Price Fixing

[NJ1]

Why did you guys drop the price of white B7s to $79 for 48hrs and then re-raise it to $89? This is now the exact same price as your two main "competitors", do you guys artificially fix these prices so they align?

I buy most of my online tennis gear from TW, but this leaves a sour taste. I was going to order some more B7s this weekend but feel like I'm being jipped now.

[Andyroo10567]

Same here. Was looking forward to trying B7's again.

[El Diablo]

The prefered spelling is "gyped" or "gypped" from the word gypsy, a person generally seen as a thief.

[NJ1]

Originally Posted by El Diablo

The prefered spelling is "gyped" or "gypped" from the word gypsy, a person generally seen as a thief.

I blame it on being tired on a Friday night but you are indeed correct. Little doubt the phrase fits TW in this instance though.

Andryoo- yes, I look forward to hearing the official response to this. Perhaps they will decide to honor the $79 price.

[gavna]

Wow so a retailer doesn't have the right to adjust prices as they see fit???? TW dropped a price for a certain amount of time and then readjusts - what's wrong with that? Total normal pricing process.......maybe you should have bought them when the price was dropped.

Retailers adjust pricing in every industry sometimes almost daily based on what he competition is or isn't doing.

[db10s]

Originally Posted by gavna

Wow so a retailer doesn't have the right to adjust prices as they see fit???? TW dropped a price for a certain amount of time and then readjusts - what's wrong with that? Total normal pricing process.......maybe you should have bought them when the price was dropped.

Retailers adjust pricing in every industry sometimes almost daily based on what he competition is or isn't doing.

I agree. Do you guys expect Black Friday prices all year long?

[NJ1]

Originally Posted by gavna

Wow so a retailer doesn't have the right to adjust prices as they see fit???? TW dropped a price for a certain amount of time and then readjusts - what's wrong with that? Total normal pricing process.......maybe you should have bought them when the price was dropped.

Retailers adjust pricing in every industry sometimes almost daily based on what he competition is or isn't doing.

This question is for TW not you so try not to take it so personally. If you're happy that the three main tennis outlets align their prices then that's your business, but please respect that others see their money differently.

[El Diablo]

^^ It's a fair question. If I as a physician am out to dinner with a colleague, ask him what he charges for an initial office visit, and then change my fee to the same amount, I've committed an anti-trust violation.

[Arsnlrob]

It is strange that apparel and racquets stay at MSRP for most of their release timeframe, then when a new collection comes out the prices drop as you would expect...but the new prices are always identical across the board with online retailers. At this point sellers wouldn't have to stick with SRP and can sell at clearance prices. Why are the clearance prices always the same?

[TW Staff]

NJ1,

First, I would like to say we appreciate any and all feedback because it is helpful for us to succeed as a business.

As an authorized dealer of all of the products we carry, we abide by certain contracts and procedures that are set by the manufacturer which can include the prices of certain items.

As always, if you find an authorized dealer selling any product for less than we are (must be the exact item), we are happy to match their price.

Feel free to contact our customer service department for any further questions, and we can answer them in a much quicker time frame so you don't have to wait.

Aaron
TW Customer Service
1-800-883-6647
info@tennis-warehouse.com

[NJ1]

Originally Posted by TW Staff

NJ1,

First, I would like to say we appreciate any and all feedback because it is helpful for us to succeed as a business.

As an authorized dealer of all of the products we carry, we abide by certain contracts and procedures that are set by the manufacturer which can include the prices of certain items.

As always, if you find an authorized dealer selling any product for less than we are (must be the exact item), we are happy to match their price.

Feel free to contact our customer service department for any further questions, and we can answer them in a much quicker time frame so you don't have to wait.

Aaron
TW Customer Service
1-800-883-6647
info@tennis-warehouse.com

Thank you for the thorough reply, Aaron. The customer service you guys provide is one of the reasons why you're my go-to online tennis retailer. I'll give you a call early next week about ordering up the shoes. Thanks again.

[Lakers4Life]

There is California State Law that states if a product goes down in price within 30 days after purchase, you are entitled to the difference in price as long as the price still applies. Though, I don't know if that applies to on-line or phone order prices. TW has always been cool in the past about price changes.

Authorize dealers cannot advertise a price lower than the Minimum Authorized Price (MAP). That is "Price Fixing". Any authorized dealer may face sanctions by the Manufacturer if they advertise a lower price. I've seen this happen to a local tennis shop near my house. They opened a website and sold some rackets, far below the MAP. The Manufacturer prevented them from buying directly from the Manufacturer, and had to buy from other dealers/wholesalers. Technically they were no longer an Authorized Dealer, until the Manufacturer lifted the sanction against them. As a result they no longer have a website, but still technically sell below the MAP in the walk in store, because it's not publicly advertised. Basically you can sell a product below MAP, as long as you don't advertise it.

Do a search on "Price Fixing Tennis" and you will find a very interesting article. In this case the OP is Not correctly using the term.

[gavna]

Originally Posted by Lakers4Life

There is California State Law that states if a product goes down in price within 30 days after purchase, you are entitled to the difference in price as long as the price still applies. Though, I don't know if that applies to on-line or phone order prices. TW has always been cool in the past about price changes.

Authorize dealers cannot advertise a price lower than the Minimum Authorized Price (MAP). That is "Price Fixing". Any authorized dealer may face sanctions by the Manufacturer if they advertise a lower price. I've seen this happen to a local tennis shop near my house. They opened a website and sold some rackets, far below the MAP. The Manufacturer prevented them from buying directly from the Manufacturer, and had to buy from other dealers/wholesalers. Technically they were no longer an Authorized Dealer, until the Manufacturer lifted the sanction against them. As a result they no longer have a website, but still technically sell below the MAP in the walk in store, because it's not publicly advertised. Basically you can sell a product below MAP, as long as you don't advertise it.

Do a search on "Price Fixing Tennis" and you will find a very interesting article. In this case the OP is Not correctly using the term.

Exactly.....also just about any retailer with solid customer service will honor pricing updates within reasonable limits......

[3fees]

interesting

[NLBwell]

Many years ago there was a court case (maybe Supreme Court) that upheld the right of the manufacturers to enforce pricing limits on retailers.
So yes, the prices are fixed, but nothing illegal is going on.

[golfer]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=ailgAIvpSNFU

I remember resently this changed pro shops and how they could offer deals.