alanhyatt said:
I have a bridge I want to sell you..
All due respect Bowsic. I am not busting your balls here. You have been a good supporter for me and I will would not dis you...You know me better than that, but I know the business.
This is a way to keep the selling price high by not having more than two dealers. Plus when FMR sells it, they don't loose the dealer discounts that are passed on to the dealer for stocking them. So in fact, FMR makes a killing when they do sell direct at retail.
The profit points are good to the dealer...If they were not, the dealer would not invest their money and stock them. At 10% profit, a dealer looses money just based on the overhead costs they have like rent, lights, phone, and all the other expenses involved with running a business. At 20%, a dealer maybe breaks even, especially on an under $500.00 unit. At 30%, a dealer can live with it, and at 40%, they will kiss your ass.
Either way, a dealer is entitled to make money...end of story. They invest a good deal of money and expense to stock, advertise, service and sell these products.
So, this is just a monolopy for the two dealers right now, which is why it is in their best interest not to like any other mic amp in the low cost arena. If I had an exclusive on a hot product...its competition would sound like shit to me! For the record, Jake did not say that.
So if you believe the two RNP dealers are not making any money of the RNP...I have a bridge to sell you. 
Alan,
No need to apologize in advance.
I know you can be very forward sometimes- I don't take it personal. Believe me, I am totally cool about learning how things work "behind the scenes", and have no problems being corrected... but let me clarify something that I should have emphasized (to all): My post was based on information from an RNP dealer. As far as I'm concerned, he was frank about it.
Here some background...
The impression I got from a dealer about the RNP was that they weren't making a whole lot on 'em. This was as a result of my trying to negotiate free 2nd-Day shipping on the unit and the dealer went into how he couldn't do it 'cause he was already offering free ground shipping and stretching a bit by even offering that (not exact words). I'm not complaining at all here; as it was, I was fortunate to be hooked-up with the unit through an arrangement he made, so I said, "no problem" and moved on. I wanted my RNP. Period. Very briefly, a comment was made on how there wasn't much of a profit margin on the RNP, which was why 2nd-Day was not do-able. A general figure was thrown out, which I won't be specific on... but it was close to the figures in my post. I feel a bit uncomfortable even going into it, but I feel the need to clarify this... it's quite obvious by now.
Alan, your point is quite interesting, but it would be good to hear the other side as well. This thread could turn very interesting. I'm sure there are many other reasons why, so far, Jake and Fletcher alone carry the FMR line. I would be careful about associating that with "monopolizing" and stopping there.
Some questions: So who really knows for sure what the mark-ups really are on the RNP, other than dealers? Does it really matter? It sure can, especially to its competitors.
In the long-run, consumers (us) will pay money for products for whatever reason, whether it's Neumann, Stephen Paul, RNP, or heck... even Mackie, even if marked-up big-time. For some, these reasons are justified. For others, it isn't.
You've shed some light here, Alan.
Tread carefully on this one, friends.
Bowisc
P. S. You said you had a T3 to sell me at cost... (was I hearing right)?
