Seeking B&W Retailer with Value Pricing (1 Viewer)

[RickJ]

Hi all,

I'm in the process of upgrading my HT system. I have purchased a Sunfire Ultimate receiver (200 watts x 7 channels) to drive the system.

I went to a local HT store to demo speakers. I settled in on the B&W Nautilus 804s for the front, HTM-1 for the center, and SCM-1s for the rears. Sure, I'd love to make the jump to the 802s for the fronts, given a limitless budget, but I don't see myself getting there. I'm also looking at some B&W in-walls for the master bed and bath.

My local HT store folks were kind enough to come over to my place to do a consult and determine install costs for the in-walls, etc. When the quote ultimately came back, I was surprised at the pricing. The speakers were quoted at perhaps 5% below MSRP. I was also disappointed with the amount of time that it took to receive the quote, and I have other reservations about the level of service that I received when I was in the store.

Do any of you have suggestions for reputable dealers online or otherwise located in Southern California that will be more willing to compete on price? I typically like to stick with the dealer with whom I did the original demo, as I appreciate the time they've taken in educating me, but I just wasn't impressed with my local HT store's operation.

I'd appreciate any suggestions you may have.

 

[Daniel.Han]

Hello,

Welcome to the Forum. I can't help you out as to a local dealer, but I do know that B&W absolutely does not sell through web dealers. At the same time I do know that at least my dealer offers a better quote then that. I can't remember if I'm allowed to post actual discounts so you could PM if you are really interested.

Daniel

 

[RickJ]

I appreciate your reply, Drew. However, I don't plan to "work" for a discount from a dealer that I don't respect. Besides, it's not uncommon in the retail world to discount merchandise without having to work at all for it.

That said, Drew, what do you feel is a reasonable discount to target?

 

[Gregg Z]

B&W just announced a whole new line of Nautilus 8XX speakers on November 18th. Dealers will have them in stock around January 15th, 2005, so now is probably a great time to try to hit your dealer up again for a discount on his existing stock.

 

[Drew_W]

They aren't going to *GIVE* you a substantial discount. You have to work for it. You wouldn't be in business very long if you offered everyone a large discount right off the bat.

 

[Drew_W]

They'll start you off. They're not going to drop their pants and offer you their absolute bottom dollar. They want to make money, and they aren't going to negotiate with themselves. Aim for 25-30%. Speakers have a ~50% markup.

And if you don't respect the dealer, go elsewhere. B&W isn't that uncommon a brand.

 

[Jake S]

had the discount been larger , would you have been more impressed...or would you have even posted..?

 

[RickJ]

Wow, such pessimism on this board...

No, actually, a larger discount from that first dealer wouldn't have earned my respect. Had they actually shown up for the consult that we scheduled the day I was in the showroom, that would have earned my respect.

I'll be checking out another dealer today.

 

[Nick Bum]

Its hard to find a dealer that you like. The one that we got our first HDTV from seemed great when we bought that tv and they were excellent but when we tried to buy our second hd tv they were of no help at all. I went back today and they gave me half off a pair of JM Lab speakers to earn back our respect and plus they are merging with another dealer that is not nice.

On the other hand I went to a diffrent dealer the other day and the sales man when I told him what I wanted he told me a decent price 5 min later the price was amazing and he was throwing in a free sub if i bought with in the week.

So it can be a day by day thing you know the service of one person does not always mean the whole company is like that. Its tough.

When I worked at circuit city alot of people requested my service becasue they dident like anyone else and I led the store in sales for 3 months(the whole time i worked there). But people complained about service to me and I always mended the problem and got their biz back so it just depends. You have to look at cirmstances and be understanding too as a coustomer.

 

[Robert Cowan]

25-30% discount? nah, i dont feel like eating this month. thats insane to give that much off...

also, b&w's policy for selling speakers out of state is such that you cannot sell to anyone that has never entered the store. they frown on out of state transactions.

report the behavior of your local shop to b&w, they will take care of it, or just get a different salesperson.

 

[Drew_W]

I said to aim for that...it's sometimes an attainable goal. It all depends on the relationship you have with your dealer. Hell, I was offered 20% off a pair of speakers from a dealer whose shop I'd only been in for 10 minutes right off the bat. Lots of variables come into play when dictation what sort of a discount will be received.

...then again, I don't buy anything new anymore. Used is the best discount of all...

