Business Ethics in the Audio Industry


I wonder if anyone else has run into problems with audio manufacturer/retailers that raise ethical (if not legal) issues. In mid-April, I ordered a Schiit Freya on Schiit's website and authorized credit card payment. The website said that shipment would be delayed until April 30th. After that, I received another email message from Schiit saying shipment would be delayed until May 15. I made one further inquiry after that, and Schiit responded that I would have to wait a little longer. Then, just yesterday, I received a message from Schiit saying that the Freya had been replaced by two new models, and I could choose between them. Either way, I'd have to pay $100 to $200 more than for the Freya I had ordered in mid-April.

Before yesterday, there was no sign on Schiit's website or anywhere else that the Freya was being discontinued in favor of the new model (with two options). Nor did any of the email messages I received from Schiit indicate that the Freya was being discontinued and that I would have to pay more than previously agreed for what I had ordered. The messages only ever referred to shipping delays.

Do you consider this a fair business practice on the part of Schiit? I feel like it's a bait-and-switch, which they tried to justify by noting that my credit card charge was reimbursed three days after the initial order, as per company policy. But I assumed that was only because of the delay in shipping, and that the card would be charged once shipping occurred. I don't know whether this rises to fraudulent misrepresentation, but it certainly seems to amount to a dishonest business practice. I'd be interested to hear what others think about this.
dancole

Showing 1 response by teo_audio

Wow, this thread.

Schitt does it exactly right.

Morally, ethically business wise they did exactly the right thing.

I’d guess they let a product supply run out..and... as that happens... delay orders for it.

then, when all sales of the older item..are notably in the past, in a set amount of time, introduce the new, with the new price.

If it was otherwise, things would get ugly.

Recently, I bought a $7k bit of manufacturing hardware.

It fails to work as advertised and I have to d a whole whack of work on it at my own expense and it will MAYBE do as advertised.

I waited almost a month for it to arrive.

Just after it arrived, the company announces the availability of a new version that is totally different, and works the way the old one was supposed to. I got junk, new buyers will get a working item. I got burned to the tune of $7k.

~~~~~~~~
Now, what Schiit did, in comparison, is exactly the right thing, and...as stated, done with as perfect a ethical position as humanly possible.

IMO and IME, in any sense of common decent reason...they cannot be faulted for their behaviour.