[LynxFX]

I know this has been discussed alot, more like complained about, but I was wondering what the true markup, profit, is on these bulbs that cost ~$500.


Accessories are the biggest joke in retail as many of you know. Cables that cost $60-$80 retail can go for $8 wholesale. Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, etc do not make their profit by selling you computers. They make it by selling you a $2 printer cable for $30, and a $6 surge protector for $50 and a 10 cent mouse pad for $20 plus a 3 year service plan, but that is a whole different storie. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif


Anyway I belong to a club where you can buy products from furniture all the way to electronics at true wholesale dealer prices. I was going to see if I can get some quotes on how much these bulbs truly cost stores. If I find out that I can save a good chunk of change on replacement bulbs would there be anyone interested in getting a discount? Just give me the model number of the projector as well as the bulb product number and I can see if I can get them through this club. Right now they are working on getting me quotes for some NEC projectors (150, 155, 156) and it caught them off guard. Apparently around here, they aren't a popular item. But I should have a quote on that by tuesday and hopefully the same people will have replacement bulbs. I'm sure ~%30 LT150 bulbs would make some people happy.


If by any chance there is little to no markup on these, well then that just flat out sucks. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/frown.gif

 

[RobertWood]

Quote:

If I find out that I can save a good chunk of change on replacement bulbs would there be anyone interested in getting a discount?

I think you have asked the one question, LynxFX, which will get exactly the same answer from everyone who partcipates in this forum. The answer is a unanimous resounding Yes. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif


Bob


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

~ The Sultan of Cheap ~

 

[shahram72]

I'' bet there is alot of markup on bulbs.


If you're willing, would you email me with some information on that club? I have been trying to find a source to do some side internet business with, or maybe just some good deals for myself if they don't sell in reseller quantities.

 

[aviman33]

Lots of markup I'm sure. My company makes a product for $.30, we sell it for $.80. I seen it in a large retail chain recently for $4.50 each. Look at USB cables, Circuit City sell then for $20, I went across the street to Cyberwharehouse and got the same cable for $10.00. However, even $10 is $9 to much, since they were made in China for less than a quarter.


Jon

 

[DanHouck]

Man, I'd love to get Sanyo bulbs at wholesale. Who wouldn't?


Press on! http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif


Dan

 

[jsmin]

find out and let us know. I am sure that many would be interested, and I am sure some will be pissed, but oh well, free country.

 

[ssj2]

I'm interested -- NEC LT100. I'm curious not only as to the markup from wholesale, but what the actual production costs are of these bulbs.


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

Steve

 

[Jeffrey]

It probably goes without saying, but don't forget about us Dila owners. You could sell 100 lamps today if the price is right. I think just about every avenue has been travelled in this quest, but good luck anyway!


Jeff Streitz

Iowa City, IA




[This message has been edited by Jeffrey (edited 09-10-2001).]

 

[dhanson]

Well, I'm not sure that they are as cheap to build as you think. The problem is that they are all unique, with custom-built housings.


Now you've built an LT-150, and you anticipate selling 10,000 of them. So you set up a manufacturing process to build 10,000 bulbs, plus you figure maybe 30,000 more will be sold before the projector becomes obsolete. So all these molds, materials, assembly lines, and such have to recoup all their costs in 40,000 units. That starts to define what the per-unit cost will be. And god knows how much it costs to have those high-pressure bulbs made in the first place.


Projectors and accessories are a fairly mature market. Projector bulbs are probably priced with a pretty good margin, but not for the wholesalers. Because if the wholesalers had a lot of margin to deal with in the first place, you'd see price cutting all over the place.


The manufacturers of each bulb essentially have a monopoly, because if you own the projector you have to buy their bulb. So if there is profit to make, they're going to make it and not the distributor.


The situation with high bulb prices won't change IMO until, A) the price of replacement bulbs becomes a significant competitive factor in purchase decisions, or B) someone starts making after-market replacements.


Just my opinion.

 

[luvmytivo]

Not to me mr. negative, but you'll probably find that the manufacturer takes the biggest 'markup' of anyone in the chain on this particular item. It's not exactly a razor/blades relationship, but they do have a captive group of clients. Sofar none of the manufacturers have been willing to step up to the plate and sell them cheaply enough to make a difference in anyone's projector purchasing decisions - certainly we consider it, but they haven't made the bulb price a feature. We probably won't see this until pjs are a commodity item.


