Britax deals may become a thing of the past

[BargainMomforLuke]

The Wall Street Journal had an article on the front page today regarding price fixing of certain products. One of the companies mentioned was Britax. Basically, many manufacturers may soon start setting minimum prices for products & will force retailers (including e-commerce retailers) to refrain from discounting those products.

Babyage.com & Babycatalog.com were two companies mentioned in the article. Babyage filed a complaint alleging that Toys R Us conspired with several manufacturing companies to keep other companies from undercutting them. The lawsuit alleges that BRU, the largest baby-goods seller in the US & the manufacturers are part of an illegal pact to fix minimum prices. Defendants in the suit are Maclaren, Peg Perego, Medela, Baby Bjorn, Britax & Kids Line.

It was an interesting article & I hope these companies don't take part in the price fixing, as they will definitely be losing a customer here.

[ThreeofUs]

I thought Britax was currently setting minimum prices, but that some retailers were getting away with selling the seats/other goods for less. I mean, that's where the suit is coming from, yes?

It's really amazing how many high-end kids' products are price-fixed. Reading the "discount does not apply to" list on some sales is ... interesting.

[WatchingThemGrow]

I would ask you to post the link to the article, but I know that even my FIL who has subscribed to the WSJ for like the past 100 years, can't access their website w/o paying an add'l fee!

[iaam]

Price-Fixing Makes Comeback After Supreme Court Ruling
By JOSEPH PEREIRA, August 18, 2008; Wall Street Journal

…

For the better part of a century, punishing retailers for selling at cut-rate prices was an automatic violation of antitrust law. However, a Supreme Court ruling last year… upended that original 1911 precedent, potentially altering the face of U.S. discount retailing.

Retailers say an array of manufacturers now require them to abide by minimum-pricing pacts, or risk having their supplies cut off.
….

In a complaint filed late last year, BabyAge, the child-products retailer, alleged that six baby-goods manufacturers and the retailer Toys "R" Us Inc., parent company of Babies "R" Us, conspired to force other retailers to abide by minimum-pricing rules for a range of baby products. Joining BabyAge as a plaintiff is another online retailer, BabyCatalog.com Inc.

….

The defendants [include] Maclaren Ltd. of the U.K.; Italy's Peg Perego SpA; Medela Inc. of Switzerland; Sweden's Baby Bjorn AB; the Britax Childcare unit of Carlyle Group LLC; and Kids Line LLC of Madison, Wis.


…..

BabyAge does play ball with some manufacturers. For instance, it prices a baby car seat made by Britax, the Boulevard Convertible, at $309.99, the manufacturer's minimum. If he didn't, Mr. Weiss says, Britax would cut off his supply of a popular product.

Britax declined to comment.

Mr. Weiss says there's plenty of profit in discounting for a low-overhead operation like his, which employs only 45 people. He says he could sell the Boulevard car seat for $229 and still clear about $50 in profit.
….

[s7714]

Actually the "deals" people get currently are nothing like what you could get a few years ago before Britax started being a tyrant about price minimums. Around three/four years ago a BBB mom organized a great co-op deal on Britax seats for us, but when we tried to do it again, the retailer said he couldn't out of fear of losing his contract with Britax or something along those lines.

The lawsuit is no surprise to me. It'd be nice if it'd result in lower prices, but no doubt all those companies will probably just end up raising their prices to "pay for all their legal fees". :30:

[elektra]

Just read the article.
So how is this going to affect the September/February Britax sales?
It was my understanding that Britax had those fixed low prices but that the retailers had only these two months to go below that, right?
I didn't realize that the price fixing was illegal or questionable in the first place.

[TahliasMom]

that sucks. guess i should buy the britax parkway now huh?

[pastrygirl]

From what I understand, Britax has always had fixed pricing. The "official" sales that happen twice a year are approved by Britax, so they might not disappear. Since they've always had fixed pricing, I'm not sure what this means for the sale prices that are always around.

[August Mom]

Yes. I read the article this morning, but I do not think that Britax sales will change. As the PP stated, I believe that currently Britax sets the minimum prices and permits the bi-annual sales. Also, if you notice, outside of that only discontinued models/patterns go below the minimum price. So, all that is already controlled by Britax and I wouldn't expect any changes due to this decision.

[BargainMomforLuke]

I bought my Decathlon for $140 & my Boulevard for $160 (they weren't part of a bi-annual sale). I guess I should have clarified that I don't think there will be any more deals like this if Britax ultimately has their way & stops supplying to those stores that undercut others.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

I hear great things about Radian. ;)

[frugalmom]

I bought my Decathlon for $140 & my Boulevard for $160 (they weren't part of a bi-annual sale). I guess I should have clarified that I don't think there will be any more deals like this if Britax ultimately has their way & stops supplying to those stores that undercut others.


Holy moly
a Boulevard for $160? Where and how did you do that?

[DomandPedro75]

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/all_headlines/94098

[BargainMomforLuke]

Holy moly
a Boulevard for $160? Where and how did you do that?

It was on sale, then I used a coupon, I went through cashback, & it had a $20 rebate on it.

I never pay retail for anything!

[DrSally]

I just read this in the WSJ and was about to post. Another reason to hate BRU.

ETA: Something like they were shopping competitors for prices and reporting them if their prices were too low, causing them to lose their relationships with product companies