On one hand Jake says pricing lights too low is bad. Then on the other hand he says we priced ours greater than the minimum they require. But then why send the note. I wish that confusion didn't exist so I could just throw this note away without thinking about it. Anyways, perhaps we priced the lights too high folks, sorry about that.

This would never happen with Jake from State Farm:

I would bet that Jake from America Lighting does not even wear khakis.

Frame and hang this letter on the wall; a letter like this is better than any award.

Collect them from as many companies as you can!

I ran the letter through a Google translator to Chinese. Then I translated it back to English. It makes just as much sense as it did before, but at least now it has an excuse

As we all know, the US lighting company has implemented Internet advertising lowest price policy ( "IMAP Policy") in respect of certain US lighting products. American Lighting IMAP implementation policy, because it is concerned that some dealers use in the US lighting products artificially low prices in order to build traffic to the entire distribution system in the United States lighting damage. These inexpensive lighting products not only weaken the United States dealer's profit margin; they also create a negative image quality for consumers.
It seems, the price reflected in your website 3-46 feet LED lights do not meet the IMAP policy of the US lighting. Specifically, the cost than the specified minimum price listed in the American Lighting IMAP policy pricing table sites advertised price ($ 3- $ 22).
Since the results of the US lighting IMAP violation of this policy, as well as the United States unilaterally decided to cancel all open illumination shipments of 3-46 feet and the American Lighting LED light bar future orders. American Lighting reserved the right to accept the next 3-46 feet LED light bar orders, but again, when US lighting company and whether to accept future orders decision will be unilateral. *
Thanks for your support of the American Lighting brand. All questions about this issue should be directed to me.
Sincerely,
Jack K.
E-commerce sales specialist
IMAP Administrator
American Lighting

Jake meant that:

So with that logic, he is correct?
If less is more and more is the same as greater then greater is less.

Then:

"Specifically, the price advertised on the website ($3-$22) is LESS than the designated minimum price listed on American Lighting IMAP Policy Pricing Sheet."

Makes sense :-)

For me, it is their (lead containing / wash your hands after use / cancer causing / works for a week then dies) shit product creating "negative quality images for consumers" - IMHO the price point here at Meh was all they had going for it (as a positive).

OK, it's been a while since grade school but I think I've got this math down:
$3-$22 = -$19

They are saying that vendors are supposed to list it for less than -$19? Did they send over a list of vendors who comply with this policy? If they have a vendor who will send me $20 along with the item, that would be great.

This MAP policy is a HUGE benefit for consumers - thats lunch money right there!

they also create negative quality images for consumers.

The incurable flickering that started after a week actually did that for me.

the price advertised on the website ($3-$22) is greater than the designated minimum price listed

😑

American Lighting has unilaterally decided to cancel all open shipments and future orders of American Lighting’s 3-46 Foot LED Light Strips.

ALL open shipments and orders? So they aren't going to sell them anywhere at all, ever again, because of Meh?

IMAP Administrator

I was just working on a Dovecot IMAP server, but I think that's a little different.

If American Lighting's emails didn't have a confidentiality note in the signature before, they soon will!

I am unaware. I'm still unaware. What's going on?

And the chickens have come home to roost. @snapster has played this ecommerce game too fast and loose for too long. Fun while it lasted.

MAP = artificially inflating prices to protect wholesales and retailers stuck in the past.

The recurring use of 'unilateral' made me think of this sketch from Kids in the Hall. I must have seen it 20 years ago and still reference it from time to time.

let us consult the mehcronomicon.

"He who fails to realize greater than be not the same as less than, fails at life and shall be subject to an Irk Revenue Service audit. So say we all."

In one of my Fuku I got a Ollie by Sphero, I put it for sale on online and the Sphero people sent me a similar message but I just deleted it.

Internet Minimum Advertised Price Policy (“IMAP Policy”)

Since when did Meh start advertising ?

I just figured it out. 'Greater than' means 'better than', which means 'lower than', which means - wait, I need coffee.

Post Jake's email so we all can direct our questions to him.

That makes my head hurt. I read it several times trying to find sense before continuing on down the thread. If you use big words everyone will know how smart and important you are, right?

Maybe a few more times through the sausage grinder would improve it. Bonus points if anybody can get it to words of three letters, so Irk can sing it to the tune of 'You Can't Do That'.

Ran @capguncowboy's translation through Bad Translator. Had to do it one sentence at a time. I used TransPerfect translator, number of translations: 5.

As we still know, United States that you/they commercially have easily pi pi internet the publicit served politics of the price (statesman IMAP) in the respect as some United States that the anznden, in gi, the constituted one tchtig, produced. Ausstellung-IMAP-amricaine the political realization, perch him / / it included, l of the Hndler in him to the use of United States, that anzndens of knstliche of the products low lease in sequence to Verhltnis of the structures to the systme of the whole distribution, the show-pain us for him / it. These products of the lighting the good flchissent of March not only the tats-vereinigtes damage a shake a profit of the edge of the Hndlers; You / them the dveloppent also a qualit of the fr of ngative of Portrt the consumers.

