Odd pricing of Speakers in India

Kumar101

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Confused with discrepancy of Pricing strategy of Speakers in India.

Current exchange rate is around 90 Rupees to a Pound.

Example 1

Kef LS50 Wireless version = 2000 Pounds (180000 rs) Amazon India Seller - 180,000

Price is about the same!

Example 2

Dali Zensor 7 = 729 Pounds (65,000 rs) Amazon India Seller - 72000 Rupees

Around 7000 rs more.

Example 3

Kef LS50 = 800 Pounds (72,000 rs)

Amazon India Seller - 100000 Rupees
ProFx - 10000 Rupees

28,000 more!

So what's going on with Standard LS50 pricing? Are we all being taken for a ride by whoever's deciding on the retail pricing of these India because of the hype around them? Reason I mention this is know that in the UK Kef have a strict retail pricing policy and noone will discount the mainstream range.
 
Hi

I think this topic was out a sometime back....on speakers and AVRs.....there would be a difference in landing costs, taxes etc......

The best is to factor warranty aspects, shipping costs and the final costs......there are lots of dealers...find the best one who gives the best rate....
 
Hi

I think this topic was out a sometime back....on speakers and AVRs.....there would be a difference in landing costs, taxes etc......

The best is to factor warranty aspects, shipping costs and the final costs......there are lots of dealers...find the best one who gives the best rate....

Then please explain to me why the Wireless LS50 costs the same and the Standard LS50 has a huge markup?
 
The huge mark up is dependant on prevailing market trends, dealer targets, stock, model lineage (how latest or old) etc. Even supply and demand....

Amazon is just one online platform...there are many....it is often seen that some sellers over inflate rates over Amazon........

You can look up relevant threads on this information.
 
The huge mark up is dependant on prevailing market trends, dealer targets, stock, model lineage (how latest or old) etc. Even supply and demand....

Amazon is just one online platform...there are many....it is often seen that some sellers over inflate rates over Amazon........

You can look up relevant threads on this information.
I've been following this forum for sometime now and have read the threads that you are referring to. The reason I posted was get to understand the actual reasoning behind these pricing strategies.

Now coming back to my previous question regarding LS50 example. Rather than replying in general terms. Do you have have any idea why huge markup on the non-wireless version?
 
Hi

I am not a dealer and I doubt if you would get a straight answer in the forum (can go against forum rules). Responses more or less would be in line with what is allowed content and details.

I am sharing with you the best reasoning and explanation based on experience. You would also get similar responses. End of the day if you are seeking to purchase either of the models, you need to check for the best prices and take a call......most use the US market rates as reference and try to compare on various parameters.

I hope this helps. As mentioned earlier by me, Amazon is known for posting inflated rates ...you could check other portals
 
I've
I hope this helps. As mentioned earlier by me, Amazon is known for posting inflated rates ...you could check other portals

It doesn't help at all. All you basically saying is that's just the way it is and we all just have to accept it.

Regards to Amazon from experience I've found the opposite to be true if you buy an item that is "fulfilled" by Amazon as opposed to being supplied by the third party seller it will normally be cheaper. Now I don't like Amazon as company because of their ethics but that's another discussion altogether.

Other "Portals" - what other Portal carries High End Audio? Flipkart - very limited, Snapdeal, Tatacliq not much at all.
 
Dear Kumar, all distributors/retailers price their products at their own whims and fancies.... As a customer, you certainly should not accept it and if you don't like the pricing you should ask the manufacturer if they can appoint you the distributor so that you can provide better pricing or you can go abroad and get the product yourself or maybe ask a friend/relative to get it for you or import it from a country where it is available at a cheaper price or simply boycott the brand and buy some other brand selling a similar product.. You also have a choice of protesting in front of their shop but I would not recommend that option....

@efernand1 : Since you were not very clear, I took the liberty of explaining in detail...
 
