Should Manufacturers Post Prices In Ads

Stokjoc, thanks for explaining the "obvious".

The "Toys from the Attic" adverts always draw my eye to see how the prices of products are standing up to the market. I do wish that they would delete their "call" $, though.

Stokjoc, suggest you revisit your orignal post and pay close attention. You specifically referred to advertising in "Stereophile" -- general ads that got you excited about a product but contained no price. No wonder you are confused with $1500 and $15,000 products.

Your post describes your emotional letdown when it turned out that the product that you thought was $1500 was actually more like $15,000 (I suspect that you were being firgurative in this analogy, or at least hope so). This was what my response was based on.

Of course I like the fact that Audiogon has prices listed, because this is in effect the *classifieds*. Ads with prices are what I expect to find here. And, this is my point. Some ads are designed to get attention, generate interest, perhaps educate and definitely entice. The fact that manufacturers don't list prices in these ads is not an indication of "lack of nerve" or "something being fishy". Others, like classifieds or retail ads, focus on price and product description. Apples and oranges -- or at least oranges and tangellos.

Like a lot of threads, this one has veered off the original point. Yeah, I think that it is a lame nit-pick to complain that the *image* ad that turned you on had no price in it. And, that you are upset *with the ad* because you had no idea that the product was $15,000 and not $1500. In your world, I guess that is the fault of the ad. Like I said "get real". Ads that don't have prices are a fact of life. What a gray world it would be if *all* ads were retail/classified in nature. In the event that you can't reconcile this, I suggest you stick to the classifieds, retail ads and Audiogon (all fine venues that I refer to myself).

Again, refer to your own words in your original post. Also refer to my post. Did I say or imply anthing to the effect that prices were not of value on Audiogon? Did I say that ads with or without prices were of any greater or less value? No, I simply voiced my opinion that this is a lame nit-pick. Given your inability to focus on your own original point, I can understand why you have difficulty with ads that don't clearly spell things out.

I'm not sure Stokjoc was making a point other than ads for specific merchandise would be more usefull if they contained the price of that merchandise. To me, that seems to be almost self-evidently true. I'm really not too certain why personal attacks are warranted in a disagreement over such a small point, though.

Raguirre, I've noticed a tendancy for lots of folks to jump on the bandwagon whenever someone slams manufacturers or dealers. I don't have a problem with this if it is legit. And, no I am not a dealer or manufacturer.

If you read the original post, you note that Stkjok suggests that "if manufacturers have the nerve" to list prices, he wouldn't confuse himself -- then eliciting responses to the effect that if there are not prices in the ads "something is fishy". As I stated, this isn't a question of manufacturers not having nerve to list prices or attempting to mislead us poor unsuspecting audiofools.

Hey, if you've got a legit complaint that's one thing. I would be the first to support anyone who was really duped. But bitching and moaning about not having prices in general ads is lame IMHO. And, I find trying to put spin on the original thread to be equally lame.

Yeah, mention those unscupulous manufacturers and dealers and watch everyone go for the torches and pitchforks. I guess this falls in the category of "if I have to explain it to you, you wouldn't get it anyway".

Looks like a fish didn't like my post and gave me -2 -2.

Pretty chicken for a mere ten words.