 

[Robert Cowan]

i see what you are saying. i have a nice honest relationship with my customers. they ask what they want, i say yes or no. i dont haggle, i dont bargain. i just give the best price i want to give. its that simple.

but then again, i work for the third largest b&w dealer in the nation though.

 

[MikeLi]

RickJ.. sorry to tell you but you are looking for the exact same thing we all are and in my area at least it does not exist. 3 major or minor high end shops in my city of over 1 mil. Everyone of them are snobs and would never back off retail unless you were spending 30K in one sitting. Its too bad. I hate to use them just to look and try their gear. I always dress up... wear my rolex. You thing they would get the hint that I want to do business in a long term way.

 

[Alex Prosak]

Rick,

The best way to get a good price on the B&W's is used through Audiogon. Heck, you might find you could get a pair of 803's and a HTM-1 instead for around the same price as new 804's and HTM-2.

Go with your gut instinct and look for other dealers in your area if you want to go the new route. Depending on the volume the dealer sells their cost can vary. In most cases, dealer cost is 60% of MSRP. If they place large orders it may drop to 55% or 50% of MSRP, I don't recall off hand if B&W does this or not. While a very few dealers may give a discount better than 10%, most I've come by will be in the range of 5-10%. My local B&W dealer is full of complete a**holes and I'd rather pound my testicles flat with a rubber mallet then give them a dime. I'd be lucky to get any service if I walked in with my credit card raised, yelling I want to max it out at the top of my voice.

Good luck!

Alex

 

[Jake S]

"Price above all" shoppers (I'm not saying anyone here) have led many higher -end retailers to only deal in protected lines and not discount much....I think too many of them just abruptly dismiss the customer who is trying to find a strong discount because experiance has taught them that they are likely wasting their time and at best will get the sale for a margin that just covers their operating expenses. Not only do salespeople and management have to figure out whether it's possible to make money , but also wether or not that dealing with that customer is a waste of future time. At a place where I worked before they would serupticiously(sp) use a digital camera to take the pictures of the repeat time wasters and post them in the break room on the "wall of shame" so everyone would know to stay away...the "return artists" photos were hung there as well.....

 

[Geoff C]

Gregg-

Do you know where I can find any info on this new line?

Have you heard if they are to be any "better"?

thx.

 

[SethH]

Here's a thread at another forum with some pretty good info:

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthr...t=10031&page=1

From the things I've read the upgrades are very good. I've read that they made very few, if any, upgrades just for the sake of upgrading. They studied new materials and the effects of those materials on the sound of the overal speaker. They still use the same basic construction (the matrix bracing, etc). The higher-end (I think everything but the 805) have a new titanium tweeter (EDIT: it's actually a new diamond tweeter, not titanium). The mid-range is the familiar yellow kevlar, etc. The new center channel is supposed to be a beast if I remember correctly. It's going to have 3 8" drivers, 1 kevlar mid-range and a tweeter. They're also adding a new surround speaker that is monopole/dipole switchable.

 

[Gregg Z]

Geoff,

Check out the thread that Seth referred you to. Pretty much everything that is known at the moment is in that thread.

The Nautilus line now has two flavors; Signature and Diamond. The Signatures have the same tweeter as the current Sigs, but also have a newer version of the FST midrange and the new Rohacell bass drivers (except the 805S). The Diamonds have the new diamond tweeter as well as the newer FST and Rohacell bass drivers. Also, I believe for all models the crossovers have be completely redesigned.

The 805, 804 and 803 are available as Signatures. The 803 802, 801, and 800 are available as Diamonds.

There are also 4 new center channel speakers, two more subs (for a total of 4 in the Nautilus line), a revised SCM, and a new monopole/dipole DS8 surround speakers. Not mentioned in that thread, but available elsewhere on HTGuide, is a 817 angled in-ceiling speaker.

 

[Geoff C]

Thanks to both of you for that link and the info.

I did start reading all about that new line. Sounds very promising.

It definitely will cause me to pause and consider whether I should haggle down the existing 804's on the floor at my local B&W retailer, or treat myself to the newer (better?) sound.

 

[Rob Bird]

I'm sorry, but anyone who thinks that discounting upfront will put you out of business better go tell that to WalMart. I'm tired of dealing with local dealers who insist on selling msrp when there is clear competition, in the city nonetheless, selling at a modest discount. Then they have the gall to act superior in some way for selling it for more with no apparent difference in either product or service.