So, how would you like this to happen at your shop?

Above Average Contributor Number of posts : 650 Registration date : 2007-07-03

I know it has prolly happened to a few of you, but this is the first time its happened to us.

A while back, we became authorized dealers for...well, we will call em CompX (a well known 'good' brand). Well, we were meeting quota and doing pretty well w/ this brand. The our rep tried to set up up w/ all their wire/acc stuff. We already had a good supplier for wire and such so we declined.

About a month later, I was driving to walmart and noticed "CompX" banners in another local shops windows. I though...um...WTF?

We had our area locked...and now there is another shop 7 tenths of a mile away on the same road carrying one of your major brands.

CompX offer little to nothing to help, refuse to take back the BNIB inventory we have in stock. Then set up the other shop the SAME week they offered us their wiring/acc lines.

And since there is another shop right down the road selling the same stuff as us...we are having a hard time selling the product.

So...what would you do?

-Sell out of all the current CompX stuff at deep discount to get rid of it?

-Keep it on the shelf and sell at normal price...but have it take up space in the back where you could have your new/better brand...and at the same time have cost in the items that could be used for other purchases??

What are some more of the details? From what you have stated so far, I think I would dump the brand.

Keep it if you're still makin money off of it. Internet sales make it a little hard to sell from brick and mortar these days. Even if you are the ONLY local dealer.

fornicate comp x and get a new brand

Guest

dump it

unfortunately this is a problem cause by free enterprise.
we(the dealers want restricted lines) and the manufacture's executives who could care less about car audio just want to sell more so they look good with no regard for the long term effects it is having on our industry.
the manufactures do not care if it is sold online
the only thing they care about is sales volume
never believe anyone that says"we keep our product off the net"
a. because they can't
b. because it is their job to give you the snow job

if a dealer wants to have an exclusive line then have your own line produced.
you must have a considerable investment and do all of your own marketing. so the little guy gets the shaft again.
look a treo . they can sell it in thier store and know that they will never be undersold by the internet.

if anyone thinks that a manufacture cares about you then wake up. this is business and it stinks. you must never stop showing people that you can do it better and if you can't get a new job.

speaking of jobs.............hummm..... iam starting a new thread

Newbie Number of posts : 20 Registration date : 2007-09-20

We had the same happen to us only instead of the rep wanting to add wire and acc to us he wanted more volume so he added a store a few mile down the road in an area of where the most of our sales for that line came from. His excuse was he needed more volume in that area because of home office. now that our sales of that brand has almost gone away he is trying to threaten me to sell more of his line or they are going to pull it from me. I just giggled and asked for them to take back the product that I had in stock and they refused. They say want more support from the dealers but where is the suppert from the manufactures.

I am surprised that wal-mart isnt selling caskets. Dump it.

Wally did!

They sold hundreds of 6 foot tall real wooden caskets during Q3.

As for CompX, they violated the contract with your store if they promised exclusivity. CompX probably told your competitor they have exclusivity in your area. They cannot be trusted. Sadly, they would do the same thing again, even to your competitors. Dump them.

Yes Dump them. Had similar situation here. Manufacturer rep open dealer next to me. End up the other dealer can't hang with me, he end up going out of business. Now the Rep is kissing my pooter. Don't let the brand sell your customers. You sell yourself to your customers, Let them know why it is better to shop at your store. In NYC it is very competative, Stores are very close to each other. I see stores come and go, but I am still here. Do rite to your customers and in the long run it will pay off

Basic Contributor Number of posts : 419 Registration date : 2007-11-18

i understand why you guys are not stating the name brands ,but as a car audio retailer being in the same boat as several of you ,i really want to know which brands and where this is happening . if you would rather pm me the info that would be great . our store gets solicited with brands every month being that we are one of the better stores in our area . the problems you are talking about is a huge problem with specialty stores . it has happened to me with Diamond Audio six years ago . we were supporting the whole line and never paid late .i called the factory ,president etc of Diamond and they could care less . i know the 16k a year wholesale wasn't that big but wtf . just as you guys have described . it has turned out for the best for us though . good riddance diamond .

