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APRIL FOOLS DAY - No price increase

Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:59 am
by dieselgal
Just for my own interest I went to one of the online CPAP business's (not cpap.com) to check the price of the m series w/aflex today and they had the price removed but said to inquire. Well I inquired and it looks like with discounts they give it ends up being the same price it always was.
Looks like this really was April Fool's day because it did get lots of us to buy before today thinking the price was going up! LOL No wonder they said they couldn't talk about it because if we had known we would be able to buy it for the same price today as it was yesterday we would have waited until we could really afford it!


Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:20 am
by WNJ
I did a quick survey this morning. I find a mixed bag at this early point.

Some (including cpap.com) had not raised their prices, yet.

Some have raised their prices on Respironics and ResMed machines. For example, M Series Auto with heated humidifier raised from ~$600 to $989.

Some, though not all, have a blurb about contacting (phone/on-line) them for “alternative pricing” for Respironics products.

I have not seen such a statement for ResMed products. Perhaps ResMed doesn’t allow discounting from the MAP.

I figure it will take a few weeks for things to settle into place.

Wayne


Re: APRIL FOOLS DAY - No price increase

Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:24 am
by Snoredog
[quote="dieselgal"]Just for my own interest I went to one of the online CPAP business's (not cpap.com) to check the price of the m series w/aflex today and they had the price removed but said to inquire. Well I inquired and it looks like with discounts they give it ends up being the same price it always was.
Looks like this really was April Fool's day because it did get lots of us to buy before today thinking the price was going up! LOL No wonder they said they couldn't talk about it because if we had known we would be able to buy it for the same price today as it was yesterday we would have waited until we could really afford it!


Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 12:19 pm
by DME Daddy
The policies are real enough. Anyone who bought equipment recently will look back on their decision with satisfaction.The delay is due to some retailers who are fighting this price fixing. They will break under the pressure. Don't think it is some joke. Wayne, as usual has accessed the situation correctly.

Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:48 pm
by Wulfman
Along the lines of what Wayne mentioned, I've been looking st some sites today and I see a spectrum of options.

Several have opted for this method: (which looks to me like the "lesser of evils")

Full Support MSRP: $XXXX.00
Limited Support MSRP: $XXX.00

Some of them have not yet changed their pricing options and on some you have to either call for pricing or add it to the shopping cart.


Den

Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:57 pm
by dieselgal
HERE IS A COPY & PASTE OF THE LETTER I RECEIVED:
Thank you for your interest in Respironics products from
BestCPAPprice.com!

If you have received this email, it is because you are looking for the best prices possible on CPAP equipment and have clicked the button on our website to get your preferred customer pricing.

Respironics has enacted a minimum advertised pricing (MAP) policy for all sellers of their products. This policy does not allow us to list a price below their minimum price on our internet site. Fortunately for our customers, this policy does allow us to provide valuable coupons to offer you preferred pricing that we are confident is the lowest possible on the internet.

To get your preferred pricing, add the desired Respironics product to your shopping cart and then type in the appropriate coupon code in the box marked "Apply Coupon" and click on the blue button.

This is an automated response. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us at sales@BestCPAPprice.com.



Best Regards,

BestCPAPprice.com


Product MAP Coupon Code Preferred Price
Comfort Classic Nasal Mask $79.00 classic $35.55
Comfort Fusion Nasal Mask $94.00 fusion $62.04
Comfort Select Nasal Mask $99.00 select $45.54
Comfort Gel Nasal Mask $124.00 gel $57.04
Profile Lite Nasal Mask $115.00 profile $51.75
Comfort Lite 2 Nasal Pillows $129.00 clite $70.95
OptiLife Nasal Pillows $139.00 opti $76.45
ComfortFull 2 Full Face Mask $169.00 cfull $77.74
REMstar Basic M-Series CPAP Machine $499.00 ds100 $224.55
REMstar Basic M-Series CPAP Machine with integrated heated humidifier $729.00 ds100h $329.00
REMstar Plus M-Series CPAP Machine $619.00 ds200s $345.00
REMstar Plus M-Series CPAP Machine with integrated heated humidifier $849.00 ds200hs $449.00
REMstar Pro M-Series CPAP Machine $669.00 ds400s $439.00
REMstar Pro M-Series CPAP Machine with integrated heated humidifier $899.00 ds400hs $479.00
REMstar AutoM-Series APAP Machine with A-Flex $789.00 ds510s $529.00
REMstar Auto M-Series APAP Machine with A-Flex and int. heated humidifier $1019.00 ds510hs $597.00
REMstar BiPAP Auto M-Series $1949.00 ds700s $1139.00
REMstar BiPAP Auto M-Series with integrated heated humidifier $2179.00 ds700hs $1225.00
BiPAP S/T Part# 1012885 $5000.00 bipapst $1874.00
BiPAP S/T Part# 1014248 with integrated heated humidifier $5300.00 bipapsth $1989.00
BiPAP AutoSV Part# 1040716 with integrated heated humidifier $5800.00 autosv $3795.00
M-Series Heated Humidifier $280.00 mhum $125.00
EncoreViewer Software $139.00 eview $119.00


Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 7:25 pm
by norm
It is possible that the new pricing policy only affects inventory purchased after March. If this is the case, to the extent an internet seller had existing inventory, they would not yet have to reflect the new pricing. This is only a guess, though.

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:40 am
by Wulfman

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:04 am
by 6PtStar
I noticed this last night. I also noticed several sites like Direct Home Medical are saying email or call for lowest prices. Has anyone tried them to see if they are still selling at the old price or are we really going to have to pay the MAP price? I was in hopes that we could get a discout code like Med1 offered to get us back to the reasonable price.

