Fee for home audition

whole thread reminds me it’s time to send out cards and drop off a nice bottle of Davis - Pinot to my friends and fellow passionate music lovers : Rutan at Audio Connection, Alan at HiFi Buys, Jon at Ultra Fidelis, Don at Don Better, Robert at Taylor House ( retired ), Arnold at Core Audio, Thom at Galibier, Peter at PBN, entire team at Echo, Bruce and Ray at Stereo Unlimited, Randy at Optimal, Victor at Advanced, Tony at RAM tubes ( RIP Roger ), Andy at Vintage Tube, Brent Jesse at Brent Jesse….

It seems the consensus my some here that the dealer is the bad guy, and the customer is the good guy.

I’d just like to interject a question: Did the dealer let the customer down? Or, did the customer let the dealer down?

I wasn’t there.

When the customer crossed the threshold of the business, there was some value added for the customer. He is free to wander, observe, touch, and listen. He also may get the added benefit of an intellectual exchange with someone familiar with the products on display. IF the customer was introduced to the brand, presented with all the good reasons to consider it, there is true VALUE for the customer.

So, NOW we get to (in this case) the hard part. How do we put this deal together? There is a rational, and reasonable agrument that the dealer didn’t see the "right" buying signs, and felt the risk (of damaged equipment) was not worth the potential benefit. It was his call. We should respect that.

I can also make the argument that his "fee" was reasonable, based on a number of factors. (Details provided upon request)

I’m not a prophet, but I’m going to predict that the OP is going to get the unit from another dealer, love it, and make the purchase. Which would have happened IF he had just agreed to purchase it and take it home in the first place. So, the dealer who introduced him to the brand, let him see it, touch it, and listen to it gets nothing.

Like I said; I wasn’t there. But, as a consumer, I would have worked pretty hard on behalf of the dealer who introduced me to the product and took the time to fill in the details. As one poster stated: "Why not take YOUR current streamer to shop, and do a shootout with the prospective product?" This would have provided a workable solution for all those financially vested in the outcome.

@ghasley 

i agree with most of your points. This is my problem was regarding the “demo fee”.  I clarify again. I am less than 10 minutes from the dealer. I gave him a clear option of paying full sale price (msrp) and taking the demo out by myself and returning within his specified hour. Even with this option, I was willing to pay a reasonable fee for demo. He insisted on bringing the product himself. Question was whether 5%, 625 was reasonable. Of course it’s his right to business anyway he chooses to. It’s also my decision whether I decide to business with him. 

I am not sure how you dismiss 12500 as not being worthy of his attention. There is no high end dealer who will walk away from a 12500 sale. FYI, my current dealer who is sending me the Grimm has more high end products that the previous dealer can only dream of. I am still not sure if you know the dealer, maybe you are thinking some other dealer.
 

there is a simple approach: charge a demo fee and waive it if the customers ends up buying the product.

For those willing to dig…a manufacturer/ designer of renowned MC cartridges almost begged ( my words ) a prospectus customer to NOT buy his cartridge….. then the peanut gallery of armchair cartridge designers weighed in……