"High end" store snobbery

Based on 40 years of experience, Hi Fi dealers often tend to be kind of rude, but once you make friends with them, things often change.

I live in Milan, Italy, and I must say that the old Hi Fi dealers in my city (this was in the Eighties and Nineties - they have all closed since), where terribly rude, with very few exceptions.

I remember parking a brand new Porsche in front of a well-known dealer downtown Milan and, when I asked them if I could audtion a specific product, which I knew they had on display, they told mw to come back another day (the store was empty).

They lost a good sale.

rude is never good...but how many hours have members here spent auditioning gear in stores, knowing they would buy it used on Audiogon...very different then when stores only had to compete with other stores...

You can't confuse a hobby with a sales experience. Clubs and audio societies are all about learning. A retailer especially in audio these days can't be all things to all people. If you had walked in and said I want a new X (amp, speakers, system, etc ) and I have X $ to spend they might have been able to help you (and more willing to spend some time). Trade-ins have NEVER been a big part of an audio shop's business, although some might allow (grudgingly) an upgrade in something they sell a lot of.  An even lightly used big brand AV box loses value about 10  faster than a new car. A good stereo is complicated. A good AV system even more so and many audio guys don't even bother. It's a specialty.

There's a shop up here in Mass where on Saturday aftrenoons you can bring your LPs to play through their various vintage & high end setups & hang around a bit to talk about the gear: they'll even offer you an espresso or craft beer. That's my kinda spot, lol. Not sure about their trade-in policies but I know they have one. The guys that own the place are about as knowledgeable as anyone I've ever met. It's in a cool brick & beam loft space and is stuffed with incredible gear that they restore & ship all over the world. Guess this is where the industry is headed, or should be anyway. 

I traded in 2 AVRs 20 years old not used in years towards 2 new Monoblock power amps at PSAudio.  They give you up to 30% of the new purchase as trade.  They base the trade in value on the original retail value.  So in my case I got $1800 for the AVRs.

It does not have to be for the same type of equipment.  You could trade in an AVR towards a new DAC or speakers.

I use to live in Chicago but now retired in Tennessee and the closest dealer is 3 hours away.