[Harp-L] Re: Hohner pricing and blister packs

[Michael Easton <diachrome@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Lets take a look at the good and bad of it.

Blister packs make sure no one else blew on your harp. With all the  
virus' circling the globe
at least you know your harp hasn't been in the mouth of your buddy  
from across town the day before...
or even worse, Gus' mouth. :) I wouldn't be surprised if store clerks  
occasionally toot on a harp just out of boredom or curiosity.

When I go into music stores I don't automatically go looking for harps  
but if I don't see them by accident I don't see them at all.
Some Guitar Center stores use the spinning Hohner display case, others  
sit them behind glass beside the used pedals in the counter display  
case.
Sorta like candy at a grocery store checkout.  One last thing to buy  
before you leave the store.

Getting the harps out from behind the counter in the public eye is a  
good thing but I don't know how successful it will be.  Hohner sold  
it's el cheapo harps that
way for the past couple of years. Maybe they saw a rise in sales and  
decided to move the rest of the line that way.  Until someone from  
Hohner pipes up we'll never know
the truth.  Like someone else mentioned, using a blister pack may  
allow Hohner to describe the harp and it's qualities to a first time  
buyer.  It all depends on how well they thought
it through and what they put on the package.  Will it be tacky or  
classy looking.
If it were still the days when stocking Hohner's was affordable for  
the dealer I would recommend large floor display cases over counter  
cases.

The downside of blister packs  is more crap to put in landfills. (My  
wife and I do some much recycling that it takes a month to fill the  
regular trash can).
 Also the ego of serious harp players having to buy their harps in a  
blister pack.  Online dealers have to stock larger shipping boxes to  
deal with larger packaging.
There is always a trade off isn't there?
I wonder if the blister pack will have a warning label about choking.  
Do they mean children or the reeds????

I do know for a fact that players aren't the only ones complaining  
over prices.
My long time wholesale supplier stopped carrying all but the cheapest  
Hohner chromatic after the last price increase and refused to special  
order any harps
for me unless I ordered a minimum of 10.  They told me it was Hohner's  
policy.  Hohner told me otherwise.   It will be interesting to see  
what I CAN"T stock this time around
because the distributors don't want to be burdened with more  
overhead.  Another reason for me to stop stocking Hohner's.  If I  
can't get the product to the consumer what's the point in
trying stock it.

The increase could go in several directions since Hohner is the most  
stocked harp in stores.  Either the stores give up and seek out  
cheaper chinese harps to stock, give in to local
harp players to stock the harps they actually want to play thus  
keeping the inventory moving instead of stagnating or do nothing and  
pay the cost to be the boss. It should be an interesting
year to say the least.


On Jan 22, 2010, at 8:13 AM, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> > As far as blister packs, yeah that's kinda weird...
>
> I agree it does seem strange given the established harmonica sales  
> process.
>
> Usually blister packs are used for very low-end, low-value, low-priced
> instruments or novelty items such as plastic recorders and Jaws harps.
> Introducing BP to a long established lineup of iconic musical
> instruments does NOT enhance one's perception of Hohner's quality nor
> value.

Michael Easton
www.harmonicarepair.com