Bigbike Dealer Explains Double Pricing

[coolfusion]

So i am looking at bike prices on different websites and i see a nice ZX10 on Mocyc dot com for 250k with no book and then i see the exact same bike on classifieds.thaivisa.com... for 290k no book...hmm me thinks this is suspect , so i send them an email and this is the funny part , checkout out the reply i got back.

Me thinks it tis a wee bit smelly.

quote from the dealer below

The reason for the different prices actually very simple and is widely practiced around Thailand: Thais and "Farangs" don't have the same negotiation preferences. Usually a foreigner will not buy a bike if there is no discount, and a rather large one at that. A Thai will.

So please don't be offended, and the price is not there to rip people off, it is there to provide a negotiation basis.

If there is anything more you would like to know, please don't hesitate to contact me or have a look at my website.

Best Regards,

Pon

Edited July 25, 2009 by coolfusion

[sukeroku]

Although personally I am very fond of dual pricing, I find his explanation plausible.

[JUDAS]

Just goes to show, you can't trust anyone Tinker. I'm guessing that's the guy from Hua Hin?

[coolfusion]

Just goes to show, you can't trust anyone Tinker. I'm guessing that's the guy from Hua Hin?

They frown on naming and shaming here , hence i have left out the details.

[coolfusion]

Although personally I am very fond of dual pricing, I find his explanation plausible.

Plausible if we were talking about maybe 10k difference but 40k..c`mon man.

[bojo]

If Pon is a Thai which I assume he is, he is obviousely very experienced in dealing. He has given an honest explanation and would that still be considered dual pricing? He has a bottom line he will go to and I bet it would be the same if a Thai or foreigner made the offer, with maybe just a touch of local discount for his own.

I have experienced in the UK on many occasions customers making an offer on a vehicle and walking away if they didn't get a discount. It makes sense to price higher to clinch the deal. I don't have experience with Thais in the same manner but judging by his reply, it wouldn't surprise me if it's true. Thais also tend to go for finance and really don't give a dam_n about the price as long as they can drive out the door with the vehicle. They will worry about paying later.

[sukeroku]

You've persuaded me with your insights. I now think he should revamp his pricing to reflect a true love for the two-wheeled motorized sportsman, regardless of where he is from.

[neverdie]

Yeah right, talk about SPRUNG!

Keep up the good work CF.

[sukeroku]

Why not name and shame? All aboard for funtime...

[gragra]

PM the details and I'll out him...!!!

[coolfusion]

Your a bad boy Mr. Gragra....i did leave a clue , Google is your friend

Edited July 25, 2009 by coolfusion

[Zzinged]

He has a bottom line he will go to and I bet it would be the same if a Thai or foreigner made the offer, with maybe just a touch of local discount for his own.

So then why wouldn't he just advertise it as 290K everywhere and dole out discounts where appropriate?

[coolfusion]

update: ive just found the same bike on bahtnsold for 265k as opposed to 290k on TV so he obviously thinks there is more suckers reading TV...

[bojo]

He has a bottom line he will go to and I bet it would be the same if a Thai or foreigner made the offer, with maybe just a touch of local discount for his own.

So then why wouldn't he just advertise it as 290K everywhere and dole out discounts where appropriate?

Maybe because with a higher price he would frighten off most Thais, but not the hard bargaining foreigners. I guess. Thais know that Thais don't like to say 'no' and they don't like to be told 'no' also. Confrontation is a no no. That old loosing face syndrome rears it's ugly head again.

regards Bojo

[GeorgeO]

He has a bottom line he will go to and I bet it would be the same if a Thai or foreigner made the offer, with maybe just a touch of local discount for his own.

So then why wouldn't he just advertise it as 290K everywhere and dole out discounts where appropriate?

Maybe because with a higher price he would frighten off most Thais, but not the hard bargaining foreigners. I guess. Thais know that Thais don't like to say 'no' and they don't like to be told 'no' also. Confrontation is a no no. That old loosing face syndrome rears it's ugly head again.

regards Bojo

[GeorgeO]

Hi all,

Despite having lived in Bangkok for the best part of six years and a regular visitor (non-member) to the TV website, I recently decided to sign up so that I might make the odd comment.

I just couldn't help but wonder how the vendor in this case would deal with the situation where a farang contacts him saying that he had just seen the bike advertised at Bt250,000, but of course, he would expect to be able to haggle the price down from there.

How does he assume every farang will take up a bargaining position starting from the higher price?

