-----Original Message-----
From: Joseph M Grib <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
this is
a 2% business for major gear.
I've heard this from other sources and I think it's true. Even if it
were a 10% business that doesn't give a lot of wiggle room.
Why do you think that ham dealers across the US have been folding?
Why do you think there's been a lack of dealer and manufacturer
presence
at hamfests and shows?
It's because it's not profitable to do it.
Yup. But that's not our fault, is it?
Do you work for free?
The days when most people had 9 to 5 M-F jobs and paid overtime for
anything
outside those strictly defined limits are pretty much over. How many
hours do
you think Wayne, Eric and the others have put in on the K3?
What you the consumer are paying for is the service behind the sale and
the ability to actually see things before you purchase them.
Agreed. And the products have to be priced to support that.
When I was on the other side of the counter, I heard all
the time how "I can get it cheaper
by the 1-800-XXX number." Then fine and go use the 800 number but when
it's needing
repairs or you need advice, go call the 800 number and don't come
bother
me.
Yup.
The question is, why do the rigmakers allow their product to be
distributed
that way? Don't they realize that, by doing so, they are killing off
their
distribution network?
You don't walk into your local grocery
store and argue
with the checkout clerk how cheap you can get milk somewhere else do
you?
Then why do you do it at a ham store?
But when you go to buy a car, haggling over the price is often part of
the deal -
even a new car that's in demand. Same for when you buy real estate. Why
is it
OK to haggle for those things but not a ham rig that costs hundreds or
thousands
of dollars?
One thing that has kept me homebrewing and Elecrafting for many years
is the
ads in ham magazines that show a rig but don't show a price. Sorry, but
how
much it costs is an important specification!
Sure there's tons of places to get stuff on the internet and I'm sure a
lot cheaper, but if the ham
community wants ham stores to be around and not everthing to be either
a
800 number or on
the internet, then you will have to support your local store and local
dealers, or they'll disappear.
Or perhaps times have changed...
For a very long time, Heathkit was only available by mail order. The
price of a
Heathkit was what it said in the catalog and in the magazine ads.
Unless you
lived in MI you didn't pay sales tax but you did pay shipping. Heath
eventually
opened retail stores, but they didn't last too long.
Ten Tec is only available factory-direct. The prices are clearly shown
and the
same for everybody. Service is reportedly excellent. I understand that
once
upon a time TT was available through dealers, but that ended years ago.
And of course Elecraft offers excellent service and advice, spare parts
and
direct advice from all levels of the company.
This isn't just happening with ham rigs. Want parts? There's Digi-Key
(guess where
the name comes from?) Mouser, Dan's Small Parts and many others. Wire
and
cable? The Wireman and many others.
Last time I needed to fix an appliance (old Maytag D8300 dryer - yes,
even Maytags
break) I got the parts online. Ordered Saturday, at my door Tuesday.
A big part of what makes these things possible are:
- email and the internet
- modern ham gear is smaller, lighter and more reliable than the old
stuff
- there are many shipping options, and with the smaller/lighter ham rigs
the cost is not *too* bad.
Perhaps the day of the distributor is ending, and
factory-direct/internet sales
is the new paradigm for a lot of things.
73 de Jim, N2EY
________________________________________________________________________
Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! -
http://mail.aol.com
_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
