Ecotech (Radions) and AI merging??!!

[Aqua-Digital]

The reefbuilders vote is nothing more than a popularity contest. This goes for all their votes, it has zero reflection in the actual performance of the product

For example The Mitras considered globally to be THE most advanced LED on the market where GHL has won industry innovation awards in Germany lost out to an unknown in the same vote as it is not main stream, it has a more select market.

[AquaticExpressions]

I agree with you but in the US reefbuilders is a huge part in the deciding factor of which light to go with...

[AquaticExpressions]

If it wasn't why would ecotech or AI put the reefbuilder awards on their boxes when they won?

[Aqua-Digital]

why would they? Any free marketing is good marketing

Reefbuilders - it actually has a very small fan base on the whole scheme of things, more magazines are read monthly. Reefbuilders has the internet reef geek audience for sure, but that counts for a fraction of the NA marketing arena.

[Myka]

So I was talking with a friend about this merger, we've come to the speculation that the merger allows for three beneficial points in the view of AI and EcoTech and it all comes down to money:

1) Buying power. Lower cost to produce = bigger margins.
2) Elimination of price competitions. Either avoid lowering of prices due to competition or possibly the next generation of modules will have higher pricing. No need for price wars = bigger margins.
3) Technology sharing. Maybe the modules will become more interchangeable via controllers, etc.

It will be interesting to see what happens with the next generation of modules and/or the next year of marketing, whichever comes first.

Originally Posted by Aqua-Digital

Reefbuilders has the internet reef geek audience for sure, but that counts for a fraction of the NA marketing arena.

This is a good point that is easy to forget. I frequently remind myself that the online world is just a fraction of the people that actually have marine aquariums.

[Madreefer]

Everyone can speculate. From any merge that I've seen it's usually not good for one of the companies involved. But I don't have a business degree so I'll leave it at that.
Ecotech products: overpriced, good product, not the best reliability and good customer service
AI products: reasonable pricing, good product, fairly reliable and poor customer service.
Be interesting to see the changes or if any at all.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Madreefer

Be interesting to see the changes or if any at all.

I think we as consumers will see very little change.

I know retailers are hoping for better margins as both the AI and the EcoTechs have very small margins and no bulb sales to make up for it.

[Madreefer]

Originally Posted by Madreefer

AI products: reasonable pricing, good product, fairly reliable and poor customer service.

I'd like to retract this as they finally got back to me with good results. They did'nt respond to voicemail from a couple of weks ago but responded within minutes this morning via email