Quoted from Dkjimbo:The only way this stops is very simple. Stern needs to keep escalating the LE cost and increasing the LE quantity until buyers tap out at MSRP price and the variance for flipping is reduced to zero because of lack of interest.
Stern should increase the next LE to $11,499 @ 1250 units. At some point the market will be satisfied through the MSRP / distributor model and it is in Stern's best interest more than anyone to push to find that equilibrium.
If they raised to 1250 units @ $11,499 and only sold 1,119 through to distributors (making up a number here) - then they just don't build the remaining few and they now have a successful litmus test for what the market actually will absorb. Right now as Godzilla has shown us, the market wants to absorb more than 1000.
Start calling them Custom Orders or Custom Shop. No limits.
"Each Custom Shop order is built by hand by our top technicians"
Which is what they are already doing.
Its the limits on production that are feeding flippers.
It worked for awhile with Beanie Babies to drive hype.
Returning to the guitargument, I would rather have a Custom Shop then a Limited Edition.
All about perspective and Marketing.
