How Is It Possible?!?

[michael_atw]

I think that this phenominon is one of many reasons why people automatically assume businesses are overcharging for products. If you can buy the exact same item for less from one store than you can for another, then the store charging more is "over-pricing"
the item. This doesn't mean though that EVERYONE is charging more than they should for their product.

Many also forget that the stuff they are buying at many (online) places is overstock, the occasional blem, and wholesale. This is usually fine-print information anyways though...if they even bother telling.

 

[michael_atw]

I'd prefer they were Cinnabons

Mmm...I shouldn't be looking at that so late in the night.

 

[nostatic]

The problem with our culture these days is we are all expert consumers and idiot economists. If we were smarter about macro and micro principles we wouldn't be dumping all our money in China while simultaneously complaining "where are all my jobs?" Consumerism and hypocrisy are dangerous by themselves, let alone together. Recognizing the reason for mark-ups is a first step to a greater understanding of how to keep your downtown buildings occupied with profitable business.

Wait, you mean instead of buying a half dozen off-shored basses I might want to get one good one from a small independent luthier? And support businesses that value customer service instead of chasing the absolute lowest price?

Crazy talk! Super-size me because Walmart is having a sale on stuff. I need stuff!!!

well, and Cinnabons

 

[ehque]

That can be said about any small business. Someone can work and save their whole life to open a little hardware store and then 2 months later a Wallmart comes along and has a bigger selection at better prices. But what's the answer? Spend more to keep someone else in business?

Funny americans. They buy all their stuff overseas then wonder where all the jobs have gone. /sarcasm

If they can build an Affinity for 50 bucks, they can build a custom shop for $300.00

Obviously you've found a market niche. I'll be one of your first customers!

 

[Handyman]

I'd prefer they were Cinnabons

Cinnabons are delicious, and only cost a few dollars. I don't see why a Ritter should cost thousands of dollars if I can get a cinnamon roll for pocket change.

 

[pie_man_25]

"Why the heck does that muffler cost $70?"
Then I watch them leave and drive across the street (literally) with their muffler dragging on the pavement to the liqour store and come out with a flat of beer or a bottle.
I guarantee there was no squawking about the price in that transaction.

People are just funny, sometimes.

it's interesting that you mention that - I work on a vineyard, we (the boss and I) actually discussed the cost of wine and beer in Canada. For a $10 bottle of wine, the first $4 goes to the provincial/federal government (I think this was the LCBO, or the LLBO) just to get the licensing down, the next $3.50 goes primarily to the federal government for the taxes - meaning that with the last 2.50 he has to pay the workers, pay for chemicals, pay for new equipment (fermentors and such), and drive a profit. The average (I'm going to go with the standard macro stuff like bud or canadian) beer in Ontario costs between 2.00-and 1.50 per bottle (from a 6 to a 24 pack), I wouldn't be surprised if they had to work with between 10-50 cents a bottle.

 

[Batmensch]

In this example, y < x.

I go to best buy and see a computer part for sale for x amount of dollars.

I go on to newegg and see the exact brand and model for y amount of dollars.

I think that this phenominon is one of many reasons why people automatically assume businesses are overcharging for products. If you can buy the exact same item for less from one store than you can for another, then the store charging more is "over-pricing"
the item. This doesn't mean though that EVERYONE is charging more than they should for their product.

It costs a personal luthier quite a bit of money just to build their own bass. Heck, even if you go with super cheap parts off of ebay, just building a parts bass often costs more than simply buying a squier. When you get into quality parts, the price difference becomes huge.

If a Squier is enough for your needs, that's great for you. Some people need something else. In my case, I strongly desire a bass with a 12" or greater radius for the fretboard. No Squier bass will offer me that. I'm picky, and if I want to satisfy my pickyness I'm going to have to pay extra for it.

My $0.02.

SX's have 15" radius necks. No need to pay extra for that.

 

[kcole4001]

Things like strings, polish, and straps are about the only things a small store can mark up significantly. They can't mark up instruments due to the price-cutting massive retailers and wholesalers. When I go down to my local shop and buy a bone nut, they cost $6. I don't mind paying $6 - I won't get it much cheaper buying online after shipping. But I know that that bone nut probably cost 50 cents to make and $2 for that music store to buy and stock it.


