Steinway is now distributing a .PDF file of their price list. The last one I got I printed out so I could put it in the back of my Tech. Ref. Manual. They told me the other day that a new one would be out soon. I offered to scan Schaff's price list when they produce it and make a .PDF file and let them distribute that. The man I talked to said he didn't think their computer system could handle that! If they would do that they'd find there is no printing cost, no postage cost, and updating would be many times faster and easier. Yeah, I get frustrated with Luddites! I guess if the-way-we've-always-done-it is such a major part of the business philosophy they'll never change. dp David M. Porritt dporritt at smu.edu -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Brad Smith, RPT Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2006 6:18 AM To: Pianotech List Subject: Re: Schaff Piano price list Hi Greg and List, This issue drives me nuts. I've contacted Schaff, Pianotek and Steinway with the same question....When will and why don't you put your stuff on an ecommerce site so we can order easier? They all declined in one form or another. Some enterprising supplier will eventually figure this out, and get ALL of my business. Since Chad took over the Steinway parts gig, at least you can now get a spreadsheet from him of their price list. (Shannon wouldn't do it, saying she wouldn't give her information out ) ?? I don't mean to start a philosophy discussion on the merits of guarding a sacred document like a price list....personally, I have no problem explaining that my industry offers pricing to technicians, just like any other industry. My plumber can get a baseboard heating unit cheaper than I can....cuz he's a plumber. I get it, no problem. I've even thought about creating my own product database from all the suppliers, and selling access to it for a modest fee. Think of that, you could click to hearts content and create a customized order, which you could then fax/email/send to the appropriate suppliers. How much time have I spent, flipping through the index, the catalogs, then the price list to create an order? Aaaahhhhh!! What would you pay for access to a super convenient ordering system? What if you could compare cost scenarios of different suppliers/configurations, and easily create accurate rebuilding quotes reflecting the use of different parts, etc. ? Is it worth pursuing? Inquiring minds want to know. On 4/4/06, Greg Newell <gnewell at ameritech.net> wrote: > Thanks David. I wish they would put this stuff up > electronically. Seems like it would be so much > easier to click on something to add it to the > shopping cart and have prices automagically update. Maybe someday. > > best, > Greg Newell -- Best Regards, Brad Smith, RPT www.SmithPiano.com II III II III II III II III II III II III brad at smithpiano.com 603-494-4147
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