Is MAP pricing for Atlas new?

[ryan_wilkerson]

Was looking at MTS and noticed a MAP price. Is this new for Atlas?

[mu26aeh]

Its the first time I seen it used for Atlas.

[BCR751]

MAP ?????

Doug

[Scottl]

I just saw MAP pricing for the Kato OH set on MBK. 

[peteski]

I just saw MAP pricing for the Kato OH set on MBK.

Kato has been using the MAP for probably around 10 years now.

Here is an explanation from Brooklyn Locomotive Works site:
Kato has adopted a MAP pricing policy so that prices may not be advertised. You can click on the "Map Pricing" logo above for an explanaton of what this means. To find BLW's price on these items, please click on the "Reserv" button below right. Your shopping cart will show a "free" zero deposit reservation. Your card is not charged until the time of actual shipment when standard shipping/handling charges will be added to the order.

MAP stands for "Minimum Advertised Pricing".
Why "MAP"? To quote Kato, USA.
"... we have determined that we shall not support advertising ... or promotional materials that have the effect of diminishing or detracting from the perceived value of Kato products. We have implemented this MAP policy to preserve our reputation for providing customers with high quality and valued products. The MAP policy has been established by Kato USA to help ensure the reputaton of Kato USA as a producer of precision railroad models ... while also helping to promote and maintain a healthier and more profitable retail environment."

Why does BLW adhere to MAP Pricing policy?
Kato states, "Intentional or repeated failure to abide by this policy will result in termination of dealership ... and the retailer will be prohibited access to purchasing future merchandise through Kato USA ..." Enough explanation?

So how much will an item cost?
Since we are not permitted to openly display pricing of new or recently introducted Kato product on our web page, we ask that you "enter our store" by clicking on the appropriate "Add" or "Reserve" button. This will add the item in question to your shopping cart.   That will show the BLW's price for the item.

[wes_sutton]

It is only applied to one model type for Atlas, the FMC boxcars.

I would suggest it is just an in house error by MBK.

There again it was seen on the internet so it must be true 

[Maletrain]

Seems like a policy that is likely to back-fire.  The manufacturers' "list" prices are so much higher than "street" prices that they will be squelching sales if the potential buyers see only "list", or nothing, when scanning a list of items.  Some will just keep going.

Besides, reputation is built on product quality, not price.  If it doesn't work well and look good, it is not going to sell well, no matter  how much they jack-up the "perceived" price.  And, if somebody gets a good price on something that looks good and works well, they certainly are not going to think that it is less-good because they didn't have to spend a lot of money to get it.

And, if they start trying to crack down on the work-arounds (like putting something in your cart to see the price and then deleting it), they are going to drive their retail sellers  nuts, and lose that sales channel.  But, if they don't stop the work-arounds, then their policy is just an ineffective nuisance.

[mu26aeh]

Kato has been doing this for years, it's nothing new in general.  Been that way on Kleins and BLW.  You want the price, you put item in your basket.  If you don't want it, you remove it.  No problems.  As asked by OP, it's new to Atlas. 

[Maletrain]

Seems to me that "no problems" getting to see the discounted price = the policy not really having the desired effect that was stated as the reason for the policy.

People who already know Kato quality and street prices will probably "click" on "ad to my cart" to see what the discount price is.  But, then, those are not the people who Kato seems to think might get the wrong impression about their quality.  Kato seems to be worried about the uninformed people who only look at sales flyers, in print or on-line, and make judgements based solely on advertized price and maybe the picture of the item.  Some of those people might get the impression that they are not going to get an acceptably (to them) low price on Kato items and not bother clicking on every item that catches their eye to see if they are wrong.

[Atlas Paul]

Was looking at MTS and noticed a MAP price. Is this new for Atlas?

We have been doing this for a while now, but it is only on the first release of new tooling.  You may not have noticed it if something previous was not in your interest.

[ryan_wilkerson]

Thanks for clarifying Paul. Very excited to see these new box cars, and the two intermodal well cars and containers.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

We have been doing this for a while now, but it is only on the first release of new tooling.  You may not have noticed it if something previous was not in your interest.

Ugh. MAP sucks Paul.

"Click to see the price" is just a waste of everyone's time. The world is trending toward greater transparency, not less.
I don't see the point of annoying your customers.

[Philip H]

Piling on ...

I never agreed with Kato's MAP pricing justification.  Kato's reputation for high quality items isn't enhanced by keeping up a publicly and artifically inflated "price."  Its enhanced and maintained by having good quality stuff that runs really well and is well executed.  don't believe me - look at what used Kato gets on the secondary market.

And so it will be with Atlas products, particularly the Gold series.  I'm fine with posting an MSRP on the Atlas site and asking retailers to do the same.  But - in keeping with other recent discussions here - you loose respect points from me for taking your excellent products down the Kato MAP pricing rat hole. Atlas' reputation won't be enhanced by doing it.