Hi,
Anyone looking for a new piano can't help coming across the various dealers offering quite sizeable discounts, even on Bechsteins, no less. I don't know what the setup is, whether they are warehouses or have showrooms or order directly from the makers, but the opportunity to save a grand (sorry!) or more is very tempting.
Apart from your local dealer never speaking to you again, what's the pros and cons of buying from a discount shop? The piano will have a maker's warranty, and you will be able to have it tuned and regulated when necessary. Is there some great pitfall waiting for the unwary?
Rgds.
Discount dealers
Moderators: Feg, Gill the Piano, Melodytune
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Steve071261
- Regular Poster
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- Joined: 22 Apr 2004, 19:46
- Location: Manchester, UK
Hi,
I don't know, other than what I've picked up while looking for a piano, but it seems to me that it is rarely (if ever) necessary to pay list price for a piano, particularly an expensive one.
Yamahas in particular, seem to be routinely discounted by perhaps 30% from list, by even the most upmarket dealers, so they are acknowledging that the effective "real" market price of the piano is maybe 70% of list, while maintaining the fiction of a "list price".
Having also looked at a couple of non-Yamaha brands, including some fairly high profile names, dealers seemed to be hinting that the price was negotiable and again discounts of 20%+ would seem to be in order.
My tactic would be to find the dealer you would like to do business with, and put it to him that you can get the piano cheaper from dealer X. I'd be surprised if your chosen dealer didn't respond with a similar offer. You may not get him to match the price, of course, but speaking personally I'd prefer to pay a fair premium over the rock-bottom price for the knowledge that the piano had been carefully and thoroughly prepared to my personal preferences.
Steve
I don't know, other than what I've picked up while looking for a piano, but it seems to me that it is rarely (if ever) necessary to pay list price for a piano, particularly an expensive one.
Yamahas in particular, seem to be routinely discounted by perhaps 30% from list, by even the most upmarket dealers, so they are acknowledging that the effective "real" market price of the piano is maybe 70% of list, while maintaining the fiction of a "list price".
Having also looked at a couple of non-Yamaha brands, including some fairly high profile names, dealers seemed to be hinting that the price was negotiable and again discounts of 20%+ would seem to be in order.
My tactic would be to find the dealer you would like to do business with, and put it to him that you can get the piano cheaper from dealer X. I'd be surprised if your chosen dealer didn't respond with a similar offer. You may not get him to match the price, of course, but speaking personally I'd prefer to pay a fair premium over the rock-bottom price for the knowledge that the piano had been carefully and thoroughly prepared to my personal preferences.
Steve
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Gill the Piano
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- Joined: 25 Oct 2003, 19:39
- Location: Thames Valley
Some of these big dealers pay exactly what the small ones do for their stock, but sell at a smaller profit margin; I think the logic is that if they sell a piano cheaply and provide a good service (free delivery and first tuning, etc) then people who are pleased with their service will recommend them to others. I'm certainly more inclined to boast to my mates about a bargain than I am to mention that I've been done up like a kipper on something I've bought! 
All dealers are different; I'd rather pay a bit more and know I'm safe than pay less and get bad aftersales service, for instance. Recommendation and research always pay off. Perhaps Barrie will know more - I've never worked for a shop (who'd employ me? 
) but been independent all my working life, so I don't really know how these big concerns work, only about large local dealers.
That was no help at all, was it...?
All dealers are different; I'd rather pay a bit more and know I'm safe than pay less and get bad aftersales service, for instance. Recommendation and research always pay off. Perhaps Barrie will know more - I've never worked for a shop (who'd employ me? ) but been independent all my working life, so I don't really know how these big concerns work, only about large local dealers.That was no help at all, was it...?
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Barrie Heaton
- Site Admin
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- Joined: 30 May 2003, 20:42
- Location: Lanc's
- Contact:
There are pros and cons for buying form the discount dealers there are about 6 big players
Most of discounters are retailers with shops that have taken advantage of the internet some offer big discounts only on sales over the net, the pianos in the shop are more inline with RRP some shops offer big discounts on both shop and internet sales, some shops set up new company’s just to sell over the net. Most are offering 25 to 35% off RRP and some have specials on selected models
Buying over the net has big advantages on price but the down side in most cases you don’t get to try the piano, this can be a problem unless you are buying a piano for a beginner.
