How many times can u visit a hifi store before it annoys the store if u plan on a purchase
I plan on buying a McIntosh system C12000 and 2 MC611 monoblocks in a about 3 months from this Stereo shop I have chosen. I’ve been to the store about 4 times over the past year and half to listen to various components trying diff equipment.
My question, is, what would be considered visiting the store to much before I buy a system? I plan on spending over 20k but I didn’t know what is proper etiquette.
It’s a business for the dealer and “Time is money” for the dealer .Why the confusion? Just fess up now, that it’s on your near future; but you simply don’t have the necessary scratch right now. otherwise the dealer might get “the wrong end of the stick” about you hanging around , and impair development of a mutual business relationship.
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It’s a business for the dealer and “Time is money” for the dealer .Why the confusion? Just fess up now, that it’s on your near future planned purchase; but you simply don’t have the necessary scratch right now. He will appreciate the candor, otherwise the dealer might get “the wrong end of the stick” about you hanging around after 18 months of audition and indecision time, You’ve already had a full four auditions to date which can be interpreted as not insignificant if you are not yet a current customer with a history. Otherwise, it might impair development of a mutual business relationship. If you are firmly and truly committed to a purchase in a scant 3 month time, you can initiate mutual benefit by considering putting down say… a 25% deposit now ..on a layaway plan that also secures today’s pricepoint for you as a hedge against the likely near-term price hikes.
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Go as often as you want. Maybe don’t waste their time auditioning equipment you never intend to buy, but don’t feel guilty about making sure that you’ll be happy with a future purchase. If they get annoyed with a future customer, I would be concerned with how they would act if you purchase the equipment and then have a problem with it. . . . . |
There are plenty of people that have no intention of buying and these people don't care how much of your time they consume. "Knob twisters" "Tire kickers" "Gear gawkers" "Lookie-Loos" Good sales people know who you are and see you coming. Don't be surprised when they don't return your calls. It's YOU who is the problem not them.
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Having customers come in and audition is part of the audio business. I think it is perfectly ok to shop. What is not acceptable IMHO is to go audition at a store and negotiate a better price with a competitor or buy on line afterwards without giving the opportunity for the store to price match. |
We only have one high end store here and I go there about once a year to listen to a couple of their rooms, but for some reason they just don’t sound good to me. I mean an all Boulder system with the top of the line Transparent cables, a couple of different speakers and it just sounds okay. I’m pretty sure it’s the room(s), yet these guys have been in business for years. They probably know who I am by now, but I don’t care. I went in to ask about DAC’s and one of the owners pulled out something, said it cost $67K and I just chucked. I never asked the brand name, nor did I ask him to demo it. |
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Just a recommendation, but if you plan to go for another audition, and this would take up the employees time and effort, do so when they are not likely to be busy with other customers. Not that high end audio shops tend to be packed these days, but if you see the sales guys with multiple customers, maybe you should pick another day/time? I don’t know, but maybe avoid Saturday around noon? Don’t show up 30 minutes before closing? If you see the sales guy surfing on his phone on a Tuesday morning, perfect. |
If there a great dealer and get to know you they should not have to spend much time in the room with you.i have the mc12000 and 611 great synergy and more and American made.if they truly are smart they could have a customer for life. In my area the brick and morter stores are 4 hours away.enjoy the search and the music. |
Do they know that you intend to buy and your reason for waiting? My first job out of college was retail audio sales. Nothing high end. Stuff like Onkyo Integra and Acoustic Research. Decent stuff in the mid 80s. If I had a dime for every time somebody auditioned gear, said they would come back to buy, and didn't.... |
Speaking as a buyer of equipment and not a dealer, I find that visiting high-end dealers is often one of the joys of the hobby. There are different kinds of dealers with different outlooks, of course. I've visited some that seem to be pretty focused on first-visit sales where staff lose interest the moment they perceive you're still just looking. But that's not necessarily typical in my experience. What makes high-end audio shops most interesting to me is that the staff are often quite knowledgeable about the industry and technology-- not only with the brands they offer, but also those they have offered previously and those they've chosen against adding to their lineup. Unlike your average trip to Best Buy, good dealers will talk to you, teach you, tell you stories about performers and music, and show off their products with pride. They understand why you're coming to see them. They're usually not just sellers, they're also avid listeners. Maybe even formerly or currently recording engineers, musicians, or otherwise involved in music production. |
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I remember back in 1977 going to Lyric HIFi in Manhattan to buy a Dynavector 20B cartridge. Mike Kaye owned the store then. After sizing me up as someone not likely to spend thousands he made me wait in the vestibule while he went to fetch the cartridge. Apparently this was his behavior if he didn’t like the cut of your jib. |
@curiousjim : "...and I just chuckled." |
I managed a stereo store back in the mid-1970s and we had several types of "regulars."
