(I have since been correctly informed that this is a different store and that Rhodas has already dumped the last of their stock. This doesn't lessen the importance of the information. It just corrects my suspicion. It only serves to support the impact of the store's sale pricing their stock)

Gary0920

Without you stating the name of the store in FL, I can make an educated guess that it is Rhodas Collectibles. Please correct me if I am wrong. Rhodas and Harbor Lights have what lets call a "history". I know that Bill Younger had one of his first signings of the year last January at their store. Apparently things did not work out, because Rhodas was still discounting their HL lighthouses right after that. They were listing 10 items of each light was available at a percentage off at several sites on the Internet including their own. While this was going on Harbour Lights offered to buy back the stock at least on 2 occasions I am told. This might help some collectors find a bargain but it really hurts other dealers who abide by their contracts with Harbour Lights, which is to not sell below retail. Harbour Light dropped Rhodas as a dealer after they wouldn't quit reducing the price. I have a dealer that I buy HL lighthouses from very near that part of FL, her sales really slowed down when they began dumping the stock. I also have a friend who sells HL at his web site, he said his Internet sales almost stopped completely while this was going on. Every lighthouse that you buy at a bargain price actually has an effect on that particular lighthouses secondary price. If one is available for $50 instead of list of $80, then that is what the price starts at on the secondary market as it starts the climb up the long slow ladder. I try to tell other dealers, when I see someone dropping the line or more often what happens is the store just goes out of business, the other dealers can attempt to buy back their stock from the store selling off HL. It is a way of protecting their sales. Things are not always as they seem.

Paul


[This message has been edited by engbrady (edited 01-12-99).]