Price increase

As promised in our previous blog entry, the price of the Wattson Classic SuperFuzz has been increased to $199. In short, we really didn't have much choice.

Our previous price of $150 covered the cost of the parts, materials, and labor to build the pedals, as well as a modest profit to help us build our company. When we decided to begin test marketing our pedals through a local Northern California retail outlet, we initially set the price at $150, just like our direct price. The retailer's cut of the sales price effectively wiped out our profit, which meant we were basically breaking even on the pedals. Obviously, that's not the proper way to run a business, so we had to increase the sales price in order to provide a margin for the retailer.

One of the ground rules in any company that sells both wholesale and direct is that you never undercut your retail partners. This means that we cannot sell our products direct to our customers for less than our retailers are selling them for. If we did then no retailer would want to carry our products. We have to charge the same price that we recommend our retailers charge.

Our philosophy has always been to provide a good quality product at a fair price. We knew we could have charged a lot more for the SuperFuzz, and still had no trouble selling them. Some of our customers have told use they would have gladly paid twice as much for a pedal that sounds as great and is built as well as the SuperFuzz. Naturally, we were not happy about having to increase our prices, and we wanted to do something to compensate our customers. So, we decided that we'll use the additional money we get at the higher sales price to pay for the shipping charges, and we'll stop charging our direct sales customers for shipping.

Effective immediately, shipping on all Wattson Classic Electronics products is FREE!

Of course, this only applies if you paid the new price for your pedal. Please don't email us asking for a refund of your shipping fees if you bought your pedal at the original price.

Price increase coming for the Wattson Classic SuperFuzz!

Yes, unfortunately it's true. We're going to be increasing the price of the Wattson Classic SuperFuzz beginning June 15th.

We've been test marketing the Wattson Classic SuperFuzz in local music stores to see if the pedal was ready for sales through regular retail outlets. We were surprised with the results, and so were the store operators. The pedals have been selling as fast as we are able to deliver them.

So far, we've been selling the pedals in the stores for the same price as we've been selling them for online. This means that the store's margins have been coming out of the profits we would normally get on the pedals. What's left isn't even enough to pay for the labor to build the pedals.

We want our pedals to be available through retailers, and we know that our customers do too. It's normal to want to try out a product before putting down your cash. In order to do this, we have to leave enough room in our pricing for the retailer to make a fair profit, as well as leave a fair profit for us. Up until now, our pricing structure has only taken our profits into account. This basically means that our customers have been getting the pedals for the wholesale price.

So, starting on June 15th, 2008, the suggested retail price of the Wattson Classic SuperFuzz will be $199 US. Since we don't want to unfairly compete with our retailers, the online price for the SuperFuzz will also be increased to $199 US. The shipping charges will remain the same. Since the retailers will be free to offer discounts, you may be able to get a Wattson Classic SuperFuzz from a retailer for less than you can buy it from us online. As an added bonus, you'll be able to try out the pedal in the store, you won't have to pay any shipping charges, and you'll get to take the pedal home the same day!

So far, we have been working only with local music retailers in the Northern California area. However, we plan to expand our capacity, and gradually begin offering our pedals through retailers around the US, and eventually around the world.

You can still get a Wattson Classic SuperFuzz for the current price of $150 US, but ONLY if you get your order in before midnight PST, June 15, 2008!

If you are a music retailer, and you think you might be interested in carrying the Wattson Classic SuperFuzz, and other future Wattson Classic Electronics products, then send us an email at info@wattson-fx.com.

Keep on playing!
Jim "The Amp Surgeon"