a high-end dealer friend of mine told me that probably 2/3s of the customers who walk in his store are either gawkers or there to sample his wares with the view to buying it cheaper on the net. the other 1/3 are there with some real intention to purchase. he also states that while he (like most experienced salespeople) can suss out the non-buyers almost immediately, it's far sounder practice to be patient and set up demos for everyone, both because people do make surprisingly impulsive purchases and because positive word of mouth and longterm goodwill is absolutely essential to staying in business. now this particular dealer has been around for at least 25 years, so he must be doing something right; like theo, i don't see how these guys who bum rush customers, or charge for demos, can possibly survive