Just my two-penny worth!

[nakedAIR1300]

Tinker, you have WAY too much time on your hands.

[hansnl]

So i am looking at bike prices on different websites and i see a nice ZX10 on Mocyc dot com for 250k with no book and then i see the exact same bike on classifieds.thaivisa.com... for 290k no book...hmm me thinks this is suspect , so i send them an email and this is the funny part , checkout out the reply i got back.

Me thinks it tis a wee bit smelly.

quote from the dealer below

The reason for the different prices actually very simple and is widely practiced around Thailand: Thais and "Farangs" don't have the same negotiation preferences. Usually a foreigner will not buy a bike if there is no discount, and a rather large one at that. A Thai will.

So please don't be offended, and the price is not there to rip people off, it is there to provide a negotiation basis.

If there is anything more you would like to know, please don't hesitate to contact me or have a look at my website.

Best Regards,

Pon

The communication specialist's adagio (or spinner's delight):

If you repeat your message on and on, people will start to believe the message.

If you keep repeating the message after that, even the sender will be convinced of the story.

For me, a typical case of farang pricing.

Forgive me to classify his story as golden, creamy, smelly BS.

Contrary to what this man is spinning, Thai are bigger hagglers as farang.

Why not just put a price tag on it and no haggling?

Much more honest

If the "farang haggler" haggles down the price with half of the allocated "haggling space" the trader will have a nice additional profit.

Nice spinning job, BS explanation.

And I understand the owner is farang too?

Nice job.

I don't think I will ever visit the premises.

Edited July 26, 2009 by hansnl

[bangsaenguy]

Thai don't like to negotiate??? Who's he trying to kid? They bargain over everything

[12DrinkMore]

I get the impression that Thais tend to go for the extras "Kong Tem" rather than to haggle the price down. I guess this removes the confrontation over the price and both parties feel good.

[biker Bob]

There is a ZX10 for sale on bahtsold, it is 290.000 with a green book and Bkk registration. Is it the same?

[biker Bob]

There is a ZX10 for sale on bahtsold, it is 290.000 with a green book and Bkk registration. Is it the same?

Stupid me. I will answer my own question, it is not the same bike

[imaneggspurt]

But !,, would he give the lower price if the FARANG didnt ask for it ?.

[jasreeve17]

Hi all,

Despite having lived in Bangkok for the best part of six years and a regular visitor (non-member) to the TV website, I recently decided to sign up so that I might make the odd comment.

I just couldn't help but wonder how the vendor in this case would deal with the situation where a farang contacts him saying that he had just seen the bike advertised at Bt250,000, but of course, he would expect to be able to haggle the price down from there.

How does he assume every farang will take up a bargaining position starting from the higher price?

Just my two-penny worth!

George,

Your six years of 'watching' should have informed you that logical and / or sensible comments are unwelcome on this website...

The OP highlights yet another dishonest Thai scam artist in my opinion.

[Gary A]

My wife won't buy a watermelon without negotiating the price. Who's he trying to kid.

[bojo]

Personally, I don't know why some posters find this pricing business so offensive and call it the likes of a scam.

The agent selling is a wheeler dealer and is trying to get the best price possible. I consider that normal in his game. I don't see that it matters that he has advertised in different magazines at different prices. I wouldn't call that double or dual pricing as in National Park style where prices are fixed higher for the foreigner. If it was 'national park' style he would have stated that foreigners have to pay more. His reply, I thought was credible enough. A scam in my eyes is when someone is trying to cheat. If someone is naive enough/doesn't have the negotaiting skills to pay a higher price than someone else, is that a scam? Dodgy gems and the like is a scam.

Regards Bojo

[Yoshitaka]

That's why I always shop at places with a fix price policy (like department store & supermarket), even though I know I can get a better deal at local shop / market.

I also stick to western brand to be on the safe side. Avoid anything Asian, especially Chinese and Thai. Remember the contaminated milk? Such thing can only happen in the East.

[bangsaenguy]

My wife won't buy a watermelon without negotiating the price. Who's he trying to kid.

Mine, too. Bargain 20 minutes over 5 baht

[JUDAS]

There is a ZX10 for sale on bahtsold, it is 290.000 with a green book and Bkk registration. Is it the same?

Stupid me. I will answer my own question, it is not the same bike

Not the bike the OP is referring to but I'm sure he knows who's selling that one

[coolfusion]

Not the bike the OP is referring to but I'm sure he knows who's selling that one

I may have an idea alright..