MKapp vs fair trade

Ben Dover

Ben Dover

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It was my understanding that the "MAPP" price controlled advertised prices,
and
"Fair Trade" controlled actual sales prices.

Is that correct or not?

Thank you.
 
What are you talking about?

MAP = Minimum Advertised Price

Fair Trade = An institutional arrangement designed to help producers in developing countries achieve better trading conditions.

MAPP = A generic name for UN 1060 stabilised methylacetylene-propadiene (unstabilised methylacetylene-propadiene is known as MAPD). MAPP gas is widely regarded as a safer and easier-to-use substitute for acetylene.

Wikipedia = A place some of these answers came from.
 
I was referring to minimum advertised prices. Sometimes my old arthritic fingers hit the wrong key. Sorry if my typo upset you.
 
I'm not sure what you mean by Fair Trade, in this context - as D Danke42 mentioned, that usually refers to something very different.

MAP is a contractual agreement between a manufacturer and its dealers. The dealer gets to be "authorized", and gets access to buy from the manufacturer at wholesale prices, plus other benefits. In exchange, they agree not to advertise below a certain minimum price set by the manufacturer, so as to not create a race to the bottom amongst all the authorized dealers.

My understanding (IANAL, YMMV, etc.) is that manufacturers cannot actually specify a minimum selling price, due to antitrust laws - as in, saying what the dealers must charge for the product is anticompetitive.

So, you'll see listings on websites where you have to add a product to your shopping cart to see the actual price - the dealer can sell it for whatever they want, but can't advertise it below a certain value. In my opinion, it's a silly distinction, but I guess that's what lawyers came up with, as antitrust laws were being developed and tested in court.

Incidentally, GPKnives appears to have stopped listing the prices of many Benchmade knives, and are selling them below MAP - if anyone is interested ;)

Edit: quick link with more details. I haven't read it thoroughly, but it seems to cover this question.
 
I guess someone named Ben Dover might not get the best price just for asking. Just a guess though.

I did also guess someone with a name like that would have half a sense of humor. My mistake.
 
Danke42 said:
I guess someone named Ben Dover might not get the best price just for asking. Just a guess though.

I did also guess someone with a name like that would have half a sense of humor. My mistake.
Click to expand...

I am Eileen Dover (one of many) on some social media sites and I agree with this assessment.

I also learned about MAP today and why I can't see prices on some websites unless I put the item in the shopping cart, SO... I can tic mark my "learn something new every day" box for today. The learning never ends. :)
 
tyyreaun said:
I'm not sure what you mean by Fair Trade, in this context - as D Danke42 mentioned, that usually refers to something very different.

MAP is a contractual agreement between a manufacturer and its dealers. The dealer gets to be "authorized", and gets access to buy from the manufacturer at wholesale prices, plus other benefits. In exchange, they agree not to advertise below a certain minimum price set by the manufacturer, so as to not create a race to the bottom amongst all the authorized dealers.

My understanding (IANAL, YMMV, etc.) is that manufacturers cannot actually specify a minimum selling price, due to antitrust laws - as in, saying what the dealers must charge for the product is anticompetitive.

So, you'll see listings on websites where you have to add a product to your shopping cart to see the actual price - the dealer can sell it for whatever they want, but can't advertise it below a certain value. In my opinion, it's a silly distinction, but I guess that's what lawyers came up with, as antitrust laws were being developed and tested in court.

Incidentally, GPKnives appears to have stopped listing the prices of many Benchmade knives, and are selling them below MAP - if anyone is interested ;)

Edit: quick link with more details. I haven't read it thoroughly, but it seems to cover this question.
Click to expand...

Thx for the heads up re gpknives on benchmade. I tried just now by putting a bugout in my shopping cart but the price wont show unless I enter a CC card or gift card:confused:
 
sharp_edge said:
Thx for the heads up re gpknives on benchmade. I tried just now by putting a bugout in my shopping cart but the price wont show unless I enter a CC card or gift card:confused:
Click to expand...
It'll say "call" for the price until you get to the final stage of checkout - basically the "finalize purchase" button. They're taking the "add to cart to see price" thing quite far.

But, I bought a BM87 at $100 off what other retailers have it for, so definitely worth going through the trouble, IMO :)
 
it's always "fair trade" when you can vote with your dollars...if you disagree with MAP = don't buy or buy elsewhere...it's a boycott basically.
 
sharp_edge said:
Thx for the heads up re gpknives on benchmade. I tried just now by putting a bugout in my shopping cart but the price wont show unless I enter a CC card or gift card:confused:
Click to expand...

Put it in your wish list, 99% of the time the price will show up there, even if it’s not in stock it still works.
 
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