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...