Vintage Synth Explorer Forums

In Japanese, but worth a look:

Just preordered mine. $208 is quite a bit better than I expected (thought it would be $299). Can't wait to put my mits on it.

Even less than 225, RD9.

Stab Frenzy wrote:

RD9 wrote:If you think that $5 has any bearing on the point that I was trying to make, you've missed the point entirely.

What exactly was the point you were trying to make?

If you think your point has failed to get across, why do you think that happened?

The point was that the lower end 200s (200-225) makes more sense for a machine like that to me. It's not a matter of a difference of $5 or even $10. Low end 200 and low end 300 is enough of a price point difference for people whose budgets are tight enough to have to make a choice of what to get at that level because of the limitations of the Monotribe. To nitpick discrepancies like $5 is focusing on minute differences which is not the point.

Jesus, if people are going to be so nitpicky as if they were lawyers, I should refer to it more as lower end 200s instead of 200-225. Really, there are more interesting things to talk about than $5 differences, like why Korg chose a metal enclosure for something at that price point. Far more interesting.

tekkentool wrote:Even less than 225, RD9.

For real. I almost can't believe it's available for as low as 208 from 320 (props to th0mas for pointing that out). I don't know if Korg knows in advance that places like Nova would be able to sell it for that low, but if they do it's kind of interesting (I don't know how the business/economics of it works). It would almost be as if Korg does consider 208-230 the actual price of the unit in reality. I wonder how much Guitar Center will be selling it for.

GC will match any advertised price. I don't think the 208 qualifies as it's sort of a word of mouth thing, but they would certainly match 230.

expermusic wrote:GC will match any advertised price. I don't think the 208 qualifies as it's sort of a word of mouth thing, but they would certainly match 230.

I know this has probably already been covered elsewhere, but how is it possible for places like GC and Nova to sell it at much lower prices like $230? It it because they get a discount for buying in bulk? It's such a huge gap.

RD9 wrote:

expermusic wrote:GC will match any advertised price. I don't think the 208 qualifies as it's sort of a word of mouth thing, but they would certainly match 230.

I know this has probably already been covered elsewhere, but how is it possible for places like GC and Nova to sell it at much lower prices like $230? It it because they get a discount for buying in bulk? It's such a huge gap.

in general merchandise retailer markup is 100%. So the store paid $50 for the item they sell for $100. This does not apply globally but for most stuff in a store if you don't have any better insight that's your guess. The store has to pay people, rent, insurance, etc. This is why internet stores generally can undercut brick&mortar stores, less overhead costs. So my guess is MSRP $320 implies cost to novamusik = $160, so their cut is $70 and from that they pay their costs and still make a profit.

Does anyone know if synths don't fall under this general rule for markup?

edit:source - I used to work in retail and while I personally only worked in books the managers who had worked a variety of places claimed this was the generally applied rule.

Instruments generally retail at 35 points over cost. Manufacturers set a price point, then sell the merch to retailers at roughly half that, with the proviso that said item will be sold for such (usually as per dealer agreement).

BTW, I was a partner in a retail music store (only part of our business).

Novamusik tends to go lower on prices than they advertise on their website. Partially because they are good people, mostly because if they do they know you will come back to them when it's time to buy more new gear. I got a sweetheart deal from them on an MFB Synth Lite (the first one) back in 200\4, and ever since I've bought pretty much every piece of new synth-related gear I buy (just in the last year I bought a DSI Tetra and Vermona Lancet from them for prices much lower than they advertise) from Novamusik. It's worth lowering the markup to make sure people like me come back, AND tell all my internet buddies (hi VSE!) about how awesome Novamusik is.

I feel like I´m gonna add an analog oscillator to my electribe. I will be very happy to get rid of the grid recording and excesive quantization of the Electribes with this tiny guy.

Totally pre-ordered that jawn.

Sir Ruff wrote:Totally pre-ordered that jawn.

word up...'shits tight!

I am gonna get one just because it's safe to use while sitting on the throne. Who needs to read if you can make the coolest beats, blips, and bloops?