My dealer is a close friend of mine. I find his often dizzying markups immoral and he my occasional shopping sprees outside of his territory as well. We can both live with that, because he's also a true audiophile, which is the basis of our friendship. We both know that we have conflicting interests...and in order to preserve our friendship, we are careful to give each of us his due, as well as all the necessary leeway. If he has something I want, I will pay his price, if he shows me something, which I can get cheaper from overseas, he understands. He'll keep me informed of new developments, I might show him new gizmos, like the Bybees for example. I'll get him new customers and an occasional LP he's after, but has no time to find and he'll repair gear, which I've imported on the "grey market " . So we have built up a good symbiosis through the years, a good synergy which serves us both.
What Are Your Audio Morals?
Assuming:
A. We all want to audition equipment before we buy it;
B. We all want the most for our money;
C. We all can find the same equipment cheaper on the Internet than from high end dealers;
D. We all know that you can't audition equipment on the Internet.
Therefore, the question is: How can you morally audition equipment at dealers when you know you won't be buying there?
After all, the dealer is giving you his time, his advice, the exclusive use of his listening room (all at the expense of customers who may actually biuy from him), a pro-rated percentage of wear and tear on his equipment, and a pro-rated share of his rent, electricity, salaries, advertising, taxes, maintenance, etc.
What do YOU do when you want to audition equipment? Do you:
1. Use your local dealer and buy from him?
2. Use your local dealer and buy elsewhere?
3. Don't use your local dealer, but buy elsewhere as long as you can return it?
4. Take a chance and just buy based on reviews, thinking maybe you can sell it if you hate it?
5. Other?
BTW, I am not a dealer. I'm just aware that if we all use dealers as free audition services knowing we'll buy elsewhere, local dealers will soon be extinct.
Maybe that's OK. Perhaps, with the advent of the Internet, local dealers serve no purpose anymore. That may be a future topic of discussion.
A. We all want to audition equipment before we buy it;
B. We all want the most for our money;
C. We all can find the same equipment cheaper on the Internet than from high end dealers;
D. We all know that you can't audition equipment on the Internet.
Therefore, the question is: How can you morally audition equipment at dealers when you know you won't be buying there?
After all, the dealer is giving you his time, his advice, the exclusive use of his listening room (all at the expense of customers who may actually biuy from him), a pro-rated percentage of wear and tear on his equipment, and a pro-rated share of his rent, electricity, salaries, advertising, taxes, maintenance, etc.
What do YOU do when you want to audition equipment? Do you:
1. Use your local dealer and buy from him?
2. Use your local dealer and buy elsewhere?
3. Don't use your local dealer, but buy elsewhere as long as you can return it?
4. Take a chance and just buy based on reviews, thinking maybe you can sell it if you hate it?
5. Other?
BTW, I am not a dealer. I'm just aware that if we all use dealers as free audition services knowing we'll buy elsewhere, local dealers will soon be extinct.
Maybe that's OK. Perhaps, with the advent of the Internet, local dealers serve no purpose anymore. That may be a future topic of discussion.