Why do some manufacturers refuse to allow sellers to post prices on websites?

[rocketman]

I guess I'm missing the reasoning behind this. Do a search for "Rickenbacker 4003" and you won't see too many websites that list a price for it. I found one that stated "The manufacturer of this product has asked us not to publish our current selling price."

 

So, what's up with that? I assume that the price emailed to you would be identical for all sellers (just like every other product). I'm not a salesman and I'll admit that I don't get this. Any ideas?

[duane v]

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=hts&oq=&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS419US419&q=%22Rickenbacker+4003#rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS419US419&q=%22Rickenbacker+4003&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbo=u&tbs=shop:1&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wf&biw=1259&bih=788&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=4f1194d648e8d5a1

 

[rocketman]

Well that's interesting. Prices are vastly different. OK, so I'm sold. I think EVERYONE should do this...

[retrosurfer1959]

A lot of the dealers won't let the licensed sellers post prices they don't want comparison shopping and competition - they WANT to sell guitars for MSRP and the big boys don't want to mark stuff down to compete. you notice that GC and other similar big box stores say they can't discount guitars they will only match the lowest price you can find advertised! j

 

Just think what that would do if everybody could advertise what they are willing to sell a guitar for, it would be anarchy and you could actually get a good competitive price on something you want just like the old days before the box stores put everybody else out of business.

 

-----

A somewhat related question;

 

This is one of those questions that always kind of just stays in the back of my mind - But If you had two different stores who both advertise that they won't be undersold and that they will beat anybody else's price like they often do and then if you just went back and forth enough times then technically wouldn't everything eventually be free???

[fl00dsm0k3]

gibson online store prices are rediculouse

[stein]

That's what happens when we care only about price and we don't care for dealers and service anymore. They go away. And what we are left with is exactly what you are describing.

[WahKeen]

gibson online store prices are rediculouse

 

And a plus for you for that, my friend!

 

[saturn]

It's funny, because my buddy just bought a Rick 4003 in mint condition off CL for $900 B)

[BigKahune]

Many of the guitar manufacturers have all kinds of rules governing prices, advertising, stock levels, online advertising, etc, etc.

 

Some don't want prices advertised outside the walkin store. Some only allow the advertising of MAP (minimum advertising price) prices - Gibson falls into that category. These manufactures are supporting their pricing structure through contractual agreements in an attempt to keep their prices from falling.

[ChanMan]

^^^^^ This.

 

 

I think it has more to do with the MAP, not that they are forbidden to display the price.

[charlie brown]

Guitar Center, for one, got into some difficulty with Rickenbacker, several years

ago, for advertising below Ric's "minimum selling price," and also due to making

promises, to customer's on delivery dates, that Guitar Center couldn't keep, due to Ric's

(well known, for decades) manufacturing schedules. Hence, Ric was getting customer

complaints, that should have been directed at GC, and/or other, similarly proned,

dealers, and not at the factory. So, Ric put their foot down, and now...GC cannot sell

Rickenbacker, any longer...except for "used," versions. MF can, as it's not a walk-in

store, per se, but cannot post their prices, on their web-sites. I think (and it's only

a guess) that Ric, may have asked, or even demanded the same, of most other on-line dealers,

too.

 

My favorite "walk-in" dealer (E.M. Shorts) will not post prices, on Gibson, (or any other brand) either.

They'll send me "my" price, via e-mail, or phone call, but otherwise, they don't advertise

their selling prices, either. They DO, like most dealers, post their prices, on the guitars

themselves, inside the store, however.

 

CB

[stein]

Guitar Center, for one, got into some difficulty with Rickenbacker, several years

ago, for advertising below Ric's "minimum selling price," and also due to making

promises, to customer's on delivery dates, that Guitar Center couldn't keep, due to Ric's

(well known, for decades) manufacturing schedules. Hence, Ric was getting customer

complaints, that should have been directed at GC, and/or other, similarly proned,

dealers, and not at the factory. So, Ric put their foot down, and now...GC cannot sell

Rickenbacker, any longer...except for "used," versions. MF can, as it's not a walk-in

store, per se, but cannot post their prices, on their web-sites. I think (and it's only

a guess) that Ric, may have asked, or even demanded the same, of most other on-line dealers,

too.

 

 

CB

That sounds right. That is GC behaivior.

 

GC also does this with Gibson and Epi in that they direct all concerns to Gib cs that are the stores responsibilty, and even in some cases prevent the customer from getting any resolutions by wrongly speaking for Gibson or telling the customer what Gibson will and will not do.

[charlie brown]

Well, GC is like a lot of "Chain Store" entities. The Good ones,

have decent managers, and employees. When I lived in L.A., I

had good dealings with several CG's in the area. Hollywood,

Pasadena, and Sherman Oaks. Don't know, if they're still as good,

but "I," personally, never had ANY problem, with those 3. The

closest one, to me now, is in Wichita. It's a small version, and

I've only purchased a few smaller items, but they were ok to deal

with, as well...so far, anyway.

 

CB

[stein]

Well, GC is like a lot of "Chain Store" entities. The Good ones,

have decent managers, and employees. When I lived in L.A., I

had good dealings with several CG's in the area. Hollywood,

Pasadena, and Sherman Oaks. Don't know, if they're still as good,

but "I," personally, never had ANY problem, with those 3. The

closest one, to me now, is in Wichita. It's a small version, and

I've only purchased a few smaller items, but they were ok to deal

with, as well...so far, anyway.

 

CB

Yea, it all comes down to the poeple who work there.

 

And, while there is a lot of uncool stuff that comes from corperate, there is some good things about them as well. And I think one of those is the way they back thier salesmen when they want to do the right thing?

[rocketman]

Well this is why I don't buy big ticket items from chain stores for the most part. Sometimes I can get a good deal, like the latest Fender Geddy Lee bass I purchased, which was $200 off the lowest price I've seen. But that's very rare (I visit GC nearly every week for at least an hour).

 

For those who have bought from MF/GC online and the like, did you ever get a chance to go to another Gibson authorized dealer? I got most of my Gibsons from the House of Guitars, which is an authorized dealer, and I got incredible deals. I once even got an extra $100 off their unbelievably low price because the Gibson rep was in the store. For example I got my Figured Top ES-339 for $2,200 and the lowest price I saw on the web was $3,000 at the time, which is now $3,249 at GC.

 

So what makes one buy from a website? Lack of a dealer close by? Convenience?

[stein]

Well this is why I don't buy big ticket items from chain stores for the most part. Sometimes I can get a good deal, like the latest Fender Geddy Lee bass I purchased, which was $200 off the lowest price I've seen. But that's very rare (I visit GC nearly every week for at least an hour).

 

For those who have bought from MF/GC online and the like, did you ever get a chance to go to another Gibson authorized dealer? I got most of my Gibsons from the House of Guitars, which is an authorized dealer, and I got incredible deals. I once even got an extra $100 off their unbelievably low price because the Gibson rep was in the store. For example I got my Figured Top ES-339 for $2,200 and the lowest price I saw on the web was $3,000 at the time, which is now $3,249 at GC.

 

So what makes one buy from a website? Lack of a dealer close by? Convenience?

That is a damn good question.

[BigKahune]

Lack of a dealer close by.

 

That's a big one. I've seen some of the members on this forum talking HOURS of driving time - one way - to get to an authorized dealer for new, or just a shop carrying used Gibsons.