Email/Call for price? That's depressing

[Matt Till]

Well, this has always bugged me. Musician's Fiend has always listed Ric basses as "Email for price" or "Call for price"

Why do they do this, I know I can't afford it, but why do they hide that from me?

Is it's like, "If you have to ask, you can't afford it?"

[McHaven]

Cause Rickenbacker Instrument Corp. doesn't allow the prices to be shown

[Poop-Loops]

Yes, but why?

[Matt Till]

Originally Posted by Poop-Loops

Yes, but why?

Yeah, why?

[Phalex]

It has something to do with the percentage of the discount off of list price. I've seen it on another brand as well, but at the moment the particulars escape me.

[Slater]

I believe it has more to do with M.A.P. (Minimum Advertised Pricing). The manufacturer sets a MAP price so one dealer can't advertise a lower price than another. So, now you have to call or e-mail to shop for the lowest price...

[Matt Till]

Ah ha, and most people won't put forth that kind of effort.

That is a big big big scam I've noticed lately, taking advantage of laziness. Example: All these Pepsi under the cap challanges, instead of "Instant win" now, you win if you enter a code on their website, and submit yourself to further advertisement. Most people (well... me for example) aren't going to go on some website to MAYBE win a free small box of fries.

I don't know, strange comparison, but it works.

[Crazyeelboy]

Probably no scam - likely just the opposite. This could mean that MF is offering the basses at a price below what Rickenbacker would like to have advertised.

[keb]

RIC CEO John Hall mentioned over on the RIC forum that this policy is partially there to help protect smaller dealers -- I guess so big chains can't price match as easily, or sell them for less, and thus take business away from the smaller guys.