Commodore Try to Halt Trend (Popular Computing Weekly, 29th September-5th October 1982)
Commodore try to halt trend
HAVING been partly responsible for the recent micro price war, Commodore is now apparently trying to halt the trend, by encouraging dealers to keep prices up.
One retailer upset by Commodore’s actions is Mike Mehdi of Crestmatt, who has reported Commodore to the Office of Fair Trading.
Crestmatt is currently selling the Commodore 64 machine £4 under a suggested minimum price of £199.95. He alleges that Commodore has threatened to cut off his supply of machines if he doesn’t raise his prices.
He also claims that Commodore will only grant him a dealership if he discloses the name of the company supplying him with machines.
Mike says: “The only way we can compete with the high- street stores is on price, by cutting our own profit margins.”
Commodore, on the other hand, denies that any attempts are being made to impose a £199.95 price for the Commodore 64 model.
A spokesman commented: “We have no quarrel with Crestmatt — it is the person he is buying from we are concerned about. It is conditional on our supplying people that they adhere to our terms of business.”
Mike Mehdi is determined not to disclose the source of his Commodore 64 supply. “I have now dropped the price of the Commodore 64 to £184.95 and will be holding it at that level up to the new year.”