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.
Some of these audio stores are boutiques. I think if you are considering a charge to listen, you probably should go to an appointment only business. That way, you can filter out people that are tire kickers and deal mostly with buyers by asking the right questions when setting the appointment.
if that’s not the type of dealer you are, then you are best to take the good with the bad. Unfortunately, we have a bunch selfish people in the world who will take advantage of someone, if they can. That is part of your business model.
My philosophy is to plan on buying from the dealer if I plan on using their resources for evaluation/listening. I also do not expect a discount when I do. If I expect a discount, then, I’m not going to use someone resources unless I talk about it upfront.
Now, if you do an in-home setup, I think it’s reasonable to state your charges upfront.
Or is all retail as we know it, ultimately doomed?
Not that long ago I wanted to buy some Adidas training shoes. They had to be all black, have non memory foam inner soles, be breathable /cool to wear, and look reasonably smart.
I found some online and then looked to see where I could buy some in-store as I couldn’t imagine buying shoes without trying them on first.
In the end I had to, as the nearest store was some 19 miles away.
I wasn’t too pleased about this but thankfully they fitted really well.
I’m definitely not one of those people who doesn’t mind the extra hassle of returning things, but who knows, maybe even that will have to change as in-store options continue to diminish at their current rate?
Selling is a cost of doing your business but auditioning is a service provided by a dealer. It's a service that can be separated from the transaction. When a person auditions a product at a dealer and then buys it off of the internet, they're separating those two things. It's different from construction because all construction companies have to accept the cost of selling. Not all audio dealers do. Imagine if you could somehow transfer the cost of selling to your competition and use that advantage to undercut them for the actual sale. That's a broken system.
Fair enough, but bear in mind that Hi-Fi dealers are rather thin on the ground these days whereas builders and plumbers are not.
Unless it's Christmas, or a Sunday.
Maybe the real problem is that audiophiles are also rather thin on the ground in these difficult days?
Anyway it's pretty important that we either retain brick and mortar dealers, or we still have plenty of shows we can easily attend. Speaking of which, after 2 years I finally got to go to another audio show.
This time the UK Audio Show was held at the De Vere Staverton Estate near Daventry, some 60 miles north of London.
Highlights for me included the EJ Jordan Marlows. These metal coned bookshelves were driven by a pair of Nagra tape decks. An astonishingly capable and vivid sound for something this unprepossessing.
I'd never heard any Kudos loudspeakers before but the sizeable Titan 707s certainly made up for the wait. A muscular yet tonally expressive sound made for a rare combination. Many large speakers I've heard tend to get somewhat bleached out amidst the dramatics, not the Titans.
The Kerr K320s, now in their 3rd iteration, sounded as masterful as ever. Perched on what looked like some Townsend speaker bars they sounded progressively more like a reference loudspeaker than ever.
The active Monopulse S were also as good as I recalled. If anybody wanted a speaker that could sound great from just their smartphone/tablet/laptop etc (no other amps /sources required) this would be it.
Finally a mention for the unusual looking Vitavox speakers. Not anything that would catch your ear immediately, but after a short time it became increasingly apparent that here was something different.
The sheer absence of any perceived harshness (or grain if you prefer), was very enticing. You really could listen to these for a very, very long time indeed.
They seemed to make other designs sound harsh by comparison. If you ever wanted a speaker to totally eradicate listener fatigue, this might be it.
As a show bonus we got to hear Russell Kaufman of Russell K loudspeakers give a lecture on how he builds loudspeakers from assembling the drive units by ear, then the cabinets, then the crossovers up.
The demonstration included direct comparisons between different drivers, and contrary to what I'd been led to believe, there were quite significant differences between them. The ribbon tweeter in particular, sounded quite different to the dome in this instance. Many thanks to all concerned, especially the organiser Roy Bird for all of his stirling efforts in overcoming what must be unprecedented levels of difficulty.
The standard seemed unusually high this year, there just didn't seem to be many headache inducing rooms as I've sometimes found in the past. Credit to all those concerned.
There's some good photos up on the HiFi Pig website courtesy of James Starbuck.
Selling is a cost of doing business. I am in construction and spend a large part of my time bidding on jobs that I don't get. If I charged for estimates, my prospective clients would call someone else to quote . The cost is made up on the sales that are made.
@prof , "We’ve all had some really bad audio salesmen experiences right?
