I use Rock because I can generally get OEM brands at a competitive price not available locally from dealers. Champion used to carry AC along with other brands but then discontinued it. At any rate I usually see Dorman listed along with other brands so I’m not sure for me anyway that it would make much difference if their product doesn’t come up on the screen.
Back to Apple. They may fair trade their stuff now but I remember way back their marketing to schools was certainly under their retail pricing. They did it so virtually every school system, teacher, and student was exposed to and used to Apple computers. For years you couldn’t convince people from this environment to go with a non-Apple product even though they had very little business software available. Still there are those brand loyal people that insist on Apple. True they were best for design software but not business systems. So we ended up with one department with all Apple and everybody else IBM compatible. So one department not compatible with everyone else. I’m talking back in the stone ages, not today. They indoctrinated a whole generation. Hmmm. Something to think about.
I think Apple still has educational discounts. My daughter has a MacBook as do all the teachers at her school. My wife and all the other teachers at her nursery school have iPads, again with a discount.
I once worked for a medical device manufacturer that practically gave away their equipment to teaching schools. When students graduated and got a job, they preferred our equipment. Not a new tactic…
Interestingly, it only applies to products sold “electronically” via “websites.” That is, they are forcing Rock Auto and Amazon to sell at higher prices to protect their brick-and-mortar customers.
But where it really gets interesting is that it doesn’t apply to all parts and they won’t tell you which ones it applies to. The so-called “covered products” are listed on price sheets and product lists only available to retailers. A product can also be covered if “communicated by Dorman” via email, websites (their closed seller portal?), or other means. Makes you wonder what they’re hiding and how they could think this is beneficial to their shareholders.
Yes they have some Denso like plugs and filters and maybe some other parts. One of the reasons I like them is that along with the typical after-market parts, they have OEM like Delco. No Honda filters though.
I see this as being only beneficial to the stockholders. Keeping the price at a reasonable margin of profit will certainly benefit the company, and therefore the shareholders.
Many parts stores are locally owned stores or franchises run by your neighbors and community members. Having a web vendor undercut local service providers isn’t good for your local business. In addition, some of those local stores may “price match” rockauto in a misguided attempt to not lose the sale. Adjusting prices to the lowest common denominator is the first step in running your business into the toilet, unless you’re a hypermarket retailer like Walmart.
I see this as being only beneficial to the stockholders. Keeping the price at a reasonable margin of profit will certainly benefit the company, and therefore the shareholders.
Dorman wasn’t the one taking a hit on price. The retailers were paying full price to Dorman but discounting the end retail pricing to their customers.
I think it hurts them to enforce this policy. It’s allowed competition to get some of their limited market share. Look on Rockauto now- a few new names I never heard before have replaced Dorman. It doesn’t seem to have affected Rockauto at all…but Dorman has lost a venue for selling their products…
The Fair Trade Law was somewhat effective in protecting brand status long ago but the manufacturers often took advantage of the situation. 50 years ago Winchester model 94 rifles had their price protected but moved their plant to Japan and few customers paid any attention to the move and paid the price. The exchange rate at that time was 360y/$ so Winchester made a killing.
[quote=“asemaster, post:32, topic:106419”]
I see this as being only beneficial to the stockholders. Keeping the price at a reasonable margin of profit will certainly benefit the company, and therefore the shareholders. [/quote]
Asemaster, I respectfully disagree. Although I am a stockholder, I wrote from the perspective of a DIY consumer which I also am. I started working at a garage in 1967. Later left to learn and design high-tech electronics, but never stopped maintaining my cars and my family’s cars.
I respectfully disagree. The local merchant’s higher price is justified by the personal service (find that strange part for which there is no part number online), instant availability, installation advice, and tool loan or rental. Any firm that’s going out of business is not treating its customers well enough to stay in business.
I don’t see much loyalty in my area @Larry_M. Car parts like clothes and many other products are fading on the shelves of stores as shoppers bargain hunt on the www. Often a day or two wait is not an issue and savings can be substantial. While I don’t buy much on line I do search and compare brands and prices. When repairing the damage done by ethanol in my garden equipment I found I could buy a complete carburetor for a weedeater and have it delivered in 2 days for half the price of a repair kit locally and I wasted half an hour of the local stores parts man’s time before deciding. All that personal service was wasted on me. I won’t be surprised if the McParts stores soon begin to thin out. How can they check codes for free and then watch the car owner drive home and post here for advice then order the parts from Rock Auto.
LOL, while I agree with the points in your post, I had to laugh when I read this. I didn’t realize cloths were car parts! Should there have been commas after “Car parts” and “products” perhaps?