Merlin --
you are absolutley right...like any business there are several costs. but you never know if a dealer had special terms with a their manufacturer to order x amount - or if they were trying to acheive a certain level to hit their quoata or win some award?
Really hard to speculate on a business model which we don't know anything about.
But the one thing that I do know is that - these idiots are everywhere.....
And quite frankly -- the people who want that type of partnership would by their copier from walmart if they could. Let them have that business....It seems to me the less someone pays - the more they expect.
The more margin that is in a situation the more accomodating and understanding the client is to realize that copiers break, jam, and anything unforseeable can and will happen....and we usually work on this at the front to create a contingency plan - which leads to an additional device...So many ways to add value vs. taking all value away...
Just think when their business model changes, and they try to upgrade their base. someone with a 50-70 ppm machine will be asking them to invest an additional 200-400% most likely, and they will potentially lose all credibility.