Why POA?

[Openwood]

I was talking to a colleague who's interested in getting a Yam C7 or similar. She was wondering why so many dealers put 'Price On Application' on their websites for the larger instruments. As a propsective purchaser she found it frustrating and I wasn't able to give her an answer for why it's done like this. I suppose there is a good reason for it but I wondered if any of you could explain?

Cheers now!

James

[mdw]

Yamaha have a few dealers who price slash to crazy levels which upsets the other dealers. Now Yamaha need the other dealers to stock their product and act as a free showroom so you can try localy and then go and buy from the price slashers. So they tell all their dealers they dont want to see more than 15% off RRP advertised which the slashers get round by asking you to email them for their lowest price. Dont worry the slashers are still out there you just need to put a little leg work in first and of a C7 theres a lot of fun to be had!!

[Openwood]

Ah, I see! Many thanks. It makes sense now.

James

[joe]

Yamaha have a few dealers who price slash to crazy levels which upsets the other dealers. Now Yamaha need the other dealers to stock their product and act as a free showroom so you can try localy and then go and buy from the price slashers. So they tell all their dealers they dont want to see more than 15% off RRP advertised which the slashers get round by asking you to email them for their lowest price. Dont worry the slashers are still out there you just need to put a little leg work in first and of a C7 theres a lot of fun to be had!!

Could not agree more with comments,i call it " satellite showrooms" they get you to purchase instrument for your stock known full well you have not a chance in hell of selling it,they will always try sell direct to customer at this level of spend and hide it through the dealer they are most friendly with.

[joseph]

You'd think a sensible thing for them to do, would be to keep the price high enough that it could only be discounted to a certain level, and then offer the lowest price through their own showroom in Wardour Street. However, I guess they may sell less pianos that way?

[joe]

You'd think a sensible thing for them to do, would be to keep the price high enough that it could only be discounted to a certain level, and then offer the lowest price through their own showroom in Wardour Street. However, I guess they may sell less pianos that way?

Its the numbers game,Yamaha starting selling in the U.K in 1966 and i know of a London business who sold them and where happy to take a chance on them as they where new to the U.K market,after doing well with them and promoting the product they where stunned to find a local guy selling them from a high rise 2 miles up the road and that was 1973,says it all really.

[mdw]

They need the free showrooms. In my area of the country you have to travel atleast 30-40 miles as the crow flies in any direction to find any one with Yamaha stock digital or acoustic. Ive just dropped Kemble as they are too expensive and no longer have the Buy British bit that helped. Just another piano now and expensive at that. I as a dealer with 3 in stock get to pay full trade price. The big dealer gets 10% off that price so how do you compete. Some times I was asked to match almost cost price and I am really not that desperate for business. We still sell the same number of pianos, make a little more money and sell different makes.
Im not sure Yamaha really care as they are shifting the units no matter how little some dealers make. Much nicer when it was the Kemble guys but then it wasnt a financial runner with that business model.

[joe]

Is there any High Street Yamaha acoustic piano dealer apart from their own shop in Wardour St London ?