We paid $5090 last year for a BS RNB 36" 6 burner plus $250ish for island trim.

Thats full price you should be able to get a discount from a dealer

Thank you for your replies. I thought it seemed high and this was supposed to be the discounted contractor rate. So much for doing business locally.

Hmmm, I was told at the local dealer that BlueStar has fixed price and is a real stickler about it. Hope I'm not being lied to. Would love to hear if anybody knows for sure what their current policy is.

jasperdog: The price will be higher than what willtv paid as you have a griddle. Not sure how much more but it would be more. Maybe ask for a price with 6 burners just to compare apples.

I paid way less than suggested for my 48" BS back in early 08. However I am in Canada and although we may have laws about price fixing, I do not think so as Miele fix's their price here. A retailer can not give $1 discount on a Miele product here.

At any rate it is always good to shop around.

All,

Just a comment. "Price fixing" has a very specific legal definition and is not the same thing as a MAP - minimum advertised price or having specific pricing structures in a reseller agreement. Price fixing involves collusion from several different manufacturers all agreeing to set prices at an artificial point.

It is hard for manufacturer to sell through a channel if all the channel partners (i.e. resellers) just fight over price and don't add value. This is way many manufacturers choose not to authorize discount internet retailers.

-Stooxie

Here is a link that might be useful: Definition of price fixing

Yes, I didn't mean price fixing but that the retailer had to sell at a certain price.

I was quoted $8135 (? don't remember the number after the $81 for sure - but it's close) for a 48 in with 12 in griddle. $600 upcharge for a 24 in griddle. $265 more for color.

Thoughts?

In my experience, even for price fixed brands (uh sorry UMRP priced brands), the price list often contains 2 or 3 prices for each item so the retailer can act like they're giving you a big break with "contractor" pricing. Make sure you're getting the best price possible.

I guess I will continue to do more research on internet sales. I wanted to be able to shop local, but not if I can find a much better deal elsewhere with no sales tax and free shipping.

For items that are UMRPed, you most likely won't be able to buy them out of your distributor's region - that's one of the restrictions that manufacturers impose. The best you can do is get it out of state, but even then you technically need to pay use tax in your home state.

Contrary to Stooxie's assertion, Retail Price Maintenance and MAP agreements ARE price fixing. The distinction is that they are currently interpreted, generally, as legal in the USA.

They are still price fixing.

There was a time in the US when they were viewed as universally illegal under Sherman, but time and tide (read: Robert Bork and University of Chicago Economics theorists) have chipped away at prohibitions on Vertical Price Fixing to the point where the practice is common in several markets. There are several consumer items for sale in the US now that are only available at one price, the MAP, no matter where one shops.

One imagines that as this monotony expands, shoppers would revolt out of sheer boredom if nothing else, but nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.

I just got a price of $3100 for a 36" range top with six burners. No oven, of course, so the balance of the difference is probably the oven and griddle. Don't know how that compares to other places, but where we live is usually higher than most places so I'd be interested to know how it compares.

Ok, so my citing of currently legal trade practices in the US is somehow wrong, mojavean? JFC. The competition of free trade doesn't HAVE to be in the reseller channel. If a vendor only allows resellers (who 99% of the time add no value) to sell at a given price then... chose another product! Problem solved.

A manufacturer is not required to allow resellers to erode its margins to nothing.

When I bought my Weber grill I was told by several big home stores that Weber doesn't allow discounts for the most part. I got on the internet and, well doggonit, they were right. Everyone sold it for the same price. So guess what I did? I bought it for that price! What's the problem? I didn't get an opportunity to screw someone out of some profit?

-Stooxie

The problem is, of course, that once all manufacturers do it it means an end to pricing competition in the retail market, where all of us consumers supposedly shop. A key facet of competition in the retail world is price. As retailers optimize efficiency and leverage those efficiencies into pricing, consumers benefit through lower prices,

In any case, I wasn't contradicting your assertion that the practice is generally viewed as legal right now, only your statement that it wasn't "price fixing." It is price fixing, (read your own link to verify) but since it is considered to be a vertical market price manipulation, the courts have held that the practice is not, per se, violative of the Sherman Anti-trust act.

