Anyone ever hear of Unilateral Pricing Policy? What a scam. [View all]

[Snake Alchemist]

If you've been thinking about getting a new HDTV but have been putting off your purchase, now might be the best time to get a great deal on a new set, especially one with step-up features. And you might not want to think about it for too long.....

But this year there's another compelling reason: Several major manufacturers are moving away from MAP (or Minimum Advertised Pricing) to something called Unilateral Pricing Policy (UPP), which penalizes retailers for selling a TV below the manufacturer's preset price......

Here's the big difference between the two pricing policies: With MAP pricing, a manufacturer can cut off co-op advertising funds if a retailer advertised a TV below a minimum price, which is why you often have to actually go through an online retailer's checkout before the price become visible. If the retailer is willing to lose those funds, it can sell the TV for whatever price it wants.

But with UPP, a manufacturer can cut off a retailer's product supplies if the retailer advertises or sells the TV for less than the predetermined minimum price. So basically, the TV's actual selling price is being set by the manufacturer, leaving little wiggle room for dealers to out-discount their competitors.


http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/844/is-now-your-last-chance-to-get-an-hdtv-deal/