Garmin Price Fixing Post from other newsgroup

[TripodBill]

Subject: Re: Garmin too big for their britches? (Fixed Pricing)
From: (TripodBill)
Date: 7/14/2004 12:09 AM Central Standard Time
Message-id: >

Many readers appropriately picked up on one of the most important issues in my
earlier post: Minimum Retail Price Policy (i.e., controls). For those that are
still interested in the subject and are of the "pilot persuasion" here's an
update of what you can expect at the Oshkosh show this year. You may recall
from my previous post that I relayed information from a friend RE: Garmin's new
price policy on the GPSMAP 296 at SunNFun. Well, if you are headed to EAA's
Oshkosh show this year, there is good and bad news. Good news: The older GPSMAP
196 will be cheaper this year at about $795. More Good news: There will be new
low-end handhelds in B&W and color to replace the aging GPS III Pilot and
GPSMAP 295. The new handhelds will both be in the GPSMAP 76 form factor. (Not
sure if that's a great design for yoke mounting, but I'll leave that to pilots
to decide.) Bad news? ALL MODELS will now be under the Minimum Retail Price
Policy, meaning no dealer at the show will be competing with another dealer.
Buy from whoever you like, 'cause they can't sell it to you any cheaper. Any
dealer that screws up and offers free shipping, a package deal, or discounted
accessory will be canceled by Garmin. Garmin has now fixed prices on all their
aviation products. It will be just a matter of time before they do the same in
the automotive, outdoor and marine product lines. Happy shopping!

-Bill


(for more info, see sci.geo.satellite-nav newsgroup)

[John T]

TripodBill wrote:
>
> Garmin has now fixed prices on all their aviation products. It will be
> just a matter of time before they do the same in the automotive,
> outdoor and marine product lines.

There's a simple solution to this concern: Don't buy Garmin. There are
plenty of other GPS manufacturers out there that would love to have your
business. In fact, may even be considered superior products. In any case,
if you convince enough of your cohorts to stop buying Garmin, they'll be
forced to drop prices to remain competitive and in business.

Oh, and what you described isn't "price fixing".

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer
http://www.pocketgear.com/products_search.asp?developerid=4415
____________________

[PA34 F-GFTF]

"John T" > wrote in message
ws.com...
> TripodBill wrote:
> >
> > Garmin has now fixed prices on all their aviation products. It will be
> > just a matter of time before they do the same in the automotive,
> > outdoor and marine product lines.
>
> There's a simple solution to this concern: Don't buy Garmin. There are
> plenty of other GPS manufacturers out there that would love to have your
> business. In fact, may even be considered superior products.

And what alternative would you suggest instead of the Garmin 530 that I plan
to buy by the end of the year ?
Preferably something superior & cheaper ;-)

> Oh, and what you described isn't "price fixing".
>
Correct. It can be considered as anti competitive, however.

Thx
--
F-GFTF

[Roy Smith]

"PA34 F-GFTF" > wrote:
> And what alternative would you suggest instead of the Garmin 530 that I plan
> to buy by the end of the year ?

Have you talked to Garmin about the future of the 530 line? I just
don't see how it makes any sense for Garmin to continue to supoprt both
the CNX-80 and the 430/530 line, but at this point, I think it's
anybody's guess which will get the axe.

[PA34 F-GFTF]

"Roy Smith" > wrote in message
...
> "PA34 F-GFTF" > wrote:
> > And what alternative would you suggest instead of the Garmin 530 that I
plan
> > to buy by the end of the year ?
>
> Have you talked to Garmin about the future of the 530 line? I just
> don't see how it makes any sense for Garmin to continue to supoprt both
> the CNX-80 and the 430/530 line, but at this point, I think it's
> anybody's guess which will get the axe.

I would guess Garmin will keep the Garmins, not the Upsat.
Still, I'm*really* interested for an alternative for the 530 (CNX80 is
obviously not an alternative).

--
YAG

[Roy Smith]

"PA34 F-GFTF" > wrote:
> I would guess Garmin will keep the Garmins, not the Upsat.
> Still, I'm *really* interested for an alternative for the 530 (CNX80 is
> obviously not an alternative).

If by "alternative", you mean "another vendor", I don't think there is
one. The Bendix/King stuff is a generation out of date. Garmin and
Apollo/UPS were the only two serious players in the GA GPS market for
the past few years.

I've been flying with the CNX-80 for about a year, and think it's a
great box. As a Garmin stockholder, I think it's great that they've
cornered the market, but from the avionics consumer point of view, yeah,
it sucks.

[Tom Sixkiller]

"PA34 F-GFTF" > wrote in message
...
> "John T" > wrote in message
> ws.com...
> > TripodBill wrote:
> > >
> > > Garmin has now fixed prices on all their aviation products. It will be
> > > just a matter of time before they do the same in the automotive,
> > > outdoor and marine product lines.
> >
> > There's a simple solution to this concern: Don't buy Garmin. There are
> > plenty of other GPS manufacturers out there that would love to have your
> > business. In fact, may even be considered superior products.
>
> And what alternative would you suggest instead of the Garmin 530 that I
plan
> to buy by the end of the year ?
> Preferably something superior & cheaper ;-)
>
> > Oh, and what you described isn't "price fixing".
> >
> Correct. It can be considered as anti competitive, however.

Anti-competitive? How so?

[Tom Sixkiller]

"PA34 F-GFTF" > wrote in message
...
> "John T" > wrote in message
> ws.com...
> > TripodBill wrote:
> > >
> > > Garmin has now fixed prices on all their aviation products. It will be
> > > just a matter of time before they do the same in the automotive,
> > > outdoor and marine product lines.
> >
> > There's a simple solution to this concern: Don't buy Garmin. There are
> > plenty of other GPS manufacturers out there that would love to have your
> > business. In fact, may even be considered superior products.
>
> And what alternative would you suggest instead of the Garmin 530 that I
plan
> to buy by the end of the year ?
> Preferably something superior & cheaper ;-)

King KLN94, with a KMD 550 Multifunction Display. Maybe not cheaper, but
better.

[Dan Luke]

"Tom Sixkiller" wrote:

>> ...Garmin 530...

> King KLN94, with a KMD 550 Multifunction Display.
> Maybe not cheaper, but better.
>

Better? Maybe, but with no COM/VOR/LOC it's *damned* sure not cheaper.
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM