TiLite Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) Policy

[elarson]

I was just on the TiLite website and noticed this Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) Policy that is effective as of April 4, 2017.

It appears to be trying to prevent advertising prices lower than what TiLite would like. It limits advertising lower prices except for in-store displays, in-store banners or in-store price markings, Quotes or contracts, and Internet site "checkout" pages.

In other words, it will make it very hard for customers to compare prices on the internet without getting a formal quote. I find this rather concerning, and think it is important for others like us who order online to know about -- ask for a quote or process your order through to the "checkout" page!

It also seems to favour brick and mortar resellers, which in my view do not necessarily provide better "pre-sale and post-sale service" than good online resellers. The customer is the one who should decide what level of service they want ? not the manufacturer! I think this policy unreasonably restrains competition and gives brick and mortar resellers an advantage in being able to show discounted prices in-store, but internet resellers are not -- possibly this even goes against some states antitrust regulations.

I just did a quick search on some of my favourite online reseller sites, and it does not yet look like they are complying. I will be curious to hear what resellers and customers think of this.

This is an article from the American Bar Association: A Roadmap to Minimum Advertised Price Policies.

This is the link to the Word doc TiLite MAP Policy 2017, which lists Covered Products (all), Covered Advertising (almost all except instore), MAP Rules (prices) and Violations (rather harsh). This is the introduction:

Introduction

TiLite has built a reputation for providing superior quality complex rehab manual wheelchairs. TiLite believes that a pre-sale and post-sale experience that includes personal service, instruction and education will enhance and solidify TiLite's reputation.

TiLite has established this policy (this "MAP Policy") regarding the minimum advertised price ("MAP") of TiLite products in the United States. This MAP Policy applies to all TiLite dealers and suppliers located in the United States (collectively, "Authorized Suppliers"). TiLite designed this MAP Policy to help maintain TiLite?s reputation for providing superior manual wheelchair products by ensuring that Authorized Suppliers can provide the level of pre-sale and post-sale service that TiLite wheelchair consumers have come to expect and that they deserve.

This MAP Policy is unilateral and non-negotiable, and TiLite will not alter it for any Authorized Supplier. Each Authorized Supplier is free to decide whether to follow this MAP Policy or not. TiLite will unilaterally enforce this MAP Policy as set forth below under "Violations."

This MAP Policy only affects advertised prices. This MAP Policy does not extend to any Authorized Supplier's actual resale price, which each Authorized Supplier sets in its sole discretion.

[Patrick Madsen]

That's it for me as far as buying another Tilite er.. Permobile. I've been with them since Marty Ball first started the company back in the day; at least 6 chairs for myself and numerous ones for others. No More. They've gone the way of so many other great wheelchair corp.; GREED.

[NW-Will]

Which companies are you looking at these days?
who is the new Tilite ?

That's it for me as far as buying another Tilite er.. Permobile. I've been with them since Marty Ball first started the company back in the day; at least 6 chairs for myself and numerous ones for others. No More. They've gone the way of so many other great wheelchair corp.; GREED.

[2drwhofans]

When there was a TiLite rep on CareCure, I expressed frustration that they had not updated their website with service and sales centers.

I just looked on their new site and clicked "Find a Dealer"

They list the same places that have been closed for years.

Besides NuMotion, there are:

1. The Houston VA Hospital

2. A place close to downtown that mostly sells scooters covered under Medicare.

My husband's chair needs a tune up and he's not a Veteran. I called the Non-VA, Non-NuMotion place.

The owner was very nice but said he was not aware of being a TiLite Dealer and had never sold one. He said he might be able to refer me to someone if I really wanted a TiLite. He didn't know what an ATP did. He has no repair options for TiLite chairs.

BTW: Hi elarson. Haven't seen your posts in a while. Hope all is well with you and yours.

[Oddity]

"TiLite has built a reputation for providing superior quality complex rehab manual wheelchairs."

And is systematically dismantling this reputation with anti-consumer policies, shoddy customer service, and declining quality.

This board called right after the Permobile buy-out.

[chasmengr]

Hi E, haven't seen you here for awhile. Glad to hear from you again

My previous obvious exposure to MAPs is Tempur-pedic, which has been in place forever. I'm sure that Permobile/TiLite is not the only other MAP out there. When buying electronics online, I periodically run across "see price in cart." I never know if that's a MAP or a marketing ploy (I suspect the latter).

I do understand P/T motivation to try a MAP; IMO only time will tell if it's the right move for them and us.

I didn't read your links; might reading them change my opinion?

[elarson]

Thanks for the greetings. Greetings back. I have not had a lot of time to be online the last 6 months. I was in the middle of selling our big very old house in the country to move to a small apartment in the city (Amsterdam). We had to camp out for 5 months waiting, but then moved into a larger apartment in the same building last month. Now I am slowly getting back to equipment stuff, even though I'm still not done unpacking and am in the midst of long protracted negotiations for making needed adaptions to the apartment.

@Chas, Permobile/TiLite are not the only other MAP out there. The Bar Association link talks about some of the points I brought up, the reason for "see price in cart" and also the risks. I'm not sure you will learn a lot, but if you are curious, they are both worth a read (about 1 1/2 pages each),

[heartdog]

I'm interested in a Ki Rogue. This is my second TiLite, but it was to replace the last with caster problems, ad I have yet again, caster problems! The frame appears to be "off". Two plus years later, and it's just finally getting somewhere, and got some new fork housing. Hasn't rectified the issue, and now I'm waiting to see what's next. The fit could still be better, the wheelbase is too short, and I have had to use a FreeWheel again, always on it. Customer service used to be better for sure.

[chasmengr]

IMO TiLite casters are poor quality; I have had two pair of their aluminum hub soft roll. I use FrogLegs casters on my TiLite chairs.

[August West]

IMO TiLite casters are poor quality; I have had two pair of their aluminum hub soft roll. I use FrogLegs casters on my TiLite chairs.

Yes. Their manufacturing tolerances are out of control. An axle slips in/out easily on one fork but won't pass through the other fork. I have to hammer it in/out. There isn't rust or anything else in the way. It's just poor manufacturing tolerances. How did this pass quality control?