Ricoh posting pricing on-line with Get A Quote Button

Fisher:

I just saw this and actually wrote a blog on it prior to where ever you got your info from.  My blog is here and some of the replies are in the blog.  Please go here to read.

https://www.p4photel.com/blog/n...r-mfp-s-on-the-web-1

Bump

Dealers need to react!!! 

Place the calls to the DSM, move up the ladder.  Ricoh has a terrific marketing department and is now focusing on content.  The more unique content they create will drive more business to their web site and not yours.  I was out with a content marketing person from Ricoh just about a month ago, and I was with him for his line of questioning to the end user.  One of the questions was, " how long the user researches a product before making the first call".  Ricoh is looking to drive additional content to capture additional direct business.

Just the thought of seeing a strikeout line through a price posted on their web site is enough ammunition for an uproar in the dealer community.

Relationships, relationships, relationships...

I honestly would not be worrying about this. Focus on your local SEO and people will find your website, not Ricoh's.

Ah!  Local SEO is very hard for many dealers.

I suggest everyone request a quote or have a friend or client request a quote on your behalf.

In major markets that's easier said than done & is certainly not something that salespeople at large dealerships have any say over. Relationships are extremely important and are how those of us who have been in this business for a long time have experienced sustained success, but even the strongest relationships can't always fend off pricing that is 40% lower with no service annual service increases.  Even if you get last peak and can narrow the gap on low-ball pricing, the money has been sucked out of the deal, so it's barely worth keeping aside from the revenue that may get you closer to a bonus.

Agreed that no ma increase for 5 years is insane, said it before will say it again. It's the dealers that subsidize Ricoh US to sell at cost.

Thus, this is what the Ricoh site looked like today.  I was told some changes were made due to the blog we posted on this. I was told, "we put up a line that states "contact a Ricoh dealer", I had to look four times for it and finally found it.  While we appreciate the link for the Ricoh dealers, I know that most users will not even seen that link, just as I did not.  If they are looking for a quote, they will press the request a quote button.

Notice, the read arrow I inserted at the top of the page in the middle.

Perfect example of why dealers should have a second line.

I asked our Ricoh rep about all of this a few days ago and he said it was great news for the dealer network as we wouldn't have to worry about Ricoh sales reps coming into accounts as competition and these smaller deals would start to come back to the dealer channel instead of Ricoh buying a 2 or 3 machine account for less than we can buy it for.

They just don't get it....

Jason:

Your reps sounds like a real winner (kinda the same thing our rep stated)!! There's no money in the small accounts, and they know that. 

That's exactly what I was thinking. It's like they have a corporate script planned out.

I also just heard from my Canon rep about 5 minutes ago that the other directs would probably follow suit and do the same thing. He told me Canon has had a digital marketing team (or something like that) for a while now for this but they were waiting to see who went first and then follow.