Is it price fixing? if so why is it allowed ?

[dellzeqq]

you've reached the stage now where you're ignoring the same stuff time and time again - so, for very definitely the last time....

- the price is not just for the goods, but for the goods and the service (and, as I said, Susie got £500 off here Spesh, which just goes to show what being a good customer can do for you)
- if you don't find the Spesh you want for the price you want you can always buy a Trek or a Bianchi, or a Boardman or a Cube or an Orbea or a Look or a Pinnacle or a Colnago, or a Pinarello, or...................

 

[Dave7]

I first noticed this with Specialized s-works shoes which are usually all the same price to within a penny (currently £199.99) and have been for years.

Here's a breakaway! Note the bit in red

http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetails.asp?productID=24864

Seems like a real bargain.......RRP is £199.99 and they are selling them for only £199.99 erh

 

[MacB]

you've reached the stage now where you're ignoring the same stuff time and time again - so, for very definitely the last time....

- the price is not just for the goods, but for the goods and the service (and, as I said, Susie got £500 off here Spesh, which just goes to show what being a good customer can do for you)
- if you don't find the Spesh you want for the price you want you can always buy a Trek or a Bianchi, or a Boardman or a Cube or an Orbea or a Look or a Pinnacle or a Colnago, or a Pinarello, or...................

I agree but the only price that Specialised should be able to influence is the price they sell to the retailer at.

 

[Dave7]

you've reached the stage now where you're ignoring the same stuff time and time again - so, for very definitely the last time....
quote]

With respect it appears to me that it is yourself that has missed both the original point and several similar points.
Everyone is aware that the price is for the goods and service etc. but it is just too much coincidence for all Spec' stockists of any size to be offering the same price to the penny and the same discount to the penny when allowed.
The problem may be that-instead of reading what the original post actually said/asked you read what you thought it said?
I am deliberately being as polite as poss' as I think forums are the wrong place to have overly heated exchanges.....to me they should be places to offer views and help where possible.

 

[accountantpete]

Seems like a real bargain.......RRP is £199.99 and they are selling them for only £199.99 erh

Wow - they were marked to £179.99 until I mentioned it in the post. Do you think someone got onto them?

 

[youngoldbloke]

Potentially useful advice back there re ASDA and muesli - thanks. Look after the pennies .... etc. Back to the thread ..... I certainly don't have 30 bike shops within 10 miles - there are maybe half a dozen, plus Halfords. It would appear that none of them competes with any other on price. Everything is offered at full RRP. Are they 'Price Matching'? Admittedly I can get 10% discount at most of them - via CTC or Cycling Club, but even then they are never competitive with the internet. One of them is particularly helpful - and that's the one I patronise most, but given that all of them are almost at or near that 10 mile point I confess that most small purchases are online (and so was the last bike).

 

[Albert]

I was told today by a LBS owner whom I know well, that if a certain major manufacturer finds out that he offers discounts to a potential customer - say from a rival shop in a nearby town who has reported him - then he can expect an instant phone call from the manufacturer. Clearly if the LBS is found to be continually offering unauthorised discounts, then the implied threat is that the LBS loses that manufacturer's agency.

This stinks!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I was told today by a LBS owner whom I know well, that if a certain major manufacturer finds out that he offers discounts to a potential customer - say from a rival shop in a nearby town who has reported him - then he can expect an instant phone call from the manufacturer. Clearly if the LBS is found to be continually offering unauthorised discounts, then the implied threat is that the LBS loses that manufacturer's agency.

This stinks!

It does - that's price fixing for you.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

This stinks!

In the absence of good counter argument I think so too.

In case anybody thinks it could be lawful if the marque's market share is small, or it is ok for maintaining premium brand image, or that it would be fine if service is included as part of the package, Lexus' reaction here might help kicking those notions into the long grass.

However I remain troubled that some of us here appear to be fine with it judging from many posts and associated "likes" in this thread. It seems to me this is quite a significant topic, with potential implications for bike price, service and geographical coverage etc. which could all impact on cycling's popularity. If I have missed any cogent justification of what appears, to me, a plainly unlawful, seemingly fairly common, likely harmful activity within the industry I would certainly like to hear it.

If there isn't any, the practice should clearly be brought down.