Price disclosure?

[jin.patrick]

I never understood why vendors wouldn't disclose the price of the item they are offering for sale.
Always send by PM...

Is it against the rule of the forum or something, to disclose the price?

Someone help me understand here!

[Dackelone]

bc the vendors don't want to get into an(open) bidding war with another vendor. They would rather keep things private.

[AIRPOWER]

Because it's cool to ask for a PM and them saying "PM sent" in the thread.

[WHK]

It makes it easier to change the price down the road without making it looking like the product isn't selling. It also makes it easier to offer 20% off this weekend only kind of sales.

[AutoTalent]

Originally Posted by AIRPOWER

Because it's cool to ask for a PM and them saying "PM sent" in the thread.

[jeff@autocouture]

Originally Posted by AutoTalent

[pikkagtr]

Legit sellers with the best price aren't afraid to post up advertised prices IMHO

[AutoTalent]

Originally Posted by pikkagtr

Legit sellers with the best price aren't afraid to post up advertised prices IMHO

It's not so much the sellers but has more to do with the manufacturers. Some brands will not let dealers post prices below a certain amount publicly. That is why the best pricing can be negotiated though private message.

[FC4]

Originally Posted by Pertplus

Plus you post a price and then someone says "I want that price too" but doesnt realize that price did/didnt include sales tax or did/didnt include shipping or was for a different wheel finish/size/etc...PM'ing allows you to individually respond to specific customers and not create confusion with public posts of price (say that 5 times fast).

No. Any logical person realizes the obvious already.

PM pricing back and forth all you want, but if the parts in question are from a big brand name with a large distributor network, you will always find much better prices from the big corporate retailers. Throw in online coupon-codes and parts can come out to almost half the price of what a vendor will tell you is their "best price" via PM. It's a joke.

[AutoTalent]

Originally Posted by Pertplus

Plus you post a price and then someone says "I want that price too" but doesnt realize that price did/didnt include sales tax or did/didnt include shipping or was for a different wheel finish/size/etc...PM'ing allows you to individually respond to specific customers and not create confusion with public posts of price (say that 5 times fast).

[FC4]

Originally Posted by Pertplus

Yes and you assume logical people are the only ones that populate the forums?

To pin the whole "PM for price" nonsense on people's inability to realize differences in sales tax and shipping cost shows a very low perception of others. Even I'm not that arrogant. I know the average person is pretty dumb, but not that dumb.

If someone posts the price, say it's $699...that's the price. Unless its your first time even buying something online, I don't think anyone will throw a hissy fit when they realize it comes out to a little more than that given tax and shipping.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Sometimes we do put the discounted prices and sometimes we do not.

1- Some manufacturers will not allow vendors to post the discounted price. They will only allow discounts on private pm, phone or walk in customers.

2- Posting discounted prices leads to a bidding war with other vendors

[jin.patrick]

Originally Posted by mike@x-ph.com

Sometimes we do put the discounted prices and sometimes we do not.

1- Some manufacturers will not allow vendors to post the discounted price. They will only allow discounts on private pm, phone or walk in customers.

2- Posting discounted prices leads to a bidding war with other vendors

Unfortunately, there is nothing wrong with #2.
That's how it works with anything in the commercial world.
Whoever offers the best price, customers tend to buy from them. Customer service is another story that is out of the scope of this conversation.

When was the last time you saw a car dealership or even a clothing retailer giving the "speak to one of our sales representative for the pricing" crap?
Of course, pricing on anything can be negotiated, but there is always a disclosed pricing on any item you may wish to purchase, right?

To be completely honest with you, this whole "PM for pricing" has been bothering me, and I assume it has been bothering many others in the forums as well.

I personally see it as a disguising strategy to sell to customers at a not-so-competitive pricing or even to customers who don't wish to PM 10 different vendors in order to obtain the best pricing. It would be a lot easier for customers to make purchases if vendors disclosed at least the pricing they are hoping to sell at, and all other negotiations can be carried out privately.

[MasterP]

It's very likely the manufacturers.

I'm a retailer for some products and there are online pricing guidelines that prohibit publishing below MSRP.

Thus " PM me for best Price"

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by Jin.Patrick

Unfortunately, there is nothing wrong with #2.
That's how it works with anything in the commercial world.
Whoever offers the best price, customers tend to buy from them. Customer service is another story that is out of the scope of this conversation.