Once I had a talk with one of the dealer about the same issue. This is like the same thing when you see different pricing of the same product on Amazon or eBay or any other online shopping portal. There's one distributor for one brand in country who distributes products to dealers, right.
The pricing you see is set by dealers and not by distributors and you can't even know the real price what set between distributor and dealers.

What could be the final price for a product and for a particular dealer is when product landed to his warehouse, this also added to pricing difference.
I got Polk CSi A4 Center via amazon dealer in 15k new, however the same dealer has the same piece in 19k in Bangalore warehouse and what I received was from Delhi warehouse. Even there are dealers who are selling at 19 or more than 19k on different marketplace.

In recent years HiFi dealers started showing their interest in selling online after flexibility in shipping policies and therefore you can see many on eBay and amazon. And some dealers are common on both sites, this is a good sign and very helpful for people just like me who have one or no dealers in local cities.

If you need a correct answer a dealer can give you, the above answer I gave was a discussion from a dealer.
 
Dear Kumar, all distributors/retailers price their products at their own whims and fancies.... As a customer, you certainly should not accept it and if you don't like the pricing you should ask the manufacturer if they can appoint you the distributor so that you can provide better pricing

This just ain't so. Take the LS50 example I gave previously three different sellers in India have all quoted me the same price 1lakh. In the UK All dealers sell it for 800 sterling. So either the dealers are colluding or the manufacturer is dictating the price. After over 40 years buying HiFi gear I know the second one to be the case.


you can go abroad and get the product yourself or maybe ask a friend/relative to get it for you or import it from a country where

Yes ofcourse I can but how does that help to fix a broken system? Not to mention the bearucratic customs and duties landmines one would have to face in doing so.

simply boycott the brand and buy some other brand selling a similar product.

Yes but dont you see they are all at it.

You also have a choice of protesting in front of their shop but I would not recommend that option....

Schoolboy comment! Let's try and keep it civil shall we eh...
 
The reason that pricing differs so much is because these products are not very widely available. Its more based on demand and availability. Also there are no stringent rules in our country to safeguard the consumers unlike other countries. It is actually just the way it is and we have to deal with it.
If you think about it, most of the products are manufactured in China itself, so shipping to India should be cheapest. But its the customs duty that we have to pay ranging from 40-50%. Whereas its not so high for USA or UK hence the price difference.
 
All you basically saying is that's just the way it is and we all just have to accept it.

Prices are decided by the respective distributors and it's not exactly a democratic exercise where the consumer has a say. If not accept the prices of a particular product, what are our options outside of not buying it? I say your rant is unwarranted.
 
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@ kumar101

I think other FMs and myself have made it very clear what is the system and what can be done as options to get the best AV gear at the best rates....

Many have tried to change the system and at the end of the day...do not succeed...the only way to get the best is to hunt for the required AV gear with the best dealer or source it from abroad......certainly a revolution cannot happen where dealers or distributors will bow down to us consumers and keep flat prices......this is the unfortunate world we live in and thanks to this forum that we all share our experiences and be guided or advised to the best dealers or products.....in todays world and time....who provides that guidance???

@ panditji,,,thanks for picking up and expanding further.....end of the day it means the same thing........
 
Prices are decided by the respective distributors and it's not exactly a democratic exercise where the consumer has a say. If not accept the prices of a particular product, what are our options outside of not buying it? I say your rant is unwarranted.
I just dont think think there is a silver bullet to fix for this.

It can only change if the consumer mindset changes. If people are being ripped off then it is only right others are made aware of what's going on.

Then it's a matter of letting the dealer know when you hand over your hard earned cash that the price you have paid is somewhat extorbitant. If enough people complain then eventually the message would filter through to the manufacturers.

Teenagers seem to be a lot more radical if you look at the comments section for GTX 1060 Cards on Amazon for example it's filled with criticism of the pricing - being on extreme high side. Manufacturers eventually get the message.
 
