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#51828
MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) set for dive shops
Greg - 12/08/2008 6:39 PM
Category: Survey
Replies: 105

Many scuba gear manufactures set prices that their authorized dealers can’t advertise below, this is called MAP...Minimum Advertised Price. In many cases, the MAP prevents dive shops from competing with sources like Ebay or other online gear websites that buy second hand and sell for much less. In some cases, the dive shop may sell you the gear at the same low price...but they are not allowed to advertise that price in any promotional material or online store. This may severely limit their customer base and prevent them from visibly competing with other sources.


Do you feel it’s fair for manufactures to impose a Minimum Advertised Price that authorized dealers must advertise their gear for?
#311
mjarens - 3/28/2009 1:16 PM
[Choose #2] This practice was used in the industry (not diving industry) that I used to work in. MAP is a lousy deal for the authorized dealers, and cannot really be policed anyway by the manufacturers. Manufacturers shouldn’t control the market.
#673
WTXDIVER - 1/17/2009 6:40 PM
[Choose #2] Greg This is done in the Ag industry as well and I suspect in every industry. I don’t think its righ
#598
bobfish - 1/15/2009 2:15 AM
[Choose #1] It’s thier product
#1602
LONGTAILBDA - 1/08/2009 8:18 PM
[Choose #1] It’s their product but many shops can and do match it is just min advertised price.
#2935
mo - 1/04/2009 8:31 AM
[Choose #3] It’s illegal here in the UK for a supplier to dictate pricing advertised or not
#276
DiveAuz - 1/01/2009 10:55 PM
[Choose #3] If you dont ask for the deals dont expect to find them.
#2209
rustymich - 12/30/2008 6:15 PM
[Choose #3] you should be able to sell it at what you want...
#3066
mukashi - 12/22/2008 8:17 PM
[Choose #2] It sould be left up to the dive shop!!
#3942
aircarl - 12/17/2008 1:47 PM
[Choose #3] There is an interesting article on this here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resale_price_maintenance
#1613
AirOn - 12/15/2008 5:07 PM
[Choose #3] Most often find asking for online price matche a no go . MAP has no bearing.
#3062
Indiana - 12/12/2008 7:36 PM
[Choose #2] what happened to free market
#560
ScubaShackInc - 12/12/2008 10:48 AM
[Choose #1] without it, a lot of small businesses would go under
#355
firediver57 - 12/11/2008 3:54 PM
[Choose #1] If you don’t like MAP prices as an authorized dealer don’t agree to be authorized or find another li
#2598
MatavaFiji - 12/11/2008 3:14 AM
[Choose #1] RRP is standard retail practice. As private companies they can require what they want. Think APPLE
#4377
Catman - 12/10/2008 2:55 PM
[Choose #2] They should choose what profit the make on an item !
#2276
dwightfrie - 12/09/2008 2:02 PM
[Choose #2] why shouls the manufactures care they get their cost regardless
#1215
reefrunners - 12/09/2008 1:01 PM
[Choose #2] In the 70s Levi’s had a MAP with there Jeans, Jc Penney’s lost there authorized dealership and Levi
#13
wyodiver - 12/09/2008 11:10 AM
[Choose #2] MRSP would be a preferable alternative
#2884
NDepthScuba - 12/09/2008 10:39 AM
[Choose #1] Keeps the playing field level
#33
Marsdive51@aol.com - 12/09/2008 10:16 AM
[Choose #1] It’s only Fair that the dealer’s to do what ever we can to stay a-float, Hard times are here, and it
#193
AWMDiver - 12/09/2008 9:45 AM
[Choose #1] Manufacturers should police it better. MAP will actually encourage competeition not stifle it!!
#281
ohioyscuba - 12/09/2008 9:18 AM
[Choose #1] Most other retail industries use a similar pricing scheme.
#28736
RAWalker - 12/08/2008 11:46 PM
[Choose #2] It goes against a free market system. If the LDS purchases gear then it’s their’s to set price
#83
unclejoe - 12/08/2008 11:00 PM
[Choose #1] Small businesses cannot compete when there are no MAPs. Internet dealers would drown us (pun inten)
#153
Rambo13 - 12/08/2008 10:21 PM
[Choose #1] If you want Brick/Mortor stores to stay open. Stores can’t stay open selling air.
#13
la59486 - 12/08/2008 8:10 PM
[Choose #1] If retailers don’t keep their profit margins at a reasonable level they go out of business.
#20
MJ - 12/08/2008 8:09 PM
[Choose #1] This option is suppose to be a failsafe to prevent dealers from undercutting each other.
#6537
MonkeyDiver - 12/08/2008 8:02 PM
[Choose #1] Yes, that is why it is called free enterprise! Both seller and buyer have choices.
#3936
seawolfdiving - 12/08/2008 7:43 PM
[Choose #2] I think it would better serve the industry to institute "MWP" min. wholesale price from manufacturer
#385
toodive4 - 12/08/2008 7:21 PM
[Choose #2] It’s killing LDS’s and ripping off consumers
#1030
scubabum - 12/08/2008 7:14 PM
[Choose #1] Due to the increased overhead supported by dive shops, they can not be expected to compete with inte
#4573
lars - 12/08/2008 7:09 PM
[Choose #1] You get the warrantee
#36
dpitalo - 12/08/2008 7:04 PM
[Choose #1] Working for a dive shop, I feel it is necessary for manufacturers to have a MAP program.