Dear Keith,
I'm sorry to hear you feel so bitter about company pricing policy. I'm also
sorry
that you feel you have to "warn" other people against trying to sell their
part complete kits in case they also suffer at the hands of this "policy". I can
honestly assure you, and other Europa builders, that we have not "devised"
a scheme to prevent people like yourself from selling their part completed kits.
The pricing policy you refer to is the three-equal payment option. This was
introduced
to address complaints from builders that, under the three stage option,
the kit became progressively more expensive thereby delaying completion.
To date, Europa have sold over 850 kits. Of these, approximately 300 are flying
- a build to completion ratio that any kit manufacturer would be proud of. We
know from our records that the majority of completed Europas are kits that were
purchased complete. Customers choosing the 3 Payment/Stage option are far more
likely to abandon their project before completing the first stage.
When the three-stage deal was dropped in favour of the three-equal payment
option
(and with the benefit of hindsight) it should have been anticipated that
customers
needing to sell their stage one's would find it difficult because they
had a disproportionate amount of money invested - i.e. a kit initially
consisting
of mainly blue foam components. If this does happen though, all is not lost,
because, providing a new buyer is found within twelve months - the term of
price protection for the three-equal payment option - we can transfer the
balance
of the agreement. Incidentally, you may be interested to know that, of the
350 plus customer survey responses received, not one person complained about
our pricing policy.
Builders reading your e-mail may get the impression there is a personal vendetta
to prevent you from selling your stage one. This is absolutely not the case.
Of the people you refer to, some have contacted me for additional pricing
information
and at no stage have I dissuaded them from buying from you, in fact the
opposite is true. I want to see you sell it so that the buyer will come to
me for wing and fuselage stages. What you fail to recognise is that most of the
people who have contacted you so far actually came to me first. Would you
advocate
me sending all my potential customers to you until one of them buys your
kit? Probably not. And that is the problem isn't it? where do I draw the line.
I did have one customer tell me he was going to order a kit from me - until
he saw your advert. He figured he could save money by buying your tail-kit and
the wings and fuselage from me. Obviously I didn't want to lose my potential
sale and so we agreed a small concession - certainly not the huge discount you
describe. Another of my customers looked at your kit but came back to me saying
that he wasn't convinced by the quality of the work and would prefer to do
it himself - thereby guaranteeing it was done right - his words not mine. I even
told him that, with all PFA inspections complete, he need not worry.
You refer to 'high prices' being quoted for the remainder of the kit. This is
absolutely
not the case, we have a standard list price for wings and fuselage kits
and that is what has been quoted. Someone buying your completed stage one
kit at the asking price of GBP2500 would save GBP2905 off the list price of a
fast build Tri-gear kit.
I don't know how much you paid for your stage one kit because you bought it
second-hand
---From a private seller. What I can tell you is that when your kit was
sold to the original owner way back in 1995 the list price was GBP3378 including
VAT. That means that even if you paid the original selling price, re-selling
at GBP2500 you will only lose you GBP878. Now I know that the value of money
is relative but I hardly think it qualifies as an expensive nightmare and
justification
for such a condemnation of company policy on an open forum.
You and I have discussed this before and obviously you are still not happy with
the state of things. Rather than clog up the forum with further exchanges, can
I suggest you telephone or e-mail me directly.
Yours sincerely
Mark A.Waite
Sales Director
Europa Management (International) Ltd
>>> "Keith Tallent" <ktallent@avnet.co.uk> 02/23/02 03:49pm >>>
Hi Rich
I don't want to worry you but I have had my stage one fast build for sale
for best part of a year now (kit inlcudes everything from books and videos
right down to the digitalscales and workbench).
Incomplete stage build kits are almost impossible to sell thanks to factory
policy ( I have found out that I am not alone).
I have had no less than 7 buyers who have now pulled out after talking to
the factory (the latest one being last weekend after having the van booked
ready to pick it up).
They have either been persuaded to buy a new kit from the factory at a
heavily discounted price or been put off buying all together by high prices
being
quoted to them for the remainder of my kit.
Maybe you will be lucky.
For your info my kit price has been advertised as best offer over 2500 for
some time but I am now accepting ANYoffers.
I am also considering selling the kit piece meal as I have a buyer for the
rudder!
I have even considered a ceremonial burning with press call but I don't
really want to lower myself to that!
As you can tell I am very disillusioned by the whole thing but I wish you
luck.
Keith Tallent
Ex builder no 221
(The dream has turned into an expensive nightmare!)
----- Original Message -----
From: Rich Butler <rich_butler2@hotmail.com>
Subject: Europa Stage One for sale
> For Sale:
> Europa Stage One (Tail section, rudder)
> Fast-Build option (pre-skinned)
> If anyone is interested, please E-Mail me at
> Rich_Butler2@hotmail.com
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