Re: Slide Mounts

[P3D <Linnstaedt@xxxxxxx>]

Dennis Sherwood writes:

<< ...I haven't included shipping charges.
 Totals:  Albion most expensive was 83.87, least 68.92
          RBT     "      "       is 70.00, least 64.00
          EMDE    "      "      was 69.85, least 64.90

-------x  snip

...the price differences at the quantities typically 
purchased were very close, and none was clearly less expensive.... >>

Dear friend,

You should include the shipping charges (we DO have to pay them don't we?).
 All that glass is heavy.  The glass in RBT's is anti-newton.  Does the price
you quote include anti-newton glass or the plain?  The difference in cost is
rather significant!

My cost comparison included a factor you did not know:  Entry level.
That is, the smallest quantity possible, for trying a system before spending
a lot of lucre ("samples" are just too few).   RBT supplies come in boxes of
50 for $35 + $4 shipping = $39.  

Now consider EMDE....  The cover glass Dennis quoted is not equivalent.  The
RBT has Anti-Newton glass.  That brings us to $84.95 for 200 pieces, or
$0.8495 per slide.  Just for the glass!  Shall we go on?

EMDE  (1995-96 price sheet)
Glass     $84.95     5.5 lbs.  (Anti-Newton)
Mask        19.50     0.6
Binder      19.50     1.2
Labels       6.15      0.3  ($.0123 per slide) (You can write on an RBT)  

Totals  $130.10      7.6 lbs.
Shipping    5.25                      (to Fort Worth, TX)

Entry-level price for EMDE totals  $135.35 for that first 100 slides.  How
does this compare to a mere $ 39 for the first go-round with RBT?  Or say,
$78 to do your first 100?  Granted, my price sheet for EMDE is a year old,
but there was no 1997 price sheet available in Spring 1996.  ;-)  The prices
on EMDE have dropped considerably, while RBT only came down a dollar.  Is
this what we free-market people call "competition"?  I think so!

It's your money.

Regards,
Robert Linnstaedt


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