dklowrider

S'vette

Lets look at it this way. What if the supplier raises his cost to the ones that are selling for less because this DA called. Then we all suffer except the store charging a higer price. Democracy just went out the door.

dklowrider

Yes, but what if they lowered the price to lower volume dealers to help them stay more competitive, hmm?
I think it's just wheel spinning around this by now.
g'nite

BoosterClub

You just don't seem to understand. Just because online shops are selling for one price doesn't mean he's "inflating" the price. He's probably trying to sell for retail pricing and the online vendors for far less.

A lot of companies have minimum pricing and if one of those vendors violated it they deserve to lose their account.

I hope when you need a good corvette mechanic you cannot find one and get raped at the dealer and they do a ****** job, those are the people you're putting out of business.

DropTopGal

You Sir seem not to understand. Regardless of who it is, charging over $500 beyond what is otherwise common place among both internet and other shop vendors, then to complain to the supplier that he is not making a huge profiit on parts alone is simply wrong.

BTW... wishing ill will on another, particulalry a fellow Vette driver, is in bad form and will haunt you ten fold.

C5FrankC5

Your first post you say he adds $150 then you say he adds $500. Are you inflating his profit to try to give your argument more value?

Cor430vette

You sir are an azz...we are discussing a stupid rip off vendor. Why the anger?? Are you the azz munch trying to rip people off selling things with sick markups because you bought too many homes, boats, and had too many children? Who the hell cares...the OP brought up a good point and you are defending some crappy price raping retailer?? Grow up...

Cor430vette

150 or 500 who cares ...your super micro analyzing this post. The key is that this ..(.going out of business soon) jerk wad is selling above what others sell. We dont need to discuss this.... in reality because he will get what he deserves...overtime his business will fail. People are not going to pay more for nothing....period. This is the way that business is run in the Free market.....

C5FrankC5

Before you call someone an azz and tell them to grow up you should look closely at your own post. Your posts indicate you seem to have an anger issue. All vendors sell at different prices, some more than others some less than others. Since we don't need to discuss this I expect we won't be hearing from you again in this post.

DropTopGal

I really didn't want to reveal to much detail, but this won't be too revealing but perhaps help shed some light.

Part 1: MSRP: $550 Online / Shops: $490 to $550
This shop in question trying to sell for $699.

Part 2: MSRP: unknown Online / Shops: $300 to $360
This shop in question tyring to sell for $525

Part 3: MSRP: $625 Online / Shops: $510 to $590
This shop in question tyring to sell for $700

So for each part, the shop in question increased the price, part for part by $150 to $200. That's a little over $500 total for parts that the shop in question did NOT have in stock and would have ordered through the exact same supplier as anyone else. Yet the shop owner calls and makes a stink to the supplier that other retailers sell the exact same parts at or below MSRP and do not mark them up as he does, thus hurting HIS profit margin. WTF?!

The issue is integrity or lack-there-of on behalf of the shop owner who seeks to stick it to his (former) customers. I don't care what business you are in, do that and do that often - you'll be out of business.

Now, if anyone here wants to pay just over $500 more for the exact same parts that can be readily purchased elsewhere, for whatever rediculous reason, go right ahead - it's your money.

The issue I have was NOT over the price or how the shop grossly inflated the price and tried to take advantage and essentially steal from the customer. My issue is that the shop called the supplier to make a stink for what really is his own wrong doing. He made his bed, he raised the price far beyond fair market, and yet he bitches about a (former) customer not buying parts through him. I don't think so. Buyer beware.

Just want to add this - I happen to be generous, thoughtful, root for the underdog, and help local business even if it means just a bit more - all while being a smart shopper. But what was trying to be done by the shop in question was overly greedy and by calling the supplier potentially hurts all of us, puts other retailers in an awkward position, and is simply wrong.

Dragracer_Art

This EXACTLY.

Ignorance of this is what puts these smaller shops out of business.

Not only does the smaller shop have to compete with the rest of the world via the www on a sale price... they also have to eat sales tax. Here in PA you are looking at $60 in state sales tax on a $1000 item.
Internet sellers don't have to charge this tax. That is a dalbreaker for some folks.

I ran into the same crap when I had my gun shop.

Nevermind the fact that I had $4k/mo in overhead costs. People still wanted me to compete with online sellers with zero overhead, selling to MY customers at MY cost.
I had enough of that crap and pulled the plug after 2 years. I went back to working a fulltime job again...

