Totally, totally agree!

In the UK, sewing machine prices seem to be totally fixed: it's very hard to get a deal, except sometimes at the shows, which might tie you into a dealer at the wrong end of the country. And I've never been offered the free lessons that some of you mention. Sewing machines seem to be the last outpost of price-fixing cartels and lack of competition. (If anyone can tell me differently about any UK dealers, I want to know who they are!).

When I was looking to replace my machine this spring, I had the same problem. I emailed three shops asking for their prices on a Husquvarna Sapphire 875, and only one answered me directly. The other two shops emailed me stating they didn't sell machines over the internet. I called one of them and said "I don't want to buy it over the internet, I just wanted a price", and after more haggling and it being a waste of my time, I said "No thanks" and hungup. Never did get a price from her. I ended up buying my Sapphire 875 from a little shop about an hours drive, because 1) he answered my email, 2) he was extremely courteous and 3) he didn't give me any hassles or sales pitches. He knew that I knew what I wanted and that was it. Plus he threw in a bag of bobbins, 2 threads to try out , needles and an extra shank. AS well, I get a 25% discount on all Husquvarna products sold in his store for as long as I own my machine. He made purchasing the machine a pleasant experience.

I usually decide on what machine I'm intersted in and call around for prices. I have no trouble getting them over the phone. I saved $100 on one macine by doing this.

OMG! I feel this way too! I tried Googling but even the customers are stingy about what they pay for.

i teach at a LQS that is a bernina dealer and the prices are always kept a secret.

the staff isn't even allowed to release that information over the phone if people call to obtain that information.

i found it so off putting that i have no interest in ever owning a bernina since this policy isn't shop specific its all of them - this is a global decision to deceive its customers.

Thoroughly agree-I Always wait until they have a sale(even if this does indicate that a new model is coming).Being secretive indicates to me that they are over-priced and will put people off if they see it is the same price as a car.

Our Bernina dealer in Penn Yan, NY has all the prices on each machine. It is no secret when you walk in. Buying at a dealership is really the only way to go because they have classes so you do know how to use the machine you purchased. I do not buy from anyone else. I want to be able to take the machine back and ask questions about the one I purchased.

"You are SUPPOSED to be willing to pay TOP DOLLAR for the machine so you will 'get' FREE lessons with it...."


LOL, I bought my Janome 6600 in Feb. still waiting for the lady who gives the lessons to have time to fit me it.

Thankfully I have the basics understood because I don't see ever getting those lessons.

I've made friends with a few dealers in my area, and I've learned a lot. A lot of it has to do with policies set up by the manufacturer, and the dealer is as unhappy about it as the customer is - it's really not a normal retail situation.

The dealer has a contract with the company, which, as I understand it, is far more complex than a standard vendor one. They aren't allowed to release prices over the phone, or if they are, they have to give the standard MSRP - and not mention any special deals. This is so that there is ostensibly no competition between dealers - a lot of them have a specific geographic region that they cover, and no one else in that area is "allowed" to sell the product retail. Not giving prices over the phone is to further this - in theory, it won't matter if you're willing to drive further, or if you're buying it on vacation. Most "specials" on machines (lower prices, financing, etc) are also set by the manufacturer and will exist no matter what store you go to. The reason the warranties are locked to the dealer is, again, to encourage some kind of loyalty *to the dealer.* Similarly, the dealers are forbidden by their contract from posting prices online, much less having the machines or accessories themselves for sale. (Used machine prices can be posted online, though.) They also want the dealer to be to be the exclusive distributor of parts, etc, again, to control prices. High end machines tend towards this business model rather than the lower end white, singer, etc that are available at pretty well any old Costco, Wal-mart or Jo-Anns.

All of this is great when you have a population that settles in one area and doesn't move. And lives in an at least somewhat urban area, with reasonable driving time to a dealer's storefront. Unfortunately, that's not the world we live in anymore, and I don't really see how such a model can be at all sustainable. For example, when I was looking at buying the Bernina 440, I learned that it was several thousand dollars more - retail price - in Canada than in the US. At that point, it was worth it to buy it in Canada, so I did - and I'm sorry I did, because I'm really unhappy with the dealer, who has every interest in making the first sale and no interest whatsoever in providing the warranty service she's supposed to. (I got an especially good deal on a demo machine, or else I would have bought it in the US from the fabulous ladies at the Aurora Sewing Center.) Now, I have to pack up and move from Toronto to Texas, and my very expensive warranty's essentially worthless. And I know more than one woman in a similar position.

It's really quite frustrating.