Vance & Hines - Blowout Prices? Don't be fooled!
Thanks
I don't know if you wanted this to be an open forum, and no offense, but the price you sent me was NOT lower than a few of the leading HD aftermarket vendors...even for their normal printed prices on their website. I'm not talking about specials.
I think it would make sense to post the prices out in the open on the forum, or else the thread could be misleading.
Do you agree?
Corey
Last edited by rideshack; Jul 15, 2009 at 06:50 AM.
Eastern Performance -- $499.95 shipped
American Classic (Ebay Store seller) -- $473.95 shipped
Just to name a few...
Corey
American Classic on Ebay($474): http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VANCE...Q5fAccessories
American Classic on Ebay($474): http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VANCE...Q5fAccessories
Motorcycle Depot ($490): http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VANCE...Q5fAccessories
I appreciate you looking into this one as well. What baffles me is the CONSISTANT price of everyone selling in that range. If someone can sell on ebay at $474, they can sell direct at around $440 ALL DAY LONG. Yet, nobody will sell the exhaust at that price. The paypal/ebay fees combined are $32 to $34, even for the highest powerseller with a merchant paypal account.
Apparently, everyone is cool with donating to Ebay, but they don't want to pass the savings to the end customer. I sold on ebay before, and I can pretty much look at the sales prices and ballpark what Vance and Hines is selling these pipes to the retailers at.
Thanks for your help on this.
Newgene
PM sent. I hope it explains the concept of "loss leader" marketing in play. Grocery stores and other retailers have been using for decades. Losing a little on one side, but making it up in spades on the other side. We're taking the "fairness for all" approach to our business and product pricing. Thanks again for helping us get our message across to the folks.
Corey
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
PM sent. I hope it explains the concept of "loss leader" marketing in play. Grocery stores and other retailers have been using for decades. Losing a little on one side, but making it up in spades on the other side. We're taking the "fairness for all" approach to our business and product pricing. Thanks again for helping us get our message across to the folks.
Corey
I replied back. You guys have been very fair. Ebay is a little different in general economics in that you don't get the same shopper in the rest of your store, just by getting them in for one item. On ebay, especially for items that ship free, people mix and match from different vendors, and they don't just add to a cart, other items, because they are already shopping there. This is true for grocery stores where someone will pick up an item overpriced by $2 just to avoid driving across town.
I hear what you are saying, but the companies selling keep listing these items over and over again. There are a heck of lot better ways to invest in advertising than a philosophy such as that. I believe these companies truly are just reducing their margin to a minimal amount to force profits by volume. In general, that is true for all of ebay and the online shopping world (see amazon.com).
Other factors to consider are the distance a retailer is from their supplier, how centrally located they are to their average expected end shipping location, deals they have with ebay/paypal on negotiated fees, negotiated pricing from the supplier, and even older surplus inventory when items previously were on sale. I can't imagine people hording inventory in this economy, and they would have to have a ton in order to sell like that.
Although I ordered the exhaust elsewhere, you guys gave me a great offer, nonetheless. You were sincere and straightforward.