When was the last time you saw a car dealership or even a clothing retailer giving the "speak to one of our sales representative for the pricing" crap?
Of course, pricing on anything can be negotiated, but there is always a disclosed pricing on any item you may wish to purchase, right?

To be completely honest with you, this whole "PM for pricing" has been bothering me, and I assume it has been bothering many others in the forums as well.

I personally see it as a disguising strategy to sell to customers at a not-so-competitive pricing or even to customers who don't wish to PM 10 different vendors in order to obtain the best pricing. It would be a lot easier for customers to make purchases if vendors disclosed at least the pricing they are hoping to sell at, and all other negotiations can be carried out privately.

I agree with some of what you have said. But again the main reason is because most manufacturers would not allow their products to be devalued
and advertised close to cost.

[bmwm3car]

In my opinion, most of the vendors on this forum, the majority of the time dont really offer forum members a real discount. I have tried to use the PM system and compared to what is advertised on their own websites and is the same price. I then call them directly to see if I get a discount due to a post on this forum and they mention that it is already the lowest or discounted price. In effect not offering any discount to members. I think I have purchased 1 or 2 items where the discount was significant. Other items I just look through ebay or Amazon which are noticeably cheaper.

[Lups]

Manufacturing expenses also change and rarely they go down. I would pay to watch the vendors here trying to explain why something was 15% less a year ago, and the buyers having fits over it.

Anyone interested? I have two dollars in cash ready to be added to your profit margins, if you don't have to spend it in antidepressants.

[m3z]

I think PM for pricing usually helps us. Manufacturers don't want vendors to sell lower then MAP so they're brand can maintain a status. So when we PM them they can offer us a price that they aren't allowed to post for sale.

[JL M3]

I'm a consumer and don't sell any products, but I completely understand why vendors don't post prices...IMO it's smart business practice. If you post your price but others don't, you become pretty vulnerable to the competition. What do you do then when others privately undercut your publicly posted price?

Over my years of modifying cars, I've met quite a few shop owners. Unfortunately, many have gone out of business (including some pretty big ones). This isn't the consumer electronics industry where margins are high. Sure, some are doing very well, but for the most part, you're talking single digit margins.

By promoting price competition, which publicly posting prices does, you ultimately hurt the vendors that can't compete solely on price. And at the end of the day, as a consumer, I prefer having more vendors - I.e more options - then less.

[Blksnowflake]

Originally Posted by bmwm3car

In my opinion, most of the vendors on this forum, the majority of the time dont really offer forum members a real discount. I have tried to use the PM system and compared to what is advertised on their own websites and is the same price. I then call them directly to see if I get a discount due to a post on this forum and they mention that it is already the lowest or discounted price. In effect not offering any discount to members. I think I have purchased 1 or 2 items where the discount was significant. Other items I just look through ebay or Amazon which are noticeably cheaper.

Completely agree. I have bought several items from a few vendors here and there was no savings via pm. It was stated that the price was firm or already "discounted".
As this is a forum, to vend here should require all to post prices. I understand JL M3's point but the way it is now I think the vendors benefit more while the consumer loses. I've decided to not use any vendors here and just search the internets to find the best price.

A forum like TRF which has sellers of luxury watches.....all post the pricing on the item, there's a standard price, period, and just like car dealerships, the price may be posted but it's up to the customer to negotiate and with a posted price he knows where to start from, not a childish pm and tweet ten vendors to get a price only to be told by nine of them that the price is MSRP, or as posted on their website.

If there's an issue with a vendor fearing to be undercut privately then that is due to the fact that we have this rule of price secrecy, if all prices were posted by all, there wouldn't be this secret underbidding concern, you would post your price to draw the customer to you and then negotiate from there or not. As far as manufacturer's pricing, that is also a voided concern, because if the manufacturer doesn't allow you to discount then why hide the msrp. Fact is the vendors are buying at cost and then selling at a profit margin, there is where the negotiation of a price takes place.
Rolex is tyrannical about controlling their price and will pull AD licensing if they discover there merchandise being publicly discounted, however there are discounts to be had but it will come from the AD's pocket not Rolex and that discount to that customer will be what was negotiated, in person, and the paperwork Rolex receives on the sale will likely not show that the discount came from the MSRP but from sales tax or shipping, etc....and it isn't fraud, if done correctly without actually omitting numbers.