Struggling to spend 13k with three dealers


Is anyone else running into this? I've been trying to buy a used pair of Wilson from a couple of dealers in the NY area and from one in the Chicago area- each has a pair I've been interested in yet all are super slow to respond to emails, quote a final number, give a clear number on a trade I have etc. Each have their own wrinkle, high shipping charges, high pick up charges, avoiding doing a set up etc. Super frustrating - I've literally bought a car faster than trying to buy a pair of used speakers. I've thrown in the towel after a month of endless emails and conversations. Weird. I used to run a retail audio chain. We chased every deal, quickly determined if we could do it and made it work- or nicely declined the deal. Is business so good that there's no interest in selling 13k speakers that they're holding in inventory? 

128x128cowan217

Call John Rutan at Audio Connection in New Jersey.....he'll be responsive and make you smile.

Seriously, just checked a site that does only pre owned and they say they need two weeks to respond to provide a trade in quote...ridiculous- you can trade car in and drive out in two hours; you can buy a house in a day but our audio dealers can't return calls, can't develop quotes and need weeks to respond.

Some of this may be specific to the dealers in question, but I wonder how of it is a function of the general "pandemic economy."

Here in central NY, we have been getting callbacks for all manner of goods and services, even for previously reliable providers, or providers who text saying when to expect a call.

If supply chain issues mean you don't have stuff to sell (or have multiple buyers for every item), and labor issues mean you don't have services to provide, your incentive to communicate must diminish.

There's worse problems in the world, of course, but it is a drag. 

Others experiencing similar?

I never the less find it bizarre that when asking a dealer of Harbeth what they'd take a pair of mint rosewood HL5 super plus in for it's as if they've never heard of the model, ask for the description several times and stumble and hesitate as if they have no idea what they might sell for- meanwhile they've been a Harbeth dealer for years and are in fact a distributor too..."we'll call you in a few days after doing research'"...

Just take delivery and you'll figure out how to set up.  They are speakers, not something complicated like running a retail audio chain.

Not true.  Wilsons are notorious for the effort/expertise required to set up properly for best performance.  My guess is the dealers aren’t keen on dealing with your trade-in situation and can probably sell the Wilsons pretty easily to someone without a trade.  That’s what I’d be thinking if I was the dealer.  That, however, doesn’t excuse them for not their poor responsiveness and communication.  Good luck in your quest.