The Musical Instrument Industry

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Yamaha In Trouble With The Office of Fair Trading (28/09/06)

Yamaha were investigated by the oft for price fixing. They were trying to favour traditional Clavinova retailers over internet sellers. A big investigation has been under way for some months now and it was becoming clear to Yamaha that a huge fine (7.5 million pounds) was going to be levied against them for price fixing Clavinova digital pianos.

Yamaha decided to reduce the internet sellers Clavinova trade price to fall more inline with the retailers making it fair again for the public and the .coms. Read the full article here: http://www.oft.gov.uk/News/Press+releases/2006/132-06.htm

Yamaha Clavinova Price Has Gone Up

For years Yamaha UK has been under immense pressure from retail shops in the UK to do something about the selling of Yamaha Clavinova online. Prices for the Yamaha Clavinova has been getting cheaper over the last few years as internet selling and competition has increased. This has been great for the customer looking to get a good deal and save some money on the internet.

Internet selling has been a real menace to shops over the last few years and has disturbed 'the old times' where the music shops would sell a Clavinova with a huge mark up and make as much as £500-£1000 on every Clavinova sale. These days have gone with the birth and development of the internet.

What are Yamaha going to do about this situation? the shops would say. Pestering Yamaha time and time again.
If nothing is done then we will not sell Yamaha Clavinovas any more, instead we will sell another brand!

Well this is exactly what happened over a period of 2-3 years. Many music shops stopped selling Yamaha Clavinovas in protest.
Well, Yamaha decided after many meetings to do something about this because the shops were hassling them every day about internet pricing being too low and they couldn't make enough money out of it! 

Yamaha's Price Fixing Master Plan

In July 2005 (coincidently? the same time as Roland UK unveiled a similar plan), Yamaha unveiled a plan that would protect music shops by inflating the trade price by 10% and offering a full rebate to shops at the end of every quarter, but of course, no rebate to the dealers selling most of their Yamaha Clavinovas online.
Well this has cured the problem for the shops. They can now match any internet price and make a healthy margin as well.

Unfortunately, the losers in this illegal price fixing scandal are of course, first and foremost You the Customer, and the dealer
that had moved forward with the times and was selling on line.

Prices online used to be around 30-31% off RRP but you will find them all now hovering around 20-21% of RRP.
If you do find a bigger discount than this it is because one or two of the "chain retailers" that get this rebate can now
sell for less than the others (if they want to).


If you have any comments about this article please send an email to: thespoiler@hotmail.co.uk

Yamaha OFT info here

Links:
Buy Yamaha Clavinova From Singingchicken.com
Sound Control Product Training

Top Shops
Piedog (www.piedog.org)
Andertons (www.andertons.co.uk)
DV247 (www.dv247.com)
Rimmers Music
Williams Music
Rockingrooster (rockingrooster.co.uk)
Sounds Live (soundslive.co.uk)
UK Pianos (www.ukpianos.co.uk)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q Which digital piano is the most trendy looking?
A Yamaha CLPF01

Q What is the least popular color digital piano?
A Cherry

Q Which is the ugliest looking digital piano?
A Casio PX400 (By Far!)

Q What digital piano has the closest feel to an acoustic?
A Yamaha CLP-280

Q What is the most popular color digital piano?
A Dark Rosewood

Q Which digital piano weighs the lightest?
A Casio PX-110

Q What's the best value digital piano on the market?
A Casio AP-45

Q What digital piano has the most realistic sound?
A Yamaha CLPF01

Q What is the best sounding digital piano
A Yamaha CLP280