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From: hodas@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Josh Hodas)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Jasmine's New Printer
Message-ID: <9935@netnews.upenn.edu>
Date: 14 Apr 89 23:50:51 GMT
References: <7728@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> <2792@pegasus.ATT.COM>
Sender: news@netnews.upenn.edu
Reply-To: hodas@eniac.seas.upenn.edu.UUCP (Josh Hodas)
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Pennsylvania
Lines: 35

In article <2792@pegasus.ATT.COM> ech@pegasus.ATT.COM (Edward C Horvath) writes:
>From article <7728@phoenix.Princeton.EDU>, by clye@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Christopher Lye):
>> ...Also while the $3500
>> is attractive, its the one that is quoted in all the ads from 
>> Jasmine itslef. 
>
>> Does anyone know of any retailers that are selling it for considerably
>> less? I expect there to be at least a couple.
>
>Not likely: much of Jasmine's competitive pricing comes from the fact that
>they only sell direct (the local dealer agreed to get one for me only
>because AT&T does a lot of business through him).  Originally J didn't even
>accept credit cards...
>
>=Ned Horvath=

While this used to be true, at about the time the BackPack came out Jasmine
started setting up dealer policies (I know because I enquired about them).
The margins were a bit slim, but not abismal. This is why, as you'll notice,
many of their current prices are not nearly as competitive as they used to be.
This has happened to many similar outfits that discovered the benefit of 
a dealer network.   Recently Hardware House went all the way and totally 
removed itself from the mail order business.  Their products are now available 
through dealers under the label Maxess (sp?).  

Josh

-------------------------

Josh Hodas    (hodas@eniac.seas.upenn.edu)
4223 Pine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104

(215) 222-7112   (home)
(215) 898-5423   (school office)