Just got a "Dear Sir" email from Ketron. They probably got my email address from here.

Looks like they're selling directly from their site.

Ted and crew should know by now that I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH KETRON!

Don't waste my tome and yours!~


Russ

Russ,

I've been getting them for a couple months now.

Gary

Hi Russ,

I can empathize with Ketron. When I worked for Generalmusic, the biggest problem was not having enough retailers around the U.S. And I know first hand how difficult it is to get a store owner to stock a product that is not one of the main brands. I truly felt that GEM had products that competed easily with other brands and I'm sure Ketron does as well. But if stores won't stock them, then some other avenue has to be explored. When a customer contacted me or the GEM offices complaining that a there was no local dealer, we offered to sell them direct with a return policy and then send the profit to the closest dealer with the understanding that the dealer would service the instrument if needed.

Dave

------------------
Wm. David McMahan
The Modulators

Hey, Dave. These guys have tried to sell direct and specifically asked that existing dealers (many of which knew what was going on, including several who frequent here) not be told.

That's a whole different sneaky animal.
It's just wrong, and eliminates any loyalty or trust I have in them.

I even called management. Got a promise to "check things out", but no positive change.
In any other industry, they'd be toast!

They either need go direct or not, but NEVER sell around authorized dealers. You can't have it both way, guys.


Russ


[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 10-04-2010).]

I got that email too. I forwarded it to Ian

Yea but they have live drums

Russ what does the email actually say from Ketron, they have been selling through Thomann for a while now at reduced RP, this is the way the World is going, get your customer to tick satisfaction boxes and you are away.
If I wanted to buy a Ipad, would I need to touch and feel it before I bought it, no you would probably buy it over the internet .
It is a shame the way things are going but you are either on the bus or off! http://www.thomann.de/gb/ketron_audya_4.htm

Tony

Dear sir

Here at Ketron we would like to reintroduce ourselves with our latest line up of arranger workstations and multimedia expanders.

For the last 5 years we have worked on new sound technology which incorporates audio files alongside midi sounds for patterns (styles) and now we are showcasing the new Audya series which has a flagship 76 key keyboard and a 61 key keyboard (audya 5) and a multimedia expander (audya 4).

For more info on these instruments please visit www.ketron.com

If you would like to try out these new units contact us at.

CMC Distributors, Inc,
1510 Bath Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11228
Tel (800) 554-5982 (718) 232-6436
Fax (718) 232-6453 email TedCMC@aol.com www.KETRON.com

Russ..

What in this email do you find so offensive..

Ted Kraus

Tony, at Summer NAMM 4 years ago, a company representative (he's still around) offered to sell me a board directly, as long as I didn't tell any existing dealers. Based on that, I bought two Yamaha digital grands for two restaurants I played, FROM SOMEONE ELSE!


A short time later, when the SD-5 was introduced, I was offered a deal directly from the same person, and told to write the check to THAT PERSON, not a store or other business, and asked not to tell any approved dealers.

Didn't have to. George Kaye and others already knew what was going on.

In any other industry, dealers would have resigned. Honorable business people just don't sell around established channels.

Every year, when I go to NAMM, I find something I want. In EVERY case, but this one and from a couple of new guys with no established distribution channel, the distributor took my name and had an authorized dealer contact me. I bought from that authorized dealer.

I called Ted to tell him what's up and got a promise to "check it out". Then, I saw Ketron available on ebay, with an origination point that looked like the distributor headquarters, with the account in a principal's name.

This email originates from Ketron, not the organization you mentioned. If there has been a decision to sell direct, that's fine.

But, selling direct, around distribution, with checks made out to an individual associated with management, telling customers not to mention the deal to approved dealers is NOT FINE!

I've been in the channel/distribution management business for over 30 years, and this is the biggest "no-no" in the industry.

It's a shame, really, because I really prefer Ketron to other boards. My SD-5 and Midjay mostly remain in the boxes. I play my MS-60's because I got them from a dealer associated with the previous distributor.

Lou and crew were the best!


Russ

Ted-see my response to Tony above. Evidently, you have forgotten my phone call from several years ago. I'm not the only one who has brought this up in direct contact with you.


R.

Russ..

I would very much like to respond to some of your comments, and will try to keep to our general policies. Please understand, it is impossible to pinpoint an exact conversation with one individual more than 4 years ago.

We graciously and gladly refer our Keyboard and Module inquiries to a local dealer within the customer's geographic area. Our knowledgeable dealers are our brand’s lifeline and deserve every bit of support we can refer their way.

It is well worth it for us morally, ethically and financially to compensate our dealers for the hard work they invest in our customers for the months leading to the sale and for the post sales support and instructions they so knowledgably provide to the users.

