Behringer has claimed it is a 'not for profit' organisation in a recent post on its Facebook page following a statement on its commitment to re-investment into production and development.
"At Behringer we pay zero dividends to shareholders and we reinvest all our earnings," the hardware company stated in an unprompted Facebook post earlier today (Tuesday 8 August) and when one Facebook reader reply expressed scepticism at the claim, the self-described industry 'disruptor' went further.
"If profit was out [sic] focus, we wouldn’t sell our products at such low prices," the company posted in response, screengrabbed below and originally reported by guitar influencer and YouTuber Andy Ferris on his Andy Guitar Geek Instagram account. "At times we’re even selling them below cost," Behringer added. "We are a 'not for profit' org as all our earnings are reinvested."
That 'not for profit' claim is likely to raise some eyebrows amongst Behringer's critics. A nonprofit organisation is defined as 'a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in contrary with an entity that operates as a business aiming to generate a profit for its owners.'
Behringer was founded in 1989 by Swiss engineer Uli Behringer. It has become known for its popular and affordable emulations of hardware, including synths, inspired by classic units. Its parent company is Music Tribe, owner of brands including TC Electronic. In 2018 Music Tribe completed work on the huge $100m MusicTribe City manufacturing and dormitory complex in Zhongshan, China.
In another recent Facebook post, Behringer made clear that its marketing strategy did not involve paying or sending its gear for reviewers to keep, and said it ran the risk of a potential conflict of interest in doing so.
We do not engage in paid advertisements. We have stopped providing free gear to influencers
In a post on 7 August titled, Why we don't "pay to play", Behringer outlined its position on the matter; "We understand that our social media administrators may not always get it right, as they may not be aware of the complete history or the changing nature of people and situations," it began. "However, we have implemented clear marketing policies to avoid any conflicts of interest:
"We do not pay for reviews from media or influencers. If they choose not to support us for any reason, we are perfectly fine with it," Behringer continued. "We do not engage in paid advertisements. We have stopped providing free gear to influencers.
"We may offer 'free' equipment to individuals who actively contribute to the design, testing, or create performances and tutorials as compensation for their time."
The company added that it's focus was on the customer experience and the value proposition.
"We firmly believe that our customers are fully capable of evaluating the equipment themselves and making informed decisions," Behringer added. "Our primary goal is to pass on the savings directly to them.
"If this means we lose sales because the media and influencers don't support us, we don't care. Our only concern is ensuring the integrity and authenticity of our products and maintaining transparency with our customers.
"We understand that not everyone likes us because we are disrupting the market," Behringer concluded, "but nothing will stop us from delivering utmost value to our customers. That's what we stand for, and this will never change."
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