[Link: amazon.com]

Not as an Authorized Internet Reseller, according to the URC Professional dealer locator.

And does it matter? Many, many people will buy them from thier because of a super cheap price (below most dealers cost when there's not a sale).
And where..... are they getting them from to sell that cheap. Amazon sure aren't building the MX850 themselves. And at that price, they are NOT buying them from dealers moving product sideways.

What ever!

Only if you care about getting warranty coverage.

Mike

Caveat Emptor!

Point is URC is *still* failing to control their supply chain. Most people, believe it or not, do not go to a company's website to check if a dealer is authorized before buying a product. ESPECIALLY if that retailer is a well-known name like Amazon.com. Maybe, at best, they will read a couple of reviews (which will likely be positive). At a price like that, some certified resellers are going to be upset if this kind of thing keeps on.

-aedile-

That's the main issue IMO. Amazon is able to get them at a price below dealer cost, probably through a deal with a distributor. I would lose money selling them at that price with free shipping and I buy direct from URC.

Logitech did the same thing a few years ago with their Harmony remotes, so only the big boys can make any money selling them.

We'd all lose money per unit selling at that price. It affects authorized e-tailers like Mike much more than us but it still comes up every once in while with a "price conscious" client (trying to be as PC here as I can). I wonder if amazon is actually the seller and in physical possession of the product? It seems some of the items for sale on the site are sold and/or shipped from a third party other than amazon.

And want updateable software.....

Wow, Mike, I had no idea margins were so thin on these remotes. To me it would be worth paying the extra $28 from your store (to my location) to get the warranty and updateable software. And I like Amazon for some stuff, but this is also a chance to support a small business and a guy that offers free tech support and info here on a regular basis.

That's what it's all about and hopefully more people share that logic. After all, who at amazon or "bobs online discount sewing machines and remotes" is going to help you out with support after the sale.

They are the seller in this case. They always state in the ad if it's one of their resellers. Whether or not the product's drop shipped from a distributor is another question. Fortunately, I don't rely on online sales of MX-850s to make a living. ;-)

Thanks for the support, Chad.

This is great advertising for Amazon. That means URC sells lots of old remotes.
Resellers and dealers complain. URC and your distributor gives you the same tired line of "Sell your Service" and how most customers don't know how to use their computers. URC never answers if Amazon is really authorized or not or where they are getting their inventory.
Amazon is the kind of company to have minimum a couple of hundred remotes for sale.

I feel bad for the resellers who trust URC and who actually make a living selling their remotes. Not everyone is retired ;).

If selling URC makes you little to no money and destroys your credibility with customers, then why sell it?

I agree Joe. We sell URC at full MSRP and are definately on the high side for programming fees. It's all about how you present the package and the benefits.

The problem with going into panic mode over being undersold is that those who are buying this remote on cheap wouldn't use a CI in the first place. And those customers who want to save $10 on something are the kind of customers to avoid like the plague. They take more of your time than the clients who'll lay down the dollars -- and they're usually bigger dinks when they do it. If they are that concerned about saving $25, why on earth would we think they're going to spring for an extra $200 on programming?

Unfortunately, distribution theories have changed with the advent of the internet. Attempting to restrict the supply pushes this kind of consumer to another brand. I guess you could argue that URC is diluting the products image, but most consumers have no clue to begin with. If you present them with a remote you're selling for $400, they'll think it turns things into gold.

Like Mike said, the margin on these is razor thin in the first place. You're not making money selling the 850, you're making money selling a solution. To quote tweeterguy: "It's all about how you present the package and the benefits."

It severely hurts your *(seller's) credibility. No one is in "panic" mode over a single occurence. It is a consistent pattern over the last couple of years compounded by lots of software issues across the line. There are plenty of Online Sellers and Ebay consistently making any margin seem ridiculous and greedy. No matter how it is spun, it is hurting those who sell their product at or near MSRP. Those people are propping up the price while URC clips them by selling direct to Amazon. This is business, but those installers need to understand that URC is not behind you and this is consistent with their behavior over a long period of time.


So URC sells to everyone and installers are supposed to prey on the clueless. That is a morally repugnant thought and mirrors the view of a hateful customer. Contrary to popular opinion there are lots of competent and ethical dealers out there. They just want a business relationship they can trust. Just to rub some salt in the wound, Harmony can keep track of every single remote sold and can deactivate them. Their distribution methods appear to be something URC is following.


In the end, the margin has to come from somewhere. You cannot sell everything at cost and frankly cost is not good enough for many. Take a wild guess why the elitists and the warehouse stores are the ones succeeding.

I just think it should be pointed out to dealers, URC is not behind you. Good Luck.