I have to rant

[Neutron]

I'm not for suing people, but in this instance it just seems like DISH being Goliath is just bullying it's dealers with BS lines of "we don't set MSRP" crap. Heck, the bad press alone would be worth more than a settlement.

I really do hope DISH will own up to this and reimburse the dealers for the difference.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Dish DOES set the MSRP, I got the chat recorded, on the screen when they announced the new pricing it said "NEW MSRP"

Again email Jim Defranco directly and let him know how you feel. Its the best we can do. And Jim if our reading this I am sorry for giving out your email address, but you made the mess, you fix it.

 

[Neutron]

I can understand them wanting to drop the price but I think it would have been in their best interest and for the dealers' best interest to have given them warning in advance.

DISH has gotten crappier and crappier in the past few years it seems like. I can see why dealers like Directv and hate DISH.

 

[ShadowEKU]

yes... if i ever decide to become a dealer or installer i wont be dealing dish.... and if i do it will be with no inventory... someone wants something ill call disha nd get it.

 

[kcook01]

I think this is a ridiculous situation. I have no hard feelings towards dishstore because I know they are in an awful position. I am absolutely pissed at dish. 9 years of being a loyal customer and a week after purchasing I lose 300 bucks.

I thought I had a resolution they would agree to: Upgrade from Top180w/HBO/locals to Everything Package. Shouldn't be a great cost to dish and will make me a happy customer. They responded that if I upgraded to Everything package they would waive the DVOD. And this was the Executive office. What a deal. Same deal anyone could get I do believe.

is this still being negotiated with dish or is it a dead issue?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

DishStore is still working with Dish, however with the weekend we do not expect to hear anything until Monday.

 

[Neutron]

Something tells me that DISH knew in advance about the price cut but didn't bother to tell any of the dealers.

I do hope that the DISHstore does get a refund for this, along with everyone who bought a 921 in the past few weeks.

 

[kcook01]

Is my request for programming upgrade for a year that outrageous?

Top 180/HBO/Locals -> Americas everything for 1 year.

I am upset at this point that I have had to spend this much time worrying about something that should have been resolved with the retailers as part of the announcement or at the very least with one call to the Executive Office.

Just my .02.

 

[Unthinkable]

caveat emp·tor Audio pronunciation of "caveat emptor" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (mptôr)
n. The axiom or principle in commerce that the buyer alone is responsible for assessing the quality of a purchase before buying.

Caveat emptor [L.] (Law), let the purchaser beware, i. e., let him examine the article he is buying, and act on his own judgment.

kcook01, Did you get in writing that you would have price protection which would cover you for ___ days following the sale? Thats part of being a well informed consumer.

 

[kcook01]

30 day satisfaction guarantee.

But my issue is not with the reseller - they are simply a channel that is provided pricing and programs from the manufacturer.

I am in sales and have customers that I call on direct and customers that I rely on our reseller to distribute our equipment. I have been in this situation before and I do not put the burden of resolution on the reseller if I the manufacturer elect to drop price on the good. Every situation is handled uniquely but it is never the reseller getting bloody over the deal. We always are creative in resolving either by a refund, a credit or a reduction in maintenance price because we know that if we don't take care of the customer he will end up purchasing next time from somewhere else.

I appreciate where you are going with that but I don't agree that this issue isn't as simple as buying a " normal" consumer good. This is a relationship with a company that I as a consumer have a continued relationship with as I write a check to Dish every month. I don't write a check to dishstore every month. But I do have the option to discontinue writing this monthly check to dish and break our 9 year relationship.

 

[kcook01]

Since you've got me on a roll. If you'll give me the liberty I'll add one more comment.

In a normal manufacturing company with distribution channels, the resellers have a pricing desk where they can get quantity purchase discounts, special incentive pricing, etc. There are programs distributed to the resellers as a whole like the one for the 921 based on certain economic considerations that go into these programs based on economic decisions, quarterly numbers, customer base, end of product life and other factors that drive these special programs and are signed off on by senior management.

