SwissMicros Calculator Forum

HPMike wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 21, 2018 6:04 pm

Regardless of the profit margin, SM will sell a lot more product if they list on large online outlets, and not just an obscure website know only by a small group of enthusiasts.

But is selling a lot more product really anyone's goal, regardless of profit margin?? Would it be your goal?

If for example, by selling the DM42 on amazon, it cuts SM's profit in half, then they'd have to support twice as many customers for the same income. While there is little doubt some of those extra units could lead to other sales (friends or repeat business) you could not convince me it would more than make up for it, since those additional sales would likely also come via the lower margin channel.

I'm with Walter - I prefer 100% of my money goes to SM.

Also, I'm sure you could track history and verify that sales through other channels did not begin until well past the initial demand for the other models was satisfied, so these are truly incremental sales (likely to folks that were unaware of SM). So, maybe next year, or the year after, the DM42 will be available in such channels...

Well, it was SM’s decision to list on Amazon, so I guess you need complain to them that they are going against your and Walter’s wishes. I was just providing a rationale as to why they might have chosen to do so. I smell a bit of elitism here. Oh, and I also shop at Walmart, just in case you want to attack me for supporting megacompanies that crowd out small mom and pop enterprises.

What's wrong with Michael's answer?

akaTB wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 21, 2018 11:05 pm

What's wrong with Michael's answer?

Nothing IMHO. I understand they want to promote sales. Nevertheless, I'd read the 'sales promotion' there and order directly at SM for the reasons I explained above. YMMV

HPMike wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:57 pm

Well, it was SM’s decision to list on Amazon, so I guess you need complain to them that they are going against your and Walter’s wishes. I was just providing a rationale as to why they might have chosen to do so. I smell a bit of elitism here. Oh, and I also shop at Walmart, just in case you want to attack me for supporting megacompanies that crowd out small mom and pop enterprises.

To be fair, it is possible to hate those megacompanies, and try to avoid them, even if you don't mind how economies of scale beat out independent store owners. The fact that both of those companies are famously abusive employers comes to mind.

HPMike wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 21, 2018 10:57 pm

Well, it was SM’s decision to list on Amazon, so I guess you need complain to them that they are going against your and Walter’s wishes. I was just providing a rationale as to why they might have chosen to do so. I smell a bit of elitism here. Oh, and I also shop at Walmart, just in case you want to attack me for supporting megacompanies that crowd out small mom and pop enterprises.

No bashing intended, sorry if it felt that way.

Ultimately, I'd assume SM chose to sell there when it would end up netting them more revenue than not doing so. Once sales to fans in the know (about SM) trailed off, it makes sense; more sales, even at lower margin, is better than none. We're just not there yet with the DM42; heck the first lot sold out in about 3 days. I don't think it's elitism, more a matter of thinking the more profitable SM is, the more likely they are to add new models.

I shop at both Walmart and Amazon, for items that don't stand much chance of putting local stores or dealers out of business; how many local hardware stores are left in the wake of Home Depot? Book stores are rapidly fading from the scene as well. But for many items, there is no (or at least very little) impact, so I will shop for them at A&W.

rprosperi wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 22, 2018 1:55 am

I shop at both Walmart and Amazon, for items that don't stand much chance of putting local stores or dealers out of business; how many local hardware stores are left in the wake of Home Depot? Book stores are rapidly fading from the scene as well. But for many items, there is no (or at least very little) impact, so I will shop for them at A&W.

I guess I'm "lucky" in that way. The small village in which I live has already lost K-Mart, Sears, Radio Shack, and almost every other business. Downtown is a line of empty storefronts. We have one Walmart, a couple small hardware stores, three furniture stores, a dollar store, a Price Chopper supermarket, an Aldi supermarket and a couple restaurants. The nearest mall is 50 miles away. I'm not really hurting local businesses at all when I shop online. Whee!

toml_12953 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 22, 2018 4:23 am

I guess I'm "lucky" in that way. The small village in which I live has already lost K-Mart, Sears, Radio Shack, and almost every other business. Downtown is a line of empty storefronts. We have one Walmart, a couple small hardware stores, three furniture stores, a dollar store, a Price Chopper supermarket, an Aldi supermarket and a couple restaurants. The nearest mall is 50 miles away. I'm not really hurting local businesses at all when I shop online. Whee!

Looks like you're living with some consequences already.

If you compare the prices at Amazon and on the SwissMicros website you'll see they each are about $10 more.
And that's about their share, leaving me the same margin.
Well, their share might be a little more than $10, but also Paypal, the credit card companies and other gangsters want their share ...

Michael wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 22, 2018 5:13 pm

If you compare the prices at Amazon and on the SwissMicros website you'll see they each are about $10 more.
And that's about their share, leaving me the same margin.
Well, their share might be a little more than $10, but also Paypal, the credit card companies and other gangsters want their share ...

With PayPal payments, there is a way to send the funds as a gift, so that the recipient gets the full amount.
That’s how I usually send funds, when I want to make sure the recipient gets the full amount. (Special cases)