Him / it happens / it, the price has reflt in Your site web from when amricaines manufactured 3-46 Fe of GUIDS I void any rencontrs to the IMAP-Politik of the exposure. Spcifiquement, the bed of the child of this the price, that Mindest-spcifis he/she wrote in the fair of amricaine, since the IMAP-Politik that glorifies places of the table price of donn of the opinion it has ($3-$22). Since the rsultats of the verstt of amricaine of exposure IMAP of this politics, uniforms, unilatral has hires of dcid of the illumination that it becomes from 3-46 Fens geffnet to annul and the exposure has amricaine, still PROVOQU Blcke-Hlle instructions of knftige. Discut had the exposure of amricaine the solo to suppose 3-46 following Fe toward PROVOQU-Anweisungen of the rod of the Hlle Lei, but again, if the exposure motion I activate the United States and or, to suppose the dcision of knftigen of the orders, sar unilatraux.*

It thanks Your dafr it bears the stain of the amricaine of exposure You. Even if the doubts of this question, dirigs of Ich-mme are.
SINCREMENT,
VALET K.
And-tauschen You, the Spcialistes imap sells the administrator to explanation of the american

can we try to write a response that has as many IMAPs stuffed into it as possible?

To whom it may actually pertain,

We regret to hear that the IMAP policy is managing artificial price points. It might amuse producers to install mandatory, arbitrary policies to boost revenue, but it mightn't actively please consumers.

ok i ran out of gas (ugh and I broke mehdown again)

OK, I translated it to Chinese then to Zulu then to English. Now we're getting closer to where we want to be.

MEH.COM Dear:
As you know, under the lights and the United States, the company has a policy of advertising online lowest price of IMAP American Lighting products (hereinafter referred to as the "Policy"). The implementation of the United States and its policies lighting IMAP, because it is concerned that some of the dealers in the United States the use of lighting products artificially low prices to build traffic, lighting damage to the distribution system throughout the United States. These low prices, not only weakened benefits dealers and products for the light; they contributed to the negative image quality for consumers.
Report, as reflected in the price action the foot of your site. . LED strip lighting IMAP does not comply with the policy. Specific prices published on the website (3 million won) than lighting the price list, more IMAP US policy lowest price -22
As a result of such violations, and in accordance with American policy Lighting IMAP, United States unilaterally decided to cancel the runway lighting and order goods, lighting up the case in the future. . Pin LED light bar. The United States has the right to order convicted of foot lamps. . In the future, LED strip light, but the United States and the lamps, to determine when and if to accept future orders will be one-sided. *
Thank you for your support, the United States and brand lamps. All questions about this should be directed to me.
sincere,
Jack
E-commerce sales specialist
IMAP Administrator
Lighting American, INC.

I honestly can't see what the point of the letter is. So you sold it for less than they think you should? The reasoning for the email is just stupid. A low price on a quality product isn't going to turn anyone away. A low price on a shitty product will still get people to bite. A high price on a shitty product will turn everyone away.

Good luck with your business model, American Lighting (which is likely made in China).

All questions regarding this issue should be directed to me.

So @snapster can we put together a list of questions to direct to Jake ? That might be fun !

I see the easiest solution is to add the word "may or may not be" when describing the manufacturer and models.

i still don't get what the issue is?
did they just not realize that the range of prices was for different lengths?
did we pay too much or not enough?

Wait a second... let me take that letter into our home theater... and then into our garage to shed some American Lighting on it.

F*k MAP pricing and F*k the Police!!! Inflating a crappy products price and keeping it there is the name of their game. I'd say the exact opposite to what Meh stands for. Stand strong Meh, @snapster, ban THEIR junk product from ever being sold here on MEH and let them know who is the boss around here!

So, another daily deal site had these up yesterday (still for sale) but didn't mention the brand name.
http://www.thatdailydeal.com/home.php?id=42965&past_deal=1

I wonder if they too will get a friendly letter saying they sold them over the minimum...This whole thing has me laughing, maybe more than it should.

On the up side it only took google 43 min to index this thread (out of idle curiosity I was looking to see if the email address was still there). Google must like you even if Jake the snaKe does not.

From the cached page on google:
"snapster shared a link 43 minutes ago"

@snapster Can we get an update on this? Did you send them a response letter (or a link to this thread?) Did they send you a follow-up letter since you've sold them several times since?

You can always Contact Jake yourself

So long story short, will I be able to spend more money on here for rope lights or did they pull the plug?

IMAP.... I Love Acronyms!!!!!