Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!sdd.hp.com!hplabs!hpfcso!hpfcbig!gary From: gary@hpfcbig.SDE.HP.COM (Gary Thunquest) Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds Subject: Re: HP95LX Prices Message-ID: <1010018@hpfcbig.SDE.HP.COM> Date: 3 Jun 91 19:22:34 GMT References: <1991May21.210213.22692@netcom.COM> Organization: HP SESD, Fort Collins, CO Lines: 37 >>| >>Also, what do HP employees pay? Yes, I _am_ that nosey. >>| > $595.00. You d*mn real customers are buying so many 95's, >>| Huh? If the street price (via 800 Lane and Discount Ave.) is >>| somewhere between $500 and $550, what is the incentive to wait >>| and buy it at the company store? Do you get financing, mileage >> It might be hard to believe, but the company (HP) really does >>not give us a great deal on purchases of PC or calculators (through the >>employee purchase program). When people ask me to get them a >>discount store and it will be brand new (Employee purchases might be >>refurbished units - yes even the new products {they take the prototypes >>and repackage them and sell them internally or to employees}). > >Well, I don't know what division you work for, but my roommate got his 48SX >and 128K memory card for HALF list price (better than Educalc or ElekTek) >from his cousin (HP employee) and they were both definitely new when he got >them! Other HP employees that I know have also told me the internal price >is 1/2 list. I can see why availability might be limited right now, but >the prices are definitely right! You've missunderstood: $595 is our price because that's the best price available outside that is *actually* shipping (or at least it was at the time). In general, employee price on hardware is discounted 47%, but some of the calculators have a smaller discount. I have not seen what the employee price for the 95LX is, but since it probably has some royalties paid to Lotus, I would expect it's discount to be less (usually 47% discount is on the HP developed portion only). I am just speculating though! Also, buying internally means I *may* get a refurbished unit. It depends what's on hand. But, all of this is academic right now. When I tried to check into buying a 95LX internally, they laughed! I think it's going to be a while, and everyone here who really wants one is ordering from the standard mail order places. gary #include