The problem with our culture these days is we are all expert consumers and idiot economists. If we were smarter about macro and micro principles we wouldn't be dumping all our money in China while simultaneously complaining "where are all my jobs?" Consumerism and hypocrisy are dangerous by themselves, let alone together. Recognizing the reason for mark-ups is a first step to a greater understanding of how to keep your downtown buildings occupied with profitable business.

Exactly my point, though I may not be very good at getting it across!
I would much rather walk into the local store and buy my stuff even if it cost a little more (and sometimes it doesn't).
Sometimes I just don't want to wait a week or two for stuff I can bring home right now.
Consider any extra you might pay a premium for the convenience of instant access, which essentially it is, since it costs the store money to keep stuff on the shelf.

The local store has some drawbacks, such as limited availability, and it takes him forever to order stuff, since he's waiting until he gets enough together for free shipping, and the fact that he's not a dealer for my favorite brand of bass, but I buy what I can there, and am glad he's here.
I've been dealing with him since I started playing in '79, so it's a nice to walk into a store where you're well known.

 

[plangentmusic]

Funny americans. They buy all their stuff overseas then wonder where all the jobs have gone. /sarcasm


I don't wonder at all. Americans aren't producing the quality they used to. Why should I support that? GO with what's best -- it SHOULD be American.

 

[michael_atw]

Exactly my point, though I may not be very good at getting it across!
I would much rather walk into the local store and buy my stuff even if it cost a little more (and sometimes it doesn't).
Sometimes I just don't want to wait a week or two for stuff I can bring home right now.
Consider any extra you might pay a premium for the convenience of instant access, which essentially it is, since it costs the store money to keep stuff on the shelf.

The local store has some drawbacks, such as limited availability, and it takes him forever to order stuff, since he's waiting until he gets enough together for free shipping, and the fact that he's not a dealer for my favorite brand of bass, but I buy what I can there, and am glad he's here.
I've been dealing with him since I started playing in '79, so it's a nice to walk into a store where you're well known.

haha...I got what you were saying! Just decided to add a bit.

Same with me on the rest. I always go and look for guitar polish at my favorite music store and he never has any, which is pretty weird but I guess the demand isn't there. I get a strong-handshake welcome when I take something there to get cleaned/set-up though, so it's about worth it to just let them polish 'er up.

 

[michael_atw]

I don't wonder at all. Americans aren't producing the quality they used to. Why should I support that? GO with what's best -- it SHOULD be American.

For the most part, it has nothing to do with that. There are dozens of factors which go into the quality of a product. For example, I love my job...but not my employer. I do the same job I did last year, but for a different company. However, this company treats their workers like trash while the other one treated us like we were worth something. Obviously, I want to do a good job at both jobs...but before it was for me AND the company but now it is only for me. This means sometimes I don't care whether I lean up against a wall for 20 minutes and slack off. Sometimes doing the best job doesn't matter for me anymore. You can blame it on me, stating I sometimes no longer do quality work. However, it isn't because I'm not inherently lazy or something...it's because my employer sucks. Many employers who take their jobs to China just plain suck - they didn't get results in America because unions and the government pressured them not to treat their workers like crap. My present company has a policy in which they steal hourly workers hours. Literally, no lie. It's a COMPANY-WIDE policy, affecting over 60 locations. The full-time workforce is union, while the part-time is non-union. Guess who they try to steal the money from?

So obviously, you would expect why some of us aren't very interesting in benefiting the company. There are hundreds of "bottom-line" companies just like this - corporations that strive only on profit motive. Employee benefits, customer service, efficiency only follow on account of profit motive. When companies move over to China things like employee benefits and government regulation can fall by the wayside - they can tap into a literally starving workforce. Those burdens to profit can disappear. American workers have been spoiled - but it's either nobody's fault, or everyone's. I can't decide on which yet.

 

[KingRazor]

SX's have 15" radius necks. No need to pay extra for that.

Too bad they're such crappy basses

 

[kcole4001]

Well, ya learn something new every day!
I didn't know SXs had such flat 'boards (never checked out the specs closely, I guess).
I like a sharper radius.

 

[Gomeztool]

I'm new here but I noticed that the OP starts a thread along the same lines as this about every other day.

To sum up his next thread two days from now:

a) Stuff is overpriced
b) Build your own and save
c) I've had boutique basses but I finally found happiness in Squiers.

 

[TomA1234]

In mass production, costs are way less than that.

True, but that's roughly how much it would cost me to build one.