Miners Den Adelaide closed for good?

[XLOOX]

Bought a fews bits of kit from 4 detector shops last year and I didnt see any small dealers that didnt have ML stock then.

I suspect it is just part of the general move away from middlemen that has been occuring more and more in a lot of retail business as direct to customer sales over the net gets easier for manufacturers and more accepted by customers even for high end items.

It is especially easy to dump your dealer for established brands with a product that is already well known and regarded.


Why would a manufacturer pay 10-30% commission to a dealer when they could pocket it themselves?

Dont take my comments as supporting ML destroying our detectors shops livelihoods

Just that for a manufacturer the bottom line, is that the bottom line is the bottom line

 

[wiley coyote]

Could it be that Minelab has gone as far as it can with detector upgrades and will slowly move away from them. The 7000s been around for about 8 years now with no improvements of any kind. The people who have been making the 7000 better for many years now, are the after market coil manufacturers. The rumour is, that an 8000 will be out soon, but, they say it's only going to be a lighter, more ergonomic cross between the 6000 and the 7000. But, it could be a lot dearer. If they can't give me more depth, I won't be buying one!

 

[wick p]

What a great opportunity for another company with equivalent or better quality detectors to take over the Australian market. Perhaps China will put some suitable electronics in their dud detectors and sell for half the Minelab price.

 

[XLOOX]

What a great opportunity for another company with equivalent or better quality detectors to take over the Australian market. Perhaps China will put some suitable electronics in their dud detectors and sell for half the Minelab price.

Minelab could sell at half the price of a Minleab but they dont need to.... yet.

They are making hay while the sun shines and when they inevitably have real opposition and the tide of sales is turning against them then they will drop prices, and having added the dealers margin into their own margin ahead of time they can graciously afford to do a 20% discount and still not lose profit vs now.

 

[Dave's Office]

We've allways used specialised businesses to purchase things like computers, phones etc, if you have a problem, you need to be able to get help from experienced staff. When you buy products from large department stores like Harvey Norman and JB Hifi, all you get is a sales person and if you're lucky that person might know a little bit about the settings, but that's as far as it goes, they don't employ electronic experts.

 

[glenno11]

Yes - went to their Mile End store yesterday - it was locked and all stock gone. So currently the city Minelab has its head office in (Adelaide) has no dedicated detector shop where you can go and review all their products and talk to a person who actual knows something about metal detectors and metal detecting. Looks like Minelab will be pushing for direct sales soon.

You can buy from BCF and Anaconda They stock all lower end Minelab detectors and they can get the high end detectors on order. But u won't find someone to help u on info. Looks to me that they are shooting themselves in the foot long term

 

[PeterInSa]

Re (and they can get the high end detectors on order.) Agree
And
( But u won't find someone to help u on info.)

Not necessarily so........I understand ( could be corrected) that for sometime Nenad had a deal with Minelab?/Miners Den? or? to provide new High End ( 2300/3000/3500/4000/4500/5000/6000/7000) Detector Training in the goldfields. These Stores ( BCF & AnaC.) could arrange something in each sales location with a serious detector user for a fee.

I think ML have a Plan ( after Research/Consultants/Financial Modeling), we are just seeing the initial steps. Whats next?

 

[davsgold]

I think ML have a Plan ( after Research/Consultants/Financial Modeling), we are just seeing the initial steps. Whats next?

yes I think ML have a plan, it's all to do with $$$$$$$$ not so much the actual customers anymore

 

[XLOOX]

yes I think ML have a plan, it's all to do with $$$$$$$$ not so much the actual customers anymore

 

[PeterInSa]

Re $16.41, But will it hold up into the future, without the introduction of new detectors within the next 6 months, and with the change in Dealers in Oz impacting market penetration/coverage..

 

[wiley coyote]

Watch Miners Den on youtube tonight. Digger Dave Watters is going to blow us away with new developments on the detecting scene. Or, so he said on youtube last night.

 

[grubstake]

Watch Miners Den on youtube tonight. Digger Dave Watters is going to blow us away with new developments on the detecting scene. Or, so he said on youtube last night.

Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/live/NPVTgK28p80?si=XocZ0wz3jpb_U1Lf

 

[Aussie Adventurer]

Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/live/NPVTgK28p80?si=XocZ0wz3jpb_U1Lf

Thanks for the link grubstake,
Well that now explains a lot on why Minelab told me:

G’day, Jim
Thanks for your enquiry.
We are not planning to open new Dealerships in rural WA for the time being.

CAVEAT:
Mind you it was a long shot ASKING with me being in Leonora and so close to Kalgoorlie, but never the less - it helps explain a few things............

 

[lostheplot]

Interesting developements.wonder if the likes of annaconda bcfloose the entry level stuff?
Also for the den to now have the algo about 4ks away from where the algo was already sold at prospecters patch in eagehawk
Wonder if they end up with the garret as well.?
I was almost ready to buy a 6000 but am now rethinking it .

 

[Dave's Office]

It makes you wonder how they are going to provide customer service and support, if they have as many issues with other new products as they have had with the 6000 I would think many of thier long term customers will start looking at other options.

 

[Longie]

If you prospect for a living there is no other option.

 

[Mackka]

That being the case Longie, I wonder why the brains trust on this forum and others don't get their heads together and list the pros and cons of the tector they are using and get those with technical/engineering knowledge to design a better unit and get some Chinese manufacturer to make it? Just a thought and yes I know It only takes money but with what is at stake i.e. livelihoods, it may be an alternative. Cheers Mackka

 

[PeterInSa]

Re (Re $16.41, But will it hold up into the future, without the introduction of new detectors within the next 6 months, and with the change in Dealers in Oz impacting market penetration/coverage..

No new Detectors.......... it may be some time B4 the Share market realizes there are problems.

As someone in the Prospecting/Detector Industry told me recently, Minelab's biggest competitor is their 2nd hand market, eg I recently purchased a 2nd hand 6000 , lost ML a new 6000 sale. Someone who downsizes from a 7000 to a 2nd hand 6k sells his 6000 so another lost Minelab sale, ditto the sale of the 7k. Someone who gets his 5000 modded and does not buy a 6000, or sells his 6 when modded, Someone upgrades from a Gold Monster to a 2nd hand 2300, sells his Monster on Gumtree/MarketPlace or this Forum, all lost ML sales.

To me 2nd hand Minelab Detectors are near Bullet Proof, my wife and I have owned around 30 ML Gold detectors since 1979, with only one problem a WM12 Speaker from a 7000, after 5 years use as a speaker(only) I could not plug headphones into the jack and ML fixed the problem for Free including return post. With this track record, buying a 2nd hand ML detector out of warranty for me is not an issue, even if there is a control box issue,and ML no longer repair that model, there are 2 companies in Oz that can fix..

 

[HarryHoudini]

It will be interesting to see the new Nokta PI machine and its effective use in the gold field. This may give Minelab a little competition