What is Martin Logan's current policy regarding discounts?

[Statman]

Okay I can't remember what the maximum is. I was told last week through my closest dealer that it's 5%! I thought the old policy was no more than 15%? WTF, Who's kids at ML are we putting through College? Without naming dealers can you post what discount you received if any when you bought your speakers? ML will revoke their rights as a ML dealer if they discount more than that.Yes I'm worked up right now, considering the markup to begin with!

 

[Trekker]

While visiting the Central Coast before X-mas, I decided to visiit a local HiFi shop to listen to some Gallo ref 3's. But the store also had the Summits. After listening to them, dealer offered me atleast 10% off new Summits. If I only had the $.

 

[attyonline]

It is illegal for a manufacturer to dictate sale price to dealers. A manufacturer can require a dealer not to advertise a price below a certain level, but cannot require sales at a certain price. That being said, many ML dealers seem to toe a tight line with MSRP, so it probably changes with each dealer.

 

[Reverb2009]

Unless something has changed recently, Martin Logan’s have been priced protected. Every dealer that I have talked to says it’s in there contract with ML about how much they can negotiate the price to make the sale. Typically it has been 5 to 10% from MSRP, any more than what’s in the dealers contract and ML can cancel that dealers contract.

 

[Craig]

Talk about price protection. Have you ever seen any Monster Cable products on sale? Probably not.

 

[Statman]

So I guess I need to find a dealer that will give me at least a 10% discount! It's funny that they now sell some ML products through Magnolia inside of Best Buy. What do they expect the average customer coming into there to say sure I'll pay list for that speaker!

 

[Reverb2009]

Talk about price protection. Have you ever seen any Monster Cable products on sale? Probably not.

Go into a Bestbuy and you will see open box buys on monster cables, they only take like 5 to $10.00 off the price tag and if your lucky it will come with a mangled box, some cables have no packaging at all, they come shrink wrapped in plastic with only 3 to 5% taken off.

 

[Reverb2009]

So I guess I need to find a dealer that will give me at least a 10% discount! It's funny that they now sell some ML products through Magnolia inside of Best Buy. What do they expect the average customer coming into there to say sure I'll pay list for that speaker!

My Magnolia/BestBuy has the clarity’s, they have been on sale every day since the store opened. There like 5% off list.

 

[risabet]

5% off on the Clarity's. I hate spending retail or even close to retail, but what ya gonna do?

 

[Reverb2009]

5% off on the Clarity's. I hate spending retail or even close to retail, but what ya gonna do?

Buy Bose instead?

 

[Joey_V]

Buy Bose instead?

I love this guy.. !

 

[longhorn]

Believe it or not BOSE is even stricter when it comes to price. Notice that all of the stores that sell Bose online or not sell at the same price. Bose dictates that there products are not be discounted. Adds to the mystique.

 

[SteveInNC]

... Adds to the mystique.

The Swahili word for "profit"...

 

[twich54]

Believe it or not BOSE is even stricter when it comes to price. Notice that all of the stores that sell Bose online or not sell at the same price. Bose dictates that there products are not be discounted. Adds to the mystique.

Not entirely true, Bose is known for "dumping" their out of date or soon to be discountinued product at Sam's Club just like alot of other mfg's.

 

[joe29001]

Bought mine @ 15% off

I got my Mosaics & Fresco for $850 each (15% off) at Tweeter. Some time after I bought, Tweeter stopped carrying the line and discounted them further (to $650ish).

 

[Reverb2009]

I got my Mosaics & Fresco for $850 each (15% off) at Tweeter. Some time after I bought, Tweeter stopped carrying the line and discounted them further (to $650ish).

When a speaker becomes discounted the store can sell them with a double discount to get rid of old stock.

When a store decides to stop caring a speaker line, like when ultimate electronics decided to stop carrying Martin Logan’s they can sell them at what ever price they want, ML has no say. I got the floor model Ascent from Ultimate at 50% off.

 

[Reverb2009]

Believe it or not BOSE is even stricter when it comes to price. Notice that all of the stores that sell Bose online or not sell at the same price. Bose dictates that there products are not be discounted. Adds to the mystique.

Bose is cheaper then Martin Loan in more ways then one, if you get my drift?



Bose is the SoCal way of saying JUNK! I was just trying to be funny.

 

[MarkNewbie]

Believe it or not BOSE is even stricter when it comes to price. Notice that all of the stores that sell Bose online or not sell at the same price. Bose dictates that there products are not be discounted. Adds to the mystique.

That is because Bose employs some very good marketing people. If you remember a few years back, Alpine was known for having the best car stereos on the market. Now Alpine is made in Japan just like the majority of their competitors but their claim to fame was that they were featured in some exoctic sports cars as standard equipment. Alpine has a distribution center here in Indianapolis and an old classmate of mine was their North American Sales Director. I was visiting him at the DC one day and happened to run into their Chief Engineer over from Japan. Not to pass up an opportunity to learn, I asked him "What makes Alpine so much better than your competition?" His response was simply "Sales and Marketing". I had to ask what he meant and his next response was "All same inside. We all buy same parts. All same parts inside. Sales and Marketing make us better." You might also be surprised to learn that the stereos in the old Chrysler "K" cars that were known for their failure rate came from Alpine. You used the word "mystique" but I prefer to use the phrase "Sales & Marketing".

 

[Craig]

You ever notice that Bose are never setup so they can be A-B'd with other speakers or systems? Unless, of course you go to a Bose store and then you can compare them to other Bose speakers.

Also, Bose must have an enormous budget for marketing and advertising. Same for Monster. Speaking of Monster; didn't they buy the rights to put their name on a stadium last year?

Just two examples of over-marketed brands and all the associated costs ultimately passed on to the consumer. Too much money goes into ads. Much more so than research/development, quality control and customer service.

 

[Reverb2009]

Speaking of Monster; didn't they buy the rights to put their name on a stadium last year?

Go to Circuit City and you can pick up a pack of Monster breath mints. Yes they are made by Monster cable.