Why is MSRP so far out of whack with street prices?

jbonzo1 said:
Indeed.
And most drum products can be purchased at 15-20% off MAP. There's the old saying, "Never pay retail". I say, never pay MAP!
As for brick and mortar stores, my drum shop has always had the best prices when I order a new kit or snare. They beat the big box and mail order guys all the time.
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Of course, you could always just go with a manufacturer that sells direct, and get more for your money :)
 
indedrum said:
Of course, you could always just go with a manufacturer that sells direct, and get more for your money :)
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On that note, I'd be very interested in checking out an INDe kit in person. They sound great in every video I've seen, plus I'm digging the hardware and overall look. I was hoping you'd be at NAMM, but I don't think you were.

Is there any way to see them in Southern California without having to buy one?

(sorry for derailing this thread)
 
indedrum said:
Of course, you could always just go with a manufacturer that sells direct, and get more for your money :)
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That probably works in your case, given that you are the manufacturer and it's a very specialized product! lol In many cases, though, for the products I routinely buy, getting them directly from the manufacturer is often more expensive than the deals I can get in the retail world. The manufacturer has to be careful not to damage the relationship with wholesalers and retailers.
 
TK-421 said:
On that note, I'd be very interested in checking out an INDe kit in person. They sound great in every video I've seen, plus I'm digging the hardware and overall look. I was hoping you'd be at NAMM, but I don't think you were.

Is there any way to see them in Southern California without having to buy one?

(sorry for derailing this thread)
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There may be a owner in your area I can connect you with- can you email me your contact info and I will make an introduction? [email protected]
 
IDDrummer said:
That probably works in your case, given that you are the manufacturer and it's a very specialized product! lol In many cases, though, for the products I routinely buy, getting them directly from the manufacturer is often more expensive than the deals I can get in the retail world. The manufacturer has to be careful not to damage the relationship with wholesalers and retailers.
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Well, that is kind of the point- is the manufacturer working to satisfy you-the drummer, or the distributors and dealers? There are a lot of businesses like mine, in just about any industry, that have found they can supply better value and support direct to the customer than they can with a middle man.
 
indedrum said:
Well, that is kind of the point- is the manufacturer working to satisfy you-the drummer, or the distributors and dealers? There are a lot of businesses like mine, in just about any industry, that have found they can supply better value and support direct to the customer than they can with a middle man.
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I understand what you are saying, and I agree, especially in specialized industries like yours. But part of the issue is scale - you are not expecting to sell 10 million drum kits a year. To industries in which supplying a high number of reasonably priced, quality goods is an important part of taking care of the customer properly, taking care of the "middleman" and the retailer is an important aspect of the business.

I guess my issue is with the blanket vilification of people selling products. The question "is the manufacturer working to satisfy you... or the distributors and dealers?" implies that the dealers and distributors are bad guys working against the consumer and the manufacturers are in collusion. Consumers wanting to buy reasonably priced soccer balls, shoes for the kids, toasters, bed sheets, etc want to be able to get a good selection cheaply and locally. That is best served by manufacturers working with distributors and retailers, who do their jobs efficiently, to get the right amount of product where it needs to be, when it needs to be there.

So, to me, a manufacturer taking care of of the distributor and dealer IS taking care of the customer, not colluding against them.

Likewise, there is a place in most industries for businesses like yours, who offer a very high quality product and personalized attention to the customer. That's fantastic! But that does not mean that it's the right choice for everyone. Many, many consumers' needs are best served by (read that as "What they want is...") an inexpensive, readily available product. That's why it's important for manufacturers of those goods to respect their distribution networks.

IMHO
 
It's a tale as old as time.

Mark it up 300%, then hit em with the big 50% discount. Suckers love that.

It's a lot harder than it was before though, now we got internets on our phone and can tell anytime if we're not getting a good deal.
 
IDDrummer said:
I understand what you are saying, and I agree, especially in specialized industries like yours. But part of the issue is scale - you are not expecting to sell 10 million drum kits a year. To industries in which supplying a high number of reasonably priced, quality goods is an important part of taking care of the customer properly, taking care of the "middleman" and the retailer is an important aspect of the business.

I guess my issue is with the blanket vilification of people selling products. The question "is the manufacturer working to satisfy you... or the distributors and dealers?" implies that the dealers and distributors are bad guys working against the consumer and the manufacturers are in collusion. Consumers wanting to buy reasonably priced soccer balls, shoes for the kids, toasters, bed sheets, etc want to be able to get a good selection cheaply and locally. That is best served by manufacturers working with distributors and retailers, who do their jobs efficiently, to get the right amount of product where it needs to be, when it needs to be there.

So, to me, a manufacturer taking care of of the distributor and dealer IS taking care of the customer, not colluding against them.

Likewise, there is a place in most industries for businesses like yours, who offer a very high quality product and personalized attention to the customer. That's fantastic! But that does not mean that it's the right choice for everyone. Many, many consumers' needs are best served by (read that as "What they want is...") an inexpensive, readily available product. That's why it's important for manufacturers of those goods to respect their distribution networks.

IMHO
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I agree with all of this, and certainly don't intend to vilify anybody. There are tons of great retailers in the world, across most industries that add value to the customer. And there are some really great drum shops out there that provide services that are impossible remotely/direct. For my specific market, I can provide more accurate product information, more customization, and better value than I could going through retailers.
 
indedrum said:
I agree with all of this, and certainly don't intend to vilify anybody. There are tons of great retailers in the world, across most industries that add value to the customer. And there are some really great drum shops out there that provide services that are impossible remotely/direct. For my specific market, I can provide more accurate product information, more customization, and better value than I could going through retailers.
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Excellent! The fact that I hear so many good things about you and your drums speaks volumes.
 
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