Here’s a couple of mine:
Local dealer had a speaker line I was very interested in possibly purchasing. I showed up, system was essentially already set up so no effort from the salesmen. Big store, virtually no other customers there (I purposely went at a dead time). As I’m listening I note that the salesmen are just standing about, not having to do anything as there aren’t any other customers. Yet about 20 minutes in to my audition tracks, once of the salesman walks over, turns down my music, and starts giving me the hard sell - "well, what’s it going to be? What is your decision? Are you walking out with these today?" No more listening, it was just pushy, pushy "buy now or not, your listening is over."
I left furious not having been able to get a good idea of whether I wanted the speaker or not.
Another:
Ended up in a small room listening to some speakers. Second-In-Command audio salesman has accompanied me and proceeds to talk ENDLESSLY about the speakers and everything else as I’m trying to listen. I can’t concentrate on a thing. I’m hoping he’s going to stop, but he never does. Eventually I ask as politely as possible "I wonder if it’s possible I could listen alone just for a little bit. I find it helps me concentrate best."
The guy left in a huff. Clearly went to tell his boss. The Boss comes in with a sort of "So you think you can mess with us?" smirk, pulls up a chair and sits directly behind me, making occaisional remarks. Clearly a passive agressive move that ruined the experience."
Your unfortunate experiences clearly highlight the need to examine the finer details before trying out a new idea of strategy.
The last thing we’d want is for unscrupulous dealers to exploit this proposal by profiting this concept of a demo charge.
As @jon_5912 said, "I think if you pay for an audition you’ve got a strong basis for asking to be left alone.
Otherwise it’s an uncomfortable situation where the dealer fears he’s being taken advantage of and is antsy about it.
Why not arrange an agreeable transaction ahead of time?
X dollars for an hour of listening while being left alone."
I am also one of those that would prefer to be mostly left alone during a demonstration. It can be quite stressful whilst you’re in that hinterland between ’yay and nay’.
[To think, once upon a time there used to be listening booths where you could listen at leisure to 45s and LPs in private before deciding which ones to buy].
In any case, this proposal to charge a demo fee should be an attempt to improve relations between customer and dealer, not worsen them.
Having clear terms beforehand could help here.
Removing or at least alleviating the time/cost pressure of a store demo for the dealer (or the transportation work of a home demo) would seem to be a good idea.
Surely it’s better to try to find some way of improving things than they currently stand?
I think if you pay for an audition you've got a strong basis for asking to be left alone. Otherwise it's an uncomfortable situation where the dealer fears he's being taken advantage of and is antsy about it. Why not arrange an agreeable transaction ahead of time? X dollars for an hour of listening while being left alone. Then everyone's on the same page. I'm not saying this would work, just that it makes a lot of sense in audio.
You have a really crappy audition experience at the dealer ... salesman walks over, turns down my music, and starts giving me the hard
sell - "well, what’s it going to be? What is your decision? Are you
walking out with these today?" No more listening, it was just pushy ... Another: ... audio
salesman has accompanied me and proceeds to talk ENDLESSLY about the
speakers and everything else as I’m trying to listen. I can’t
concentrate on a thing. ... The guy left in a huff ... The Boss comes in with a sort of "So you think you can mess
with us?" smirk, pulls up a chair and sits directly behind me, making
occaisional remarks. Clearly a passive agressive ... So...whadya do? Do you still feel you still "owe" such places your business if you end up wanting the item you heard? Do you reward crappy salesmen or bad experiences with your business?
I don't think I owe anybody my business. Rather, they have to earn it and once they do, I'm a pretty loyal customer. I walk out of stores (audio or otherwise) where I'm not treated well.
Can someone please explain on what basis my post would have been removed, where I asked a question that included a description of some poor dealer experiences (without even naming the dealers?).
It violated precisely none of the guidelines for posting on the forum.
Maybe I’m being thick at the moment, but I can’t even imagine the justification for the removal.
A dealer has a product you want to audition, say speakers.
You generally work on the principle that if you audition gear at the dealers premises, you’d buy from the dealer, not go somewhere else. BUT...
You have a really crappy audition experience at the dealer.
We’ve all had some really bad audio salesmen experiences right?
