What is the market pricing for CA Azur 540A

[square_wave]

Hi Guys,
What is the best pricing available for the Cambridge audio Azur 540A amplifier ?

Many thanks.
SQ-Wav

 

[venkatcr]

The current listed price is Rs.18,999. You should be able to get 10 to 15% off with hard bargaining.

Cheers

 

[square_wave]

Typically how much do they sell for ? My friend was quoted 18,500 by the bangalore dealer.

 

[venkatcr]

It depends upon your bargaining capabilities. Why dont you try for 17.5?

Cheers

 

[SuhasG]

Some tips to get a good deal

1. Never shop in a hurry and even if you are indeed in a hurry (or rather desperate) never let the dealer know about it. The moment dealer knows this there goes your bargaining power.
2. Make several visits, ask tons of questions even though you know the answers beforehand, see that the dealer spends considerable amount of time with you. The more time the dealer invests in you the more s/he will become desperate in closing the sale (and get rid of you!).
3. For negotiation select your time rather tactfully:

• Avoid morning and evening timings; best time is within 1-2 hours post lunch. In the morning dealer has a whole day ahead so s/he may not be very enthusiastic in starting a day with discounts, in the evening there are more customers in the shop, new hopes for the dealer, no time for negotiations. Post lunch everybody is rather lethargic (quite natural as most of the blood supply is diverted to help complete the complex digestion process , brain receives a bare minimum blood and O2 supply, that slows down thinking and reflexes)
  
  By the way, this post luch timing is very ideal to discuss / negotiate with you boss on work assignments, leave sanctions, salary hike, promotion, overseas oppotunity etc.
  
  
  
• Avoid week ends (Saturday and Sunday) , reason again the same - more customers in the shop, new hopes for the dealer , no time for negotiations. Also avoid Monday and Friday too. Monday is the start of a fresh week and Friday is preparation for another hectic weekend full of business activities. Mid week that is Wednesday is the best.
• Avoid first and second week of any month, ideal is last Wednesday of a month. Customer turnover is always low around month end and dealer/sales person is hard pressed to meet sales targets.
• Avoid Festival seasons like Diwali, Xmas also a month before and after Union finance Budget. Jan-Feb (first half), JUN-JUL-AUG , SEP (second half - half yearly closing!) are good time slots.

Well I can go on and on with more tips but then dealer community on this forum will kick me out of this forum???.

 

[afj]

Some tips to get a good deal

1. Never shop in a hurry and even if you are indeed in a hurry (or rather desperate) never let the dealer know about it. The moment dealer knows this there goes your bargaining power.
2. Make several visits, ask tons of questions even though you know the answers beforehand, see that the dealer spends considerable amount of time with you. The more time the dealer invests in you the more s/he will become desperate in closing the sale (and get rid of you!).
3. For negotiation select your time rather tactfully:

• Avoid morning and evening timings; best time is within 1-2 hours post lunch. In the morning dealer has a whole day ahead so s/he may not be very enthusiastic in starting a day with discounts, in the evening there are more customers in the shop, new hopes for the dealer, no time for negotiations. Post lunch everybody is rather lethargic (quite natural as most of the blood supply is diverted to help complete the complex digestion process , brain receives a bare minimum blood and O2 supply, that slows down thinking and reflexes)
  
  By the way, this post luch timing is very ideal to discuss / negotiate with you boss on work assignments, leave sanctions, salary hike, promotion, overseas oppotunity etc.
  
  
  
• Avoid week ends (Saturday and Sunday) , reason again the same - more customers in the shop, new hopes for the dealer , no time for negotiations. Also avoid Monday and Friday too. Monday is the start of a fresh week and Friday is preparation for another hectic weekend full of business activities. Mid week that is Wednesday is the best.
• Avoid first and second week of any month, ideal is last Wednesday of a month. Customer turnover is always low around month end and dealer/sales person is hard pressed to meet sales targets.
• Avoid Festival seasons like Diwali, Xmas also a month before and after Union finance Budget. Jan-Feb (first half), JUN-JUL-AUG , SEP (second half - half yearly closing!) are good time slots.

