A couple of months ago I posted some thoughts about a cad cam
package offered by a very well-known, very large jewelry
manufacturer, wholesaler, sight-holder, vertically-integrated
operation.
During the conversations here at Orchid, I came to the conclusion
that eventually there would be an iphone app that would allow the
public to design and order their rings. It turns out that app
already exists.
If I understand it correctly, the retail customer of the Very Large
Wholesaler orders through her iphone and is directed to the nearest
"authorized dealer" to pick-up the item.
So, if you’re one of those authorized dealers (who has had virtually
nothing to do with designing, supplying or selling the order) and
you’re just waiting for the customer to come to you to pick it up,
(instead of her going to one of the multitude of other authorized
dealers to pick up her order) what will you charge? Keystone? 50%?
20%?, 10%, 1%?
Maybe you’ll do it for nothing because “it will generate traffic”?
Maybe you’ll pay thousands of dollars to buy the program? Oh, wait.
you already did that… that’s how you became an authorized dealer.
Is this what’s called “the race to the bottom”?