Get your Naim & Focal now - huge discounts...

[Kaynin]

On 1/9/2023 at 1:32 PM, rantan said:

Just IMO, I think there must have been a lapse of reason for appointing A2A in the first place.

They are the ones who are the source of trashing the brand by selling new stock at 40% off AND ignoring our consumer laws by a half arsed "warranty"

Why am I not surprised?

[minireza]

I purchased a pair of Focal Sopra no 3 today - picking them up later this week. Crazy time - thought why not given what I paid versus typical RRP...

[betty boop]

51 minutes ago, minireza said:

I purchased a pair of Focal Sopra no 3 today - picking them up later this week. Crazy time - thought why not given what I paid versus typical RRP...

Snap… yep too crazy, did the same …

 

 

[Kevy]

 

A portable setup doesn’t get much better than this. 
 

Let’s not forget that individual A2A stores (or mine anyway) have always acted with the utmost professionalism to their loyal customers. I’ve enjoyed fabulous service, hours of auditioning whether I make a purchase or not. And spirited discussions about audio and audition notes. 
 

I would have never purchased the Utopia 2022 at full rrp and had no intention of doing so. I went in to buy the Barthys on sale. But after a repeat audition I’m quite content. 
 

I do hope none of this fallout reflects on the individual retailer. 
 

Roon (Qobuz) to 2Go/Hugo 2 to Cayin C9 in class A tube mode. Listening to the Maverick Top Gun soundtrack. Utopia has always been phenomenal with Hans Zimmer 

[Ccollins]

1 hour ago, minireza said:

I purchased a pair of Focal Sopra no 3 today - picking them up later this week. Crazy time - thought why not given what I paid versus typical RRP...

 

1 hour ago, betty boop said:

Snap… yep too crazy, did the same …

 

 

Congrats guys

 

enjoy them in good health (as us greeks say). 

Edited September 5, 2023 by Ccollins

[Audionovice]

I heard that lifestyle store in Parramatta are the new distributors, will take a while to recover from these shenanigans.  

 

[blybo]

17 hours ago, metal beat said:

Perhaps more can understand why A2A are trying their best to now sell at seemingly excellent prices and rid themselves of inventory of a brand they no longer distribute.   It may be the difference of whether they stay in business or not.

Nope, doesn’t make sense to slash and burn unless a deliberate attempt at destroying a brand’s reputation. Whether they are the distributor anymore or not makes no difference, they own the stock and can sell at normal or near normal prices until a new distributor is appointed. Independent retailers aren’t distributors but still want a decent return on stock they purchased. 
 

Fair enough if a stock line has been superseded to clear at discounted prices but this appears to most to simply be a vindictive attempt to make things difficult for the brands in the future. A worrying precedent for the industry. 

[Kaynin]

Yep, true colours are always shown in a situation like this.  A2A have a choice - show respect to other's in the industry as well as their customers who have bought these brands previously from them - or a big FU to everyone and let's look after ourselves.  The fabric of their thinking is now on display for all to see.  It's funny, over the years I've noticed there's many fanbois for this company, but over time more and more are seeing what they're truly like - once they take off those rose coloured glasses.  Like I said previously regarding who's involved in this mess, why am I not surprised?

[TDX]

It's so funny, are we all distributors/dealers here? 

[blybo]

Just now, TDX said:

It's so funny, are we all distributors/dealers here? 

I am or have been in a different retail sector so know both sides of the fence and the relationships between them.

[Audiome]

11 minutes ago, TDX said:

It's so funny, are we all distributors/dealers here? 

and shares in Focal and naim?

[metal beat]

1 hour ago, blybo said:

Nope, doesn’t make sense to slash and burn unless a deliberate attempt at destroying a brand’s reputation. Whether they are the distributor anymore or not makes no difference, they own the stock and can sell at normal or near normal prices until a new distributor is appointed. Independent retailers aren’t distributors but still want a decent return on stock they purchased. 
 

Fair enough if a stock line has been superseded to clear at discounted prices but this appears to most to simply be a vindictive attempt to make things difficult for the brands in the future. A worrying precedent for the industry. 

 

In your opinion.    The facts are we really have no idea about the discussions between A2A and Focal, nor between A2A and their retailers.

  Len Wallis seem to have their Naim inventory for sale as well at very similar pricing.   Why aren't they being accused of destroying Naim with equal hysteria from yourself?

 

  Was Focal and Naim fairly priced two weeks ago, or overpriced with the Australia tax? 

 

Naim has historically been a ripoff as far pricing went in AU.  I think this has much more to do with a brand being destroyed than inventory on hand being discounted .

But I guess you are happy with that.

[TDX]

4 minutes ago, metal beat said:

 

In your opinion.    The facts are we really have no idea about the discussions between A2A and Focal, nor between A2A and their retailers.

  Len Wallis seem to have their Naim inventory for sale as well at very similar pricing.   Why aren't they being accused of destroying Naim with equal hysteria from yourself?

 

  Was Focal and Naim fairly priced two weeks ago, or overpriced with the Australia tax? 

 

Naim has historically been a ripoff as far pricing went in AU.  I think this has much more to do with a brand being destroyed than inventory on hand being discounted .

But I guess you are happy with that.

In my opinion, Focal is way overpriced in the first place, now it's just getting back to the normal price. So if anyone wants to buy Focal or Naim, should do it now.