Well I can go on and on with more tips but then dealer community on this forum will kick me out of this forum???.

freaks, thats some intense psychoanalysis of a sales person. i bet it works

 

[venkatcr]

Just Superb, Suhas. Well done.

Cheers

 

[SAMUEL]

Awesome Suhas.
Thank you very much.
Cheers,
Samuel

 

[kaushik]

Seems the techniques are well tested ,...
putting nails day-by-day ...into dealers head will work for sure ...

you know dealers v well Suhas!

 

[thevortex]

While these techniques may indeed work to get the best deal, I am a firm believer in cultivating lasting relationships - even with vendors.

That does not mean that one must not look for the best deal. It is just it is not necessary to drive a nail into the vendors' heads. I daresay I have liked what I got out of this approach. But at the same time, I am not one who can be called hugely experienced in this line.

Just my 2 rupees

 

[pnredkar]

SuhasG, Excellent post. Hilarious to read.

Just my 2 rupees

That's 4 cents as of today Inflation, heh

Regards,
Prasad.

 

[psychotropic]

hey vortex,

i too agree that beating them down to unreasonable levels may not be a great idea, but there are also several dealers who quote inflated prices anticipating bargaining, so unless you have some prior pricing information, you may just need to bargain!

 

[SuhasG]

I think 'vortex' took my post in wrong perspective. The things I mentioned aren't sort of Arm Twisting or unethical practices but just to time your purchase in such a way that the dealer is more receptive for discounts.

Dealers are very well aware of this discount game and rather anticipate some price negotiations , they do give discounts, this not only helps in making the customer feel important but also gives customer some satisfaction that they got some bargain... nothing new as such for dealers, they already knew it.

Right from the beginning I am a firm believer of establishing good relationship with dealers. (Read my post on ??Pune Dealers?? thread.)

While writing this post, I have Cables (speaker cables, Interconnects etc) worth Rs 92K (30 K + 40 K + 10K + 12K) at my home, no obligation to buy, I think this is possible when you have good relationship with dealers.

 

[particleman]

I have a feeling 540A V2 is selling for less than 18k. I had a hard time selling my 540A V2 amp and MS 906i speakers combo and finally got 20k for it in the end. I was told at one point that a new 540A was going as low as 16k. No source cited of course.

 

[square_wave]

I have a feeling 540A V2 is selling for less than 18k. I had a hard time selling my 540A V2 amp and MS 906i speakers combo and finally got 20k for it in the end. I was told at one point that a new 540A was going as low as 16k. No source cited of course.

You mean to say you got 20k for the combo ?You must have paid some 43/45k for both right ?

That is daylight robbery !
I am actually looking for a used but reliable amplifier for my Lcd setup while my friend is looking for a new one for his personal use.
I wish you were selling now. I would have happily paid some 12k for the amp alone.

 

[SuhasG]

I am actually looking for a used but reliable amplifier for my Lcd setup while my friend is looking for a new one for his personal use.

Square, PM me your (and your friend's) exact requirements, budget and brand preference etc, I might be of some help.

 

[square_wave]

Hi Suhas,
Send you a pm.......Thanks.

 

[particleman]

You mean to say you got 20k for the combo ?You must have paid some 43/45k for both right ?

That is daylight robbery !
I am actually looking for a used but reliable amplifier for my Lcd setup while my friend is looking for a new one for his personal use.
I wish you were selling now. I would have happily paid some 12k for the amp alone.

Thank you, square_wave, I appreciate the thought. I originally paid about 38k and got just 20k for a rarely used combo just 11 months later. Sadly this is the reality of the seconds scene in India -- it's a buyer's market. I was shocked to hear that a Jolida amp sold for just 20k in Pune.

Returning to the topic, as a former 540A owner I would highly recommend getting the 640A or better. The difference in quality for the slight difference in price is quite surprising. My only gripe with the CA amp was that it allowed either "A" or "A+B" speaker modes, not "A or B". On the other hand its ability to control an iPod dock with its remote is a welcome feature.