List vs. Street Price

[fretted]

This is a question which applies to other industries as well, but is of the essence with the sale of musical instruments. Why, now that virtually every customer knows that the list price is not real and that most even know the standard calculated discount from list price, do we persist in the dance? It once was valuable when instruments were sold by mom and pop storefronts with their own overhead and relationship with cost vs. price, but now with the transparency of the current times, it would seem anachronistic. Not to mention all the rules with which the companies control their dealers as to MAP and required inventory.

[deepermagic]

I don't know the nuts and bolts of how this stuff works but I'd be interested to listen in on some knowledgeable folks on this.

When I was looking to buy my guitar I almost exclusively figured I would buy online because (I figured) it would be a lower price. But when I began to search I noticed that online, online "discount" sites, big box stores (Guitar Center), and the local mom & pop store, all had my guitar for the exact same price. That is a completely different experience than, say, buying books (online vs. big box vs. mom & pop). And I always wondered why.

[cigarfan]

This will be a very difficult subject to discuss here given the "no pricing discussion" policy here on UTGF.

You may want to use one of the other forum to raise this up for discussion.

[timfitz63]

Without getting into exact numbers and incurring the wrath of the moderators, my experience has been that there is the list price (set by Taylor), the advertised price (which all Taylor dealers, including the 'big guys' like Guitar Center publish), and the negotiated 'out-the-door' price.  The latter is rarely available from anybody but the 'mom & pop' music stores.

[fretted]

This will be a very difficult subject to discuss here given the "no pricing discussion" policy here on UTGF.

You may want to use one of the other forum to raise this up for discussion.

This is a very general question regarding a routine across all of commerce and within a particular industry. It's not an appeal nor petition as to actual price comparisons.

[Earl]

This is a very general question regarding a routine across all of commerce and within a particular industry. It's not an appeal nor petition as to actual price comparisons.

It will still get flagged, because it has the word "price" in it.  I have had posts deleted simply because I mentioned the approximate street price of a guitar that I did not even buy twenty years ago (a model no longer in production).  But hey, it's not my forum so I abide by the rules.

[CodeBlueEMT]

Without getting into exact numbers and incurring the wrath of the moderators, my experience has been that there is the list price (set by Taylor), the advertised price (which all Taylor dealers, including the 'big guys' like Guitar Center publish), and the negotiated 'out-the-door' price.  The latter is rarely available from anybody but the 'mom & pop' music stores.

I haven't had any problems getting a discount from most online dealers. Usually a quick message to an online customer care person gets me a discount code. No hassle or haggling necessary. Plus, no sales tax and free shipping.

$%

[timfitz63]

Without getting into exact numbers and incurring the wrath of the moderators, my experience has been that there is the list price (set by Taylor), the advertised price (which all Taylor dealers, including the 'big guys' like Guitar Center publish), and the negotiated 'out-the-door' price.  The latter is rarely available from anybody but the 'mom & pop' music stores.

I haven't had any problems getting a discount from most online dealers. Usually a quick message to an online customer care person gets me a discount code. No hassle or haggling necessary. Plus, no sales tax and free shipping.

$%

Good to know!  Thanks!

[Lizzy]

Many many moons ago when I sold Honda motorcycles there were no prices on the bikes. We weren't allowed to tell the customer the price until they had picked the bike they were interested in and we got them to our sales desk. It was an absolutely INSANE way to sell anything. I would whisper the price to the customer on the sales floor and then we would go to my desk and negotiate. Needless to say I had the highest sales of any of the salespeople. This dealer went out of business in a year. It was run by a woman who had taken over the business when her husband died, and this sales strategy was her brainchild.
There is one local guitar dealer that has prices on some of his guitars, but not all of them. This has always puzzled me and he always says it's because he doesn't have time to price them all. I believe it's because he wants to size up the customer first. When I shop there I make sure I have my smartphone so I can look up the price if I am interested in one of his guitars.