The big advantage of buying form a local shop you can try before you buy but in most cases you pay for the privilege the after care is not much better and in some cases can be worse, but it is nice to deal with the same person face to face if you have a problem but that is no guarantee that it will get fixed
The trick is find a dealer who will give big discounts and let you try before you buy then see if they have a price promise if they do….. see if you can find a cheaper quote then see if you can get them in to a Dutch auction
How can they discount so much well there are 3 ways of doing it if we take Yamahas all retailers’ pay the same price for a standard prepped piano! but….
If you have the use of some good Tuner/Tecs who are good at prepping new pianos you can get your pianos un prepped saving you a lot of money then if you pay upfront and order in bulk you can get further discounts. Doing it this way you have to stock a large amount of pianos and go over the pianos at lest twice otherwise you will lose some of your profit fixing problems in the clients home if any arise which they can even on the best-prepped pianos.
The other way is not to stock any pianos, buy them as they are ordered and have them shipped direct to the client but to do it this way you have to buy prepped pianos and work on a very, very small profit which will be wiped out if there are problems with the piano which there will be and the other problem the time factor you may have to wait weeks.
The final way is to offer discounts on the net but not in the shop hoping that most will wish to try before they buy, the sales in the shop balance out the sales over the net swings and roundabouts
Hope that is some help
Barrie,
My ears are going to burn for that one
Most of discounters are retailers with shops that have taken advantage of the internet some offer big discounts only on sales over the net, the pianos in the shop are more inline with RRP some shops offer big discounts on both shop and internet sales, some shops set up new company’s just to sell over the net. Most are offering 25 to 35% off RRP and some have specials on selected models
Buying over the net has big advantages on price but the down side in most cases you don’t get to try the piano, this can be a problem unless you are buying a piano for a beginner.
The big advantage of buying form a local shop you can try before you buy but in most cases you pay for the privilege the after care is not much better and in some cases can be worse, but it is nice to deal with the same person face to face if you have a problem but that is no guarantee that it will get fixed
The trick is find a dealer who will give big discounts and let you try before you buy then see if they have a price promise if they do….. see if you can find a cheaper quote then see if you can get them in to a Dutch auction
How can they discount so much well there are 3 ways of doing it if we take Yamahas all retailers’ pay the same price for a standard prepped piano! but….
If you have the use of some good Tuner/Tecs who are good at prepping new pianos you can get your pianos un prepped saving you a lot of money then if you pay upfront and order in bulk you can get further discounts. Doing it this way you have to stock a large amount of pianos and go over the pianos at lest twice otherwise you will lose some of your profit fixing problems in the clients home if any arise which they can even on the best-prepped pianos.
The other way is not to stock any pianos, buy them as they are ordered and have them shipped direct to the client but to do it this way you have to buy prepped pianos and work on a very, very small profit which will be wiped out if there are problems with the piano which there will be and the other problem the time factor you may have to wait weeks.
The final way is to offer discounts on the net but not in the shop hoping that most will wish to try before they buy, the sales in the shop balance out the sales over the net swings and roundabouts
Hope that is some help
Barrie,
My ears are going to burn for that one
Barrie Heaton
Web Master UK Piano Page
Web Master UK Piano Page
Discount dealers
Hi,
If you decide you would like a Yamaha, Chris Venables in Hampshire seems to do the most amazing deals. My sister in law recently bought a new U5 for a heavily discounted price and I think their reputation for prepping pianos is admirable. They have a good website: www.chrisvenables.co.uk. The guy who does most of the selling is Will Venables and he was very informative when I spoke to him on the phone. Good luck (again!).
If you decide you would like a Yamaha, Chris Venables in Hampshire seems to do the most amazing deals. My sister in law recently bought a new U5 for a heavily discounted price and I think their reputation for prepping pianos is admirable. They have a good website: www.chrisvenables.co.uk. The guy who does most of the selling is Will Venables and he was very informative when I spoke to him on the phone. Good luck (again!).
Hi,
Yes, I've emailed Will, and his prices and website are excellent. He's also near my mother-in-law's!
My first preference is a Kemble, but the discounts aren't quite as readily available. Sounsdmusical has some very good prices on Kembles, as does ukpianos in Enfield. Anyone any experience of using these or similar shops?
If I go for a Yamaha I will use Chris Venables (I suspect he reads these posts!).
Rgds.
Yes, I've emailed Will, and his prices and website are excellent. He's also near my mother-in-law's!
My first preference is a Kemble, but the discounts aren't quite as readily available. Sounsdmusical has some very good prices on Kembles, as does ukpianos in Enfield. Anyone any experience of using these or similar shops?
If I go for a Yamaha I will use Chris Venables (I suspect he reads these posts!).
Rgds.
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Gill the Piano
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- Joined: 25 Oct 2003, 19:39
- Location: Thames Valley
