Interesting Shimano read

[NQCairns]

It's a long page

http://www.charkbait.com/cs/csrs2.htm

[blaze]

and how many other wholesale/retailors join forces to fix prices, I live in a town of 3500 people, 10,000 in our municapality/shire and there is always price fixing.
Take fuel, 4 servos all the same price.
cheers
blaze

[StevenM]

It is happening at the moment with Daiwa. Try getting you tackle store to do a deal on Tournament gear. No chance. Try getting anything off a Saltiga etc.

[RobSee]

as someone who has only ever bought shimano reels, it makes feel a little red in the face. I think I will only get my stuff from ebay now

Cheers

Rob

[Burley_Boy]

Met a major GC retailer at the boat show who said that a NZ had taken in a large load of TLD's with cheap mild steel bearings, thus being able to sell shimano TLD's really cheap.
Sounded like crap to me as I doubted that a stainless bearing as opposed to a cheaper bearing would hardly add a large amount to construction costs. Interested in hearing opinions though.
Hard to know what is the truth.

[szopen]

It is an iteresting read.

Not very surprising though.

Yes manufacturers try to control retail price in various ways, not only fishing gear but all sorts of products.

Burley Boy.
I agree that it sounds like crap.

From manufacturer point of view making a small batch of product with different component does not make much economic sense. And when you say a large load of reels for NZ it means what? A couple thousand units (probably not even that many). Nothing.

Reasons:
- separate ordering of different component.
- separate stock control for both material and finished product (to make sure it doesn't end up somewhere else).
- when they buy standard bearings they purchase large quantity so they do get a good price, if they would buy small batch of other bearings they could not that a very good price.

All of these things add costs that would wipe out any savings on material.

Regarding mentioned lower price in NZ it is probably due to what they have decided to sell there for based on what people there woul pay not because of different components used.

As to the actual bearings they are made of different types of steel some more corrosion resistant than others. All steel will rust in certain conditions and such a thing as totally stainless steel does not exist.

[agnes_jack]

Sounds to me like a disgruntled Shimano dealer who has had his buying power advantage over all the smaller tackle shops etc, removed, and now has to compete the same as everyone else.
I could be wrong but it seems like a simular situation to stopping the marts etc, from dominating the market and forcing smaller full service tackle stores to go ass up.
It's hard to get the complete story from that read.
Shimano Australia and Shimano USA are not the same company.
Just my own opinion......Regards, Tony

[McCod]

Hims not a happy camper > But ya get that...
Shimano is so over rated anyway and over priced. But.. then again so is a lot of other brands and models.
Its a shame theres not a bit more fairness in the tackle trade in AUS! As we aussies are getting ripped big time on Fishing tackle. Most probably not all the fault of tackle stores ?.
I buy local when i can especially aussie lures.
But close the wallet if i'm going to get ripped $100.00 + on a mid priced fishing reel. Just got a Diawa reel from US landed in AUS for $305.00 . Best price could get here was $430.00 rrp $450 +.
That hundred + will get me a long way in fuel or buy a fair spool of good braid and a few good aussie lures or 2 spools of braid if shop out of AUS.

Cheers Les

[mattooty]

Its pretty good when someone actually stands up to corporate giants like shimano. Unfortunately there needs to be alot more pressure put on them to get any results.
Persistance is the key

[Gordon_Scamp]

I agree with Tony, this looks like a dealer who has had a major falling out with Shimano over what we cannot tell, I don't think that we are getting the full story.
Certainly here in Australia we as retailers are not controlled in any way by Shimano Australia, market forces establish the current price for any product.
I can assure you that in my experience as a retailer no one is making unreasonably high margins from Shimano products, Tackle Shop owners all have a very large amount of capital invested in their businesses and need to make a sensible return on this investment if they are to survive.
Another point to be considered when buying products from E Bay or other overseas sources is that in most cases the warranties and after sales service offered here in Australia will not apply. This certainly is the case with the Ten Years currently being offered by Shimano.

Regards,

Gordon

[Kevin]

That retailer is not the only one who has had trouble with shimano. A few years ago I was at a fishing show and complained to the shimano rep how I could no longer buy the 400 Calcutta for $179 US... the guy tried to make me tell him what dealer had sold them for that much to me in the 1st place.. I refused, and he then went to all dealers at the show making sure they were all "correct" on their pricing.. Several other manufactures that sell products in the states are like that... one price for all dealers...