Garmin price fixing?

[antons]

Hi,
New member here, and I'm gonna open with a question.
I have been researching handheld GPS', and have decided on the Garmin GPS 96C. Research into pricing has revealed that the price everywhere is $699. Regardless of how big or how small the store, the price is the same. Is this not called price fixing, and is this not illegal?
I find it hard to believe that a large store selling tens or hundreds of units, cannot negotiate a better price than a small outfit selling only a few units each year.
Does Garmin fix the price and enforce it? How does it work?

Oh yeah.....of course if anybody out there knows where I can get one for a better price, please let me know.

 

[MSmith]

Check again. Many sites have to advertise that price, but when you put the item in your shopping cart the price drops.

 

[gismo]

Check again. Many sites have to advertise that price, but when you put the item in your shopping cart the price drops.

Garmin (and many others) set a "minimum advertized price" and if a dealer is caught advertizing for less, they can lose there rights to be a Garmin dealer. Garmin does not however get to dictate the minimum price actually charged, hence the little subterfuge Mike is describing.

 

[Greebo]

I thought that "price fixing" required collusion of multiple manufacturers or vendors?

Like if all the local gas stations agreed, "We'll all sell for a minimum of $5.00 a gallon". Then their "competition" with each other would be inflated, they'd have an agreed upon minimum.

I don't think a single company can "price fix".

 

[Ed Guthrie]

I don't think a single company can "price fix".

A single company can be guilty of this if they require their distributors to charge a fixed (or even a minimum) price as a condition of holding a distributor agreement.

BTW, I get to be reminded of this once a year through training from our corporate legal folks...

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

Hi,
New member here, and I'm gonna open with a question.
I have been researching handheld GPS', and have decided on the Garmin GPS 96C. Research into pricing has revealed that the price everywhere is $699. Regardless of how big or how small the store, the price is the same. Is this not called price fixing, and is this not illegal?
I find it hard to believe that a large store selling tens or hundreds of units, cannot negotiate a better price than a small outfit selling only a few units each year.
Does Garmin fix the price and enforce it? How does it work?

Oh yeah.....of course if anybody out there knows where I can get one for a better price, please let me know.

On the other hand... it, or any other unit on the market, would be a bargain at twice or more the price.

 

[Len Lanetti]

FinallyFlying,

You may want to double check your signature line. :<)

Len

 

[Lawreston]

FinallyFlying,

You may want to double check your signature line. :<)

Len

I was thinking identically, Len; but we've been on the same side of similar fences on prior occasions.

HR