Our website, www.ketron.com , does NOT offer any products for sale, but instead guides a customer to a dealer within their region.

In the occurrence where a potential customer is NOT within geographic reach of a KETRON dealer, and refuse to purchase from dealer websites or mail order etc., we will sell to them directly. Piano sales are handles by us as well as we do NOT have any stocking Piano dealers.

The following exceptions are unique (and I would guess probably industry standard) and are miniscule to almost nonexistent.

Trade Show merchandise is sold on the last day of the show to show guests and visitors - at a discount. We love having you at our booth and this is our way of saying Thank You. (Besides, we hate dragging stuff home).

Demonstration Items are PURCHASED (albeit at a discount) by every individual who we use to help us showcase the KETRON line. This includes part time paid consultants and tech support folks who you are familiar with. They are free to sell their products whenever they are no longer used in their active demonstrations and/or technical and/or style writing needs. It is theirs and they are free to sell it to whomever they wish.

Used and rebuilt goods are offered directly by us on Ebay. We are blessed to have a great brand as KETRON and as such are thankful to very rarely have returns and defectives. But life is life and things happen.

Again, we wish to thank all KETRON owners and dealers for your continued support. We are here for you at all times and thank you for being there for us.

Ted, your own dealers and former dealers tell a different story, as do more than a few members here on Synthzone.

I hope the description of your business practices is really the way you're headed.

The individual I had contact with (twice) is still very much around.

In my opinion, you guys have a long way to go to build the trust required between you, your dealers and your customers.

Good luck!


Russ

I got the same email, and ended up speaking to Ted on the phone.
I wasn't planning on moving to Ketron/Audya, but I'm curious to see what they have to offer, especially for my area of music. I haven't seen too many of the Jewish musicians use it, especially since they don't really use most of the internal beats, and instead make their own.

I have to agree with WDMcM, general music was a very good, similar to ketron. but where they now..... I would hate to see Ketron go, they make a fantasic product. It's a tough market, ketron has great dealers, Frank and George, but super limited. The way the economy is now, sometimes dealers aren't enough to keep a business a float.

So you have 2 Ketron products sitting in a box because you don't a like distributor, Who wins that one?



[This message has been edited by mc (edited 10-05-2010).]

Mc, I bought over $25,000.00 in keyboards since the "direct sale" incident at NAMM, if I count the two digital pianos for the restaurants, so I'd say Ketron is a loser there.

Thing is, ethics are of major importance to me. You mentioned 2 fine dealers. George no longer carries Ketron (partially because of Ketron business practices), and Frank is also well aware of issues which we all(George, Frank and I)think are pretty low.

I'm playing less and less on arrangers these days, so a couple of Ketron products in boxes is of little consequence to me (think 30 plus keyboards and 300 plus stringed instruments).

Everyone has a right to their opinions, and mine is there is absolutely no excuse to bypass distribution channels.

The good thing about being a consumer is the ability to buy what you want, for whatever reason.

Right now, I won't be buying Ketron.


Russ

So I'm guessing that you own a music store or a purchaser for retail shop/company.

We're luckly to have people like Frank that are still willing to carry Ketron, ultimately is us the customers here in the states that loses.



[This message has been edited by mc (edited 10-05-2010).]

No, I'm just a life-long collector/player, lucky enough to be able to get anything I want. It's an addiction. I actually believe I can't do without ANY of them. Gave a nice nylon string to a friend recently, and thought I couldn't possibly "make due" with the remaining 13 (LOL)!

Sorry for the rant, folks, but I feel strongly about channel management and protected territories.


R.

[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 10-05-2010).]

mc,

If you're ever lucky to visit Russ, you'll think he owns a music store (would qualify highly for the gear head of BBS)

Hey, Jim, I was going to call you today. I need to go to the Bass Viole shop sometime soon in Cincinnati to drop off an instrument for repair, and was thinking of trying to collar you for lunch.

I'll call when i get a better angle on scheduled work and when I can get away.


Russ

If Ketron want to GROW the brand in the US, they need to place their arrangers with a LOT more dealers on a consignment basis. And move to industry standard markup rates...

Once they HAVE the market, they can go back to the established seller deal. But while they remain a largely unknown quantity, the only way they are going to grow in the US is to get them into a LOT more stores than they do now. Would it be a risk to Ketron? A small one, perhaps. They could still sell the consignment ones online if after maybe a year the dealer has been unable to sell one, but better to die the death of a warrior than bleed out from a thousand paper cuts!

This is a pretty much unique product, stifling (in the US, at least) from the customers' almost complete inability to play one before purchase. Timid, baby steps doesn't work in retail...