Pind, I'm sympathetic to your free-market leanings because I'm inclined the same way.

But I understand and support the reasoning behind the agreements between manufacturer and seller with respect the MAP and MSRP and such.

It's not about making a dollar, per se. It's about protecting yourself as a manufacturer when people blame Quad for not having a warranty on the product they bought outside official means. Camera makers do this all the time, as you can buy a "grey market" lens that is imported by the seller or store. But because it wasn't purcased through, say, Nikon USA then you will have no Nikon warranty at all-- you're at the mercy of the store standing behind it. Most camera buyers unsderstand this, and most large stores offer the "white market" and "grey market" products side by side so you can compare the savings to the risk of grey market.

The diesel business isn't like that. The sellers who are obtaining their products outside official channels (i.e., in violation of the agreement made with the manufacturer) aren't telling the customer that, so when there's no warranty, the customer gets hosed, and then the manufacturer gets hosed when that customer goes online and badmouths the innocent manufacturer.

Not only do these agreements protect the customer and the manufacturer, but they also protect the other sellers of the product who are abiding by their agreement with the manufacturer.

An example of what happens when this is NOT done is the car business. The automakers don't give a flip about what the dealers make because they have already made their money by selling the car to the dealer. There are no MAP policies in that game, and only in rare cases is MSRP paid.

But the result is that there is a huge gamut of dealer quality-- some are fantastic and some are scumbags. The manufacturers lose out, too because the scumbags give them a bad name. How many times have people blamed the manufacturer for a bad dealer experience? It's all about what your brand means to people.

That's why Ford can be losing millions (ok, Billions) in the same market where Honda and Toyota are making money. Ford hasn't taken care of the Blue Oval (diesel problems for year after year, among other things).

Just a few days ago I looked at a used Lexus for $20k. It was nice, and relatively affordable. If I bought that car, I'd have free maintenance for 3 years and a bumper-to-bumper warranty for 3 years. I'd get a free loaner (a NICE one, too) and have no out-of-pocket costs. On a USED car!

Would Ford have stood behind a 4 year old with a 3 year bumper to bumper warranty?


All that just to say that I completely understand why Quad may have restricted what his dealers can do-- it works better for everyone. Without these agreements, it's EBay-as-the-Old-West in the marketplace.

Gee, I'm windy.

jh

 

I agree with pind, why should the customer be punished with no warranty when they were just going for the best price possible. The manufacturer (quad) has already made their money from selling to the dealer and its the exact same product as you would get from anywhere else. Why fix prices? IMO the no warranty thing is BS, the price fixing battle is between the manufacturer and the unauthorized dealer, why should the end customer be punished?

 

i found them on ebay for less than $500, thats where im getting mine, i bought my xzillaraider from the same seller a few years back

 

Question: Is the warranty void if the Adrenaline is bought USED? How would a buyer know if it came from an authorized source originally? I see at least one Adrenaline in the DTR classifieds.

 

pind....I understand what ur saying and I agree to some extent, but that's just not the way it works for some . That says it all right there!!

Just so some of ya know, Quad is NOT the only manuf. using this practice.
There 1000's of manufactures and retailers that use this same "price fixing" as you guys call it.
So don't think that Quad is the only one doing it.
Edge does it!!
Mads Electronics (Smarty) does it!!
Bully Dog does it!!
That's just a few off the top of my head, for example.
I don't see you guys bad mouthing any of them. It's nothing new here fellas.

 

The customer isn't being punished. But there has to be some disincentive to buying from a shady dealer. That lack of warranty is it.

I can buy a Nikon lens imported by Nikon USA or I can buy a "grey market" Nikon lens that is identical, but imported by the seller, not by Nikon USA. The grey market lens is about 10% cheaper-- but has no official warrany from Nikon USA.

Is the buyer of the "grey market" lens getting deprived of his entitlement to warranty? No. The warranty isn't a right-- it's a reward given to a customer for buying it from an authorized dealer.

Customers seem to not mind the terms of sale when it favors them (i.e. binds a manufacturer to a warrantee) but ignore it when it restricts their options (i.e. binds THEM to buying from only certain sellers).

If price was all that mattered, we'd all be buying our "Rolexes" from kids in border towns. Try getting warranty on THAT!

 

they are not on the naughty list and the msrp with the serial number is on my reciept.

 

Then go for it... the best value for your dollar on the 'sneaky' product gets you a product with no warranty. The best value for my dollar was to get a product that a company would stand behind. Pretty Simple. Can't blame quad for one second for trying to support and protect his authorized dealers.

 

No it's not new but if quad or any one else sells there product to there

distributors for $X and one of there distributors decides to cut the price so

he can sell more. the other distributors would have to cut there prices to

keep up with the first guy then pretty soon no one wants to sell quads

product because the profit has become so low from price cutting. so quad is

trying to protect his distributors and him self. unfortunately I have to agree

with his actions of voiding the warranty for products purchased at cut throat

prices. If you want to take a chance in not having a warranty then buy the

cheep one off of ebay. with that being said I bought my Edge comp off of EBAY Brand new for $450!!!!!!!!!!

 

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

I was not referring to your purchase in particular, just in general.

 

I dont think it has anything to do with protecting their sellers, bottom line is profit. I'll bet the dealers that buy more product get better pricing. Buy more product better price, more profit for dealers, when price is fixed.

 

It protects the buyers and sellers.

COME ON GUYS!!!!!! It's been done this way for many years. Alot of things that you buy are probably bought and sold under this same agreement. You just don't know it.

It's nothing new!!
It's not a scam!!
It has nothing to do with profit!!

I don't mean to be rude about it, but at least 3 people have explained the reasoning behind this procedure and you guys still don't get it. I'm sorry that you cannot grasp the concept.

I'm done with this.

 

Hey do you think quad will give me a good deal on an adrenaline box for defending him. just kidding. unless

 

The buyer gets ripped off again. this policy is inviting off shore manufactures to step in. The rocket science to these devices is over. The protection policy is basically making some business man very rich.