Here's the deal with some of these "avionics group buys". You get someone who shops around for a dealer that is willing to sell them at a discount....usually out of the country because most of the dealers in this country don't care too much for giving away what tiny bit of margin you do have. Most of the dealers that cater to the homebuilt market are small, highly specialized and offer a lot of other value besides just being the cheapest guy in the world.
Next, you send your money out of the country to a dealer who is willing to undercut the people in the states, and you get what is traditionally referred to in this country as "grey market products".
Couple of things people don't realize with these "deals". First, your warranty may not be valid (nobody bothers to tell you that people like Sony, Garmin, Panasonic, etc.. many times will not honor grey market warranties - and yes they do track serial numbers), 2nd - when you need support you now have to deal with someone out of the country, and 3rd you don't save that much money in the end anyway. If they were half price or something that would be different, but rarely they are.
Lastly I can say that people like Pacific Coast, Aircraft Spruce, Stark and myself are NOT getting rich. Supporting someone out of the country to save a few pennies doesn't help that cause out at all. It's even worse to get a call from one of you guys that participated in this "deal" asking for help, accessories, antennas, custom coax cables, etc...., frankly it's almost insulting.
I guess in the end most of the dealers in this business are not out to rape customers, nor are they getting rich. Some of us are even homebuilders as well, so believe me we know the value of a $$ when it comes to building these planes. I don't think anyone is against group deals per say, but deals like this one are just plane crazy. Some guy(s) gets to look like a hero for getting everyone a little discount, but along they way you manage to alienate a lot of possible friends in the business. I guess it's like I tell people who frequently ask me to keep slashing my prices. If the only sole criteria for purchasing a product in this business is whoever is the dirt cheapest, then I for sure am not the guy for you. I don't want peoples business if the only singular reason they purchased from me is because I was the cheapest. There are plenty of people out there who will be glad to do that.
But....always remember, "The bitterness of poor quality or service remains long after the sweetness of a cheap price". Just ask those people who purchased their Chelton systems from someone else because I (or Aerotonics or Avionics Sysetms or others) wouldn't discount them a few $$'s how they feel about their decision now!
Cheers,
Stein.
P.S., sorry if this came across a bit harsh...it wasn't intended as such. Just trying to explain why you don't find huge discounts at some of the best known people in this business.
Oh...and one last thing to the organizers of these types of "Group Buys". If you think that keeping the details unpublished or "email me for details" is keeping Garmin or the rest of the dealers from knowing what is going on, it's an exercise in futility. Garmin (as well as almost everyone else) knows almost instantly what the details are as soon as they are in place. Not trying to be arrogant, fecicious, or sarcastic - just stating a fact.