2. misc-audio
  3. 1223847080

Why do dealers do this?

I'm an old fashioned guy. I like to make my audio purchases from a store and have a person I deal with, establish a relationship, and know that I have someone I can call when I need things. That is why I went into one of the larger stores in my area the other day, ready to audition a couple of things and buy my system. I had a very clear idea of what I wanted, asked to listen to a component with a view to buying it.
The dealer had a completely wrong approach from the start, and it is not a unique situation. I know many good folks in the business are on these forums, so I want to ask why this happens.
From the moment I set foot in the store he created an atmosphere of fairly intense pressure. He started with "you know, I only demo for buying customers". Throughout the visit, I felt continuously pressured to buy on the spot. I was forced to cut my visit short and I was unable to fully appreciate the component I was auditioning. I went from wanting to buy to wanting to run away - who feels comfortable buying something when pressured and rushed to do so right away? So I left the store unsure that I would want to do business with him. Had I had a good experience, and a knowledge that I can go to the store any time and have a good experience rather than have to find a way to "escape" the pressure I would not only have been happy to buy what I wanted, but would have been back often for other purchases. I cannot for the life of me understand where this comes from. One argument I heard is that store owners don't want to have people audition things and then buy online. Well, first off short of refusing to have a show room I don't see how you can make completely sure of that. So, wouldn't making the customer feel comfortable in your store be a better strategy? For me, I now want to shop online rather than go back. And here is one more twist. All online dealers for the product I was looking at make it clear they will not sell to anyone who has a dealer in their area. So I could not buy that online anyway!!
Can anyone enlighten me? Why can I not go to a local store and have that be a pleasant experience any more?
roc_doc

Showing 1 response by kbamhi

kbamhi
39 posts
 
I option to purchase according to need and situation but I also have several outstanding storefront dealers in my area who have no problem not only auditioning specific equipment, but also bringing good deals to my attention. In that case I would probably purchase from them but it has seemed to no way affect the attentions I receive from excellent dealers.

Another situation arose when I recently purchased a TT from a local dealer. He offered me an open box price which matched online prices and re-checked the set up for me for free before leaving.

If I wanted to purchase a DAC or a solid state amp, I would probably buy online based on experience and or recommendations.

Just as I would change the water filters in my home but I would call a plumber to change my water heater, I believe there is a market for both the online sellor and storefront sales. Having said that, those that earn my business receive my business and those that mess with me don't see me again.
More to discover