Here’s a couple of mine:
Local dealer had a speaker line I was very interested in possibly purchasing. I showed up, system was essentially already set up so no effort from the salesmen. Big store, virtually no other customers there (I purposely went at a dead time). As I’m listening I note that the salesmen are just standing about, not having to do anything as there aren’t any other customers. Yet about 20 minutes in to my audition tracks, once of the salesman walks over, turns down my music, and starts giving me the hard sell - "well, what’s it going to be? What is your decision? Are you walking out with these today?" No more listening, it was just pushy, pushy "buy now or not, your listening is over."
I left furious not having been able to get a good idea of whether I wanted the speaker or not.
Another:
Ended up in a small room listening to some speakers. Second-In-Command audio salesman has accompanied me and proceeds to talk ENDLESSLY about the speakers and everything else as I’m trying to listen. I can’t concentrate on a thing. I’m hoping he’s going to stop, but he never does. Eventually I ask as politely as possible "I wonder if it’s possible I could listen alone just for a little bit. I find it helps me concentrate best."
The guy left in a huff. Clearly went to tell his boss. The Boss comes in with a sort of "So you think you can mess with us?" smirk, pulls up a chair and sits directly behind me, making occaisional remarks. Clearly a passive agressive move that ruined the experience.
So...whadya do? Do you still feel you still "owe" such places your business if you end up wanting the item you heard?
Do you reward crappy salesmen or bad experiences with your business?
My gear was purchased almost exclusively used. At one point I was very interested in purchasing the small Harbeths. Brand new was out of my budget,so they would be purchased on the used market. I just couldn't go to the local dealer,and pretend he might make a sale. That's not my style.
If a dealer is willing to go 20+% off list I will consider buying from them. Most of the time they do IME. I would likely pay a fee to hear something I was really interested in so I would feel like a dick if I bought it used or elsewhere for a much better price. On the other hand I get Prof’s point. Where is this actually done in reality? I think it would turn a lot of people off from the dealer.
the people who will have a big problem with this are the bungholes who want to use the dealer services for free and then buy off the internet.
But I have a problem with it becoming routine to pay simply to hear gear at a dealer, yet I don’t fit the description of someone who is dicking around dealers in the way you just described.
And I don’t think I’m that unusual. None of my audiophile friends are the "bungholes" you describe, but I bet they wouldn’t think it a good idea for dealers to start routinely charging for customers to hear anything in their showroom.
You shouldn’t forget there are two parts to the equation here. Yes, audiophiles may be grateful if there is a dealer nearby where they can hear gear.
On the other hand, the customer is taking time out of his own day to bring himself TO the business. It’s not like the business owner has to haul his ass over to the customer’s house. It's the other way around.
If I’m running a business I damn well would be thankful that customers are making the trip to my store! Best to have something to show them.
Now...of course there are crappy customers, just like there are crappy salesmen. But that doesn’t in of itself warrant charging everyone to hear the things you are trying to sell.
Again: where else does this occur that makes it a good idea in reality?
I wonder how many times somebody has walked into a dealer and asked to audition half a dozen or so full-range, big, heavy, loudspeakers, taking a great deal of time and effort for the dealer, only to be told "I like that one - now I'll go online to see if I can find a used one or one on sale!". My guess is that it's happened more than a few times, and some have then set up auditioning surcharges to reduce or eliminate this kind of being stiffed in time and effort by the 'customer'
It's completely accurate, just not usual. High performance audio requires dealers to exist. Differences are generally subtle and it's important for there to be places to figure out what the differences are. Most dealers have disappeared. Whether other businesses do it isn't important. What matters is who is providing value to who. The value is the dealer providing the opportunity for a consumer to decide whether relatively subtle differences are worth the cost. That's way more important than whatever else dealers do.
@millercarbon the people who will have a big problem with this are the bungholes who want to use the dealer services for free and then buy off the internet. Those of us who would prefer to have and support local dealers won’t have a problem with it.
I don’t think that’s quite accurate.
I guess it depends on exactly what we are talking about.
It seems awfully odd to have to pay simply to have a salesman demonstrate a product he wants to sell you.
Especially if YOU the customer are taking time out of your schedule to make the trip to HIS dealership, to offer yourself as a potential customer.He’s got the equipment set up...he should be able to demonstrate it for a customer.
I can’t think of any other business where a customer shows up to check out the wares of a salesman, and has to pay the salesman for the privilege. Can you?
Home demos are another thing, though. That’s hauling gear, sometimes heavy, out to do a "house call" at someone’s house. I can see paying for that.
