Simply.... well said. I agree with a lot you have to say.

You will be thoroughly disappointed if we all start lowering our costs to manufacter so that the parts are cheaper.

I think it's hard to sell the value of a quality vendor to the new crowd. It's no different than shopping for a TV or a loaf of bread in their mind. It goes back to my post about the internet and what modern times have done to business. It's let every Tom, Dick, and Harry compete and that means stupid low prices. It's forced businesses to run leaner. It's not going to change anytimje soon. People with money today are smarter. I hope Travis has figured out a way to have less overhead.

You mentioned raising your prices and losing customers. What customers did you lose? The customers you didn't make any money on in the first place? I've found with my business that my BEST customers are as loyal as the day is long. They refer to people just like them. I always tell the kid that works for me, "Pick your battles". If he's a grinder or not loyal, find a better customer.

Just think about all the vendors on all the forums that you've never read ANY post, EVER, about late shipping or hassles getting a refund.... There's way more of them than there are the ones you've read over and over about.

Everyone in business faces the same challenges. Price. Service. Competitors.

Just look to the left of this page and see all those banner ads... and ask yourself how many of them you've read bad stuff about. What are they doing differently? Are they competing? Are they on the Internet? Are they in a different economy? :unibrow:

I haven't started a build yet. I have owned a high end wakeboard or a ski boat most of my adult life. There are many online suppliers of boating toys and equipment. Instead of saving a few bucks ordering from one of these guys, I've always gone to my local dealer and bought from the pro shop.

Sure a wakeboard setup from them is a bit higher, but it keeps the local guy in business. If everyone did that, I wouldn't hear so much grumbling about marine service departments in other areas of the country. My dealer can hire the best service techs because he has a large, loyal customer base in all 3 aspects of his business: pro shop, service dept, and boat sales

Very well said and very true Jon :thumbsup:

Jon I feel for and understand what you are saying BUT.... in ANY business that has margin, people pile on and you get price erosion. It has always happened and always will.

I feel it with my apartments, haven't raised rents in almost ten years but my costs continue to go up. I feel it when I sell a load of topsoil. My father made more profit selling dirt in the 70's than I can today. EVERYONE has a truck, EVERYONE has machines...EVERYONE chops balls.

Price erosion.....it sucks.

De Beers ...now there is a business model! Are diamonds rare? My wife thinks so and that's all that matters....along with setting prices....lol

I can't say it any better than what everyone here before me has already said...and it is the internet's fault like Todd is saying.

Among the admirable vendors on the left side of the screen is DSE. I can draw so many parallels to Apple I won't waste my time, but they built a brand, focus on their products, prove it in the field, and stay off forums. Their price is their price...and although I don't own a single DSE product, it's a brand I aspire to buy "because it just works."

Being in the service business almost 30 years, Quality Service, parts, and follow up are key.

I understand the mark up on parts....I did it....Always the good customers come back, over and over again..

Why when I go find a Killer shop to work on my car, would I try to barter down to near his wholesale price ? Sure to save money, but I will make it somewhere else and Pay the man for the parts and the Labor..

Sure i see what I can get them for, so as not to get ripped off, but to say to him, " I know you get it at cost, so what is my price ? " , to me is getting spit in my food....Get my drift ? I would not want to work on my Car...

Instead, I have a loyal relationship with a great Builder, and My job is to go make My money so I can pay him what he needs ..

It was always just under what I would pay retail so no biggie..

In my Trade, We are charging 1.2 times on parts, so a 50 dollar part is 110... I understand how it is.