Whyare there NO discounts allowed on Polk Speakers?

fireshoes

Don't they have a 30-day price guarantee anyway?

Jstas

Polkmaniac wrote:

Because not everyone's an **** like you.

Hey, gotta keep up appearances, right?

tomhayes

Thanks for the tips. I've now got an ignore list

I'm going to see if my local retailer can match Crutchfield, Onecall or JanR.

BIZILL

tomhayes wrote:

Thanks for the tips. I've now got an ignore list

I'm going to see if my local retailer can match Crutchfield, Onecall or JanR.

good for you. do your homework. get that lower price. i say "hoorah!", you consciencious shopper, you.

tomhayes

Zero wrote:

Polk Audio has the right to set a minimum price point which by contract, their dealers and distributors must agree to. This decision is largely influenced by Polk Audio having their hands in both small shops and big scale retailers alike. Many, if not most of your reputable companies that have been around awhile work the very same way. This is part of the reason why they are still alive.

The might have the RIGHT but I think it's against MY interest. That's all I'm saying.

Zero wrote:

The agreement between Polk or a distributor and the dealer / conglomerate is signed and any pricing (on a new in-the-box product) that is set below the minimum without approval is a breech of contract. Not only is that illegal and immoral, it will also get your line quickly pulled.

First, it would not be illegal. It would be a breach of contract but not against the law.
Secondly, it's not immoral in any sense. Again, it would breach the contract but I doubt if St. Peter would stop you from going into Heaven because of selling speakers 7-12% bellow the MRP.

Zero wrote:

Can a dealer give you a discount? Sure, they can sell you the products for any price they so desire if they are willing to risk it all. There are many dealers who do. This is why virtually every company in this gig hires people who contact these dealers (pretending to be a customer) to see if they can get this dealer to go low-brow on the pricing.

The dealer is not allowed to give me a discount-- which is my whole point. You said yourself that it would be illegal and immoral for them to do so under the contract they have with Polk, so why would I buy from them?


I'd be interested to hear dealers’ opinions on this. Not 50% discounts or 3% above wholesale but small, targeted discounts.

I have heard your feedback which I summarize as: Pay retail price.

BIZILL

final bottom line.........retailers sell at a price point they sell at. they can choose to inflate thier profits by raising the price even higher if they so choose. we as consumers have the choice to shop around and find that better deal. i'm sure you will. if not, pay retail and don't allow buyer's remourse to set in as polk is a wonderful speaker manufacturer. why is everyone fighting? i can hear angst in the tone of your typing. we are all here to help one another.

BIZILL

booyah!!!

tomhayes

BIZILL wrote:

why is everyone fighting? i can hear angst in the tone of your typing. we are all here to help one another.

I think i'm frustrate in two ways:
1)I'd like to negoatie a fair price with the dealer. I don't think the MRP is fair. The dealer has no position on it because he is obligated to sell ONLY at MRP.

and

2)Someone called me an 'asshat' earlier.

PolknPepsi

Hi Tom,
I just bought a Maytag stackable washer/dryer.......dealer says Maytag sets the price. I shopped around online and different dealers and the price was the same, (no negotiating at all). It's a killer unit and worth the $$$....some things are just worth it and it's OK when they say manufacturer sets the price.

Welcome to the forum.....

scottnbnj

how do you know what the fair price is?

)

PolknPepsi

When the dealer say's the manufacturer sets the price it's sort of a take it or leave it deal.

WilliamM2

I don't understand why anyone would get upset about someone wanting a discount.

Are you sure the dealer isn't feeding you a line? I know Polk has MAP, but they must allow discounts, because I have never paid retail for any of my Polk speakers, and they were all bought from authorized dealers.

Even got 20% off my SDA1C's back in '89 ($1800 retail, I paid $1440 + tax).

tomhayes

scottnbnj wrote:

how do you know what the fair price is?

)

A fair price is one that the seller is willing to accept without coercion, threats, etc. Were not talking about buying Manhattan for some beads, or offering $12 and a loaf of break to a starving man for a house.

There is no fair price in this whole thing, just MRP. Fair is what the dealer and I agree upon.

If I was shopping at the Polk store (they have Sony stores, Bose stores, etc) I would accept what they say. But if Tweeter says "We can only offer you a discount when Polk says so " and then tells me to wait two weeks because Polk will allow it then, well I feel frustration.

If they said instead "No way Jack!, These are just too good. Pay what we ask" then I feel I have a more honest choice.

Example: I didn't buy a Mini Cooper S becuse the dealer wanted $3k OVER MSRP. But then again I did offer 10k more for my condo to make sure I won the bid.

Frank Z

Unbelievable! I never realized how many keyboard marketing experts hung out here! Anyone that has spent 3 plus months as seasonal employee at any big box retailer is now free to explain Polk Audio's pricing and marketing strategy!!

Keep it simple...No one knows exactly why the pricing is set in stone, no one here at least. Until someone from Polk Audio chimes in and lays it all out, well it's all just speculation.

The man came here asking a question that no one here can answer, so let that subject die.

He obviously knows a quality speaker when he hears one or else he'd be buying Realistic speakers from Rat Shack. Yes the LSi's sound great, better than anything in its price class, and better than speakers costing 2-3 times as much. Does that mean all current owners should pony up more cash now because their speakers sound so good.

