[pianotech] Steinway parts list

[David Love]

I should have said the benches Steinway sells are at the retail price at
which Jansen suggests they be sold.

 

David Love

www.davidlovepianos.com

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of David Love
Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2011 7:36 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Steinway parts list

 

The problem is that Steinway's policy is vague as are their practices about
who they sell to. This is true of some other manufacturers as well. I can
think of two recent cases where non technicians (pianists) that I know
bought sets of hammers. Looking at Steinway's price list at things like
artist benches, they represent a price that is compatible with the retail
price at which Jansen sells the bench (it's a Jansen bench with a Steinway
Logo on it). Non technicians or account holders may also buy those as well
as items from the Steinway boutique with a credit card in hand. The account
requirements seem more aimed at setting up a billing policy than qualifying
a potential and regular buyer.

While Steinway thankfully doesn't publish the price list on their website
the information and items are clearly available with a phone call and so
doesn't represent a wholesale price policy in the true sense like Jansen or
Schaff, for example. It puts those of us who use the business model
suggested in an awkward position and I, for one, wish they would either
clarify or tighten up their policy.

That being said I agree that sending the price list out in a public forum
was bad judgment whatever the copyright implications are. 

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com
(sent from bb)

  _____  

From: Israel Stein <custos3 at comcast.net> 

Sender: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org 

Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2011 06:57:35 -0700

To: <pianotech at ptg.org>

ReplyTo: pianotech at ptg.org 

Subject: Re: [pianotech] Steinway parts list

 

Wim,

Now that's as level-headed an approach as I have seen. Suppliers the bulk of
whose business is to the trade have policies that favor this clientele, and
allow them to make a profit on their products if they so choose. Some
suppliers who do also sell to the public (for example, auto parts and
building materials suppliers) have different price structures for the trade
and for the public and make great efforts to keep the wholesale prices
secret. We are all familiar with the Jansen catalog which quotes retail
prices for your customer's benefit - but then gives you the price you pay in
confidence. 

Steinway? If they wanted their parts prices made public, they would post
them on their website and save themselves a whole lot of trouble and cost.
Do they care that if some ambitious amateur or do-it-yourselfer manages to
buy some parts directly from them? Probably not. They do what any supplier
who is focused primarily on selling to the trade - release the price lists
to their clients and not to the public, basically to enable their clients to
make a profit on the products if they so choose. Common business practice.
Will they go after someone on copyright violation because they published
their price list? I sincerely doubt it, there is no harm to Steinway here,
though technically there might be a violation. The only harm is to those of
us who might be negotiating a price on a rebuilding job - and the client
comes armed with a parts list. And yes, as Wim writes, some clients will go
to the ends of the earth to find out this information and come to the
negotiation armed to the teeth. Fortunately for us - there aren't that many
of them. So let's not make it easy for them by spreading this information
around public lists. It only harms us. If a technician needs the information
- send it privately, or refer them to Steinway. 

Israel Stein 


On 11:59 AM, tnrwim at aol.com wrote: 

Perhaps Steinway has a strict policy on who may buy their parts, other
supply companies have very lax policies, and allow the public to buy parts
over the counter. These supply companies sell Steinway parts. 

 

I agree that we should be able to make a profit off the parts we sell to our
customer, as I say in my book. However, there are some technicians who have
opted not to do that. A customer who wants to go to the trouble of looking
up wholesale price lists, will also go to the trouble of calling enough
technicians until he finds one that does the work for the least amount of
money.

 

Wim

 

 

 

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