Monster Tower

Regal21 · Newbie Joined: 29 Mar 2005 Posts: 3

I'd like Your Opinion. I need a tower for my boat. After some research, I decided on the Monster Tower. I read a lot about their tower & how great their customer service was. So with my brand new April addition Trailer Boat magazine in hand, I flipped open to the Monster Tower ad and called to order. Now the ad in the Magazine said $995.00 with shipping. And the last time I looked at their website it said $995.00 with shipping. Well when I went to order it, the sales guy informs me that the tower went up to $1,195.00 because of cost increases. I ask him to honor the ad. Nope, can't do it! Needless to say, I didn't order it and will probably go with a different tower. Whats your opinion on this? I think they should have honored the advertised price they have listed in several boating magazines. I mean, any honorable business would honor their advertised price, right?

Rix · Newbie Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 26 City: Littleton

Yeah I ran into the same thing. My bro and I were ready to buy it then all of a sudden it's $200 bucks more...so we were like wtf and they wouldn't give us the old price..

But on the other hand, it sounds like from most everyone that it's the best tower availlable for that price range....so going with something else just as good may cost a couple grand anyways...

gmarkham1 · Addict Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 505 City: janesville

The tower and the customer service is well worth the extra $200.00.

Advertisements are always subject to change. Do a search on here and see the great reputation that monster tower has! I have one and I would probally pay more then the $200 increase for another.

How would you run your business? Run it into the ground to keep the price down?
Greeat company, great reputation, great customer service, great calendar... what more do you want to hear?

Jay Dutton · Posted: Mar 29, 2005 7:23 pm Post subject:

Read this- good explanation.. It's still a great deal and If I were in the market for a tower I'd get on one in a heartbeat. http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/217758.html?1112137465

Liquid*Force*Rider · Posted: Mar 29, 2005 7:26 pm Post subject:

I'm going to get a Monster Tower on my boat. For what you get, It is a great deal.

Regal21 · Newbie Joined: 29 Mar 2005 Posts: 3

No gmarkham1, I would not run it into the ground. I would wait until I could re-run my ads before making a price increase. That's my point. You don't advertise something for one price and then when you call to buy it its another price. In my book, thats a bad business practice. And I'm definately not disputing its a great product. Guess I was just a little shocked after hearing all the good things about them. Personally, until now, I have never had a business not honor an advertised price. Guess I've been lucky, Thats all!

Bruky · Guest

Buddy, it's 200 dollars. No need to be shocked and accuse Monster of bad business practice. It was no longer than a week that things on the site had not been updated.

Bowen · Posted: Mar 29, 2005 8:53 pm Post subject:

Regal21, Just buy it, As you read in the thread on ww, Bill (the owner) held off as long as he could on the price increase, it was gonna happen eventually. Sure it'd be nice if they would honor the prices, but keep in mind they submitted that stuff for print at least like 3 months ago...Since then the cost of Raw aluminum has gone up even more...

Like what was posted above, the tower, customer service, calendars, stickers, and koozies are worth the extra $200.

Regal21 · Newbie Joined: 29 Mar 2005 Posts: 3

Your probably right "Bowen". Thats what this site is for, getting opinions! From what I've read, There seems to be no doubt the Monster Tower is a great product. Guess the $200 price increase just struck me the wrong way right when I was ready to make the purchase. I have been accused of being a penny-pincher a time or two:)

baggyman · Soul Rider Joined: 19 Aug 2004 Posts: 331 City: Vegas

Regal21,

I guess if you pick up a 3 year old mag with an ad in it they should honor that also. Price increases happen. You can not expect a company to eat every price increase that gets pushed on them. I know it sucks that you will spend another 200 but the tower is great.

Bowen · Posted: Mar 29, 2005 10:13 pm Post subject:

Regal21, no worries...I'm cheap too Wink

but I also like to do things right the first time around, this case is one of the few where one of the cheapest is the best.

fyi, instead of putting quotation marks around peoples names, just click on their underlined name on the left hand side of their post...and this happensRegal21,

dirtysparks · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 07 Jul 2004 Posts: 2428

Monster honored the price for me but I had contacted a dealer in my city to order. I explained to them that I wanted to support my local board shop and order through them and that's why I didn't purchase earlier - we were trying to work something out because they don't order many towers and don't have any on hand. Of course, I ordered like 2 days after the increase so maybe that's why. So far I'm extremely impressed.

89 skier · Addict Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Posts: 729 City: Dallas

$2000+ TOWER for $1195 sounds like a heck of a deal to me.

I'm selling my Monster Tower for a whole lot more, of course it has a boat attached to it.