I demoed a hegel h360 from holm audio a few years back along with several other products and once I made my decision I asked the salesman for a discount he said no so I asked to pay them for the demo time as I was going to go ahead and buy one used online if they couldn’t budge. On the drive from the store the shop owner called and asked what I was paying for the used one online and after I told him he made me a competitive offer to buy his demo.
it’s tough running a store when the managerial help want you to send the kids to private school, rent you and Mama a Benz and comp the uptown apartment all under the table. Tubebuffer almost had it right.
Relationships w dealers are crucial. Not the whole equation.
@millercarbon the people who will have a big problem with this are the bungholes who want to use the dealer services for free and then buy off the internet. Those of us who would prefer to have and support local dealers won't have a problem with it.
It makes sense for businesses to charge for anything of value they provide. The ability to demo gear has value. I really like the idea of charging since people who want to try something out at the store and then go buy it at the cheapest place online would have to pay something. Dealers have to make all of their profit from those of us who try not to be bungholes so I'm sure we end up paying more than we otherwise would.
The idea that the dealer should provide a lot of value for nothing via advice, demos, loans, etc. is a relic of a time before the internet and before such a high percentage of people were selfish turds.
... My dealer has
given me some screaming good deals over the past 20 plus years, along
with great customer service. I stop in occasionally as a tire kicker to
see and hear what’s what and he’s happy to accommodate—he knows I’m not
an impulse buyer and there’s a good chance I’ll come back and drop some
dough.
Exactly, and I've had similar experience. As with many businesses, relationships matter. That is sometimes overlooked by those who are only seeking the "lowest price." The irony is that - because of the kind of customer they are - they often don't get the lowest price. Not in the end.
"I'm sorry, but have you ever said to the place where you get your
paychecks, 'no boss, I don't want this $1,200. Gas for the car only cost
me 20 bucks this week and I'm just happy to do the work to provide
service with integrity and see to it that customers are happy. Give me
$600'?"
I guess I've been fortunate in that I've never been in a position where I had to work for money alone. I was always easily bored, so the work came first and the money second.
I've mainly worked in the public sector where I was able to provide some kind of service to our 'customers'. For sure, employers can drive you crazy at times, but I'm working with them, not for them.
My real employers are the public that pay the taxes.
I've never been particularly ambitious either. Perhaps I should have been more ambitious and have made more money by now.
Sometimes, in my Walter Mitty type moments I've regretted not being able to do more to help friends and family financially by alleviating some of crushing grind of poverty some of them found themselves in. Even with a generous welfare system like the UK's, that can sometimes happen.
For me a good life is one which you try to fill with fun and interest, and do some good for others along the way. Let's not also forget that, as far we know, this is a one way journey where each and every moment only comes round once.
Previously I've always been on the side of the customer, always trying to get the best deal, the most 'bang for buck' but hey, guess what?
@gents You bet I’m going to kick out the time wasting tire kickers. It doesn’t take long to qualify a punk who ain’t buying and I don’t waste time and pay my bills with time wasters.
For sure!
My dealer has given me some screaming good deals over the past 20 plus years, along with great customer service. I stop in occasionally as a tire kicker to see and hear what’s what and he’s happy to accommodate—he knows I’m not an impulse buyer and there’s a good chance I’ll come back and drop some dough. He’d probably pay me the $10 to get me in more often. Lol
"Sorry- but the dealer mark up includes the cost of doing business and that includes marketing." This is where it gets sometimes gets messy. The often beleaguered dealer can find themselves between a rock and a hard place What to do then? Relationship break up leading to any or all of the following? Exaggerated mark-ups? Increasingly fancy cabling and accessories suggested? Suggestive language and smooth persuasive sales techniques? Prejudice and rudeness towards certain customers viewed as 'timewasters'?
In the meantime the customer might begin to see the dealer as a stuck up mercenary with both eyes on the monthly sales chart who is only out there to exploit.
I'm sorry, but have you ever said to the place where you get your paychecks, 'no boss, I don't want this $1,200. Gas for the car only cost me 20 bucks this week and I'm just happy to do the work to provide service with integrity and see to it that customers are happy. Give me $600'? Of course he's a mercenary! Do you think he took a second mortgage out on the house and came to work in the morning to stroke you? You bet I'm going to kick out the time wasting tire kickers. It doesn't take long to qualify a punk who ain't buying and I don't waste time and pay my bills with time wasters. No one does. You want someone to be nice to you? Call your grandmother.
