Steve,
I should point out that manufacturers infact do care about the prices retailers sell thier product for. If certain stores lower prices too far, the manufacturer will step in. Retailers slashing prices hard is not in the manufacturers best interest. Why? If stores don't make money on a product, they stop carrying it. Not in the manufacturers best interest.
If certain retailers upset the market with slashed prices, the manufacturers will step in and ask them to raise the price appropriately. It has happened and if you would care for an example, pm me.
I should point out, from a business perspective, no one should lower prices on salt, or any essential item for that matter. People need it, they have to buy it, so they will pay what it costs. If no one slashed the prices on essential items, retailers would make thier money on the essentials, which would bring down the cost of extra equiptment we all know costs too much. It would also translate into retailers being more willing to risk some bucks bringing in shipments from further abraod, which would increase the product and livestock availabilities. See europe for a CLEAR example of this. Why do you think they have acess to sooo much more then us? Simple, they are willing to pay for it.
It might feel good now to get a super deal, but in the end, your only hurting yourself.
Personally, I would rather pay 10X the cost for something I want from a store that is responsible to the hobby, rather then a cost slashing store with poor service that won't be in business in a year and only cares about making a buck.
I anxiously await the aquarium hobby in north america moving towards the status it has in europe as the majority hobbiests attitude matures.
|