Why dealers disparage certain products?


Full disclosure...I've been an executive in the consumer electronics business for over 50 years. From small one man "on campus" HiFi sales, to Radio Shack franchise, to a 12 store pure HiFi chain to a 240 store publicly traded HiFi chain.

There are three reasons a dealer will disparage products:

#1...Some other dealer in the area already has the product and supports it. 

#2...The dealer could not get a line of credit for the product and doesn't have the finances to stock and sell the product. And/Or the manufacturer requires a substantial financial commitment.

#3...He/She is an honest dealer and actually auditioned the product and decided to offer an alternative

 

(Rule #1 in retail sales....NEVER disparage a competitor or other products.....NEVER!)

 

rbertalotto

That goes for the service industry too.

Tomorrow they might or might not ask you to partner on a big job. Or vice versa.

Underlings can talk schiit, never at the top.

#4...Some other dealer in the country already has the product and supports it. (Holo)

#5...Some other dealer in the world already has the product and supports it. (Denafrips)

Try going to a car dealership.  One of the standard questions is what other makes/models are you considering.  And you can guess where it goes from there.

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A timely post in light of a recent discussion (Mac or not). Well thought out evaluations are worth sharing on this platform; but there's sometimes a thin line between a fair assessment and a perceived attack. 

In any event, the reader should consider all reviews carefully.

 

The reality is nobody on the planet has heard everything…or the ( do the math, it involves factorial… ) possible combinations…. so the above rules apply to …. everyone here…

just be careful when you think you have reached to top of Everest, it ain’t in some bar in Katmandu….

It is an individual style, choice, and decision they may simply be expressing they're sincere, genuine, honest opinion and perspective even though you would never do such a thing.

You do not raise yourself up by putting someone else down.

It is the sign of a fool. Keep moving.

To OP:

I completely agree, Roy.  You and I shared the same employer for several decades.  Bad-mouthing the competition is a losing strategy, but all too common.  Passing on anecdotes about the reliability or lack thereof of opposing brands is another favorite ploy.  No one can expect any dealer to have every line of product nor to have experienced what they don't deal in in a meaningful way.  But customers about to spend big bucks want to be convinced they are making the best choice.  Positive persuasive techniques don't always do the job, so the temptation to go negative is always there.  Witness the recent contretemps between Upscale Audio and Raven regarding their respective products.

 

@clearthink - he's in the business of selling gear to customers; I'm not. It's his livelihood, not mine. As a potential customer, if I don't like his 'individual style', I will respond to that style by applying my own individual style, which would be walking out of his store and never coming back. 

Negative selling never works. Had a dealer in Baton Rouge that I was talking to about some Benchmark Equipment. I was considering a comparable offering from another dealer on Bel Canto. He lambasted Bel Canto and he is a dealer for the brand. Needless to say I will never shop him again and I have the BC gear and love it as I am sure I would like the Benchmark gear too.

 

@dinov So, you’re fanning some flames on me, but that’s not what I did, which was clearly explained in the OP and in subsequent emails from me. What you're doing is uncool and could easily be done to you. You don't want that, and neither do I.

larsman

"if I don’t like his ’individual style’, I will respond to that style by applying my own individual style, which would be walking out of his store and never coming back"

That is the American Way individual, defiant, insistent on a certain practice, tradition, or treatment and accepting nothing less at any cost because liberty, truth, and freedom are to be protected, preserved, and enshrined at every expense you are American!

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When dealers/salesmen dis products they don't represent that's a huge turnoff for me, usually a "deal breaker".  Back in the day (late 70's-early 80's) I worked in the high end audio business and instead of bashing the mass marketed, less expensive equipment, I'd try communicate a few reasons why the equipment I sold might be a better choice.  I still got the complaint that for a similar price people could buy a really powerful amp for the price we were charging for a modestly powered amp.  Most (but not all) of the time I was successful with that approach.

@dinov completely missed the point of the thread by @hilde45 and I think he is missing the point of this thread.

Better to be thought the fool......

Hilde is the "Messenger" through a thread about a practice of human judgment which is attibuting to others what you trhink and project it on the world scene as a fact...

To explain it clearly to you:

1-McIntosh is a beautufil amplifier with light etc

2-People buy beautiful amplifier for their esthethical look

3- ALL audiophiles who has bought McIntosh are superficial amateur attracted to appearence..

What is false in this sophism conclusion?

 

now try this one :

1- Hilde created a thread about a person video wo bash McIntosh amplifier

2- ALL people bashing a piece of gear can be right or wrong because it is a "subjective" very personal judgment...

3- Is Hilde intention is to bash an amplifier here or is he throwing an appeal to others opinions about the manner someone do so ?

4- it is clear it is what he want to do all along his thread : alerting people about general jugdment projected onto the world at large...Not going on with the bashing...

Then what is your motives to STAY blind to this evidence? And project your own judgment of Hilde intentions in spite of his clear affirmation to the opposite?

How old are you dinov?

When we are wrong it is very simple to apologize...

Dealers who insult other products they don't carry think this helps them sell stuff they do carry.  I guess sometimes it works which is why they do it.  I never like that when it happens.  If I am at a Lexus dealer I don't like it when they try to poo poo a Mercedes.

Thanks to those who can read. A youtube post to thousands of people about audio is of interest to...audio hobbyists! Surprise! I was invoked in this thread to be attacked for...bringing a video to light? To ask if others agree or disagree with some pretty strong comments about McIntosh and other brands? Oh, the horror! People who can reason don’t worry about a little back and forth. Those who can’t reason jump up at the kids table to say "Don’t be mean!" "Mom and Dad stop fighting!" "Why do you have to bash?" Man up.

Some valuable advice a lot of people need to be aware of:

Never try to defend an indefensible position.

-It won't work

-People think less of you

 

This silly post has turned into a bag of insults.

Grow up all of you involved.

Got it @hilde45 we should all think like you and go our merry way. So much for opinions and discussion. 

I buy what I like if a dealer dislikes I move on to another dealer.Many dealers bad rap things they do not sell.

Maybe if your competitor disses your product on the internet?

 Or posts a false review of your restaurant? There may be times to attack a competitor, but it is not without peril. 

I trust my local store enough that if they say something negative it holds weight with me since they don't make a habit of it and at times I agreed from my own experience.

It's always been a gripe of mine way back before I sold audio products myself. I always disliked the way salesmen would cut down the competition only to find them selling the offending product a few months later.