Jerry

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:08 am
by rested gal
Thanks, Den!

I just now glanced at a few things on the price list from the link you posted.

One of my favorite machines...interesting:

BiPAP Auto with Bi-Flex (the older pre-M model that I much prefer.)
$799.00

M series BiPAP Auto with Bi-Flex (I have this one too. It's fine, but the older one is quieter and I like the ease of filling the older one's integrated humidifier better.)
$1,949.00

How dumb can Respironics get?

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:16 am
by Snoredog
Here it is fast approaching the deadline for tax time, I get a another survey from Donna McMinn of Respironics to answer a questionnaire for a product trial (from registering my AFlex),

LOL! perfect timing! sending that out at tax time, sending it out right when your price increase hits! Can this company get any dumber?

Think I'll respond...

Too busy to complete your survey,
I obtain better treatment from my 420e and it doesn't leak all over my nightstand,
I no longer use Respironics masks, after buying a half dozen over the years I realized they are the cheapest crap on the planet and simply throw-aways, besides being way more noisy than my Soyala nasal,
In light of current economy and due to recent MAP policy and associated price increase, I can no longer waste my money spending it on inferior products like Respironics.


Re: How dumb can Respironics get?

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:50 am
by Wulfman
Snoredog wrote:Here it is fast approaching the deadline for tax time, I get a another survey from Donna McMinn of Respironics to answer a questionnaire for a product trial (from registering my AFlex),

LOL! perfect timing! sending that out at tax time, sending it out right when your price increase hits! Can this company get any dumber?

Think I'll respond...

Too busy to complete your survey,
I obtain better treatment from my 420e and it doesn't leak all over my nightstand,
I no longer use Respironics masks, after buying a half dozen over the years I realized they are the cheapest crap on the planet and simply throw-aways, besides being way more noisy than my Soyala nasal,
In light of current economy and due to recent MAP policy and associated price increase, I can no longer waste my money spending it on inferior products like Respironics.
No doubt in MY mind (that they can get dumber).....they now have additional brain power from across the pond.

SIX masks? It only took me ONE to come to THAT conclusion.


Den (beginning to think that I was the only one who wrote to Bob Pflueger)


Re: How dumb can Respironics get?

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:00 am
by Snoredog
Wulfman wrote:
Snoredog wrote:Here it is fast approaching the deadline for tax time, I get a another survey from Donna McMinn of Respironics to answer a questionnaire for a product trial (from registering my AFlex),

LOL! perfect timing! sending that out at tax time, sending it out right when your price increase hits! Can this company get any dumber?

Think I'll respond...

Too busy to complete your survey,
I obtain better treatment from my 420e and it doesn't leak all over my nightstand,
I no longer use Respironics masks, after buying a half dozen over the years I realized they are the cheapest crap on the planet and simply throw-aways, besides being way more noisy than my Soyala nasal,
In light of current economy and due to recent MAP policy and associated price increase, I can no longer waste my money spending it on inferior products like Respironics.
No doubt in MY mind (that they can get dumber).....they now have additional brain power from across the pond.

SIX masks? It only took me ONE to come to THAT conclusion.


Den (beginning to think that I was the only one who wrote to Bob Pflueger)
LOL! you were!

I have a feeling this new MAP policy is going to put an end to all this low handed internet selling

Thank you for requesting our lowest prices!

We offer ALL Respironics prices at below the manufacturer's allowed MINIMUM ADVERTISED PRICE. To purchase at our lowest prices and learn more about all of our Respironics products click the link below.

VISIT THE PAGE BELOW TO ORDER AND VIEW OUR COMPLETE LOW PRICE LIST ONLINE
http://www.directhomemedical.com/respironics/index.html

CPAP/BiPAP MASKS WITH HEADGEAR
$ 39.99 - ComfortClassic
$ 99.00 - ComfortCurve
$ 89.00 - ComfortFull
$ 58.00 - ComfortFusion
$ 57.00 - ComfortGel
$ 77.00 - ComfortLite 2
$ 49.00 - ComfortSelect
$ 76.45 - OptiLife
$ 59.00 - ProfileLite Gel
$127.50 - Total Face Mask

CPAP/APAP MACHINE SYSTEM PACKAGES
$230 - DS100 - MSeries REMstar ($330 with Heated Humidifier)
$335 - DS200 - MSeries REMstar PLUS with C-Flex ($435 with Heated Humidifier)
$435 - DS400 - MSeries REMstar PRO with C-Flex ($555 with Heated Humidifier)
$525 - DS500 - MSeries REMstar AUTO with C-Flex ($595 with Heated Humidifier)
$526 - DS510 - MSeries REMstar AUTO with A-Flex ($596 with Heated Humidifier)

BiPAP MACHINE SYSTEM PACKAGES
$1095 - DS600 - MSeries BiPAP PLUS with Bi-Flex ($1195 with Heated Humidifier
$1125 - DS700 - MSeries BiPAP AUTO with Bi-Flex ($1225 with Heated Humidifier)
$1875 - BiPAP ST ($1985 with Heated Humidifier

ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS
$125 - MSeries REMstar Heated Humidifier
$119 - EncoreViewer Therapy Tracking Software

If you would prefer to call us please dial Toll Free 866-577-5876.

Thank you for shopping at DirectHomeMedical.com


Re: How dumb can Respironics get?

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:05 am
by 6PtStar
Wulfman wrote: Den (beginning to think that I was the only one who wrote to Bob Pflueger)
But did anyone really think it would do any good??? At least you were famous enough to get a reply.

Jerry

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:08 am
by NightHawkeye
How is it that DirectHomeMedical is not violating the Respironics policy?

Regards,
Bill (thinking 48 hrs max before that site goes down ... )