The Lasershowparts Laserwave reintroduction sale. Prices slashed for 48 hours!!!!

[White-Light]

I can understand Rob not wanting to be undercut, but on the other hand its not realistic to expect other sellers not to hold a sale. Other businesses do it so why not laser vendors?

It benefits consumers and if the manufacturer sees increased sales and realises the value in cutting prices, it might ultimately lead to a decision to lower factory gate prices which in turn maintains those dealer margins whilst reducing prices to consumers long term. Everyone benefits from that.

A sale is only for a short period after all.

Also, as an aside, price fixing is a criminal offence in Europe with multi million pound fines. Not that I'm suggesting anyone is fixing prices, more that it has to be careful to be avoided in the rush to maintain margins.

[gottaluvlasers]

some of you are forgetting something and/or overlooking a few things...

and i really wish all this just went away already, but here goes...

there is an ENORMOUS difference between "Sales" vs. undercutting and undermining prices and costs of products.

#1- A "sale" is taking an item at "X" dollars and selling at a reduced "RETAIL" price. in other words, cutting ones profit margin on the sale of that item. pricing that was listed here for this now, "infamous 48 hour sale" and "Black Friday Sale" are NOT sale prices. they are wholesale, distributor pricing and in MANY cases, BELOW WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTOR pricing.

#2- "X" company, and "Y" Company that is/was sponsoring these sales, outright caused a backlash of LOST MONEY and revenue from *MY* pocket. Not to mention money that i have to PAY BACK from MY OWN POCKET for refunds of product pricing differences. I am (with e-mails and invoices to prove it if need be) in the hole over $400 OUT OF MY OWN POCKET that i have to pay back in refunds. technically, do i NEED TO DO THIS?? NO!! but, i AM doing this becasue that is what an HONEST and ETHICAL business would do. its called, "PRICE PROTECTION!" I feel if i take care of these customers NOW, i will see their business again in the FUTURE. If i DONT see their business in the future, its ok with me. i know I did the right thing.

#3- the distributors involved with the re-sale of of OTHER COMPANIES PRODUCTS are just that, they are- RE-SELLERS!!! Myself, Rob, Max, Dave, and whoever the other distributors are in essence, employees of LaserWave. OF COURSE we are ALL going to have different pricing on certain items. my 100mw green laser may be cheaper than max's. daves red 200mw red laser may be cheaper than robs. robs blue laser may be cheaper than mine. you get the point...HOWEVER-

when there is a DRASTIC pricing difference over a WHOLE PRODUCT LINE within its own sales people it makes the WHOLE "team" of distributors look foolish!! how could multiple people selling the same products have a price difference of $300 or $500 on a laser?? who looks foolish with something like that? not only the company selling something for $300, $500 more. but EVERYONE selling the same product looks like a bunch of boneheads for NOT knowing what the hell is going on in their OWN product lines.

it undermines the integrity and ethical business practices of said company.

#4- adjusting pricing due to market fluctuations and economic woes is 100% acceptable and of course, is necessary to survive in business. when you take an ENTIRE INVENTORY of products (very close to) and price them at COST or about as CLOSE to cost as one could get, it removes the value of that product and denotes harsh and drastic liquidation efforts. when a company goes bankrupt, this is EXACTLY what they do. they "LIQUIDATE" their assets for cost and/or below cost just to recooperate some money and just move some product.

#5- ADJUSTING pricing is just that....ADJUSTING. taking a 30% profit margin and reducing it to 20%. is a sign of "Economic woes." taking a 30% profit margin and reducing it to 20% is a saign of "Dollar fluctuations." taking a $50 red dichro filter and selling it AT COST for "Black Friday" is a "Sales gimmick" and an exciting, fun way to do something cool on a fun day. the reason these little gimmicks are done in retail is in the hopes that when people flood their stores for the $50 GPS systems at 4AM they will also but $400 worth of ALL the other stuff NOT MARKED DOWN TO WHOLESALE COST!!!