There are far greater problems to be tackled than hifi prices sir.. I too keep ranting on the forum about the high prices in India and because of that I have bought/imported all of my equipment from abroad (I gave advice which I follow myself).. As a distributor, you have to put money and buy equipment in bulk to get the optimal cost and then sell at reasonable profit which will lead to increased sales and more awareness of the product/brand... Very few distributors buy in bulk and therefore high costs and even higher prices...

The childish comment in the end of my last post was directed at you because inspite of everyone explaining you kept on repeating the same thing.. The only way to bring lower prices is you become a distributor yourself (I am in if you are keen). Otherwise buy abroad (group buys save money) or pay higher prices locally... Hi-Fi Audio products are not an important product group where you need govt. intervention to keep prices in check...
 
There are far greater problems to be tackled than hifi prices sir.. I too keep ranting on the forum about the high prices in India and because of that I have bought/imported all of my equipment from abroad (I gave advice which I follow myself).. As a distributor, you have to put money and buy equipment in bulk to get the optimal cost and then sell at reasonable profit which will lead to increased sales and more awareness of the product/brand... Very few distributors buy in bulk and therefore high costs and even higher prices...

The childish comment in the end of my last post was directed at you because inspite of everyone explaining you kept on repeating the same thing.. The only way to bring lower prices is you become a distributor yourself (I am in if you are keen). Otherwise buy abroad (group buys save money) or pay higher prices locally... Hi-Fi Audio products are not an important product group where you need govt. intervention to keep prices in check...


The whole point of my rant is that It's not just the dealer that decides the price the manufacturer will dictate the price too. So becoming a dealer wont fix the problem since the manufacturer wont let you undercut others just cause you can.

It's not just happening here in India. The European commission is investigating Denon, Marantz, Phillips, Pioneer and others for price fixing: link
 
Now you tell... at consumer level what we can do. Please suggest. This is true for some products have unjustified pricing structure and specially in India. We have to pay double import duties on products or else refrain ourselves buying well built foreign products. Do you think Indian govt. have time to think any of these issues when they are not paying attention to many of the people necessities.
When buying offline you can negotiate but not possible to negotiate buying online. So best part is to look for the deals available or buying used one is the super way to go.
 
There is a price to pay for being born and living in a poor/developing country. All hobbies are luxury and price fixing/manipulation is bound to happen. I think there much worse problems to rant about than HiFi.There is an ugly side to every hobby, this being just one. Hope you feel okay after the 'Rant', ;). So are you buying the Kef's?
 
Now you tell... at consumer level what we can do. Please suggest. This is true for some products have unjustified pricing structure and specially in India. We have to pay double import duties on products or else refrain ourselves buying well built foreign products. Do you think Indian govt. have time to think any of these issues when they are not paying attention to many of the people necessities.
When buying offline you can negotiate but not possible to negotiate buying online. So best part is to look for the deals available or buying used one is the super way to go.


I think our govt focus is on the existing media spread matters and other skeletons....as usual nothing will be done much for the consumer or even farmers......bottom line, we have to fend for ourselves.....

A dealer who purchases in bulk can afford to provide the product at cheaper rates....for example...Vijay Sales.....even Vijay Sales prices are a bit high although lower than mrp......you can go to a local dealer and still negotiate and get a good deal...

Here is an example...

Approx 4/5 years Back Toshiba launched its range of thin LED TVs.....mrp was 28k and Vijay Sales was selling for 25k.....seems like a wow deal.....I contacted the local dealer in my area and asked him for 20k......cash deal with 3 years warranty.....he closed the deal at 21k......TV is still working fine flawlessly......I cracked similar deals for another 5 friends / relatives and all are happy users...
 
In my view pricing is simple demand and supply and its determined based on what the customer is willing to pay. If its a niche product obviously it will be premium pricing. Therefore, if the prices are sky rocket and there is no reasonable walk from pricing in other markets - best to avoid them and eventually if there are no takers they should drop. The premium / discounted pricing strategies could be from the manufacturer/distributor/dealer/online portals etc etc. - just my 2 cents.
 
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