Retail vs. List Price

I used to work in the audio retail business, and for reputable, legitimate, high-end brands you can usually get 10% off retail without much problem. This is the amount the high-end manufacturers often allow dealers to discount without the dealer jeopardizing his ability to keep the line. Genuine high-end manufacturers have a vested interest in maintaining the value of their products, which is why you generally don't find the better brands sold on the internet or at steep discounts. Sometimes you can find some really good B-stock(i.e. very minor cabinet imperfections) deals from the dealer or manufacturer and save quite a bit more.

Basically, if you get 10% off you know you at least got a good price unless the manufacturer is blowing them out or offering special discounts. Best of luck.

Tim

I have been told that dealers, on most hi-end products, pay 60-65% of list plus shipping -- that would mean your speakers cost a dealer $1200-1300 plus shipping from the factory to his location. Another way to judge cost is to investigate the dealer demo sales on Audiogon. Looking at 18 speaker dealer demo sales today, the wt.avg selling price was 57% of list(plus shipping), with the "cost" ranging from an incredible 35% to 88% of list.

A friend of mine sells several high end products out of his house and he has told me that all of the manufacturers strongly advise him not to sell their products for more than a 10-15% discount.

However, as you know, the discount available is more a case of the popularity of the item than anything else -- if you want a product that the manufacturer can't give away, you'll get a great discount from a dealer. Since Revel speakers have all gotten good "press", I'm assuming you won't do better than your 15% discount offer of $1695.

Retail price maintenance is illegal in Canada. Do the manufacturers care? Probably have the same type laws on the books in the US, but since dog eat dog, betcha no one cares that the manufacturers get away with all kinds of shenanigans. When did honesty and integrety die out anyway?
Since prices bear no resemblance to anything sane in the high-end, the retailers are more than happy to ask the consumer the crazy prices quoted by the manufacturers, so long as they are not stuck with inventory on hand. C'est la vie...

a good dealer should give you 20% or more discount from list price.