This thread brings up some points that are central to what customer service and satisfaction are all about. Do you buy a car without a test drive? What about a business suit? Why should high performance audio be any different?
I recognize some items that you can't try before you buy, say a phono cartridge. But are you well versed in setting one up and have the requisite tools for doing it accurately for maximizing performance? I don't know about other dealers, but for example someone here in the Chicago area who buys a cartridge from me gets the full setup at his or her home included in a fair price.
Some mention that they find in home auditions difficult if not impossible to get. Wow, I can't imagine putting up with that. Someone who wants to try a preamp or CD player or even a pair of speaker cables has that opportunity, because I don't believe in forcing people to make snap purchasing decisions - been there, done that, regretted it later.
Some storefronts are going away, it's inevitable with the mail order and direct sales models and for dealers not pulling their weight, but not for the high end where careful selection and system matching are valued. My advice is, find a dealer in your area who goes out of his way to help you optimize system performance, and reward his efforts with your business and referrals. A 30 day money back offer is no substitute for an in home audition before the sale and support long after the sale. I suppose this may be viewed as self serving, but supporting local retailers is your only means to ensure they will be around to help, otherwise you will be forced to deal with box movers whom you never see before or after the sale, and the high end will vanish as the industry is dumbed-down and commoditized. It truly is a self fulfilling prophesy.
I recognize some items that you can't try before you buy, say a phono cartridge. But are you well versed in setting one up and have the requisite tools for doing it accurately for maximizing performance? I don't know about other dealers, but for example someone here in the Chicago area who buys a cartridge from me gets the full setup at his or her home included in a fair price.
Some mention that they find in home auditions difficult if not impossible to get. Wow, I can't imagine putting up with that. Someone who wants to try a preamp or CD player or even a pair of speaker cables has that opportunity, because I don't believe in forcing people to make snap purchasing decisions - been there, done that, regretted it later.
Some storefronts are going away, it's inevitable with the mail order and direct sales models and for dealers not pulling their weight, but not for the high end where careful selection and system matching are valued. My advice is, find a dealer in your area who goes out of his way to help you optimize system performance, and reward his efforts with your business and referrals. A 30 day money back offer is no substitute for an in home audition before the sale and support long after the sale. I suppose this may be viewed as self serving, but supporting local retailers is your only means to ensure they will be around to help, otherwise you will be forced to deal with box movers whom you never see before or after the sale, and the high end will vanish as the industry is dumbed-down and commoditized. It truly is a self fulfilling prophesy.