He's looking to get a better price. Explain to me why he's an asshat for doing so. How many of you have paid MSRP for a car/truck/boat? That many of you!?! WOW...you’re all asshats. ( those that have paid full MSRP)
There’s even 1 clown that doesn’t even own a set anymore rattling his gums about how great they are, “yadayadayada…but I own something completely different now, but you should still listen to me and pay the full asking price… Climb back into your hole..... troll.

Simple question, no one qualified to answer, lets bash instead.


Embarrassing conduct to say the least.

BIZILL

i may be mistaken, but on the speakers description pages on polk's sales side of this website didn't they used to have the msrp and then another linked price you could click on that was a bit lower? basically it was the equivalent price of, say, crutchfield. now those links are gone. maybe they were made rid of with the new web design of this site.

F1nut

The perfect answer to the question, why?

Because!

cheddar

I hesitate to jump into this thread again. But in the hopes of being helpful to the original post...

I know this may not be as good as going into a store to negotiate a deal, but polk does make promotions very regularly. Over the summer, I got my LSIs for 10% off thru crutchfield because of a polk promotion. I also got 6 1/2" speakers for my car through a buy one get one 1/2 off. And I got my sub $200 bucks off through another polk promotion.

You could wait awhile until polk decides to have another promotion. But I can certainly understand if you have to get your gear now.

F1nut

Here's a little incentive.........http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?cspkr&1130351158

MacLeod

tomhayes wrote:

I find you distasteful. I can only hope you do not have a child who participates in team sports. He will be disappointed with your advice.

Good day.

Say what you will about discounts but this is one of the greatest one liners ever! Ive been wanting to upgrade my sig!

BIZILL

haha.........now that is some funny shi*! missed it earlier.

LiquidSound

Tweeter has 60 day low price guarantee. If the price drops within 60 days, you'll get the difference. Hell, the first 30 days are automatic, you don't even have to know the price has dropped. The check just shows up. After that, you bring it to their attention and you get the difference.
I'm surprised they didn't tell you about that. That salesman needs more training.

jwienand

If you look at any speaker product page on this site you will see this

"Prices reflect manufacturer's US and Canadian suggested retail prices. Prices outside the United States and Canada will vary due to currencies, exchange rates, import tariffs and taxes, value added taxes and shipping and handling costs. Please contact your local distributor (see the listing on this Web Site) for accurate local prices. Retailers are free to establish their own selling prices."

You could take that to the salesman that told you he cannot set the price.

fireshoes

Haha, the retailers are free to establish their own selling prices. Of course they won't be getting any more Polk to sell.

I'm sure it's not worded like that, but maybe Sean could elaborate, if he's at liberty.

For what it's worth, at my store, if I try to change the price, the computer overrides it and says "Product is unilaterally priced. Cannot be changed." I can discount open box Polk though, unlike open box Bose which gets sent back to them. I've heard some places have unilaterally priced Monster Cable, whereas we don't, so I guess it all depends on the agreement between the two companies. Everybody go get their Polks where WilliamM2 gets his!

Also, not all Polk lines are unilaterally priced, at least where I work. R series and Monitor series prices can be hack-n-slashed. Not sure about car stereo.

cheddar

When I asked my goodguys salesdude why they didn't carry polks anymore, he said it was because they couldn't offer discounts. I guess that's one that went against polk. But then again, goodguys is the one that didn't make it...may they rest in peace...

BIZILL

fireshoes wrote:

Haha, the retailers are free to establish their own selling prices. Of course they won't be getting any more Polk to sell.

I'm sure it's not worded like that, but maybe Sean could elaborate, if he's at liberty.

****-for-tat...it is worded like that. read the footnote.

BIZILL

nevermind, i get it.........i think.

fireshoes

Back...back...back.......it's over Bizill's head...and GONE! ..........

BIZILL

yeah, with me you're gonna have that........... :rolleyes:

shack

tomhayes wrote:

First, it would not be illegal. It would be a breach of contract but not against the law.

UH....yes...IT IS. By definition "Breach of Contract" is a LEGAL concept in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other party's performance.

By definition "illegal" or unlawful, is either prohibitted or not authorized by law. In general, conduct is made illegal by statute, rule, or regulation.

Breach of contract is contrary to the leagal obligations of a contract and therefore illegal. Not criminal (unless of course there is criminal intent - ie to use breach of contact to in essence steal something)....but illegal nonetheless.

Jstas

Since he put me on ignore, I guess it won't matter.

First off Frank, I have spent time working retail, especially during the holidays. About 5 years worth to be exact. Does that qualify me now? I don't know Polk's exact policy but I can see good reason why they would have unilateral pricing.

Secondly, I called the chucklehead an asshat 'cause his whole attitude about it sucks. It's almost like he thinks that the manufacturer and retailer shouldn't be allowed to make a living at his expense. I don't care if he wants to haggle. I don't care if he thinks the pricing is unfair. I don't care about any of that. I think it sucks that he thinks he's so special that he should be allowed an exception to the rule that Polk Audio made for whatever reason. It makes it seem like he puts himself above other people because they think that the pricing is fair. I just don't agree with it and it rubs me the wrong way. Just my opinion. If that makes me confrontational, rude, and arrogant then so be it. I don't give damn I just tell it like I see it. Others don't see things the way I do. That makes me a horrible person apparently.