Personally I applaud manufacturers who set and stick to geographic restrictions. These manufactureres rely on a retailer network to put the product "on show" for the consumers. Those dealers need to be protected. A manufacturer who had a dealer network and is transitioning to direct or web sales is undercutting his retailers.
I griped above about manufacturers who use Gon to sell their product lines. I want to qualify: I see retailers who use the Gon to move trades, demos and other used components. I have no problem with that - it's using the Gon for what it was made for. Used inventory can be hard to match to a buyer at any acceptable return if one is restricted to a limited pool of floor traffic. Using a national (world, really) marketplace, retailer and prospective consumer both win.
But if a manufacturer wants to sell his line of goods on the Gon, fercryingoutloud - there's a proper way to do so. Buy one of those big glossy sponsor ads that precede the list of classifieds!
I can imagine one exception to that rule: Small manufacturers who use Gon expertise to help design and evaluate a developmental product, are up front about it, and document the goings-on in the Forums. Jade Audio comes to mind. I consider that another everybody-wins situation
Thanks for reading my rants.
cheers apo
