Posted by Steve Marcus on June 21, 1999 at 05:51:54:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Tubas for around $2000? posted by Dale Phelps on June 20, 1999 at 23:32:05:
Dale Phelps wrote:
"If you think about it, Baltimore Brass doesn't plug a horn to sell any time someone asks a question, neither does Custom or Dillon's or even TE. However ALL of these business people are listed/advertise on the "Shops" page of the BBS...It is funny though that one seller (a retailer!) gets so much bile flowing..."
It's the very nature and advantage of a public BBS for a seller to respond to a specific request. This type of correspondence is very proper. In contrast, the SPAM that has been spewed from time to time on TubeNet and Tubaeuph from an overzealous retailer who posted numerous general and random ADVERTISEMENTS for their store and its products is very annoying.
A used tuba being sold by one merchant or private individual can be compared to the prices for similar tubas with regard to workmanship of repairs, market value, etc. OTOH, certain tuba lines are tied up by ONE retailer for exclusive selling rights in all of North America. In this scenario, the retailer is at liberty to charge whatever mark-up he/she wishes, as long as the market will bear it. Now, who is deserving of more scrutiny and scorn--the small independent repair shop who puts genuine hours of labor and expertise into carefully reconditioning a horn to sell at a price that can be compared to similar horns, or a merchant who merely takes the tuba out of the crate and sells it for an exhorbitant price because no one is able to compete on that product?