Considering a 2015-2016 Russell Group Buy

Since I can't find anything on the web about a 2015-2016 group buy, I contacted Russell to inquire if one was available to join.

Alternately I asked if they would be offering A) an "off season" discount or B) interested if I desired to organize one.

I asked about their desired parameters for a group buy. I'm waiting to hear back from them.

Is there any pent-up demand here, or am I just pissing into the wind?

Please let me know your thoughts. I'm happy to organize a list if there is sufficient interest (and I'm waiting to hear from Russell if they have an interest).

Lemme know....Thanks, Baz

This fella here would be interested in a Russel group buy for my 2015 fjr !

Just picked up a 15 ES. I have a spare Gen 2 seat so the pan is ready. I'm interested.

I would be interested as well.

Humpf:

This is the response I received from RDL this morning. I guess business is so good that they don't feel like they have to offer us anything. That's disappointing.

Hello,
I am sorry, but we no longer offer group buys and unfortunately this year, we will not even be having any sales.
Thank you, Kim

You can't blame them. They're in business to make money. They have a unique product. It is worth what it costs. A sale would seem appropriate if you were trying to keep from laying people off during a slow period, but if they aren't having any slow periods, a sale doesn't really make any sense.

Agreed....But I think there's still a value to exciting your customers. I may still purchase without the incentive, but I'm no longer a supremely happy customer.

What retail business doesn't incentivise their customers by occasionally offering a sale?

To my knowledge, Russell is the most expensive custom seat maker (who rebuilds your seat using the oem base).

Seth Laam just completed a driver and pillion for me in all leather for the same price that Russell charged two years ago for the rider only (and that was a group buy purchase, so it was discounted 20% from their normal retail price).

I don't know. Do they care whether their customers recommend them whole-heartedly, or say, "yes, they make a really good seat, but its really ugly and too damn expensive"?

I think people already say all that. It's just that now it will be more expensiver. Still the best seat available for comfort.

Regarding the idea of already not being a happy customer even before the purchase, it would be better not to buy their seat. If you approach the purchase with a chip on your shoulder, it won't be fun for you, or for the company. Better give yourself and Russell a break and take your custom to a "better" venue. Let Russell go ... life's too short to resent a price.

Fred W said:

Still the best seat available for comfort.

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True, and if they coulda kept me from sliding forward into the gastank all the time, I wouldn't have bought my newest seat from Seth Laam.

I'm sorry, I'm bitter. I wanted anutter RDL and I ain't getting it anytime soon.

blassoff said:

Fred W said:

Still the best seat available for comfort.

Click to expand...

True, and if they coulda kept me from sliding forward into the gastank all the time, I wouldn't have bought my newest seat from Seth Laam.

Click to expand...

Why couldn't they stop you from sliding forward? Did you tell them that was what you wanted and they couldn't do it?

FWIW - When I got my 1st Russel for my old 1st Gen it did that to me too. So I sent the seat back and told them what I needed, and they were able to reshape it by scooping out some of the foam in the rear of the seat, and that cured it for me.

Later, when I ordered the one for my Vstrom, and again later still for my 3rd Gen, I specifically mentioned that objective in the ordering and neither of those seats needed to be sent back.

In all 3 cases my seats were of the "half moon" design, which may have an impact on how they can accomplish that.

YSMV

I'm sorry...price is set by "supply and demand".

This is America...where you get to choose what to buy and where.

Would you like it if during the winter months you were told to take a 20% pay cut just because?

Freedom to decide what you want to buy has it's costs.

Good for Russell, good for us...they make good seats, we keep them in business. Win win

wheatonFJR said:

I'm sorry...price is set by "supply and demand".
This is America...where you get to choose what to buy and where.

Would you like it if during the winter months you were told to take a 20% pay cut just because?

Freedom to decide what you want to buy has it's costs.

Good for Russell, good for us...they make good seats, we keep them in business. Win win

Click to expand...

Gospel!

I'm sure there are other seat makers that would do the group buy thing...

I've had three Russell seats and couldn't be happier with the product. In the spring the spyder will be going to Russell for my fourth. They are expensive and there are other choices but when you want the best IMHO you have to pay the price. All day comfort is where it's at.