Marking down 90% of an ENTIRE inventory to get some sales and show some numbers does NOTHING except dilute sales, degrade value of a product and leave other people selling the SAME things dumbfounded!!

#6- this TO ALL OF YOU is just a "48 hour sale." this to ALL OF YOU was just a "Black Friday Sale." this to ME is going to last a few weeks. and is going to COST ME probably in upwards of $1500-$2000 if not more. i already lost sales. (which is COMPLETELY understandable. SHIT, IM ready to buy lasers from these advertised prices!!) i ALREADY had to refund money and will be refunding much more. Im not going to get re-imbursed for any of that.

this is A LOT more to people involved than just a "fun little sale." this is A LOT more than just a few items being marked down.

these "SALES" should have been discussed BEFOREHAND. these "SALES" should have been made aware to ALL SELLING THE SAME PRODUCTS BEFOREHAND!! THEN, at that point i could have chosen to either be a part of it, or not be a part of it. i also would have made my customers aware who were purchasing items from me to either (A) wait until the sale. (B) purchase from one of "OUR" other distributors who WERE a part of the sales.

instead, i sell products a week before. the night before and then am BLINDSIDED by pretty upset (understandably so) customers saying "WOAH DUDE....why the hell did i just get charged by YOU "X" dollars when it is the EXACT SAME THING being sold by the other guy for $300 less?" i have NO ANSWER for that!!!! who like a schmuck?? me or the other company?? who like the hero?? me or the other company??

this WHOLE situation could have been avoided if it was handled RESPONSIBLY and ETHICALLY. between the distributors involved in the sale of these products. i could have cared less if it was agreed upon BEFOREHAND to sell lasers for $1. at least i would have KNOWN ABOUT IT and chosen NOT TO BE INVOLVED.

this is/was an unfortunate event that happened. i know it was done with the best intentions in mind. im not saying anyone did anything to *PURPOSELY* try to harm anyone else financially. but the bottom line is the bottom line. this was a horrific and undermining unfortunate event. in the future, i just hope it is done PROPERLY. of course we will have sales. of course we want to afford best pricing possible to all of you. but this is also a BUSINESS. and by being a BUSINESS, there SHOULD BE proper ways about handling sales. this is an example of WHAT NOT TO DO.

-Marc

[mophead]

I am a business owner, so don't discount me right away. I run (without knowing my competitors numbers - nor do I care to) the largest Michelin, BFGoodrich, Uniroyal and Cooper tire dealer in my town.

I have a couple of questions / comments to everyone involved:

1. Did your supplier offer everyone the same prices on the same lasers at your wholesale (reseller) level? If so, quit bitching and moaning about someone elses pricing. If a company wishes to sell *at unloaded cost*, then fine. They WILL NOT be around very long and the problem solves its self. If my competition chooses to sell Michelin at below their cost, well yeah, it pisses me off. I can do nothing about it. Maybe they need the cash flow. Maybe they are in so much trouble they have to sell that way-- but they *will not* be around long. The problem solves itsself.

2. Does the supplier offer better pricing to those who have more volume? They should. The gas station down the street selling 1 set of tires/day shouldn't get the same price that I get selling 100 tires/day.

3. Do you folks actually stock your product or do you get 20-40% profit for just relaying an order and some drop shipping?

I *DO NOT CARE* what my competitors do. Sometime i get beat up on pricing, sometimes i beat them up on service (hence being able to charge Much more).


Bottom line: If the supplier is being unfair to anyone - all things equal - find a diffrent supplier. Sell a different brand.

I think some feathers were ruffled b/c actual cost came out to the public.

SO.

The laser public will either have the volume to become dealers or they will buy from resellers.

I promise if the supplier is being fair, the market will correct itsself.


EDIT: I have never discussed having a sale with anyone except my supplier, the customer, and the media. Next time any of you folks go to a tire sale for your car----remember this thread.