I was merely pointing out that as the practice spreads (and it is, rapidly) I think consumers will begin to get angry about no longer being able to price shop a particular model of, well, anything; a time-honored practice in America, last time I checked. Theoretically, if the practice is, in fact, perfectly legitimate, there is no reason to suppose that car dealers could not be forced to sell for sticker price only by the carmakers, every model of television the same price no matter where you shop, every camera, computer, six-pack of beer, etc.

The notion that suppliers in any market have the natural right to dictate pricing to independent businesses no matter the downstream consequences of those mandates is really a radical departure from historical precedent in this country. Our markets have traditionally been regulated, and in the past, vertical market price fixing of the sort represented by resale price maintenance schemes was considered flat-out illegal. In fact, there is no guarantee that the Supreme Court couldn't overturn Leegin tomorrow were any of the several appliance manufacturers currently practicing RPM brought into court. But in this era of corporatist prerogative and consumer serfdom the likelihood of that happening, as well as the likelihood of Congress addressing the issue, is small.

Here is a link that might be useful: Further reading on resale price maintenance

There is obviously some variation in pricing because I've been quoted a different price for the same 6-burner range that willtv bought. I was quoted a price of $5,243.00 for a BlueStar 36" RNB366BV1 and $245.00 for Island Trim IT36V1.

"Right ON" Mojavean!!!!
It's Price Fixing!

As much as I like my Jenn-air Fridge,(a 48" built in) that I paid $4588 for in 2006 (yeah I got a deal back then)
((It wasn't price fixed)), and the retailer was very happy to sell it for that!!!! (Didn't note any sobbing as He wrote up the Order)!!!!!!
Price is a "Ripoff" today!!!

That same Fridge (or very similar) will cost you $8000 or more today! Whirlpool bought JA and price fixed them.
Some "Long Timers" here, may recall that I said that would happen, ---- basically I said the other Fridge manufactures would take a look at SZ's prices and price their fridge's accordingly, and so they have!!!

Of course SZ, Gag and Miele have since increased their prices, since then, Gag over 40% since that time-----after all these manufacturers have to charge more than Whirlpool, dont they???

One more example of what price fixing does for you folks,
(yeah, I know some hate "car Examples" but this example "Illustrates" what price fixing does for you (Especially for people on a budget)---(who are always my prime concern).
So "Here Goes"!!!!

Sold my 98 Accord V6, 200,000 miles (Terrific car)!
Check engine light comes on--EGR Valve, but valve is new!!!
So after Googling, I find the problem is a clogged EGR port.
It's a 10 minute job to clean it, (need proof)???
Watch the link that I supply at the bottom of this post!

So I call my local Honda dealer, I get a price of $99 (Not Great but better than $500 that I had seen some ppl on the net say they were charged.)----so dummy relates this to the
service guy at that dealership----the guy says, "I better double check that number", (He does, and comes back with a price of $359) just to clean it, NO PARTS!!!

So I call the next closest Honda dealer (without disclosing the formentioned info), He quotes me $300!!

So if you do the math, you are being charged from about $3000 - $3600 per hour to have your Honda pass a smog check.

How are they able to do this, They all have that "Helpful Lil Book" that's called "`"Thou shall charge this for that"
A "Price fixing Guide"!!!!

So this ol 69 year old guy hasta clean his own smog valve
"To avoid the Wonderful World of Price Fixing" that our
"Illustrious Friend" here, so much enjoys!!

Needless to say, I will report these findings to the
Calif Air Quality Resources Board, hopefully that will get some action!!!!!!.

Sorry for you folks that are having to pay outrages prices for appliances, There's nothing we can do to help you, Either Pay it or "Switch brands"---(harder to do as more and more manufactures are) ---
"Saluting that Flag that SZ and others have run up that pole!!! and with "Our Govt's blessing, and Stooxie's.

Gary

Here is a link that might be useful: Honda EGR Port Cleaning

Opppps I meant to write clean the EGR Exaust port,
NOT the Valve, which is new and clean!!!

Seems like the connection from brain to typing fingers is
"Not what it usta be"---Sorry for THAT!!!

Gary