Just got off the phone with a manufacturer that is "no longer going to sell to me" screw MAP pricing
Locust Fork
Member Posts: 32,003 ✭✭✭✭
I swear.....some days are full of crazies.
I got an email saying I was breaking a policy where I HAVE to sell their items at a set price. Instead of emailing back and forth I called their number and spoke with three different people that each said "they" could tell me what to do. Each of them said "we have a policy" and I pointed out to them that "I" did not have an agreement with them.
They said it didn't matter....its their policy. I told them its my policy that everything goes for a penny with no reserve. One of them blurted out "you are going to hurt the pricing for the little guy." I told him its not my responsibility and if the market says their product is worth a certain amount then its up to them to pay attention. He goes on to tell me he wants to assure his items are sold for a certain price to protect the sellers who carry their items.
I tell the guy.....if an item being presented on the largest website...by a top seller with over 14,000 feedbacks....with great pictures, presented the best way possible doesn't sell for what you expect it to its NOT the market's fault...its an issue with the product. (He didn't like that.)
He then threatened to "never sell to me again" and I told him it wasn't something that would affect me because I buy directly from stores that are ready to liquidate items. He said "well then they will be in danger of us not selling to them either" and I pointed out that if they are liquidating things to me its probably not an issue they care about.
He said..."if Glock finds out people aren't following MAP pricing" (I cut him off) ....and said we sell factory new Glocks all of the time and never have issues with it. Everything is a penny no reserve....its OUR policy.
Anyway.....its amazing to me how much "power" some people are under the impression they have.
Comments
Good for you for standing your ground!
I have a real hard time with people that don't pay my bills telling me how to run my business. 😒
At the risk of asking a silly question - why would I want a Glock in the first place - CZ-75 - 40 S&W - Colt 1911 - 45 acp - 38 Super - 9mm - Springfield Armory Omega - 45 acp - 10 mm - 38 Super - Browning Highpower 9mm - Daewoo 40 S&W & 9mm - Beretta 81BB - 32 acp - Walther PP - not PPK or PPKS - 380 acp. Haven't seen anything at the Lewis D. Whitaker Range in the Osceola National forest that I can't come close to equaling.
Best Regards - AQH
Tell them to go cry.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Wow! They must have records of who they have sold their products to and a quick computer search should have told them you are not on the list. Why any company thinks they can control the price on an item sold by a secondary seller is unbelievable. That would kind of defeat this whole auction concept that you seem to be very successful at. If it was me and I ever got another of that type of email, I would mark it spam and forget about it. Responding isn't worth the effort. Bob
Perfection
The guy lecturing you is prime example of a clown who thinks that everyone is ignorant...or easily frightened.
Kasey, your dad owned a gun shop, and you might remember back to the Fair Trade Act, when MSRP were etched stone and no discounting by retailers was allowed- excepting new car sales which were exempted. When I was still a young man and working in a gun shop, we got around this by giving the customer free ammo or some other little "gift", which amounted to a discount.
The Fair Trade Act was eventually declared unconstitutional and retailers were left free to set their own prices. This not only impacted firearms, but also electronics such as stereos and cameras, and many other consumer products.
I remember those days....very well. Nobody knows the crazy mess you would have to promise to draw attention to your stuff over the other guys. The most odd thing we ever came up with was a date with my aunt or dad....whoever was free at the time. Nobody fell for it though....my dad was looking forward to showing up to that though. (My aunt was a VERY pretty young lady when she worked at the store.)
isn't that sort of like what Smith and Wesson did for many years
Did it happen to be FN? I just got a message from one of my sales reps that we were on FN's do not sell to list earlier today. He had a batch of allocations that included an FN product that alerted him to the problem.
I have always had a very good relationship with FN, only thing I can think of is our website may have products listed under MAP or something but we use Gearfire and they usually set all products with MAP to the MAP price.
Usually when that happens they send an email for you to correct it.
My brother, who retired from the Army is now a rep for Iron Valley. Actually he and his wife both. She used to work for Ellett Brothers before they went under.
Shoot me a message & I’ll connect you to him for a chat. He can get you anything you want & you can run your business on your terms.
I never, ever wanted a Glock anyway, but I sure as hell do want to deal with Locust ForK. Company policies apply to the company. I have other, and mostly better, alternatives.
Don't worry, the SCOTUS will be along shortly, with another decision defining the rights of the people !
I continue to be astounded at the number of people that have delusions of adequacy.
I guess it's their right to set their policies just like it's your right to tell them to go pound sand. Often the problem is people are against trying to find common ground and stick with the old adage "my way or the highway." They lose sales, you lose sales. No one won in that situation.
There is no loss here at all. I do not order from any wholesale outfits at all. My aunt is one of the top sellers for a wholesaler and has BEGGED me to set up with her, but I don't think that will be something I want to pursue. If a store wants to liquidate things and sell them to me....that is between me and the store I buy from. The manufacturer cannot affect me in any way.
So how did they get your email and why are you even on their radar?
I do believe I would send them a cease and desist letter, and a fair use and fist sale doctrine refresher and then hit them with a "Tortious Interference of Your Business" warning letter. If they send you any more bogus threats, $5,000 lawsuit if you choose to pursue.
They just sent me an email through Gun Broker on the item's auction. They have a rude awakening....there are more coming up each week.
Just got a call from Ford. The said I could not sell my Model T for $500,000 because the origional MSRP for it was $260. 😪😪😪
The cost for a original model T was 850.00 Don
did you write a check or give em cash???????
In 1909 a new Model T cost $850, but by 1924 the price had gone down to only $260.