One common dealer complaint is that customers sometimes use them to audition equipment only to later purchase it elsewhere.
How much of that is true is not known but it must happen. Such is the nature of some folk.
Therefore, how about abandoning the time honoured practice of free demonstrations (also shared by the car industry) and start charging a fee?
Would $10 an hour be sufficient?
Surely, even in quiet part of a quiet day it must cost the dealer considerably more than that to provide the facilities and staff to facilitate a satisfactory demonstration.
I don't know how others may feel, but I'd be more than happy to pay for the service.
When I’m done listening to the amp/speaker pair, I will gladly accept a check for my time. Will use the $ for lunch after listening to their components!
There is a high end audio place by me who never, not once have ever given a price break for anything. So earning $10/hr is perfect, make $40 and have a nice supper for the boss and I
Lol, NO! It’s part of owning any type of retail store or shop. There will always be people who look then buy elsewhere. Do car dealers charge for a test drive? Just my opinion.
I never waste a salesman's time.... so to me that would be insulting. You are going to charge me a fee to demo something that I'm looking to buy ?
No thanks. The folks I regularly do business with pretty much know they are going to get my business, and that's why they have no problem setting up a demo. And they know if I walk out without buying something, I will be back soon because they are my first choice whenever I need something hifi.
I understand everyone's time is valuable, but can you imagine taking a car for a test drive and paying a fee? Ridiculous
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No no no Free shipping, return ship you pay + a 10% restock fee is more than fair both sides. Come on man, if the dealer has to pay both ships with no restock fees, they will ALL go OOB. Voxativ has NO RETURNs.. Never buy a speaker froma company with NO RETURN policy, = Proof the speaker is not what they claim it is.
@isochronism “I recall a sign above the counter of various service shops stating their hourly rate. XX per hour. XXXX if you watch.”
It’s xx if you watch; xxxxx is you worked on it first. Mine also had,”We’ll make this the best thing you’ve ever had, it it takes every last dime you’ve got”
Why would an audio dealer be any different than a car dealer? An apple store? Going thru open homes before buying a new home? Would you pay to do these things? An apple store, you are actually playing/using the device. A car dealer, you are actually driving a car for an hour or maybe a weekend and working with a salesman and not buy from that dealer. I haven’t dealt with an audio dealer for over 2 decades, I attend multiple audio shows a year like ces, rmaf, etc
I’m with danager. I think that talking about a fee is really dope. It’s the quickest way to go out of biz. There are too many places that offer free returns a price matching now days to set up as a nickel dimer. If you can’t keep the lights on get out.
I worked in several audios stores, there’s been looks-looks forever, yes I am sure it’s gotten worse, but even knowing how hard it is to be a store owner and a salesman, I would walk out if someone said pay me upfront. In fact in the city I live in there is an audio store where the owner says if you want advice There is a charge of $100 an hour. I had several thousand in cash on me, but only got to listen to him for 20 minutes telling me how great and smart he was. I left without hearing any equipment and ended up buying the equipment online that I wanted and that he had.
One model could be to charge a fee but to deduct that from any purchase. At least that way, the dealer gets some business (and it becomes essentially free for the buyer as long as something is purchased...)
$10/hr sounds about right. For just being in the store. After all some people just walk in and out never buy a thing just look. But the store had to have lights and heat even for that. It is only fair. They can collect that along with the parking fee. $10/hr sounds about right for that too.
That is just in and out. If you want to listen I would expect another $10/hr. Of course you would tip your retailer if he has to acknowledge your presence. To play a CD probably $10. Records $20. Only fair.
Why not? cd318 is happy to pay. Sorry. My bad. "More than happy."
Or you could just offer price matching. I worked selling stereos on commission for a long time. To pay up front for someone to sell me something makes me throw up a little bit in my mouth. If you want to drive away customers charge them to listen and when you go out of business they won't be able to hear your equipment to compare, so that'll teach them or you could do your job and create value by purchasing the equipment from you and make a customer for life. Just as a side note I also DVR sports and shows so I can fast forward thru the adds. If I time it right I can end the same time the game does.
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