My high school just got $2400 for two new followspots. We want to get altman comets. All the pricing i have found, have been over $1200 per light. Will it be possible to get the price down? We want to get them ASAP as a show is opening next thursday and it would be great if we got them by the show. I have worked hard to get this grant and it would really suck if we didn't have quite enough money. How fast can a followspot come in?
Buying followspots
- Thread starterNewChris
- Start date
ColdFusion13
Member
As far as delivery, it probably matters not from whom you buy it--it will most likely drop-ship to you from Altman's plant in Yonkers NY. Thus if Altman has them built, they can go out immediately.
Call/email your local dealers, as well as the national/internet suppliers Production Advantage, BMI, Barbizon, (see also Altman Dealer Locator ) (and @BillESC) and emphasize that you are seeking competitive bids. Your institution's (are you/should you be institutionalized?)* purchasing dept. will have methodology in place for this. That's where the bottleneck will come in.
I believe the Comet is small enough to be UPS-ed, so only a couple of days at standard ground shipping rates. A few years ago it cost ~$80 to send a similar-sized followspot from Las Vegas to New York. Took six days, IIRC.
*Rereading your post, I see you're in a high school. I would expect the process to take months, due to government state bids and the like. Even after you've done all the legwork and found the best price nationally. Also, purchase orders can take forever. It's not going to happen for the upcoming show, unless someone is willing to put it on a credit card.
JD
Well-Known Member
There is one possibility, if you can find a local dealer and get the price you want, you may be able to get a set for "demo" or loan for the show, if the dealer knows the sale is a done deal. Also, remember, a local dealer may also mean you won't have a separate shipping charge, which will lower the total "net" price paid for the spots.
One other possibility is to see if you can find a contributor(s) to make up the difference in price.
One other possibility is to see if you can find a contributor(s) to make up the difference in price.
FatherMurphy
Active Member
I'll second looking for a local dealer who would have two loaners for next week - there really isn't time to complete a sale and get them shipped in time, unless you're located close to NYC and there's two ready to ship at the factory. A Comet does ship (slightly disassembled) via UPS.
You might find a dealer willing to sell for $1200 each, but with freight that's getting uncomfortably close to not allowing them to make any money at all on the sale. I'm curious where you got your pricing from when you did the grant paperwork - if you had a hard quote from a dealer at that time, you might be able to hold them to it, but that's a long shot at best, most grant writing timelines are far longer than quotes are good for.
The ability of the school to buy direct vs. public bid purchases varies from state to state - in my state, schools can commit to up to $40,000 without going through a bid process. Grants often underfund projects, leading to some grant-writers intentionally adding half again or doubling the actual desired amount, so that a 2/3 or 1/2 grant still covers the basic package. At least, now you have a valid argument to use with the bean-counters that they only need to pony up a few more hundred dollars, as opposed to paying close to $3K.
You might find a dealer willing to sell for $1200 each, but with freight that's getting uncomfortably close to not allowing them to make any money at all on the sale. I'm curious where you got your pricing from when you did the grant paperwork - if you had a hard quote from a dealer at that time, you might be able to hold them to it, but that's a long shot at best, most grant writing timelines are far longer than quotes are good for.
The ability of the school to buy direct vs. public bid purchases varies from state to state - in my state, schools can commit to up to $40,000 without going through a bid process. Grants often underfund projects, leading to some grant-writers intentionally adding half again or doubling the actual desired amount, so that a 2/3 or 1/2 grant still covers the basic package. At least, now you have a valid argument to use with the bean-counters that they only need to pony up a few more hundred dollars, as opposed to paying close to $3K.
If you have cut out the PO process, you can make this happen as quickly as payment, stock and shipping if you play your cards correctly. Try calling the vendors listed above today to see how far you get.