It has nothing to do with integrity and everything to do with trying to keep the lights on and bills paid.

DropTopGal

So others should pay the price for what must have been an unwise business plan? I don't think so. Survival of the fittest is the name of the business game. Can't keep up, shut those lights, close out those bills and move out of the way. This holds true for everyone, not just you.

Big Jay E

Something fishy here. No one sells anything over manufacturers retail price

DropTopGal

And if you belive that notion, I have some realestate to sell you on planet Jupitor.

HummelS

I will "shop around" when buying things like computers, cameras, etc.
But, even if my locally-owned store has prices that are marginally higher than, say, Best Buy or Staples, they will get my business, just because....

Vel-Yellowc6

I just want to speak from both sides here because I own a brick/mortar and a second online only store myself. I compete with myself on a daily basis and customers never know. My brick and mortar business sells 10x more product each month than my online website does at an average of a 30% higher price. We have overhead! But so do many sucessful online only retailers. I spend 10k a month advertising 4k in rent 2k in utilities and bills. And 8-15k a month or more in salaries and commissions...

Brick and mortar sells 70k (average) to 150k(busiest seasons) a month with 20-25k a month in overhead. So the 10-15k a month left over is my salary / capital for opening new locations and such.

Now on the flip side my website (totally separate company but same products) is cheaper by 30-40% and I only pay $125 a month for hosting and $2k on advertising and it produces only 15-25k a month gross but that only equates to 4-5k a month in profit... If That was my sole income, I'd never be able to grow my business..

I don't feel bad AT ALL for being more expensive than everyone else because I'm not stealing or ripping anybody off! I offer services in person that a website cannot give you.

I have employees with families and bills of their own and i have my bills to keep paid. Right now I'm only 25 years old and I bring n 150-200k a yr. Do I feel bad about being successful? Hell no! My customers are ecstatic with their purchases and they tell all of their friends how great the experience was! Please tell me I'm a con artist, or that my higher price is putting me out of business, I'll put you on the phone with a customer who will argue the fact!

This shop owner sounds like he's simply doubling his prices while everyone else is working with a 40% standard mark up. If he doesn't have any way to back it up service or incentive wise that's his Delima but ultimately it's his business. Charging more does not make him greedy or disreputable, he may even have to pay more than the online guys do. There's absolutely no reason to shoot him down and honestly I've been in his situation myself and I'VE had a few accounts closed ...

It's called business... Its cut throat. You can Be better than your competition and make more money or you be cheaper and work harder for less money... It's your choice

Vel-Yellowc6

People do it every day... Msrp is sometimes only leaving the guy a 15-20% profit... He may not want to work for that low of a margin... I know I won't because I can't afford to.

Cor430vette

The person I called an azz stated this to the OP:
"I hope when you need a good corvette mechanic you cannot find one and get raped at the dealer and they do a ****** job, those are the people you're putting out of business."

You did not mention anything to the person that I called an azz - when he told the OP that he hopes they get "raped at the dealer" you do realize that the OP is female dont you?? making this statement even more obscene and offensive? and then he went on to say: "they do a (word that was deleted due to it being too obscene to see) job" ...instead you're focused on my comment? If you do not see that the statement of this poster define him as an "azz" then sir you have issues.

In fact you're posts appear to show you have superiority issues. You are analyzing from the standpoint of what is called "mental filtering" only seeing things that agree with your superior opinion and your perception based on your past learned responses. You have a biased opinion and your defending someone that is on "your side" although their comment is more rude and offensive then mine. You then state "So I expect we wont be hearing from you again on this post." Defined: I am superior to you and so you no longer should comment in this post.

Cor430vette

OP I agree with you ....although the lynch mob that assembled on your thread does not...and they are feverishly defending one another to prove their point...
I think their point is this.... The gentleman in question has a right to price obscenely high prices and rip off those that are not aware or value conscious enough to realize that they could buy the same product online for much lower prices.

The lynch mob is correct, he does have the right to take advantage of these people...but the free market will save those that are unaware and will drive him out of business.

Joe B.

Shuttered store fronts on Main street because of the big box stores.
Big box stores now feeling the pinch because of online sales, look at the "black Friday" stats.
Where will it stop, the wheel keeps turning.
BTW won't the C7 be selling for more than MSRP when it comes out?