So, how often are you welcome at a store? It depends on you. (Of course, there is no shortage of arrogant jerk audio store owners and salespeople, but it shouldn't be too hard to figure out you don't want to spend time there.) |
+1 @celtic66 You get it. Cheers |
In the 80's there was a Boulder Sound Gallery in downtown Denver. As I worked downtown I'd pop in about once a week to see what was new or just shoot the breeze. I never gave them the "someday" line. I never monopolized their time and when there were other customers, I'd just nod or wave and stay out of the way. It didn't take long until they were comfortable with me and moreso when I did start buying things. (I had a young family and money was tight.) One day I went in to buy some Monster Cable and connectors to make my own. They asked if I'd be interested in a barter: I'd make cables for their listening room and in return, I'd get mine for free. Win-win! Eventually I bought my Acoustat 1+1s and an ARC SP3-A that had come in on trade. My point is, there's a right way and wrong way to hang out in an audio store or any business for that matter. Don't be a dick and you should be okay. |
You need to be respectful of the dealer’s time with your visits without buying anything otherwise the dealer’s radar will go up on you, you might be discussed negatively within their shop, and your experience with them will suffer. No problem visiting occasionally of course but avoid long conversations or demos that distract the dealer from real paying customers assuming that you never purchase. Once the dealer’s radar is up on you, your only recourse is to reset by admitting that you were a time waster, then buy something then and there, preferably without a lot of negotiating and even better if you cheerfully pay at or near full retail. The only exception is if you have a personal friendship with the dealer, but even then be respectful and circumspect about your visits and discussions. |
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The factors that determine how many visits you can make depends upon the personality of the business as set by the proprietor, the personality of the sales person you get assigned, and your personality. I had a similar experience as @jasonbourne71 at Lyric Manhattan where I could not get in the door but was always treated well, even when just inquiring without intent to purchase at Lyric Westchester. There was a high end store in Great Neck NY that actually was yelling aggressively at me because I couldn’t sing along with the bass line concluding I had no ear. His premiss, documented in a position paper he provided, was that a high end system was of a resolution that permits you sing along with the melodies. I guess he was not selling me a high end system. Yet another proprietor in Manhasset down the road apiece let me audition at my leisure, being informative without trying to influence. You know who got the sale. Recently, Bill Parish at GTT Audio was extremely patient suffering from multiple calls, never pressuring or putting me off, for over a year, until I finally purchased a Mola Mola Tambaqui from him. The key is to be sincere and try to set appointments. If you are, the seller will let you demo as often and long as you need. |
Hello Dman 777, As others have opined on your question. Go as often as you wish. You indicate that you’ve been to that store 3-4 times in the past year. That’s not very often but Imo there’s no “max” number of pre-purchase visits before you lay out some serious jack to purchase at that location. If you feel guilty about multiple visits without a purchase maybe buy an inexpensive accessory if they have something on hand during one of your looking/listening visits. |
As an ex stereo salesmen (many many years ago) it really depends on the situation. If the store is empty I'd much rather talk to someone about the hobby and maybe learn or teach something. If the you are taking away time from a paying customer you are infringing on my lively hood which is not OK. If your respectful of others time and willing to build a relationship it could be beneficial to both parties. |
I have read many of the BS responses you have received regarding placing a limit on visits or what is respectful for a dealer. You are obviously interested in their products. I would go in every day until you make the right decision for you. If you receive any BS from that particular dealer, I would buy elsewhere and then go in and show them the paid invoice! Also, ensure you get at least a 15% discount off retail since there is a 40-50% markup regardless of brand or what a dealer tells you. |
Lol personally I like to drop off a gift certificate for Starbucks or something like that. Lol when they like you they will tell you more information you should know. Likely you will gets at least 20 times your money out of what you paid for a few gift certificate s here and there. When they thank you pick there brain.
Regards |
If you are there to genuinely look and learn, with an intention to buy something some day, somewhere, just let them know. Most dealers are understanding. However, if you are not serious about buying right now, and just looking, they’ll appreciate knowing this too - and/or so they can go help others in the store. Most are acutely aware of tire kickers and online shoppers. It helps to let them know what you’d like to do. Ya never know, sometimes they can work something out for ya on a purchase -and- offer valuable warranty support later if something goes wrong. My local 56-year-in-business dealer developed loyal customers this way.
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The approach that’s worked for me is to be courteous and professional to everyone, period. What’s really gonna wear on you is trying to sum up every potential client...I’ve been in the investment biz, owned my own mortgage banking company, and been a pro musician producer and sound tech and it never pays to be rude. You never know what's gonna be referred to you and if you think you do you're wrong. |
It's sad you have to worry about this, esp if they've made you feel this way. I can imagine if it's Best Buy or some other big box busy store they may see you as a "cry wolf", situation. But most hifi stores of the caliber who carry the equipment you're looking for should understand this: "Today's dreamers are tomorrow's buyers!" If they act put off by you, keep bothering them all you want and when you find the exact pieces you want, buy them elsewhere. |
@dekay 🙄 ...not the kute kucumber kats Again?! *groan*
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