Why is the price of sewing machines such a secret? It kind of seems like buying a car, and I hate that hassle. I really don't want to drive hundreds of miles to check out every machine and I really don't want to haggle over the price. I did buy 2 machines on ebay and at least you can bid the max you have to spend. I love to look at all the new machines on the manufactures websites and on websites for shops that I purchase fabric and supplies from on the internet, if only they could satisfy my curiosity about the price.

I agree with you 100%.

it is annoying

Same with going to the doctors or hospital or buying prescriptions...They should have a price list hanging on the wall for you to see BEFORE you buy or get services.

i agree...at least thy could give us an idea of price

They don't seem to realize that it irritates people to know end. They get mad and don't buy. They have already set the price before they made the item.

I was put out when the Bernina dealer didn't have pricing on the machines. I had to ask. And still didn't get an up front answer. I got the What features are you looking for? and more questions and a push toward the fancier machine models. I just wanted to know the price of what I was looking at. I finally told the lady if she couldn't tell me the price of that machine (finger pointed to it) then I was walking out. She just looked at me so I walked out. I bought a new Janome that had the price written right on the tag.

I absolutely couldn't agree more!! It is like buying a car but at least these days you can go on line and find out what a car should cost. Years ago, I walked out of a car dealership because they were so cagey about the price - just like your machine dealer - what features, blah, blah, blah - and "what's your budget?". It is really ridiculous.

I hope you went back and told the lady you bought a Janome. :twisted:

I agree 100%. I understand that you can haggle with some dealers, but I would like to have an idea of $$ when comparing machines online before I shop.

OK, since we haven't figured out the secret yet, this is what I am going to do, send an email to some of the shops I buy from and ask them for a price on a specific machine. See how that works