Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards What discount would you ask off a showroom piano?

Hi folks,

So the situation is this. I ordered a new Kawai CS-10 digipiano online from a music store. The store seems to have sold the new one I ordered in box to another customer in error. I'm a bit miffed about this. It means there's only one left, but it's a showroom model.

What discount would you ask for, because I will accept the showroom model, but only on the condition of a discount (which I am to negotiate with them) because there is a material change in what my order was for (i.e. new in box).

Please give what percentage discount you folks would accept if you were in my shoes. They shouldn't have made this error, but obviously a money discount is now my priority, or I will order from elsewhere and get a full refund from the store if the store and me can't agree on the discount to be provided to me.

Thanks in advance,
SV

Provided it still enjoys a full warranty and it is in a good condition from the visual point of view, 10-15 percent would be acceptable.

You can start with them making a first step, suggesting you are sorry to hear about a mistake and might accept their display model under the favourable conditions, see what they will come up with.

Another approach is to ask for something to be thrown in at no cost or their cost, such as a bench, headphones, anything you can think of.

Thanks for the replies:

1) Thanks for the discount idea, but I was thinking 10-15% is too low, because it's been a showroom model for some years now, and there's been a material change in my order.

Any other percentage ideas, folks, if you'd like to weigh in?

2) Re stuff thrown in, I ordered it already as a set, including headphones and bench.

I really don't want anything else with it thrown in. Just a substantial discount.

Has this happpened to anybody else?

Thanks for your thoughts in advance,
SV

I don't think you will get a much bigger discount, provided it's under full warranty and looks fine. It's a typical discount for ex-display goods, 20 percent quite rarely. If you are unhappy with this discount you shuould probably just take your money back and buy elsewhere.

Alerique, thanks for your input...I will consider this point.

Hope to resolve this situation soon via negotiations.

Cheers, have a happy Monday...

SV

Relative to MSRP ...
On a brand new piano I would start at 35% off of MSRP.
On a floor model I'd start lower.

Wow, the dealers in your area must be an absolute ripoff if you can get that much of a discount off.

I would avoid buying a digital display model myself. How long has it been there? Digital piano actions do not age well, the plastic parts and lube like to go clickety click after a while.

But if you really want it, go for 20% off and free stuff. You should have quite a bit of leverage here, since they cannot supply what was originally agreed upon.

There are no ripoffs. It's just business.

I think 20% off is a mistake. You'll often see "sales" advertised at 20% off.
So why make an offer at a mere 20% off?

I think this model is now finished isn't it? I thought the CS8 and CS11 had just been launched?
No doubt Kawai James can advise. This is probably why the store cannot get you one new.

Personally I wouldn't buy it. If it is obsolete and an ex-demonstration model it is worth considerably less than the new model that replaces it.

If you had bought it new, used it for a year and were now trying to sell it, you would lose at least 30% on what you paid for it.

Shop models are likely to have had a hard life. It's a beautiful piano, but I would want the latest model, brand new, rather than an obsolete, used, slightly discounted one.

You could try anywhere from 10-20%, at a guess. You'll find out if they'll go for it.

And I'd say you're perfectly entitled to a discount, warranty intact, or otherwise. No way I'd be happy continuing to pay a price agreed for a brand-new digital piano, and ending up with a used one.

Other options, assuming they seem unwilling to discount sufficiently, are wait for them to source another brand new one, and if they can't, surely you're entitled to cancel your purchase / order without penalty, as they're not providing what you agreed to buy (a brand new product).

As others have mentioned the CS10 has been replaced by the CS11. I don't know what price you agreed to pay for the CS10 but personally if the CS11 is going for a similar price I would personally rather have a new CS11 than a discounted, ex display CS10.

I've spent enough time in music stores to see what happens to display models. I simply would pass and get my money back. Also you are being naive if you think this 'mistake' wasn't orchestrated by the store in order to move their display model. This type of mistake just shouldn't happen in any organized retailer.

What you are looking at is most definitely a USED digital piano. You might think being in the store gives it some extra legitimacy, but you don't know who did what on or if it was a staff favourite to demo or tinkle on in the spare time.
In your position I wouldn't give a damn about what that dealer's margin is on that item. Not my problem. It's used and I would look for at least 30% off like other used items if I would consider it at all. 15% is the kind of markdown for manufacturer refurbished, not USED.

I partly agree with clavier_watcher.

Low-end pianos (found in music stores) when sold in used condition can be a wreck. I wouldn't buy one at any price.

But high-end pianos (found in piano stores) when sold in used condition might be in very good condition ... mostly because these stores get less traffic.

But only 30% off of MSRP for USED?
I'd want 30% off of MSRP for BRAND NEW!

There's a lot of margin in these pianos, and they don't exactly jump off the shelves.

You have what the dealer wants: money.
Use the leverage.

Look at it from a completely different perspective. You are doing them a favor to take it off their hands. Your offer: "I'll take just $50 to get this thing outta here for you". Think of it as you doing them a favor!

Tony

The concept of MSRP is not applicable in all markets/countries...