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

Darren Rogers


NEC VT540 & HTPC in my stealth theather

 

[Whitey]

I would get the LT150 for my first HT projector, if it wasnt for the $500 bulb.


I could deal with $200...


Now if there was similar price/perf unit out there with a cheaper / longer lasting bulb, I would sure like to know!

 

[3.1415926 pi]

By all means!!! Follow up on that price. I'm sure you'll see that many of us would be willing to purchase if the price were right.

Thanks for your efforts.

Cheers, VB

 

[Jonmx]

I believe the LT150 lists for $495, but mot people are selling it for more. The cheapest I have seen it is at a sitecalled topbulbs for $425


[This message has been edited by Jonmx (edited 09-10-2001).]

 

[LynxFX]

I figured that the mass would like to know. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif


The club is actually one of those wholesale places that can not do any advertising and they themselves, do not make a profit off of you. Instead you pay a $1500 to $2000 membership fee that lasts 3 years then $100 for each year after. Most are labeled as furniture stores, or warehouses yet they won't have a showroom. What happens is that they have shelves of all the manufacture's pricing books that retailers by from with their price. So you find what you want and get it for the same price that Best Buy would buy it for. Electronics are usually as a whole marked up on average of 30% give or take. The biggest advantage to a club like this is if you are building or remodeling your house. Furniture has mind blowing margins. Imagine getting a $3500 leather sofa for $800 and in the custom color you want that even the store couldn't get you.


The place I'm with is called U-S Direct and it is located here in Denver. They have around 10 locations around the states. The way I found out about it is that I had a flyer on my car that gave an address and a chance to win a car. I went, sat through their hour long spiel and tour and signed up. That is basically how all of these places get new members so don't just throw away those gift cards. They only give you one chance to sign up and if you pass you can not come back and sign up later. I did find another club that does the same thing here and it was called Custom Home Design.


The downside to the club is that you have to wait for shipping. Sometimes this can take up to 8 weeks. For furniture you are getting it right off the production line and sometimes they build them just for you. Those can take up to 180 days to receive as furniture is usually only made in bulk 3 times a year.


I do hope that these puppies are marked up some because even though they are all custom with not many being made, I still find $500 hard to swallow. We really do need aftermarket bulbs made, or a universal style to really make the FP market more competitive.


I just left a message with my price hunter and asked him to look up the price for the LT150 bulbs. If he can find that one then I'll start asking for other models. I should get the info by tomorrow. I'll keep everyone informed.


Jason

 

[DanHouck]

Jason:


You de man! Make sure you find out if there are any price breaks for quantities, then a power buy can be organized here for each bulb type. I think you'll be amazed at how many people here will order bulbs if the price savings is serious.


Dan

 

[LynxFX]

Due to todays tragic events I am unable to get prices and won't be able to until hopefully tomorrow.


Prayers go out to all the families and victims in NYC, DC and those aboard the airliners.

 

[LynxFX]

Bad news.


Just got off the phone with my rep. Very little markup on bulbs. The ones for the LT150 are $450. I couldn't even find the projectors cheaper than what some retailers are selling them for. I guess now we all need to really hope for aftermarket companies to start producing bulbs cheaper or that will last longer than say 1000 hours.

 

[Dizzman]

what you will soon see is a standardization on the lamp modules in projectors. ( a bulb is a thing we plant in the ground) With slide projectors in the wayback past, there used to be different models for different machines, then everybody decided to copy the market leader, (KODAK) and suddenly all machines used the EXR lamps and the price dropped like a stone. then Ushio made alternatives to standardized sizes that were even 40% less.


For bonus trivia points... who knows what the Kodak Bright light alternative was?

 

[Jonmx]

The best deal than is Dell for the LT150 bulb....$485 with 20% off if you get the coupon for first time Web customer. You may have to call if not.

 

[LynxFX]

This site has them for $475 if you can't get the Dell deal. http://www.nextag.com/norob/ClickTra...2961&chnl=main