[metal beat]

13 minutes ago, TDX said:

In my opinion, Focal is way overpriced in the first place, now it's just getting back to the normal price. So if anyone wants to buy Focal or Naim, should do it now.

 

Spot on.

 

Just look at the Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo.  160k pounds in the UK, including 20% vat which is about 290k.

  450k in Australia.   Now down to 270k.

  

 

  The Australia tax is alive and well and guys like @blybo fully support AU customers getting shafted.

 

 

Edited September 6, 2023 by metal beat

[blybo]

16 minutes ago, metal beat said:

 

In your opinion.    The facts are we really have no idea about the discussions between A2A and Focal, nor between A2A and their retailers.

  Len Wallis seem to have their Naim inventory for sale as well at very similar pricing.   Why aren't they being accused of destroying Naim with equal hysteria from yourself?

 

  Was Focal and Naim fairly priced two weeks ago, or overpriced with the Australia tax? 

 

Naim has historically been a ripoff as far pricing went in AU.  I think this has much more to do with a brand being destroyed than inventory on hand being discounted .

But I guess you are happy with that.

It sounds like you have never worked in retail or wholesale so it's pointless trying to get you to understand.

 

Of course other retailers have to respond when the competition are happy to make zero profit.

[metal beat]

3 minutes ago, blybo said:

It sounds like you have never worked in retail or wholesale so it's pointless trying to get you to understand.

 

Of course other retailers have to respond when the competition are happy to make zero profit.

 

With respect,  Sounds like neither should have you.

Edited September 6, 2023 by metal beat

[blybo]

Just now, metal beat said:

Just look at the Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo.  160k pounds in the UK, including 20% vat which is about 290k.

  450k in Australia.   Now down to 270k.

  

 

  The Australia tax is alive and well and guys like @blybo fully support AU customers getting shafted.

 

My point above about your lack of understanding about running a wholesale or retail business in Oz rings true again.

 

I know in my industry European brands are always much cheaper in European as European retailers could buy direct from the Manufacturer, rather than a distributor who adds another profit margin to the price.

[blybo]

1 minute ago, metal beat said:

 

With respect,  Sounds like neither should have you.

 

Respect? Right...

 

Yeah I was completely crap at it for 33 years, learnt nothing in my time, what a waste of a life hey?

[blybo]

There have been many threads over the years, with multiple people with experience, explaining why many things are more expensive in Oz, but the numpties refuse to listen. As long as they get their inflated wages and only buy gear when on sale they are happy.

[Volunteer]

Calm it, please.

[klm]

10 minutes ago, metal beat said:

 

Just look at the Focal Grande Utopia EM Evo.  160k pounds in the UK, including 20% vat which is about 290k.

  450k in Australia.   Now down to 270k.

  

 

  The Australia tax is alive and well and guys like @blybo fully support AU customers getting shafted.

Your price of 160k pounds is very cheap, I just did an online check and the least expensive price I could find was 199k pounds excluding vat. In the states, the going rate is around $280k US which at today’s current exchange rate runs to $436000 excluding gst. You obviously know where to shop.

[blybo]

26 minutes ago, TDX said:

In my opinion, Focal is way overpriced in the first place, now it's just getting back to the normal price. So if anyone wants to buy Focal or Naim, should do it now.

Focal are an interesting brand. You tend to like or dislike, there doesn't appear to be much middle ground in peoples opinion of them. I personally love them and had a whole HT room full of their gear in my last home. Some value the brand, some think it's overly expensive. Same could be said of many brands.

 

BTW the respected retailer I purchased them from no longer stocks the brand.

 

 

[klm]

20 minutes ago, blybo said:

It sounds like you have never worked in retail or wholesale so it's pointless trying to get you to understand.

 

Of course other retailers have to respond when the competition are happy to make zero profit.

Busisoft are clearing the ranges at wholesale, they are still making full distributor margin, they aren’t loosing money. The only ones getting shafted are historical purchasers before the sell off, the second hand market, the reputations of both parties and resellers who purchased from Busisoft.

Edited September 6, 2023 by klm
Forgot someone.

[metal beat]

1 minute ago, klm said:

Your price of 160k pounds is very cheap, I just did an online check and the least expensive price I could find was 199k pounds excluding vat. In the states, the going rate is around $280k US which at today’s current exchange rate runs to $436000 excluding gst. You obviously know where to shop.

 

That was the price when released - see link.

  Given A2A can sell at 270k and still make $$, they have had the stock for a while when the exchange was at least. 55.

 

 You mention the US price. LOL. they are getting ripped off as much as we are and is not a good example. 

 

https://www.hifinews.com/content/focal-grande-utopia-em-evo-loudspeaker-lab-report

 

 

[Volunteer]

 I had contemplated Sopra 2/3 for my next upgrade, but after some advice and links to resources that had done a tear-down of some Focal speakers, I decided against it.

 

I want to like the brand, but it's a hard ask when you can't see the justification for the price of entry.

 

The headphones may be a different story, I know absolutely nothing of this part of the hobby. Although I'm not a head-fi nut, even I have been tempted by the pricing of the cans just to dip my toe. If I wasn't trying to keep Mrs Tel sweet for the potential speaker spend on the horizon, I probably would have just got a pair for the hell of it.