gebhardt02 I would like to relate a story about my experiences with one of your competitors and offer some un-solicited advice, which is not something that I normally do.
I had purchased multiple copies of an Alpha Scope manufacturer's products in the range of 2 to 2.5 years ago. They have a well deserved reputation for offering some of the best, top tier glass in the world. They were all the rage back when I bought mine and there was a waiting list, the wait being protracted because they were/are manufactured in Germany and have to be imported.
When I purchased mine, I did so with an authorized distributor with impeccable credentials. I have no beef with them whatsoever. The fundamental problem comes about because of one of the most idiotic and ridiculous "sales/marketing" ideas that I have ever seen. When I bought my scope(s), I paid damned near retail for them. There were (and via the hangover effect, even today) complaints about the "first to second revolution bump", mushy-ness of the clicks", etc. Over time, they appeared to have resolved these issues, but as I had what had become "older" units, my scopes now were perceived (real or imagined) as being "less desirable". Self-admittedly, I made no effort to contact the US sales arm of the manufacturer for resolution/upgrade, as those particular complaints never really bothered me, at least in the manner in which I was using the scopes.
In order to boost sales, the US sales organization (I assume, but wherever the decision was made inside the organization is of no consequence to me) decided it would be just a dandy idea to give 50% off of retail price of their scopes, if customers purchased one of their sister company's rifles. With the snap of a finger, my scopes were worth less than 50% of what I paid for them, and even less than that, given that mine were "used" and of an older, less desirable vintage. So, my very significant investment in this manufacturer's product was worth in the neighborhood of 35 to 40 percent of what I paid for them, literally, in the blink of an eye.
I cannot fathom how anyone could struggle to understand how that move on their part wouldn't severely and intensely dilute their brand and severely piss off their older, more loyal customers, myself included. As a side note, Dillon Precision has done something similar in terms of bone headed moves with the recent obsolescence of their XL-650 and introduction the XL-750. The 650 has been a fine machine for over 20 years. Dillon just diluted their 650 customers value in their quest for greater sales of the "new and improved" 750.
I was pretty well disgusted with the scope manufacturer and not real happy with Dillon. I swallowed hard and sold the scope(s) for very significant loss, in order to partially fund purchase(s) of your product. Upon initial introduction to the marketplace, I was intrigued by your product. Having taken delivery of multiple copies of your product, I am delighted with them.
My caution to you is to protect your customer's investment. You are selling a Mercedes Benz like product into the top (financial) tier of the marketplace. Do not make the same mistake of diluting your brand by offering ridiculous prices, or frequently obsoleting mature products that your customers have paid top dollar (and then some) for.
As far as the other scope manufacturer ? I will never purchase another product of theirs, ever again. I don't want to find myself in the same position with ZCO. Some may respond to this post and say that I did not have to sell at such a significant loss. They wouldn't be wrong, but that is missing the point. The value of the other brand of scopes that I had will never recover because the market has since become flooded with the 50% off scopes. The sales/marketing 50% off decision is probably viewed as a success inside of their sales organization, but that success was bought at mine and many other customer's expense. And, to top things off, the distributors (that I'm sure were also holding stock) got screwed because they had no mechanism provided to them to compete with the factory direct 50% off program.
As far as I'm concerned, the other manufacturer can go fuck themselves. I'm done with them. Forever. I'm not a fan of the astronomical prices that are being charged for Alpha class scopes, but I'm much less of a fan of being screwed by the manufacturer that I paid handsomely for their product. I can't imagine that the distributors that got screwed by them feel much different.
Protect your brand, protect your customers.