I would be embarrassed to be senior executive at dish and release a program like this without taking into consideration the frustration expressed by my retailers and my end user. Especially, because anyone that is even considering a 921 is my "bleeding edge" customer that is both loyal and vocal. You have to protect these people because they invest heavily in your company and will help push you to the next level. The "follower" group will follow the group if the technology is sound and the price is right. This is the point we are at right now.

I also know that there is a customer satisfaction team that should have been engaged on Thursday when Dish figured out that a portion of this group is unhappy.

So, shame on senior management at Dish to not consider the position they have put the reseller in and the backlash they will receive from their loyal customers. A strong channel distribution is fueled by cash. A channel will want to walk through walls for you if they are making money. If not, forget about it - they will push a product where they can actually make a living off of.

A strong company would have after announcing the price drop to the retailers would have followed it up with: As a value to our customers that you have sold 921's to over the last XX months we are offering HD subscription offer free of charge for a period of 1 year and/or programming upgrade". If that was said I believe we would be on a different forum wasting our time

I'm off my high horse but thanks for listening. Just my .02. ken

 

[Stargazer]

The problem is with such a large reduction in MSRP no matter when it would have taken effect there would have been customers mad about this whether it would have been this past week or a month from now. If the retailers would have gotten a heads up then they would be the ones blamed. What would the retailers be able to do at that point? The price would have to drop sooner or later. Perhaps if they would have done it a little at a time then it would not have been so bad, perhaps $50-100 per month.

 

[Unthinkable]

I do honestly feel bad for the people who were burned by the latest 921 price drop, but you do willingly accept that risk anytime you make a purchase with a credit card without first verifying whether you will have 30 day or more price protection guarantee should something like this situation come up. The moment you say to yourself, "I like it at this price, I've got to have it now, here is my CC#..." you take that very risk. We can pass the buck and play the blame game all night long saying its so and so's fault, but ultimately situations like this can be prevented with homework being done in advance, patience, discipline, and an insistence on buying from someone who will cover you if price drops do occur right afterwards. Sad thing is though, we see thread-after-thread posted on a daily basis in the Dish Network forums from regulars routinely salivating over the prospects of better hardware deals for existing subscribers and when the price finally drops in half on their flagship HD receiver, we wind up with folks burning Dish Network at the stake for their efforts to make their technology cheaper to everyone. You just can't win sometimes when people complain bitterly both ways. On any other board, this outstanding news would be greeted with open arms by subscribers everywhere. Here its met with "damn them all to hell". Again, no disrespect intended to the folks who were burned so far, but its ironic how even good news gets KO'd and deepsixed before it ever has a chance at times in a sea of endless Dish Network negativity.

 

[kcook01]

I don't disagree with the last responses (perspective is everything) and I do feel that long term it is a great move for dish to gain footprint and increased customer base. $300 bucks is a lot of money for the priveledge of owning a 921 for 1 week. Bad timing on my part.

I just think it could have been handled a lot better. I do find it hard to believe if the tables were turned there would have been similar DirectTV customers "dancing in the streets" if they had purchased the week prior to the announcement. We all work hard for our money.

 

[Hall]

So Dish is selling an HD-DVR for almost half the price of their competitor and people are bitchin'... Granted some *stores* will honor a lower price within 'x' days of you buying an item, but that's the store's policy, not the manufacturer of the product. If the price drop were $10, 20, 50, maybe Dishstore.net would (could) honor the lower price. $300 ?? I'm sure no one expects that difference to be honored.

If you buy a car for $20,000 and the week later, the car maker lowers the price $2000, well, that sucks, don't it ?? You think the dealer will give you $2000 back ?? Hah !!

People who've been wanting a 921 surely think this price is the greatest thing that's happened for them. Now they can finally buy one... Oh wait, maybe Dish will drop the price $50 more next week. I'd better hold off... You bite the bullet and move on. Get over it.

 

[kcook01]

You don't get it, hall.

It's not buying a car. It's not buying a cd player. It's not buying a receiver.

You figure it out.

 

[Hall]

Nope, I sure don't.... Just like the people who complain that they had to *buy* their DirecTV or Dish receivers years ago. No one held a gun to your head and *made* you do anything. People *chose* to, on their own free will.