I think it is worth it. I love hot rod cars too, but would never buy one with an automatic. Others may think differently. |
I'm with Mechans on this one. its extremely annoying and unnecessary Do you see pricing on luxury cars, watches, jewelry, houses? Of course you do. why not stereo equipment then? is it a secret, or privileged information? and that saying " if you must ask the price, you can't afford it" is hardly applicable to audio. Do manufacturers only tend to ultra wealthy, for whom a difference of $100 K and $200K don't matter? hardly. i find this policy not smart and counterproductive |
I really resent that old cliché hackneyed saying " if you have to ask" . Do those of you who "don't have to ask", just get a bill and pay whatever it says never knowing until then what it costs.?..... I explained that I am not infinitely wealthy unlike the non askers and don't like surprises. Yes you can go through the "enquire" route, leave your contact info etc. but I like the instant knowledge better. I was looking at a well known manufacturer site the other day who used to have good USA wide distribution. I Asked for my local dealer and was told the manufacturer was it. I have seen this often where there aren't any/many dealers. I often go to reviews to find prices but why be round about. Why be secretive I think it is a question of some concern over value as Ipretiring said. Now I have to get me a better watch "?Richard Mille?" at least I'll know the price. |
I agree. It is annoying to see these ads with no pricing indicated. What is more annoying is those drug commercials on the TV. Almost every on that advertises on national TV costs about 1K per pill. The next time you see a pharmaceutical ad. google the drug name an cost. For example: google this opdivo cost This is what comes up: How much does Opdivo cost? The cost for the initial 12-week phase of the combination is about $141,000, and then $12,500 a month for Opdivo alone, totaling roughly $256,000 if a patient stays on therapy for a year, according to a Bristol-Myers spokeswoman. Subsequent full-year costs of therapy would be about $150,000 for Opdivo alone. So you get 12 weeks for $141,000. Theres a deal for you. Complain about the cost of hi fi gear and get ripped off by the " drug dealers" Well thanks for letting me vent. |
Reason is that manufactures with world wide distribution sell at different retail prices in different regions. A product that sells in the US for $5000 can in a country that sells through distributor then dealer easily have a msrp of $7500 or more to allow for distribution cost. With the transparency of the internet the end user in the country will have a hard time understanding the price difference. Good Listening Peter |
I usually get an idea of prices from reviews, too. It should be/is a common business practice to communicate the features and benefits of a product or service before discussing cost to avoid being viewed as a commodity and judged solely on price. Easier said than done, though, plenty of challenges. The old, 'if you have to ask' saying seems like a quote from a Tuborg Gold beer commercial. Like, 'your perception is your reality'. Cute saying until your perception is pitted against gravity or other non-fluffy things. I know a few guys with money, and they ask price, compare, and are respectful negotiators. They volunteer and give money away to charity- but not by spending carelessly. Sorry for the long post, quiet night on the farm. gary |
If Tara Labs, get it here. Otherwise Google, contact distributor or retailer. |
My version is "if I have to ask, they don't want my business". No dealers are hurt if the mfgr lists a MSRP, I don't buy that argument in the least -- about no one actually charges full MSRP. But at least it gets you well within an order of magnitude and lets you start a list of interesting possibilities without further delay and effort. Unless it's one of the VERY rare products which seems attractive to the exclusion of all others, but in that case it's worth exposing your email address or phone number to a dealer. For others, it's not worth that, so we're left with internet searches, which seem kind of dumb if someone has bought an ad to supposedly give information about their product. |
I notice a lot of people are scratching around trying to fit a square peg in a round hole; face it, the middle class (those who are struggling to keep their head above water) have been priced out of the "high end", and that's all I'm going to say about that; by the way, if you've got a real sharp knife, you just might be able to fit that square peg in the round hole. |
I've got a CJ preamp that needs repair, and CJ was too expensive, I contacted a repair shop in Canada that was going to repair it, and they told me CJ wanted to charge too much for the parts; their advice was to forget it. Try Bob and Gary Backert at RHB Sound Dezign: http://www.rhbsound.com/ |
There's also this-logging onto a website from, say, your work laptop that has different cookies etc than your smart phone often pulls up two different prices for the same item-Amazon is notorious for this. It is also well known that big box retailers charge more in affluent neighborhoods than poorer ones and even more in towns where they have no direct big box competition (Charltottesville Va has a Lowes but not a Home Depot for example). It is possible that said purveyors of high end items are waiting to see who you are and/or where you live before they quote a (more or less than list) price. |
Price depends on how much the dealer thinks you will pay. In this context, price is a variable. If a price is quoted, then it becomes very easy to search online for a "deal" and the local B&M dealer may loose a sale. Other than individual home listings, I see very few items of value that are advertised by price. Watches, luxury cars, high end home materials, services etc are all advertised by unique features rather than price. If product marketing leads with price, then the item is essentially perceived as a commodity with very little value added. Commodities are sold by price, and the lowest price gets the sale. Not a good business model if you are trying to differentiate your product in a crowded market. |
