Forced options?????
- Thread starter dbbls59
- Start date
danemayer
Well-known member
Hi Don,
Manufacturers compete with one another at various price points. The base coach may be priced "starting at" $50,000 to compete with a similar competitive model priced "starting at" $50,000. Both manufacturers then add forced options at additional price to create the set of features that will sell best. As a marketing device, they can advertise and draw you in to look at a "starting at" $50,000 coach. By the time you're done, it may price out at $70,000. They don't make these regular options because they know that most people would be unhappy with the result.
You probably have seen car commercials where the big font says "starting at $18,900" but the fine print admits that the car as shown in the commercial actually costs $27,550. While the car commercial may or may not involve force options, the concept is similar.
Also, sometimes manufacturers will enter into special order agreements where company X purchases the base model from company Y and then re-brands it as a company X product with a somewhat different set of features. Making forced options instead of calling it a standard feature set allows for special contracts.
Manufacturers compete with one another at various price points. The base coach may be priced "starting at" $50,000 to compete with a similar competitive model priced "starting at" $50,000. Both manufacturers then add forced options at additional price to create the set of features that will sell best. As a marketing device, they can advertise and draw you in to look at a "starting at" $50,000 coach. By the time you're done, it may price out at $70,000. They don't make these regular options because they know that most people would be unhappy with the result.
You probably have seen car commercials where the big font says "starting at $18,900" but the fine print admits that the car as shown in the commercial actually costs $27,550. While the car commercial may or may not involve force options, the concept is similar.
Also, sometimes manufacturers will enter into special order agreements where company X purchases the base model from company Y and then re-brands it as a company X product with a somewhat different set of features. Making forced options instead of calling it a standard feature set allows for special contracts.
porthole
Retired
I believe the "forced options" nomenclature is what Heartland uses on their price sheets to their dealers. Our MSRP sheets for retail uses the same nomenclature, but I believe it should be considered standard equipment for the retail customer. This is just my sense, but I could be wrong on it. I'll pass this to the plant to see if any further light can be shed on it.
I think Dan brings up some good points regarding the reason Heartland does forced options. These forced options are technically standard equipment. The reason we call them out as "forced" is because these are unique features that we really want to "call out" so the retail customer knows they are included with their investment in a new 5th wheel. In addition, we have a MAP (minimum advertised price) internet policy that allows are dealers to only publish base price MSRP price on the internet for any current model year product. My making some items "forced" it allows our base price to go down which then allows our dealers to get more aggressive with their internet pricing.
I know this might be confusing and we really try to limit the forced options as much as possible. Hope this helps with the question.
thanks, Coley
I know this might be confusing and we really try to limit the forced options as much as possible. Hope this helps with the question.
thanks, Coley
