Hopefully everyone can understand and appreciate the comments made
by Mr. Bates regarding the policy about not using the DUG site for
price comparisons and things of a similar nature. This makes
perfect sense given that Yamaha sponsors and maintains the DUG
user's group and, as Terry Smythe points out, Yamaha have a
responsibility to their vendors as well. I'm pretty sure that Mr
Bates' comments were intended only for the DUG site. Mr Bates was
presumably not singling out any one individual, just seizing the
opportunity to bring this matter to the attention of the many new
subscribers. Also, I'm guessing that Mr. Bates is fully aware of
the many other resources available to Disklavier owners and
potential owners related to price comparison. All the more reason
to restrict this activity from the DUG site, which is intended more
for technical and educational matters, etc.
As a Disklavier owner, I find the DUG site and the Yahoo Disklavier
File Swappers site to be invaluable resources. In fact, I
originally joined both groups to better educate myself before making
my first Disklavier purchase. At the time, I was contemplating
buying a used Disklavier, and was even considering a
refurbished `grey market' Disklavier. Like many before me, my
purchase decision was largely dictated by my available budget.
Although I was comfortably pursuing these options, in the end I
purchased a new Disklavier. My final decision was largely
influenced by reading the various emails received through DUG as
well as searching through the many emails available at the
Diskalvier Files Swappers site. The emails and information were not
propoganda and/or sales pitches. Rather, the information served to
point out a number of considerations and new Disklavier features
that I otherwise would not have known about.
Beyond information related to purchasing my fist Disklavier, I also
find the DUG site a great resource to get quick information on
technical matters. I am very grateful for Yamaha's participation
and find a great deal of comfort knowing that I have ready access to
technical resources and can usually expect to receive a quick
responses from one of the many `experts' that participate in the DUG
site and the Disklavier User's Group. I dread the thought of having
to sort everything out on my own. As I become more skilled in this
subject matter, I will be glad to help others in any way I can.
Robert LeBlanc
--- In disklavier@yahoogroups.com, "Todd Muncy" <inbox1@m...> wrote:
> For the record: There are no restrictions on discussing pricing
(or
> much else) in this Yahoo group. I will defend, however, Yamaha's
right
> to ban such discussions from the email group they sponsor and pay
for.
> It is a manufacturer's duty to do everything possible to support
their
> dealers and help improve their profit margins. Would you sign up
as a
> dealer for a company that posted your product cost data on their
> website? I think not.
>
> Conversely it is our duty as consumers, to seek out the best
available
> deal. There is, in fact, a "What I paid" database on our group
website.
> Here's the link:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/disklavier/database?method=reportRows
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/disklavier/database?
method=reportRows&tbl
> =2> &tbl=2. Currently 120 members have posted information there
to help
> others make comparisons. Since we now have 1,100 active members,
most
> of whom own disklaviers, I encourage more members to post their
> information there. I suggest checking this information first,
rather
> than lazily posting a "how much should I pay question" to the
group.
> You may or may not still a have question to post, but it will be a
> little more focused. It is also fine to post "piano for sale"
or "piano
> wanted" type notices, but be sure to include a personal email link
> within the body of the posting, so all interested parties can
continue
> the discussion with you off-line. Remember, if you just hit
the "Reply"
> button, you are responding to all 1,100 members, who get too much
mail
> already and don't want to follow your private negotiations. Just
post
> the final sale info into the database. I'll also guarantee you
that a
> lot more than 1,100 disklaviers buyers and sellers hanging around
on
> e-bay and your results will be much better there.
>
> If you are new to this group and have simple questions that have
> probably been asked before, you may want to search the message
archive.
> All 3,339 postings, dating back to our founding in November 1999
are
> available and there is a search tool. Searching for the
word "price"
> matched hundred of postings. "DGC1A" matched 34 postings. You
get the
> idea.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ejduke2000@a... [mailto:ejduke2000@a...]
> Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 8:44 AM
> To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com; Disklavier-owner@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [disklavier] Re: Hang on a minute...
>
> I have the same problem understanding the groundrules. When I
joined
> the group I was encouraged to post purchase prices on the web
site. I
> find Mr. Bates to have lost touch with the intent of sharing
information
> on the Internet. He seems to be slow on the uptake understanding
the
> world is a global market and not a collection of independent
regional
> markets. Sharing of prices and buying experiences is the norm.
Most
> manufacturers and suppliers have recognized this and encourage the
> exchange. Yamaha...welcome to the 21st century. We need not go
back to
> the old ways.
>
> Ed Duke
>
>
>
>
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> To Post a message to the group, send it to: disklavier@Y...
>
> To Post a private message to Todd Muncy, the group's founder and
> moderator, send it to:
> disklavier-owner@Y...
>
> To reach our group's web site go to:
> http://Yahoogroups.com/group/disklavier
>
> Todd's family web site was completely updated 01/15/03. It
contains
> some fun disklavier content and links to midi sites among many
other
> things, The url is:
> http://MuncyFamily.com
>
> THINKING OF LEAVING THE GROUP?
> If you are thinking of unsubcribing because you are getting too
much
> mail, go the the web site and change your email delivery option
instead.
> That will fix the problem, while maintaining your access to the
group.
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> If you insist on leaving us completely send a blank email to:
> disklavier-unsubscribe@y...
>
> Know someone who wants to join? Have them send a blank email to:
> disklavier-subscribe@e... or give them this link:
> http://Yahoogroups.com/group/disklavier/join
>
>
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