How would i become a SD dealer?

larry_emder

larry_emder

New member
Have noticed for a long while that prices over here for pickups are just ridiculous, and even considering shipping costs from overseas, exchange rate, and profit margins,.....i feel most sellers over here are gouging (and fair enough i suppose, as there is no real competition....its just supply and demand at work).

Would you agree?
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Seymour-Dunc...417402852QQcategoryZ22670QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
The way i see this auction, the seller is probably making around $50 (AUS) profit - most likely more than that, now i think about it. Would this be a fair assumption to make?

So to all dealers, what would i have to do to become one?

Thanks if you can help, Marty
 
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Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

I believe you just have to buy an initial order of 20 something pups.

Send a note Evans way, he'll set you straight.
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

There's probably (at least) three basic criteria:

1. You'ld need to make an initial purchase of x number of pups. (X = a lot.) ;)

2. You couldn't be in an area that conflicts with an already established dealers territory. (Maybe.)

3. You might need to be an already established music dealer of sorts. It can hurt the Duncan image if they're sold, for example, out of some teenagers basement on Saturdays.
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

Yes stratdeluxer, but I dont think many Australians are comfortable with buying from overseas.....

I may just send a note to Evan

Yes, i'd love to know the minimum order Artie......
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

ArtieToo said:
It can hurt the Duncan image if they're sold, for example, out of some teenagers basement on Saturdays.
Click to expand...

So i'd just have to wait another year and then it'd be ok???:)
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

ArtieToo said:
It can hurt the Duncan image if they're sold, for example, out of some teenagers basement on Saturdays.
Click to expand...

OUCH man!

I see you're doing wonders for the SD image.:smack:
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

larry_emder said:
So i'd just have to wait another year and then it'd be ok???:)
Click to expand...

That last comment was a bit tongue-in-cheek. :D

When I worked audio repair, JBL, unbelievably, did this exact thing. When you called JBL to get parts, they gave you the number of the "local" distributor - a high-school kid working out of his parents basement. Of course, you couldn't contact him between approx. 7am to 3:30pm - school hours. :D

AFter that, JBL customers got turned away. Service not available.

btw - I honestly hadn't noticed your age when I made that comment. Sorry Larry. No offense intended. :blackeye:
 
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Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

Yep, i understand where ya coming from. Well i'd say i would be selling entirely through ebay, and i have plenty of time through the week at the moment anyways.
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

The thing is, you can't undercut the prices of your fellow countrymen who are Duncan dealers.

Duncan's pricing is very strict and if you became a dealer you'd have to sell at the same prices as everyone else.

That's the way it works for dealers in the USA and I'd expect it to be the way it would work for you in Australia.

We all have to follow Duncan's MAP (Minmum Advertised Price) pricing schedule and cannot undercut those prices. If you sold for less, Duncan Pickups would refuse to sell you more pickups.

So your plan won't fly...sorry!

Lew
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

Though lew, i strongly doubt that the MAP for that '59 pickup above is $169! Surely SD wouldnt rip aussies off this much compared to US?
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

Thats probably MAP + import duties/taxes, which you'ld be stuck with also.
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

larry_emder said:
Though lew, i strongly doubt that the MAP for that '59 pickup above is $169! Surely SD wouldnt rip aussies off this much compared to US?
Click to expand...

It isn't SD pickups...it's your own government and thier import duties.

I'd think you could buy Kinmans for less than we can here in the US...although the Duncan Stack Plus is better anyways! :laugh2:

I don't honestly know how prices are determined overseas...I'd assumed thier was a MAP price list for each country or something like that.

I could be wrong.

Lew
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

Sykes said:
Yeah, Atrie bro. My apologies to you too.
Click to expand...

Not a problem bro. I knew how you meant it, and my comment did seem a bit "biting" in retrospect. ;)
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

Lewguitar said:
It isn't SD pickups...it's your own government and thier import duties.

I'd think you could buy Kinmans for less than we can here in the US...although the Duncan Stack Plus is better anyways! :laugh2:

I don't honestly know how prices are determined overseas...I'd assumed thier was a MAP price list for each country or something like that.

I could be wrong.

Lew
Click to expand...


That would be my assumption as well, but again, Evan could put you in the right direction. As Lew and John @ Wymore Guitars can attest, its a tough business, so don't think for a second its a cake walk. I did it successfully for quite awhile, but do your homework and get all the facts before you jump the gun. Good luck to you if you decide to proceed.
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

But what about if you wanted to go into the guitar refurbishing business - not selling Duncans, but using them too soup-up guitars formerly owned by crack addicts and sell them for profit (the guitars - not the crack addicts)?
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

Just a note, Only the US has MAP pricing.

When I worked for a Duncan Dealer here in Canada, we could sell for whatever we wanted. I routinely undercut the competition, usually only by a buck or two.

MAP pricing seems too much like price fixing to me. A dealer should be allowed to choose if he makes $10 or 50 cents on a sale as far as I'm concerned. I'd hate to be in an industry that tells you what you have to sell a product for.

My 2 cents...
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

I thought that this was the case pinto......I KNOW i could sell pickups for cheaper than most of the competition over here and still make a decent profit.....hmmmmm....

i am aware, though, that this doesnt necessarily make it a worthwhile business venture
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

I KNOW i could sell pickups for cheaper than most of the competition over here and still make a decent profit.....hmmmmm....
Click to expand...

Just remember when you start a business you have overhead and taxes to pay. Even with cutting costs as much as possible I find that selling a pickup at a roughly 50% markup ends up giving me about a 15% net profit when all is said and done. To put this in perspective, I basically need to sell $6666.00 of product per month to make $1000.00 in profit. And trust me, if you can't bring in at least a $1000.00 per month profit it's not worth doing. It just takes too much time because you are selling, doing the books, answering e-mails, placing PO's and generally trying to keep your cash flow going. It honestly took me two years when I first started to get into the black with my business.

I guess what I'm saying is, think it through before you do it. You could end up losing a lot of money.
 
Re: How would i become a SD dealer?

You have yourself a customer if you do decide to mate. I can't even find a livewire metal over here.
 
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