Broccoli B · Posted: Mar 30, 2005 7:23 am Post subject:

Regal21, I agree. Although the Monster Tower is a great deal at it's new price, If you picked up the newest copy of that magazine with that ad in it for $995 they should honor that price, and that would be the right thing to do morally. If their shop was in Michigan they would be required by law to give you that price unless there was a date stipulation in the small print. It Michigan it would be considered a "bait and switch"

jzwake · Addict Joined: 12 Dec 2003 Posts: 801

Broccoli B · Posted: Mar 30, 2005 8:20 am Post subject:

yes, they turned the stuff in well in advance, but a simple price change on an ad is just a phone call a way. My company does a lot of advertising in news papers and in magazines.

Switchblade · Newbie Joined: 25 Mar 2005 Posts: 3

Here's the low down. Monster Tower builds their towers in production runs. They've been absorbing price increases for a long time now as well as making the quick releases, SST Heim Joints, and swivel tow point standard on each tower, rather than an upgrade. They sold out of their last production run and on the new towers they simply had to increase the price. But you also get a slightly nicer tower that's softer on your $100 rope and easier to fold down.

Broccoli B · Posted: Mar 30, 2005 8:45 am Post subject:

Switchblade, we know this, that's not he freaking point of the thread. The point of the thread is if they should stand by their advertised price.

wakessories · Soul Rider Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 283

Sorry guys, just reading through this and thought I'd shed my opinion on this subject.

It would be different if you walked into a store and saw a Monstertower with a sticker price of $995 and then went to the checkout and they said it was $1195. Most states legally make them liable for that $995 price otherwise it's faults advertisement. However, since this is an advertisement and they cannot project the time the ad is released vs. a price change in steel prices, they should not be liable for that $995 price. They cannot predict the market vs. a someone making a mistake by marking the price incorrect. I know it sucks it went up $200, but $hit, shipping is free and you get one hell of a tower for $1195. I can't believe they've gone this long without a price increase. When you have a great product and great customer service, you can pretty much increase the price whenever you want and still draw attention. When DEMAND is HIGH, prices go up! Simple Economics! I'd be complaining about GAS PRICES before $200 for something you'll own and never think about again.

Awesome tower, still a great buy! Lucky for me I bought mine 2 months ago. Smile

Sorry for all you future buyers.

Wakessories

wakessories · Soul Rider Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 283

The price increase may also help with the new addtion to the family. The lighbar which seems a little steep in price! 1/3 the cost of the tower!

Ruune · Posted: Mar 31, 2005 10:07 am Post subject:

cwaker4 · Soul Rider Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 465 City: Gilroy

Regal21, are you seriously not going to buy this tower because of the $200 price increase. it doesnt matter if it cost 995 or 1195, its still the best value in an after-market tower, theyre prices are the lowest for the quality. it would be nice for them to honor the ad, but then they would have to do it for everyone and theyd be bringing in very little profit. either way you should get off your high horse and buy the tower. or are you going to wait for the new ads that say $1195?

Doug · Posted: Mar 31, 2005 5:02 pm Post subject:

Now that the price has increased on the Monster tower, there is only a
$100 difference to the TitanI from Wakeside. What's everybodies opinion in that?

Cyclonecj · Soul Rider Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 338 City: Atlanta

What is shipping going to run you? I paid 150$ after a discount having mine shipped through work. The tower was 2700, it was worth it to me to have a factory tower. Can't go wrong with Monster. Personally, I like the Titan a little better, and it would be a custom fit tower.

Fishmaster · Posted: Mar 31, 2005 8:01 pm Post subject:

I can sincerely say that since I built and shipped our first tower 23-1/2 months ago, the goal of the company has been to provide affordable towers and accessories backed by "whatever it takes" customer support.

For the first 3 months it was me alone in my basement with a vendor list (those people I pay) with about a half dozen names in it. Total overhead was $25/month for my merchant account, $15/month for web hosting, phone line and product cost. The tower was $995 (ok, a few early specials for $895 as I had been unemployed “a while” and needed to move some towers)

Today we have a building we rent & all those costs, insurances of all sorts, legal fees of infuriating types, an IT guy a few days a weeks, an accountant a few days a month, models, photographers, advertising, printing, sponsorships (ProWakeboardTour, Live2Ride & many websites and regional event), skyrocketing materials costs - if we can get our aluminum . . ., trade shows, more BS legal fees, increased production cost, five employees that drive trucks, a health plan, “board meetings”, etc, etc. Were almost starting to look & feel like a real company, except the way we dress Smile

Magazine advertising has been a problem trying to run the business as we get price increases and availability delays with an email or 30 second phone call, then can change the price on the website when the related product cost hits us but 4+ months later your ads are still hitting peoples mailboxes. Worse there are links all over the web from abandoned sites you cannot get the info changed at. Were truly sorry for the confusion caused by the marketing stuff we have no control over.

