Machine Cost in Canada or the U.S.A.

[Scott Shepherd]

I think what many do not realize is that lasers are not sold by the factories, they are sold by distributors. The distributors are people like Roy and Jeanette Brewer. There are dozens of them across the country (world). The manufacturers sell to the distributors and the distributors set the final price. A distributor in CA is probably going to be higher than one in North Carolina. If a manufacturer put pricing up, then it wouldn't be fair to some people in the market. If they posted the CA prices, then the people in NC would look at it and say "Wow, that's too high for my budget", if they put the NC price, then the distribute in CA would say "Why bother selling, since I make so little?".

Then you have the issue on support and the time it takes to close the sale. Are sales people supposed to work for free? There's a big difference in selling to someone that calls and says "I'll take another one of the same model you sold me last year" and the "We're looking, but we're new to this all". Which one's going to burn hours of your time? Should you not be compensated for that?

I know years ago, Universal sold through distributors and I had discussions with our rep about it all. He made decent money. Then they started selling direct and allowing people to sell across districts and setting the pricing. My distributor told me that he used to make $3000-5000 per sale, and with the new rules, he made about $500. He added up the time it took for him to talk to the customer, send them the quote, demo the machine on site, follow up, then if sold, install the machine, and train them. He said he was actually working for less than minimum wage.

He left the business.

While it's great to throw out perfect world situations, just remember, when you say "Epilog", there are distributors between you and them and those are people like Roy and Jeanette, who have to make a living too.

[Bill George]

When a Salesman is making 10 -20% commission and it takes two weeks to get a price to a customer, what's wrong with this picture?

[Bert Kemp]

I do the exact same thing, when I bought my last bike in April I found the bike I wanted on line I researched came up with a fair price i'd pay for that bike and went to dealer told him the bike I wanted and heres my offer take it or leave it, oh no we can't do that but I said no buts I'm off to next dealer, wait wait let me ask my boss, boss countered I said see ya, wait wait ok maybe we can do it for that and I got it for my offer.

I agree with you 100%. Several months ago, I contacted a distributor of Epilog lasers around Nashville and asked for pricing over the phone. They said they couldn't do that (even though Epilog advertising said they would) but agreed to send me a quote in the mail after the interrogation session. The quote was complex and, I think, deliberately confusing to keep me from using it for comparison shopping. Their tactics discouraged me from buying an Epilog at any price. I would rather buy a Chinese machine from an up front company than deal with them.

I don't buy cars on the dealership's terms either. I do my homework and determine what I think is a fair price for a vehicle ahead of time. I will ask the salesman to quote me the best price he can for a particular model on that particular day. I tell him that I don't negotiate and that I will either write him a check right then and there or I will drive away and buy elsewhere. Sometimes, I get a lower price than what I was expecting to pay. It is just hilarious when the salesman continues to try to negotiate with me while I am walking across the parking lot to leave. After doing that for several years, I have trained a few long term salesmen that I mean what I say.

[Kev Williams]

I don't like talking on the phone. My kids think I don't like 'em because I never call 'em...

My hearing's bad. Phones these days suck. Listening to most cell phones is a combination of distortion, broken background noise, UNbroken background noise, metal barrel echo, various underwater sounds and 'muffled-with-a-pillow' noise. Can't understand what anyone says. And that's people with an American accent.

So for that, and various other reasons, I'm with the "I like to know what something costs THEN I'll talk" crowd. While it's a fact that some people simply go for the lowest price, it's also just as likely that as many people look for the higher prices because they associate it with higher quality. Or their need to keep up with the Joneses.

Couple of months ago I was looking for a bigger seat for our Chaparral so the wife & 2 dogs could sit up front instead of in back while cruising. I searched many a website looking for the right seat and hardware to mount it. Quite a few sites didn't list prices. Those businesses will never see a dime from me. I don't care their reasons for not listing prices. I don't have time to "request a quote" (that never happens when I do, or is followed by endless spam email) or make a phone call I don't want to make in the first place.

I can't always have my way, but when I can, I will...