Is Your $150 led light really $150? Or are we just suckers for bright lights....

A certain SST50 light from Hong Kong that's being retailed for $150 by US dealers can actually be had for $100 if purchased with a minimum of 5 pieces. So, are we suckers for buying flashlights from dealers at those inflated prices?

Buy them both and find out.

Noctis said:

Buy them both and find out.

Click to expand...

These are the same lights. The point I'm trying to make here is why must dealers be making such a big margin on these lights when they are just middlemen?

sounds reasonable to me. i was actually thinking the light would cost around $80-$90 when bought in bulk.

also, its not like a dealer sells a hundred of a certain light everyday. if that was the case, lower profit margins would be acceptable.

i used to work in wholesale, and profit margins were very slim, but its about moving quantity.

This is bussiness ,everyone want earn money ,the more,the better!
lovecpf

Whether you're a sucker or not has less to do with the person selling it for $150 (open up a store at that same location and you will probably have to do the same thing) as it has to do with whether or not buying it locally with faster shipping and better and more convenient customer service is worth $50 to you.

If it's not worth $50 to you then yes, you are a sucker, but if it is worth it to you then no, you are not a sucker.

So, now I'm curious...are you a sucker?

Personally, I try to take anything sold outside the US with a grain of salt.

The fact that there are some clones out there that are so close in appearance to the real thing makes me even more suspicious.

For the most part, I try to restrict all my purchases from US sellers only. Not only do I get the things I ordered 2-3 weeks faster, I don't have to put up with any "Made in China" crap.

If however the product in question is already Made in China, I see no harm in getting it directly from the source.

If however we're talking about US made products like Surefire or Malkoff from a source in China or Hong Kong, there's going to be enough salt to shrivel up all the slugs in the world.

Welcome to the world of retail sales. Pick any item you desire and shop around and you will most likely find that retail prices vary by a significant percentage margin. I worked for a large national retailer for two years when I was just out of college in 1980. I learned a lot about mark ups and the need to truly shop around for the best price.

But do keep in mind that service counts also. I will pay more for if I can see that either the quality is clearly better or the service provided is worth the added cost. Think about automobiles that way. Yes, you can purchase the cheapest one, but can dealers who are unerpricing their competition provide the best in service when you need it? Service (Having the right people, training, and equipment) is expensive.

Some people justify a huge margin as cost for customer service. How much customer service do you need for a flashlight? A flashlight that needs plenty customer service is probably a piece of junk.

Flashlight_Bug said:

Twhy must dealers be making such a big margin on these lights when they are just middlemen?

Click to expand...

You've never run a retail business, have you?

Flashlight_Bug said:

Some people justify a huge margin as cost for customer service. How much customer service do you need for a flashlight? A flashlight that needs plenty customer service is probably a piece of junk.

Click to expand...

As I said in my post you determine whether you are a sucker. I didn't say service was worth $50 and if it's not don't buy it from a place that charges $50 more.

You can't open up a store and sell them for less so it's not that your local store is ripping you off. If you don't need service and aren't worried about longer shipping times and any issues related to returning the light then you don't have to pay more and buy it locally. Everyone has those two choices you laid out.

Some will make different choices without becoming a sucker. I wouldn't pay $100!

Where I really get angry is when a dealer sells a 20$ flashlight for 80$ and describes it as high quality/performance super bright flashlight :scowl:.

rayman

mike.s said:

You've never run a retail business, have you?

Click to expand...

It has taken this incisive post, from a new member, to get right to the point and illustrate the futility of the OP's question.

This purpose of this forum is for the discussion of flashlights. It is NOT here as a conduit for criticisms of business practices, whether good or bad - there are other places where such topics can be aired.

Thread closed.