From bruce@ashbysolutions.com Wed Apr 26 19:57:56 2006
Subject:Re: Speakeasy mk III - price?

Hi All,

The problem with publishing MSRP is that its meaning varies. To some manufacturers, MSRP is synonymous with "street price." This is probably the original meaning: the suggested retail price; i.e., the price that most dealers will probably use. To others, though, MSRP is "the suggested retail, but here's your 'special' price."

In today's Internet feeding frenzy, where price isn't everything, it's the ONLY thing (at least, until there's a question or problem with the product), the MSRP has become something between a selling tool ("Look at my huge discounts!") and a joke. Take a look at things like gig bags or guitar straps. The MSRP on a guitar gig bag is $99.95? What does that mean, when everyone is selling them for half that price, or less? Or that a "$199.95 MSRP" microphone is being sold at GC two for $25.00?

Unless there is a standard for what an MSRP means, and the manufacturers and dealers all agree on its use, it's just another number.

Regards,

-BW

--
Bruce Wahler
Design Consultant
Ashby Solutions™ http://consult.ashbysolutions.com
978.386.7389 voice/fax
bruce@ashbysolutions.com

At 06:37 PM 4/26/2006 -0700, you wrote:
>Actually, you're right, with the exception of Diversi.
>http://www.diversiorgan.com/organs.html They also sell
>Factory Direct, according to the website. Another
>manufacturer called Generalmusic
>(http://generalmusic.us/) publishes MSRP and Factory
>Direct pricing on the internet.
>
>I don't think selling through dealers as opposed to
>selling direct is the reason why most music industry
>manufacturers don't publish their MSRP on-line.
>Historically, the dealer has been given carte blanche
>on pricing. Most manufacturers are too afraid to
>publish prices for fear of getting the dealers angry.
>I think that publishing MSRP is a good thing as it
>establishes pricing parameters and value for the
>consumer.
>
>FP
>
>--- nosnevs wrote:
>
>> --- In CloneWheel@yahoogroups.com, S S
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > Very few manufacturers are brave enough to publish
>> > their MSRP. Certainly, of the products that we
>> examine
>> > here, there are no prices listed on the respective
>> > manufacturer's websites. I just checked HS, Korg,
>> > Roland, Diversi, Motion Sound and Voce. Motion
>> Sound
>> > and Diversi were the only ones that I could find
>> MSRP
>> > pricing.
>> [...]
>> > So, don't look for pricing on manufacturers sites
>> in
>> > the near future. They're not going to screw with
>> their
>> > dealers who can set their own pricing.
>>
>> None of the manufacturers listed above sell their
>> products directly.
>> Speakeasy does; I don't even think they use dealers
>> (do they?).
>> Virtually every other product on Speakeasy's web
>> site has a price
>> associated with it. Not MRSP, THE price. To be
>> fair, the MKIII is a
>> very new product and I can understand pricing on an
>> individual basis
>> until market demand and production rate are
>> determined. However, just
>> wanted to point out the flaw in the above logic.
>>
>> Sven
>>

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