Basic Contributor Number of posts : 419 Registration date : 2007-11-18

TECH114 wrote:: Yes Dump them. Had similar situation here. Manufacturer rep open dealer next to me. End up the other dealer can't hang with me, he end up going out of business. Now the Rep is kissing my pooter. Don't let the brand sell your customers. You sell yourself to your customers, Let them know why it is better to shop at your store. In NYC it is very competative, Stores are very close to each other. I see stores come and go, but I am still here. Do rite to your customers and in the long run it will pay off

[b]amen TECH!!$ !!

Above Average Contributor Number of posts : 650 Registration date : 2007-07-03

Well, the company that screwed us is MTX/Mitek.
To hell w/ em now though.

We picked up DD and Clarion to take MTX's place.

Couldn't be happier...other than the fact that we are now having to get rid of all our MTX stock, cheap.

I hear u. That is a good replacement. Congrats on the new lines. Best of luck

Basic Contributor Number of posts : 419 Registration date : 2007-11-18

doesn't sound like mtx is ever a line i want to consider .
congrats on the new lines .

burn the other shop down

super stock crx wrote:: burn the other shop down

They'll do that on their own with one of their installs Laughing

well i tryed to help

super stock crx wrote:: well i tryed to help

help what. burn the other shop down.

Newbie Number of posts : 20 Registration date : 2007-09-20

The company that did to us was Memphis. We were always told that there was a 30 mile dealer agreement, but I see how that went. We have now picked up T3 Audio because the rep actually went out of his way to guarantee me the 30 mile radius. I always say do your homework.

12listen4 wrote:: The company that did to us was Memphis. We were always told that there was a 30 mile dealer agreement, but I see how that went. We have now picked up T3 Audio because the rep actually went out of his way to guarantee me the 30 mile radius. I always say do your homework.

Were you meeting their requirement? I carry both brands and Memphis has more than speakers. Did you speak to your rep and ask him why?

No way no way, KEEP THE LINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND STOCK IT TOO!!!
Push your other lines but sell the "brand X" at dealer cost (or at least offer it) to the customers as an alternative to your best lines.
It will force the shop down the road to meet those prices.
This is pretty shady to the other shop but hey, its business.

Above Average Contributor Number of posts : 650 Registration date : 2007-07-03

We are selling all our remaining MTX stock at dam near cost.
Even like that, we can't give it away. DD and Clarion are selling much better than MTX ever did.

Customers are loving the DD500's and 1500's.

I am a factory rep in tx area, and I certainly feel your pain. This type of sales rep is all to common, and at any given time you have a 30 day notice to be dropped per your contract, and normally does not ever go over shared lines in a territory. This industry is going to go through cleansing of bad reps, poor manufactures, and retailers that dont have a clue in order to keep there doors open. When time are bad you hunker down and work harder, not make knee jerk reactions and oversaturate the market. I guess I am different and dont need instant gratification, knowing that I work hard and my retailers and manufactures, will continue to do business with me for the marathon, not the short sprint. So not only choose your brands wisely, but also question your reps character. I wish you the best.
Pete/PACman

Above Average Contributor Number of posts : 650 Registration date : 2007-07-03

Thank you PACman.

We are cutting all ties to MTX/Mitek.
They offered no help in our situation and today we got some news that was icing on the cake.

Last week, I installed a TA5601 on 2 5515's in a crownvic...the customer did not touch the install after leaving the shop, but the amp ended up frying. It now cuts in and out. I did the customer good and exchanged the amp over the counter...we called up MTX for an RA# only to find out 'we are no longer authorized dealers'. Now the shop has the eat that amp.

Well...so long MTX/Mitek. Hope your reps learn about good business practices in the future. If not your company is in for a ride.

lol our mtx rep isnt that great either.

but hey want to sell the blown amp?

Newbie Number of posts : 41 Age : 46 Registration date : 2008-02-03

I can promise you this DD will never do that to a shop. I have been dealing with DD since 1999 and they are a great company and also refer a lot of business even outside of a 30 mile radius.

TECH114 wrote:

super stock crx wrote:: well i tryed to help

help what. burn the other shop down.

Do it!

Basshead Chapa wrote:

TECH114 wrote:

super stock crx wrote:: well i tryed to help

help what. burn the other shop down.

Do it!

Subject: compx product Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:32 pm

We have had a similar situation happen here at our shop. We put $10 grand of product on a couple of pallets and ra'd it back to the manufacturer, always is nice to get screwed