restocking fees

We consumers tend to forget that both manufacturers and retailers know their business better than we do. If restocking fees are a bad idea, they'll learn it soon enough. But the fact that the practice seems to be growing suggests that they are learning the opposite lesson--that the tire-kickers cost too much and bring in too little to be worth bothering with.

If you don't like these fees, and you want to try out lots of equipment, I suggest you buy used, so you can sell what you don't like at little loss. (But I bet you find that trading like that still costs something--maybe 10 or 20 percent?)

I would be willing to pay a 20% restocking fee If I could buy direct from the manufacturers at distributor price. I think Manufacturers should cut out the middlemen (Brick and mortar stores) and deal direct with the public. Even if I paid a restocking fee on 2 items I would still be ahead of the game because I would not be paying full blown retail prices.

Onhwy61, Shoppers are potential buyers. I'm both a shopper and buyer, and I'm afraid I have the bank statement history to prove it.

I was looking for a cable recently and budgeted $150. I narrowed my choices to 3. One manufacturer bragged that his cable was the best, and he would gladly sell it to me but did not take returns. That left me with 2 choices. Another manufacturer agreed to give me a 30 day trial saying he would recredit my card minus shipping if it was returned. The 3rd manufacturer asked lots of specific questions about how and where I was planning to use the cable. He said he had a cable for $100 more that would be absolutely perfect. When I said I wouldn't go there, he asked if he could send me the cable for audition at no charge, and asked me to evaluate it against the competition's cable.

Sure, he's trading me up, but I respect a guy who is confident in his product, and is unafraid to take a risk. He isn't worried about getting screwed or feeling sorry for himself for maybe working for free, and he's not counting pennies thinking about a restocking fee. That's a real sales person!

Granted, speakers and components are different from cables, but the principal stands. Of course it's safer to get the fee, but does it cost you more business in the end? It would be intersting to hear from dealers and manufacturers.

He isn't worried about getting screwed or feeling sorry for himself for maybe working for free, and he's not counting pennies thinking about a restocking fee. That's a real sales person!

No, that's an accommodating chump who ain't gonna be around long. Would they sell more product without a re-stocking fee? Not enough to offset the loss of providing free trials to the customers who expect them to work for free. Those are known as "D customers", those that cost you money every time you do business with them. And they will ruin your business.

Wilson Audio, McIntosh, B&W, and others did not become mainstays in the industry by giving things away. Just as most of us buy with our wallets, they too must repeatedly check theirs...or they are gone. Some manufacturers enter the market with free trials for a period of time, but few will make it if they continue that way. It's not pennies given away. It's far more than that. It costs them big dollars, as well as the fact that would-be customers come to praise them primarily for being willing to give away freebies. In the end, such a reputation is not good for business.

Boa2, I see your point, but this "chump" isn't giving away anything if I buy the cable. Maybe he is sure of what he has, and knows it's much better than the competition. If it's a losing proposition for the manufacturer, I trust he won't make the deal.

There are many roads to success. Plenty of dealers and some manufacturers offer in home trials with no restocking fees. Others charge, and If you are willing to pay them that's great!

I'm not in the audio industry, but I work daily with sales people in a high pressure situation. The most successful sales people are those who are confident and unafraid. They don't count hours and whine about working for free, they understand their market, and they go out and make something happen.

While I enjoy high end audio, I'm out of my league about that market. Let's not pretend that buying and listening means we understand how it's best sold. The high end dealer model is going away, and my guess is that manufacturers who charge restocking fees will eventually suffer. Granted, I'm shooting in the dark--who can really say. Again, I would really appreciate any dealers or manufacturers thoughts.

Thanks