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Fax: (617) 390-7764
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Phone:
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| HOME The Piano Book Annual Supplement Ordering Info | |||||||
| Consulting New Piano Pricing Guide Service | |||||||
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Note: This service is for new pianos only, not used. Buying a piano is something like buying a car--the list price is deliberately set high in anticipation of negotiating. But sometimes this is carried to extremes, such as when the salesperson reduces the price three times in the first fifteen minutes, until it is barely half the sticker price. In this and similar situations, the customer, understandably confused, is bound to ask (in exasperation) "What is the real price of this piano?" First the bad news ...The bad news is that there is no "real" price. In theory, the dealer pays a wholesale price and then marks up that price by an amount sufficient to pay his or her overhead and produce a profit. In practice, however, the amount of the markup can vary considerably from sale to sale depending on how long the inventory has been sitting on the floor (racking up interest charges); the dealer's need for cash at that moment; the competition for that particular brand or type of piano or in that particular price range; and by how the salesperson sizes up your situation and your willingness to pay. You may buy the piano for close to the dealer's cost, but the next customer, not knowing any better, may purchase the same brand and model at full list. Over the course of many sales, the dealer, one hopes, will make the profit required to stay in business.And now the good news ...The good news is that, with some exceptions, the majority of piano sales do fall within a certain range of typical profit margins. The range will vary from brand to brand (and other factors) and so a knowledge of the market is necessary to estimate it. Over the years, we have gained this knowledge through our contact with hundreds of customers, dealers, technicians, and industry executives, and we are happy to share it with you through this New Piano Pricing Guide Service. How it worksYou supply us with the brand name and the exact model, style, and finish of new piano you are considering purchasing, and we will send you our estimate of a reasonable and typical price range for that model. This exchange of information can take place by fax, mail, or e-mail. No phone orders on this particular service, please. The cost of this service is US$25.00 for the first three pianos requested ($25.00 minimum), plus US$5.00 for each additional piano. Payment may be made by credit card, PayPal or, if by U.S. mail, by check. We handle these orders within 48 hours, usually quicker. [Note: You may find it most cost-effective to purchase the Annual Supplement to The Piano Book for $16.95. This volume gives current "list" prices for more than 4,000 new piano models, along with general advice on how to estimate actual "street prices."] How this service will benefit youThis service will help you negotiate a fair price for your piano. You will know whether the dealer's starting price is too high and how much of a price reduction might be reasonable to expect through negotiating. This information can potentially save you thousands of dollars. It will also give you the peace of mind that comes with being in control of what could otherwise be a nerveracking experience. Some disclaimersOur estimates are based on our experience and judgment, not on statistical sales data. In addition, in this business there are always lots of exceptions to the rules. Therefore we cannot guarantee that the information we provide will be right for every situation. We do, however, believe it will be enormously helpful in most cases. ... Our information is gleaned from around the nation, and so the prices we provide are not specific to your particular geographic area. ... Price ranges for very expensive, rarely-sold pianos can be so broad that the information we provide about them may be only marginally useful. ... It is assumed that the pianos for which information is being sought are offered for sale in the U.S., and the prices we give are in U.S. dollars. Canadians may find the information useful after translation into Canadian dollars, but there may be differences in import duties and sales practices that will affect retail prices. ... This service is for new pianos in current production or only recently discontinued, not for used ones. What to doComplete and submit Pricing Guide Form #1 (for electronic submissions). Or, if you prefer to submit by mail or fax, download and print Pricing Guide Form #2, and after filling it out, fax or mail it to us. Or e-mail us and ask us to fax or mail you a Pricing Guide Form. Or some other combination we haven't thought of. Here's how to reach us:Brookside Press Fax: (617) 390-7764 One more thing ...If you require:
then you need our Piano Purchase Consulting Service |
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New
Piano Pricing Guide Service