A local customer that came to my house to pick up his first tower right after I started came to the shop today to pickup a tower for his new boat. He commented that $110 for a bracket to mount his mirror to his tower was an absurd about of money, and $350 for four lights on the tower was “comical”. After showing him a few websites were most the mirror brackets were over $200 and light bars were over $500, he kinda grinned and said “whatever”. Not sure what I learned from that yet.

You can make towers, pylons & accessories yourself & save a ton of coin and I’ve put together www.diyTower.com to help anyone with interest in that. We are thankful to be one of several companies trying to provide affordable products to the market, as well as one of many companies in the market.

We are not perfect, we are all wakeboarders, we do plan to stay in business, were are doing the best job we can - but when we screw up please let me know. Office is 877-77-Tower and cell is 678-895-8005

Ocean Rider · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 24 Jun 2003 Posts: 1597

Liquid*Force*Rider, contact my buddy andrew... he deals them out where I am... I gave you his numba!

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

MonsterTower, you really shouldn't have to come on here and explain yourself like this.

Your product, customer service, and dedication to the sport should speak for you.

You will always have the absolute backing of the community here at WB.COM.

MadDog · Soul Rider Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 465 City: Upstate NY

chavez, well said. I don't get all the ranting over a price increase. Monster is a great product, and Monster Bill seems like a great guy who stands by his products. Everything goes up in price, especially in the current ecconomic situation.

MonsterTower, keep up the good work, and don't let a few people get to you.

Ruune · Posted: Apr 01, 2005 7:15 am Post subject:

Liquid*Force*Rider · Posted: Apr 01, 2005 7:45 am Post subject:

Ocean Rider, I'm going to try to get my daddy to buy one. Very Happy

DCdave56 · Posted: Apr 01, 2005 7:54 am Post subject:

The opinions of the actual customers like myself are all that matters. The price increase may cause some people to shop around but they won't find a better product or customer service. Plus their boats will look ugly Laughing

NAW · Posted: Apr 01, 2005 7:54 am Post subject:

Everything he stated is almost sunk costs in business besides material.

Working in the metals industry full time, I can assure that material costs are ALL OVER THE PLACE and change daily! With aluminum and red metals being the most volatile.

If tower and accessory mfg's do not adjust their pricing accordingly, we will all be DIY'ers.

Rinker04 · Newbie Joined: 29 Mar 2005 Posts: 17 City: Orland Park

Let me share my monster experience.

When I ordered my tower last year the Quick release kit wasn't included. So when I ordered my tower, I also ordered the quick release kit. Imagine my surprise when I received my tower & they included the release kit for free (because so many asked for them).

When I mounted my tower, the bolts weren't long enough for the front mounts (due to the thickness of the fiberglass). After unsuccessfully trying to get the bolts locally, I shot Monster an e-mail. They sent me longer bolts right away - no questions, no charge.

I work in the metals industry, let me say that Monster could have raised their price weekly & been justified in doing so. Metal prices were changing so rapidly that instead of changing the actual prices - the mills just added surcharges to every invoice.

I looked at a lot of options before deciding on Monster. The biggest factor that influenced my decision was their reputation. I can't tell you how glad I am that I made the right decision.

Thanks Bill - keep up the good work. And by the way, I'll be ordering one of those "absurdly priced" mirror brackets:)

Supa_fly · Newbie Joined: 02 Apr 2005 Posts: 32

Humm, well its the season for boats, lakes and water sports/wakeboaring. Best time to get equipment or even boats is in the off season. I see that it is not wrong for MonsterTower to raise his price! Its like any other business. I wish I got my boat while it was in the boat show. I could of saved Thousands, but no, I was being cheap and now I just purchased my boat. I paid more then $6k more then it was offered in the off season @ my local boat show.

Maybe in the off season check back w/ Monstertower, he might toss in a lower price. I think its fair that they are allowed to do this as other manufacture does it. When you wanna play, you pay. I still say that 200.00 more is still a awsome deal. Cool

deneng · Criminal Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Posts: 88 City: femont

i just got under the wire picked mine up for 995, and i knew the price was going to go up. the main problem was cost of material. Still is worth the money. These towers definitely look good, and with their racks , and nice speakers the monster looks better in my opinion then more expensive towers.