[pct-l] Guide Book Gouging

[Paul Mitchell]

Perhaps you think it's gouging because you think a business just arbitrarily
decides a price?

Let's remember that the PCTA doesn't exist to generate revenue and isn't as
efficient and streamlined a money making machine as Amazon.  Their expenses
are higher, their costs for the books themselves are likely higher, their
revenue streams are very limited, they don't sell in high volume and
therefore can't afford to only make a dollar per sale, and they likely don't
have a team of accountants to help them find tax loopholes.

PCTA - a non-profit organization that exists to support the trail
AMAZON - a corporation that exists exclusively to benefit it's stockholders

Like it or not, we vote with every dollar we spend, and sometimes with the
dollars we don't spend.

Too bad we don't even fully comprehend what it is we're voting for, because
the actual cost of those low prices is more significant than we might
imagine.

Paul


-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net
[mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]On Behalf Of stillroaming
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 5:30 PM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Guide Book Gouging


You're absolutely right. The trail can use all the funding it can get, from
any source. I hear ya! :)

However, given normal availability of guidebooks, charging 40% more for
items over other sources reeks of gouging. If this type of gouging is
justified under the guise of 'the best interest of the trail', it wouldn't
be suprising if these tactics painted less than a rosy picture of the PCTA
and had an opposite affect.

Folks will donate to the trail or the bureaucracy running it if they choose.
The enthusiasm of folks headed out onto the trail for a months long or day
long adventure is not a signal for the unscrupulous trail pimps to stick
their hands in our pockets. Folks who *think* buying from the PCTA is best
because, well, it's the PCTA would be mistaken.

Scott Parks

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Batchelor" <billbatch at cox.net>
To: "'stillroaming'" <pct at delnorteresort.com>; <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 4:41 PM
Subject: RE: [pct-l] Guide Book Question ...


> Someone mentioned this before, but if you can handle the few extra bucks
> and
> the PCTA.ORG site has them in stock - it would be good for the trail
> dollars
> to buy them from the PCTA site.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
> On Behalf Of stillroaming
> Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 8:58 AM
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Subject: [pct-l] Guide Book Question ...
>
> Purchase your guidebooks as soon as you like.
>
> The books are updated every few years, with addendums made available at
> the
> Wilderness Press website annually.
>
> 2 or 3 months ago a rep (not Ben) from Wilderness Press stated that the
> next
> revision, a major overhaul, will not be available till 2008. So, no sense
> in
> waiting to buy.
>
> Also, if you buy from amazon.com you'll save about $30 over buying them at
> the PCTA. Read this article for the details:
> http://postholer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=107
>
> Hope that helps,
> Scott
>
>> For those of you who have been out there for a while     ...how often are
>> the PCT Guidebooks revised  ?   Next question    ...how far in advance of
>> your hike does it make sense purchasing a set of the Guidebooks ??
>
>  Thanks in advance,
>
>  'Slogger
> ------------------------------------
> Trails : http://Postholer.Com
> Journals : http://Postholer.Com/journal
>
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