Purchasing from LP Gear

Again, it’s not a big deal to buy a cartridge, every dealer can sell a new cartridge if they got it in stock. The real problem is how this dealer can help his buyer when a cartridge stylys is worn out, if the dealer can ship it back to the manufacturer to get a new one (or next model) with special discount then it’s the real dealer. Manufacturer support their customers via their dealers, with MC cartridge you have no choice when it’s worn, for AT’s MicroLine stylus profile it’s about 2000 hrs and then your stylus tip is worn. Manufacturer will not accept a cartridge from you or from your grey market dealer, but they will accept a worn cart from their official distributor in your country amd their dealers. The benefit is about 40% discount for a new (next) cart if you send your first (worn) back.

@kingharold
"I really appreciate all the responses. Despite the fact that LP Gear’s website still states that they have the Audio Technica ART9 for sale when I finally got a return e-mail from them this afternoon it stated that they do not have it. I think that I will avoid them in the future. I really dislike not being able to call a merchant with whom considering doing business."

The same thing happened to me when I tried to purchase an AT VM760SLC cart. I did eventually find a phone number for them. It may have been on the Better Business Bureau website. I think it was the owner’s cell phone. I avoid them unless there is something I really want that nobody else has.

I had had a shipping issues with them many years ago. When Needle Dr. closed there doors, I started using them again.  I've had zero issues with them since.  The issue I had with them was shipping cost for 10 miles same city. I wanted to pickup the cartridge and not pay $8.95 for shipping.  I'd done it before with him but this one time I never got a reply to my email request for pick-up.  By the time I started doing business with him again, free shipping for over.......   was free, issue solved. 

There’s no phone number to talk to a human being.There’s also no way to click on an item to put it in your cart.I’m not fond of a company like that.

I bought a TT belt from them once, never again. Received totally wrong belt and ended up loosing belt price, taxes and 2 times shipping as they claimed not to have received returned belt. I would find another vendor !