As someone with a few years of outside technical sales experience, I think I can shed some light on this.
Conversation goes as follows:
Buyer from Home Depot on phone, "Hey Honda Factory Sales Rep, we're thinking of placing a purchase order with you for your 2000I gas generator. We were thinking in quantities of 100,000 units a month for the next calender year, BUT, not at your current dealer pricing. If you want our business, ya gotta do significantly better than that. What can you do for us?"
Honda Factory Sales Rep., "Oh really! Well, . . . . can I put you on hold for a minute while I call my boss? Back with you in a minute."
Honda Sales Rep. calling boss, "Hey John, I've got the buyer from Home Depot on the other line right now. Here's their deal. (explains potential deal) Do you wanna dance or should I tell 'em to put it where the sun don't shine!"
Boss, "Are kidding me?
Honda Sales Rep., "No, . . . I'm not."
Boss' "Listen, you do what ya gotta do to close that deal RIGHT NOW! If you close that deal and there's a purchase order on my desk by the end of the week, you're getting a promotion and the biggest bonus we've ever paid. Click."
Honda Factory Sales Rep., "Hello Home Depot, Whatta we gotta do to close this deal right now?"
The rest is history. IME, that's how big business works. No regional dealer can compete with the international buying power (volume) of Home Depot, Costco, Wal Mart, etc.
I take no sides. It's a personal decision where you want to do YOUR business.
Chum lee
