porque SUZUKIs são "caras" nos EUA

de um email do harp-l. Prá gente se lembrar de como funciona antes de só reclamar do preço da gaita...

I'm not defending suzukis prices because it seems high, but also consider that there is always 50 to 100 percent markup in anything you buy in retail whether it is an iPhone or clothes. I know someone that sells designer jeans for 100 bucks and pays a few dollars for them. I think retail clothing markup is the most offensive.

But there is a reason for this. Suzuki USA is not suzuki. They probably buy them at 80 cost from Japan. Then they have to mark it up to make a profit. If it is not 20  to 30 percent or more you cannot stay in business. You have thousands of dollars on the line in inventory, employees to handle service and orders, taxes, etc. the markup has to pay for that. Every business works this way. Even in harmonica. Now Suzuki buys tons of these harps but they don't have the manpower or reach to get them out there... They have to make it attractive for dealers to carry it. If a dealer is not making a decent cut they will not carry it and the product won't sell. This is how stores make money. When you are buying from a dealer you are paying for the product, their service, technical support, their time etc. if they only made 5 bucks on something they would go out of business too.

How many times have you called a dealer and asked them questions on the phone? That is their time that needs to be paid for. In my case, most of what we sell we make in house so I can keep prices lower but I just got harangued recently on another forum for the price on an item that we were selling as a dealer. We literally make 15 dollars profit on the thing and this guy was acting like we were raping people. Keeping in mind that we have to buy huge amounts of them at a time so
Money is tied up. I have to take time supporting the product, answering questions, and most importantly what is built into the price is the expertise that I'm offering like in this case the free video on the product I spent hours making. It's not uncommon For me to spend 30 minutes answering questions to a customer about screws. Don't get me wrong I love it, but I cant sell stuff at cost or I would be homeless.

If Suzuki cut out the middle man then you would buy from them direct and likely get no service. No questions no help no love! So keep in mind that you are paying for the service and there is a lot of service required on harmonicas. Maybe not right away but eventually you will suck up their time when you have a problem. I've heard Suzuki is really good on warranties and repair that has to also be worked into cost.

Now, there are certain things that are overpriced. selling cover plate screws at 4 bucks each yes. Best buy stores selling monster cables for 50 bucks when they cost 5 bucks absolutely ( my friend worked there). But most harmonicas have been undervalued and underpriced for years. It's only recently that they are more where they need to be. I think we all have it in our minds that they should be cheap because they were cheap for so long. I know I had sticker shock when sp20s jumped from 18 to 35 bucks but honestly it's ok because i think they are worth that. Consider that nearly every major harmonica company including Hohner and Seydel nearly went out of business and/or had money problems. Why? Harmonicas are too underpriced. Think about What it is. The best sounding instrument in the world with 20 or more working reeds, expensive screws, expensive coverplates, hand tuned...fits in the pocket! I'll stop now.

Matthew Smart