RE: Calling all NANOG'ers - idea for national hardware price quote registry

["Matt Bazan" <Mbazan () onelegal com>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-nanog () merit edu [mailto:owner-nanog () merit edu] On 
> Behalf Of Sean Figgins
> > Yes, it would be great, however it won't work.

Couple points.  This is true typically in only the largest enterprise
quotes.  For the vast majority of medium and small business quotes NDAs
are rarely used.  And hey, if they are , that's why the process is
anonymous ;-)  Besides, in today's crap economy, is a vendor really
going to come down on a client for violating an NDA and throw away $$$$?
I personally don't have experience with this but I'm willing to bet that
most NDAs are more bark than bite.

> I forsee the following proplems:
>
> 1) Vendors do not want their pricing available for all (including
> competitors) to see

I know!  That's the best part.  Just what the airlines used to say back
before the Internet - remember?  My prediction is that once the info
gets out there's no stopping it.

> 2) Vendors would require that list prices be used
>
> 3) You would still need to go to the vendor to find out what 
> level of discount they are willing to give you, and then 
> negociate the best discount you want.
>
> 4) Different companies of similar size are able to negotiate 
> different levels of discounts, depending on the specifics of 
> their relationship with the vendor.  You're likely to get a 
> better percent when you buy quantity 400 of "B"  
> router/switch/SAN than quantity 2.

Sure, that will be in the quote.

> 5) Purchasing companies would be less likely to want to 
> divulge this information, as it could hurt their competitive 
> advantage.  If they are getting a 75% discount, and their 
> closest competitor is only getting 50%, they have a lot 
> better advantage.

Well, that's why you don't get the VPs permission ;-).  Anonymity!!

> 6) Such a list is likely actually cause companies to have to pay more.

Not sure about the logic here...

> That being said, I would personally LOVE to have the 
> information.  I would not be able to participate because of 
> the NDA that we have signed, or risk loosing my job.
>
>  -Sean