Well from a vendors stand point there are several of us that simply won't "negotiate" anymore. We feel our price is the best we wish to offer it for and that's it. IMO the negotiation has become more and more prevalent in the past 4 years with the influx of Taco, FJC and Jeep consumers buying into the cruiser niche.
@beno said it best today. "it's ok for someone else to make a living, but it's seemingly not ok for folks like us--whom quite clearly support the community with both technical knowledge and support--to make a living? This is disingenuous and hypocritical."
IMO, you should beat up on the big companies for price breaks etc.. But instead people choose to go after the smaller, more vulnerable companies because it's been shown time and time again that they are more hungry and need the work/sale to keep their doors open. So, while the American dream to own a business is still a daily goal for IIRC 37% of the US population, the American people are a large contributor of why the smaller businesses go out of business. When was the last time you went into Walmart, Best Buy or your local grocer and at the checkout line said. "I need to speak to your manager" and try to get a discount simply based on the principle of being a cheap bastard. The answer is NEVER, because it simply is not feasible and you'd be laughed out of the store.
The main reason it's not feasible is that the groceries in your cart, or the refrigerator you're waiting to buy or the misc household goods in the Walmart cart are more important in your mind than the $200.00- $3000.00 worth of bling you want to put on your cruiser. Need and want dictate everyone's buying choices. Plain and simple it's self entitlement and you are the only person that matters in the grand scheme of things. As long as you get a deal that's all that matters. I beat my major suppliers up for volume pricing all the time. But that's a bit different as I have always had the end user in mind. I'm asking to buy more product for less. The burden then is on me to sell sometimes 10 times the quantity for a marginal profit. We all know that in all things cruisers, any new product has to damn near sell out in the first 90 days of release or you'll have it on the shelf for years to come.
My absolute favorite is when someone started something good for a specific cruiser community, backs out after several years of hosting, arranging the event, countless man hours, and no doubt countless $$ out of his own pocket and let someone else take over with more time and enthusiasm and now the poor guy is some bastard redheaded stepchild because he isn't there donating large amounts of raffle prizes and kissing the new event directors and customers asses. Well the reason he's not there is because he was smart enough to move on and find the next best thing for himself, family, business, and employees. I applaud him for getting out and moving on. But I think its pretty chicken s*** to be treated and talked about the way he is now. I only sell to a few of the cruiser groups, there's a reason for it.
And Warren Buffet is not a good negotiator, he is the quintessential vulture in all things business. Just like 90% of the other uber-wealthy entities in this or any other country. He even has a book explaining that this is his preferred takeover method. If I remember the statement correctly; "why talk about a buyout when you can force one in your favor."
BTW the cruiser is really taking shape for you S. Can't wait to see the monster with 37s.
J
