Foretravel, Inc. - Page 35

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            reduction.  Petitioner offered rebates of the finance costs                                    
            imposed on a dealer from additional inventory, and also used                                   
            incentives to attract buyers for coaches with unpopular colors or                              
            unpopular sizes and display models that had been driven to                                     
            recreational vehicle shows.  Petitioner did not offer the rebate                               
            up front to the dealer, but instead sold these coaches to the                                  
            dealer at full price and then would accept a lower price from the                              
            dealership if the need arose.  In this circumstance, there was an                              
            understanding between Foretravel and its customers, the                                        
            dealerships, entered into prior to the sale of the product to the                              
            ultimate user of the product.  If the dealership could                                         
            immediately sell a coach at full retail price despite its                                      
            unpopular size or color, it would do so; if it could not, then                                 
            the dealership could sell the coach for less than retail with a                                
            commensurate rebate to the dealership approved by petitioner.                                  
                  The incentives generated by sales to high profile buyers, or                             
            buyers who complained about the quality of a Foretravel coach,                                 
            also qualified as a purchase price reduction between petitioner                                
            and the dealers.  The reality of the marketplace would dictate                                 
            the rebate needed to put the product in the hands of the                                       
            consumer.  If a high profile buyer offered the dealership full                                 
            retail price, then there was no reason for petitioner to reduce                                
            the sale price of the coach to the dealer.  The more reasonable                                
            method was the method used by petitioner and its dealers whereby                               
            petitioner would adjust the price to the dealer via a rebate if                                




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Last modified: May 25, 2011