Recommendations: EA Dealers On-Line or Brick-and-Mortar?

[Basicbassist]

Looking for EA dealers (On-Line or store-front) with best pricing. Would appreciate your assistance. Thanks.

[reedo35]

You live in New Jersey and you don't know (all hail) Bob Gollihur?

[Basicbassist]

Yes, I've heard only great things about BG - but as a NJ resident, I'd like to avoid the 7% sales tax by patronizing an out-of-state dealer. UPS delivery will be required whether I purchase from BG or an out-of-state provider, so that's a wash. But I can save $70+ by going out of state on a $1,000+ purchase.

[DrMWP]

I had very good luck w/ the Groove Shoppe

[reedo35]

Originally Posted by Basicbassist

Yes, I've heard only great things about BG - but as a NJ resident, I'd like to avoid the 7% sales tax by patronizing an out-of-state dealer. UPS delivery will be required whether I purchase from BG or an out-of-state provider, so that's a wash. But I can save $70+ by going out of state on a $1,000+ purchase.

Sorry, I didn't think of that. Bass Northwest on the west coast
is pretty good as well.

[MT Spaces]

Originally Posted by Basicbassist

.... as a NJ resident, I'd like to avoid the 7% sales tax by patronizing an out-of-state dealer. UPS delivery will be required whether I purchase from BG or an out-of-state provider, so that's a wash. But I can save $70+ by going out of state on a $1,000+ purchase.

Gollihur has real good pricing and service on EA gear so here's what you do .... have a friend across the NJ state border buy the gear for you and then you go pick it up or have them UPS it to you. Simple Huh? You do have friends in neighboring states don't you? I promise ... I won't tell the NJ sales tax folks about you .

[bolo]

I could be wrong about this, and would welcome any corrections. But I think if you really want to find the best price for a specific item, you may have to contact each dealer individually. You can check their web sites, and what you'll see there is probably the MAP or minimum advertised price (which is actually set by the manufacturer).

If the price is not the MAP, move on. Someone out there is probably selling it at the MAP. If the price listed is the MAP (meaning everybody's kind of advertising the same price), then perhaps a given dealer(s) may be willing to sell it to you for less. Or maybe sell it to you for less as part of a package deal. Or offer some other incentives. But they cannot advertise it at a price below the MAP. You would have to try and negotiate that yourself. "Is it in stock? How long has it been on the floor?", stuff like that. So that's why I started by saying you would have to contact a number of dealers and talk 1-on-1.

There was a little thing about this in the May '08 BP. Until then, I understood MRSP, and "street price", but was not familiar with MAP.