Fee for home audition

@mofojo

I would have never guessed.

"He had a demo unit and was willing to bring to my home for an hour and let me try."

A whole hour? That’s funny.

@xtremefidelity +1

your description of the process of auditioning a product from a dealer then searching for the lowest price from ANYBODY is spot on. Having said that, if the product is already a store demo, I wouldn't charge a rental fee for a couple of days (I agree an hour is ridiculous, it would be like marrying someone after a coffee date) but any transport/setup would include a non-refundable charge (can't return labor).  Also keep in mind that every day that product is out of the showroom could potentially lose a sale to a customer who wanted to hear it in the store. The rental fee is a bad look, but perhaps the dealer isn't the ogre being portrayed here, but instead just has experienced this scenario before.

I once read a church reader board that stated: "A Good Friend Stabs You in the Front"

At least the dealer was forthcoming about the rules of engagement and gave you the opportunity play, or not play -- upfront.  Your call.

Of course dealers make a profit from the sale. What we are discussing here is the expectation of getting their expertise and home demos of expensive equipment without the sale. Free demos when you have no existing relationship; expecting a huge part of the dealer's margin as upfront discount; and/or taking the dealer's time, demo equipment or expertise and then buying from a cheaper source is what I'm talking about. I never implied that this was you @svenjosh. I'm replying to other posts on this thread and industry trends. And @svenjosh, I clearly said "perhaps this is a big misunderstanding" about the "5% for 1 hour" thing. I never suggested you were "misstating facts". Perhaps the dealer misunderstood what was going to happen or perhaps you did. As a dealer, I just doubt that what he really meant was he would bring it to your house and charge you for 1 hour. That's why I think someone misunderstood.