If you hit a wall I would find someone close that does this all the time - for example your school purchasing agent. He/she can probably make calls to the vendors listed above, and get a great price, especially if $ is in hand. Mine is awesome for things like this, and with millions of dollars behind that phone call, vendors often have a great response, because is could mean future business to have that relationship directly with the purchasing agent.
If you hit a wall I would find someone close that does this all the time - for example your school purchasing agent. He/she can probably make calls to the vendors listed above, and get a great price, especially if $ is in hand. Mine is awesome for things like this, and with millions of dollars behind that phone call, vendors often have a great response, because is could mean future business to have that relationship directly with the purchasing agent.
I have been doing major purchases for years, and have never purchased anything directly from this type of company. Doesn't mean it can't be done, I just haven't heard that it would either be possible or save any $. Anyone with a direct marketing department has to pay that staff somehow. Try calling around for educational competitive bids, if the Altman will participate, take their bid with the others and compare.
FatherMurphy
Active Member
Having worked for an Altman dealer for the last 15 years, in my experience, Altman leaves smaller deals like this to it's dealers, and would not sell direct. Some other companies I could mention would be perfectly happy to cut their dealer's throats out of the loop, but not Altman.
'Distributor fees' (aka dealer markup) will be included in whatever price they quote you, and that's how dealers make their money and stay in business. If your adviser thinks you'll get the lights for dealer cost, he either knows someone who's willing to effectively donate their profit (without being able to claim a tax break), or he's not up to speed on how the world functions. Or maybe he has something else in mind, and called it a distributor fee by mistake.
In any case, it sounds like you'll be needing to match the grant money with a bit of local money, and getting it all done by next week's show will be a challenge at best.
'Distributor fees' (aka dealer markup) will be included in whatever price they quote you, and that's how dealers make their money and stay in business. If your adviser thinks you'll get the lights for dealer cost, he either knows someone who's willing to effectively donate their profit (without being able to claim a tax break), or he's not up to speed on how the world functions. Or maybe he has something else in mind, and called it a distributor fee by mistake.
In any case, it sounds like you'll be needing to match the grant money with a bit of local money, and getting it all done by next week's show will be a challenge at best.
JD
Well-Known Member
If the show next week (or is it this week now?) is driving the decision, STOP!
"Rent, rather than Rush."
What I mean is that you are going to have these spots for many years. The need to have them for a show that is happening this week may force you into a compromise that you may later regret. In talking to your local dealer, see if you can apply the rental charge to an upcoming purchase.
"Rent, rather than Rush."
What I mean is that you are going to have these spots for many years. The need to have them for a show that is happening this week may force you into a compromise that you may later regret. In talking to your local dealer, see if you can apply the rental charge to an upcoming purchase.
Well it turns out I got this wrong. He has a purchase order in at the school so we now have to wait for the school to buy it. I have given up getting it before the show.
scotteckers
Member
I just installed two similar followspots in a high school auditorium. Comet definitely works but your best bet may be a midrange Lycian.
We might not be buying anything! The school just changed the renovation plans and the auditorium is being renovated starting June! I don't think it will be worth buying new followspots if the renovation is so soon. Any ideas on what to buy with $2400 that would be useful after a renovation? Comm set?
FatherMurphy
Active Member
Check with your grant money people first - some are very particular that granted funds are spent ONLY on what was included in the grant proposal. If you're not buying spots, they may ask for their money back. Or they might not care - you won't know until you ask, but you should ask.
As for the renovation, unless they are greatly changing the size or shape of the auditorium, the throw distance will be about the same, and the Comets might still be a good choice. Check with the planning people, though - they may have included new spots in the equipment list for stage lighting.
As for the renovation, unless they are greatly changing the size or shape of the auditorium, the throw distance will be about the same, and the Comets might still be a good choice. Check with the planning people, though - they may have included new spots in the equipment list for stage lighting.
Wow that's exactly what we are planning on doing. We are contacting the planners to figure out what is included and from that figure out what to buy with the money- and what we are allowed to buy.
