People have different levels of comfort though when it comes to risk don't they?Do you know that WSH is a distributor? What are distributors suppost to do? Sell to shops who don't want to or can't afford company buy ins. Distributors tend to always get better pricing because they sell the product to dealers at a good dealer cost. Also dealers around me don't sell 1800's for 400 bucks, not even sure 2400's go for 400. Why do some manufactures sell direct for alot more money than their authorized dealers are allowed to sell for?
Some competitors have been with kinetik for years and years with multiple WR and championships in many orgs. I say this without stepping on what you have done but from what I can tell that can be a factor as well. I do not get into any "team" details or talk much about pricing as I do not work there, but in your next to last statement you show that you think it's ok to break what I would think would be a NO NO rule. What would an amp sponsor do to someone who was ordering amplifiers for their friends? What about subwoofers and decks?
Also after there gets to be hundreds of team people where would you like "team pricing" to go? Do you think people who don't compete like seeing people get mad about prices that consumers may not get or do not trust to get online? Why don't companies just sell everything at an ubber duper cheap price and get things closer to the race to 0 for everyone? I am sure there are other companies who give different rates as I have heard a few big competitors talking at shows I have gone too as well. Thing is it is not my bizz to interfere or ask them for items that would/could be against the rules of their sponsorship contract (even though I know some would). I say this in both honor to the competitor and sponsor.
Let me ask you a question, do you believe a competitor or a group of competitors is/are bigger than the hobby or business of car audio in general? If you answer yes tell me why dealers and consumers should have to pay more to support competitors. I mean if the matter is costs why should everyone else pay for a few's great deal? The products cost the companies, and consumers want things just like competitors do.
But let me ask you this, isn't kinetik just undercutting by letting wholesale house sell to dealers for less than their normal buy-in cost? Then the question arises as to why they have a buy-in in the first place if everyone can just go to wholesale house and get whatever they want for less than what it would normally cost them?
Whats the purpose of even being a dealer at that point?
I would only break a "no no rule" because I feel like i'm getting shit on because my accomplishments and dedication aren't as good as somebody else's in kinetiks eyes. How do you think that makes me feel? Why would I bother running a product from a company who doesn't even respect what I've done?
I wouldn't force anyone to sell me anything if they felt it was wrong. The blame, if any, would be on their end for selling something outside of their competitor agreement. But if they are ready and willing (and some are), you better believe that I'd jump on their deal rather than take my shitty deal. Who wouldn't?
Yes, obviously companies would frown upon such a thing, but they did it to themselves by treating some competitors better than others simply because they have done more IN THE PAST. Who's to say they will continue to compete in the future? Credentials are all fine and dandy, but if a person wins drag finals one year and companies are trying to give him stuff hand over fist, and that same competitor is gone the next year, where has their investment landed them? Right in the shitter.
So excuse me if I sound a bit bitter, I just feel like I'm getting the short end of the deal here.
I guarantee that competitor cost on those kinetiks is still WELL WELL above the manufacturing and marketing cost, and I can base that simply off what wholesale house SELLS them for, let alone what they purchase them for.
If the average joe gets mad because they don't get the same deal as dedicated competitors, then they are just ignorant. I don't whine because I gotta pay full price for a golf club that some pro gets for free (and gets PAID to use).
In summation, kinetik can do whatever they like with their "team" (if you can even call it that) pricing. It doesn't really bother me because ever since they raised the price to crackhead levels I've begun to look elsewhere, as have a LOT of other people (including competitors). If they feel the need to continually alienate the people who made them what they are, then by all means. That's their decision.