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.
And there were way too many places that went out of business being nice guys to 'tire kickers' who come in armed with dreams and promises. Only the guy who's not serious about buying would really bellyache about helping the guy who pays rent, lights, goes to trade shows, reads the trades, buys & finances stock and pays employees only to be the last guy paid when you finally buy the speakers after 12 visits. The reason he can't keep the lights on has plenty to do with the entitled little mindsets of sneaky little non-buyers who need their wives permission to buy a CD, using his store, his time and his merch. That said, I do think the $10 an hour thing is a little cheesy. I'd rather rent you the equipment.
I’m sure there are more than a few of us who’ve used the dealers gear & facility only to purchase elsewhere. It’s hard enough to stay in business these days, particularly with this modality. So if dealers can make themselves a little coin and keep the lights on by charging for custom listening sessions or renting equipment out for you to try at home, that would be ideal in this day and age. Judging by the number of gear stores that aren’t there anymore, how can you argue with dealers thinking of new ways to keep the roof over his head?
I would pay 50 an hour to demo. I’m sure there are many looky lous who have no intention of buying new which I am one of. I don’t normally demo it but I am always gonna buy used. So for that demo on what I’m buying I would pay fitty.
I support charging a fee for a home demo. In this case the dealer should deliver the product and set it up. The fee is refundable if you buy the component. Problem is that you must charge a fee that may, by some standards, be considerable.
Demoing equipment at the store should be considered part of the business.
But I’m perfectly fine paying for in-home demos. That’s asking a lot having the salesman haul the equipment to my house and letting me have it for a while.
A local salesman hauled the Joseph Perspective speakers to my placefor an in home demo. I said I’d pay but he waved it off as part of his job. (However some other dealers charge, and I'm fine with that)
It turned out I really liked the Perspectives, but not quite enough to replace the speakers I already owned. And I needed to sell the speakers I owned in order to buy new speakers.
I told the salesman that the in home demo made me realize I couldn’t part with my speakers but also wanted the Perspectives. Therefore I would save up money and if I still wanted Perspectives by the time I had saved for new speakers, I’d buy them from his store. Later when I had accumulated enough money for new speakers and checked a few more out I decided on the Perspectives. So instead of buying them used for less second hand, I came back and bought Perspectives from the same dealer when I could. I want to support dealers to the extent I can.
Similarly, around the time I was contemplating the Perspectives I was also interested in Devore O/96 speakers that I demoed a few times at a local shop, a very nice salesman there.
At the time I demoed the O/96s a few years ago I had the money to buy them new from that dealer IF I decided on those speakers. I would not have demoed them if I wasn’t in a position to buy (or at the very least, if I’m ever in an audio store and there is some interesting gear set up, I"m up front if I’m looking to buy or not. It’s the salesman’s call then if he’s fine having me listen. It’s actually a smart thing to do - I’ve been led to purchases I didn’t know I wanted just by dealers letting me listen to stuff...in fact, that’s how I ended up buying the expensive Perspective speakers).
Now I find myself in a different spot. It’s a few years later, I still have the itch for the Devores, but at this time I don’t have the money to buy new. And don’t see buying new as likely possible at this point.
But I could possibly stretch to buy them second hand.
On the other hand, they are very finicky speakers and it’s only an in-home demo that would let me know if they work in my room.
The Devore dealer offers in home demos for a fee, which as I said I’m good with. However I’d never ask for a home demo if I weren’t going to buy the speakers from that dealer.
I’ve sometimes wondered if a dealer would do an in home loan at higher rate of pay than he’d normally charge, if the customer acknowledges up front he wouldn’t be buying a new pair.
I’m interested in what a dealer would think of such an offer, as there is perhaps something I’m missing that makes it an unattractive proposition.
More likely route is just buying speakers second hand and selling if they don’t work out.
@zavato , "Sorry- but the dealer mark up includes the cost of doing business and that includes marketing."
This is where it gets sometimes gets messy.
The often beleaguered dealer can find themselves between a rock and a hard place.
What to do then?
Relationship break up leading to any or all of the following?
Exaggerated mark-ups? Increasingly fancy cabling and accessories suggested? Suggestive language and smooth persuasive sales techniques? Prejudice and rudeness towards certain customers viewed as 'timewasters'?
In the meantime the customer might begin to see the dealer as a stuck up mercenary with both eyes on the monthly sales chart who is only out there to exploit.
