So much for protecting its dealers

http://www.fujitsu.com/us/news/pr/20060116-01.html

 

I guess if they are not selling enough product thru their dealers, Fujitsu has decided to market thru a mass chain store. Looking at thier dealer map, there are only about a dozen cities that have dealers, I doubt it they have been selling very much product with so few outlets.

After all to sole purpose of any and all companies is to make money.

 

yes, but look at other companies whose products were brought into the realm of big box stores, Rockford, Clarion to name a few... ione decent products, now crap

 

I have been a Circuit City Roadshop Manager & Best Buy Lead Installer/Manager. Been some years since I was with them but lately in the bast few years it has been amazing at the drastic changes both companies have went through with thier product changes.

When I was with Circuit for 3 1/2 years they never changed thier product lines. The only change was that they brought on Polk Audio. They maintained Alpine, Pioneer, Sony, Panasonic, MTX, and Bazooka. Wiring was strictly Streetwirez. Security was Viper, Clifford, Avital, and Alpine. Later they dropped Clifford and Avital which later killed both of them and was ironic that they are now owned by DEI the makers of Viper.

Best Buy had always been the product shifters. For the year I was with them I seen a couple product changes.

Now it is amazing the changes these companies have been going through. I can hardly name the amount of changes that I have seen Circuit go through. Every once in awhile I stop in there for a computer part or something and I stop by the Roadshop department to see what's up. Always a new product line or an old one missing. I seen that they have dropped Code Alarm and have went back to DEI units. I was amazed to see that Best Buy now is a Alpine dealer. I mean Circuit City had always been the Alpine place to go. I can remember like yesterday when everyone was amazed that Best Buy was starting to carry Rockford. Same amazement when Kicker started pumping thier product into Circuit City.

What the hell is going on!!! Us small specialty retailers are just sitting back in amazement at what's happening to us. Forcing us to either promote a not so familiar line or fight in the trenches and figure out how to beat the big box store out. Kind of hard to do sometimes when the competitor can purchase truck loads of product at a discount and offer a great price in reflection of the money saved by doing so. If you're overstocked in one store of a product then just ship it to the other location lacking it. Thats kind of hard to do in the small specialty shop.

The problem being caused by the big box vendors taking the specialty items is that they put the foot on the neck of us small guys. Creating a teritorial battle that we usually wind up loosing unless we get creative. This just makes the none name brand items promoted more. Not many people take their vehicle to Circus City or Breast Buy to have a custom install done. They are just the in and out guys. Us specialty shops take the time, show our dedication, make sure the customer comes back instead of just taking the money and saying pull the car around back. Both Circuit and Best Buy have done away with thier commisioned sales guys. No drive to push the product...just collect the check.

 

I agree that the service is not that great at the Circuit City's and the Best Buys, however this is where the small guy's over come the big guy's, service after the sell.

On the other hand, the big manufacter's want to sell lots of product, where they sell it does not really matter to them, it is all a numbers game and it is big numbers they are looking for.

The quality of the product is the responsibility of the manufacturer, not the retailer. The service after the sale, is the responsibility of the retailer.

I do not mind spending extra money for quality service and maybe a little extra for the product, but when the price difference is fifteen to twenty per cent for big ticket items, I will have to look at the "big box stores" and either install it mayself or pay an installer. I perfer to purchase and install from the same business, because it becomes a blame game and then there is no winner.

As far as big box stores and internet retailers, what is the difference to small local retailers and installers.

 

You know it wouldn't even suprise me that half of the sellers on ebay are the manufaturers under a different name.

 

Eclipse used to prtotect dealers by not letting anyone sell thier thier stuff online and distrup market territories, now CC has a nifty ecom site. I'm sure the prices on there will destroy local comp.

It wont be long before walmart is selling this brand.

 

Damn...that might **** off RoadGear and Sparkomatic....lol

 

Makes perfect sense though. Think of all the people who will walk into a major store (i.e. Circuit City) and drop cash on a "cool" sound system without a second thought.

Oh God...all the rice burners!