There is no question that the internet is crushing high end audio retailers. Think about it, why are you here? we can all say that it is because of poor sales help--they don't care, whatever. But the real issue is that the retailer can not compete with sites like Audiogon when it comes to price and that is the bottom line. We are buying equipment and other assorted goodies at almost half the retail price and most of it is in like new or mint condition( most people on this site take pride in the condition of there equipment). It gives most of us the chance to experiment with lots of different options. You can buy something and try it for a while-decide if you like it and if you don't you can re-list the item and sell it for what you paid of very close to that. There is no retailer I know of that can provide that kind of service. When it comes to cables of any type--they are always better after they have been used for a hundred hours or so. Why would you buy new ones-buy used ones and get immediate gradification--they sound great right out of the box! Yes, you may have to do a little research on your own, but with all info available to us even on one site it's not that tough.I would love to support my local retailer, but the price I have to pay is to high. I purchased a pair of Thiel speakers at my local retailer a few years back , just before I found this site, and was I in for a shock. I found that there were a number of speakers just like the ones I had purchased listed on this site in like new condition with original boxes etc for less then half the price. When I mentioned this to my local dealer he informed me that because I has purchased the speakers from them I had the opporunity to trade the speakers back in and I would recieve a credit in full towards the purchase of another pair of speakers at full retail. What a great deal--for them! I am not sure what they can do to get back in the game. I am sure it is a problem for the manufactures as well--no retailers to sell the stuff, how do you get it out there in the market place. I'm just glad I found this site. I have put together a wonderful system over the last couple of years and really enjoy it. I did not come even close on the first attempt or even the second or third, but this site allowed me the flexibility to explore which is a big part of the fun.
Are internet sales taking business or not?
I got into a heated discussion with my friend the other day about internet high-end audio sales. He felt that the internet was stealing business from retailers. I argued that retailers are losing business because they offer such poor customer service. By driving hungry customers away, retailers create a market opportunity that internet companies seize. In a 12 year period, my visits to 9 high-end salons in 5 states yielded only 50% satisfaction. 25% of the time the sales was sub-standard (meaning I might buy, but with much reluctance), and the other 25% was incredibly poor (I wouldn't buy, period!) Any comments?