Now if only there was some other way to maintain a more mutually beneficial relationship between dealer and client...
If any retailer, audio or otherwise, wanted me to pay for the honor of me auditioning their wares, and hearing why they are the best and what they sell are the best, I'm not biting. Sorry- but the dealer mark up includes the cost of doing business and that includes marketing.
Demoing equipment and giving advice is how the retailer earns his 40 (or so) points.
Brooks Berdan charged list price for the cartridges he sold, but that also bought the customer cartridge "run in" (playing the cartridge for 20 hours or so, to relax the suspension), and expert installation and alignment
@audiojan , "Maybe we should define demo... are we talking in-store or home demo? If in store, no fee, that's part of doing business. In home demo, then I think a fee is perfectly acceptable (as long as that fee is deducted from a purchase)."
You're right, this needs to be more specific.
I don't think any retailer would want to insist on a charge for anyone visiting or browsing in their store.
I was thinking of some kind of financial recompense for the extra work involved in setting up a system specifically tailored to a customers preference eg front end, amp, speakers etc.
This could apply equally to in-store or home demos. The fee demanded could be left entirely up to the retailer.
In the result of a successful sale, this arbitrary fee could be waived, but the point was to deter those that take unfair advantage of the services provided by some dealers.
Whilst we still have some left who are willing to demonstrate their products.
Demonstrating audio involves experience and knowledge as well as being attentive to the customers wishes.
It is nothing like selling iPhones.
Heck, those guys aren't even giving you chargers anymore! They're not responsible for demonstrating anything, or providing any extra service.
I’ve got thing in my mind. You alway be honest and bring up Audiogon at dealer unless you like cheap democrat that try to say everyone get free services while you tell tax man to get you best deal while you want it to come from another guy pocket. It can’t be help there lot of it about. Have wife dress to treat employee well and always bring nice compliment to dealer. Good manner dont cost nothing do they.
Maybe we should define demo... are we talking in-store or home demo? If in store, no fee, that's part of doing business. In home demo, then I think a fee is perfectly acceptable (as long as that fee is deducted from a purchase). I have a local dealer that I've been buying quite a few things from. He always lets me bring stuff home to listen to, but he also knows me well and knows that I will buy from him if it works in my system
.......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.
Hello, I think if you go into the store and listen in the store no fee is required. If you want to demo the item in your home then you should pay. You technically are renting the equipment. If you end up buying then you get you rent back as store credit. A lot of people do not know what it costs to run a business. Can you imagine the electric bill for an audio store. Just put yourself in the owners shoes in todays market. Also, If everyone started to take advantage of the brick and mortar stores there will be none to visit in the future. Remember this in a few years when your paying fees to keep YOUR money in a bank. Some banks have already started this. Don’t worry no charge for $25,000 or more left in the account. Because I am sure everyone has $25,000 to leave in an account.
When I was shopping for a pair of speakers a few years ago, a dealer about 50 miles away had a pair. I made the drive and auditioned them. I really liked the speakers and was prepared to buy their demo pair which had been on the floor for a few months. I knew I could get them on the internet at a 25% discount from MSRP. But when I asked about even a 10% discount for this pair, the dealer said absolutely not. Retail or no sale.
So I was fine with buying from the brick n mortar guy. But I walked out and did the internet deal. This is one reason why they can't keep the doors open.
That’s the chance you have to take I was a dealer for a number of years ,if you know how to help build system synergy with other products ,and and are competitive in $$ pricing then no need to loose the sale many dealers that loose the sale are cheap many times plain and simple you should get a minimum of 15-20% off the price especially if buying more then one item . I used to offer lay away also ,no refundable for 6 months to lock in sales , this way too ,you lock in a good price ,as well as the sale.
This discussion seems pointless. Sure it may be nice if one can be compensated for their services all the time including carrying inventory to display products, but this ignores the fact that people are also driven to reduce costs to stretch their purchasing power. This is true even back to the days of bartering. Asking for fees to inspect inventory generally only works for exclusive high demand low supply products, otherwise the fees would drive customers away and limit exposure to new perspective customers which in our limited niche high-end audio can not afford to do. Sales is like fishing- nothing is guaranteed.
I don’t have much sympathy for retailers. After all, your equipment depreciates 50% as soon as you leave the store.
Retailers do not control product depreciation which is caused market supply and demand.
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