Britax fixing prices starting August '05?

[Marimar]

Has anyone heard about this? Someone posted to another parenting site I frequent. She didn't give a source (someone did ask so I will keep an eye out for her answer)....just wondering if anyone here has heard about this?

This would mean no on-line bargains or sales or use of coupon codes.

TIA!

[searchdog]

I haven't heard anything about this. All I have to say is it will really stink if they do that.

I thought I actually read on this board somewhere that it was illegal for a manufacture to fix a price. I read they could set a msrp, but the retailer didn't have to follow it.

I will be interested to see what happens with this and if someone more knowledgeable could explain if "price fixing" is legal.

[Rachels]

Price-fixing between companies is illegal. For example, all the carseat manufacturers are prohibited from getting together and fixing base prices for carseats. But individual manufacturers have some times that they can legally fix prices on specific items (think Tempur-Pedic). I don't get it, but they can do it.

That said, if Britax does it, that lowers them a lot in my estimation. They already charge more than most companies.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02
New baby coming in October!
(Holy smokes, it's a boy!!!)


"When you know better, you do better."
Maya Angelou
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_amethyst_36m.gif
Nursed for three years!

[searchdog]

Thanks for the clarification Rachel. I think they should leave there prices alone.

[Splash]

However none of you thought that perhaps they were putting a MAX price on them? With BRU charging $100 more than most places and some places charging even more than that, perhaps Britax is saying "you can charge this, but no more" it IS legal for them to put a minimum price, and I would assume, a maximum as well. I think it would be really great if they would put a max price on them, then more people might be able to afford them, or would be willing to buy them, knowing that they can get them for under $300
E

[Momof3Labs]

They did this for a while, what, about a year ago? It lasted a few months and then we started to see bargains again. So who knows if it will actually happen, and if it does, how long it will last.

[Marimar]

I did not think it true, but one never knows.

However, if anyone runs across anymore info please update!

[searchdog]

Check out Joolsplus2's respnonce in this thread. It looks like the price thing is real. :(

[Joolsplus2]

Yeah, it sucks. There's only so much they can legally get away with, I assume...but have you ever seen a bargain on a Bose or a Dyson? Probably not, because they can make some sort of contracts with their retailers that doesn't legally fall under "price fixing"... Anyway, this happened before...all the prices jumped to MSRP for a few months, then started falling again, so who knows?
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[zen_bliss]

yikes, time to step up the shopping efforts!!

the way price fixing works without 'price-fixing' is the distributor keeps an eye on the retailers. anyone advertising below MSRP gets their dealer contract yanked. that's why stokke kinderzeats are $199 everywhere, period. spendy vacuum cleaners are another example (dyson, miele, etc).

[kijip]

BRU charges the MSRP, other places often go well below the MSRP. I have never seen them sell for more than the Britax set MSRP.

Minimum prices are not legal but Britax is under no obligation to sell their seats to retailers that discount their products more than they would like. So Britax can do nothing about seats that you have in stock but they can opt not to use a retailer again ig the seller does not comply with their pricing policies.

[daniele_ut]

I was the sales manager of a retail business for 5 years. Manufacturers *can* legally dictate a "minimum advertised price" (MAP) for an item. That doesn't mean the retailer *can't* sell it for less, it just means they can't advertise it in print or online for less. That is how marilyn works her Strollerqueen discount - verbally.

The business I worked for was not clothing related, but this happens all the time in the clothing industry. Just look at all the brand name exclusions on the coupons you get from department stores like Meier and Frank and JC Penney, etc. Brands like Dockers, Polo, Tommy Hilfiger, etc are nearly ALWAYS excluded from those discounts.

My guess is this will last for a few months and then we'll see discounts again, just as Jools said. It means that I better suck it up and decide if I am getting another MA for our other car for when we get home in a few weeks, though!