PDA

View Full Version : When it comes to buying, who’s agenda is it anyway?



Neil McCauley
07-05-2008, 10:46
"Are some high-profile retailers as independent as they make out, or are they covertly owned by their suppliers? And why should it matter?"

I've just posted this on one of my site, here: http://blog.listencarefully.co.uk/?p=2841

If this might be of interest to you, then I hope you can spare the time to read it all. Otherwise, what follows might not make sense.

In a nutshell ....... it is my contention that at least one distributor has at least one direct sales arm masquerading as an independent dealer. Depending on circumstances, I argue that this is either a bad thing or, paradoxically a good thing and an indication of the future. Perhaps.

As usual I'm interested in learning of views both in support of, and contrary to my own observations.

Given that the general quality of responses on this site (and I don't mean to my postings particularly) are civilised, articulate and thoughtful, your forum seems the logical place to throw it open for debate. Thank you for the opportunity. Sincerely, HP

Steve Toy
07-05-2008, 11:02
I guess it depends which brands a particular retailer chooses to stock. Bullying does exist in the industry by both a number of manufacturers and distributors alike who dictate how much of a given range must be stocked as demo items to keep a trading account open. They also go as far as to dictate under what conditions kit must be demonstrated and what ancilliaries (mains blocks, cables and stands) are used for dems.

Are we allowed to name names on this thread?

I guess dealers can come along and just tell us about their own (bitter) personal experiences without fear of litigation by these bullyboys.

I will say that when I was in Tours, France in early April I came upon a Linn dealer, Amplitude who seemed to be breaking all the 'rules' - no separate dem room facilitating the use of a single pair of speakers and the only Linn items I could see were a Majik CD player and a s/h LP12.

Steve Toy
07-05-2008, 11:47
To add: I've just read your blog...

I've known dealers stock gear they don't like that happens to get favourable reviews from magazines. They then A/B dem it with the kit they do like. I remember such a Rega/MF dem. I'll leave it to you to guess which won on the day and which was the one with the rave reviews.

I guess the best dealers either stock a fairly narrow range of kit they like or offer genuinely feasible alternatives to suit different listening tastes.

Mr. C
07-05-2008, 12:00
Nice to see see Howard back in the groove:p
Can we have a competition mods to see who measures the most of the B & T scale please :steam:

DSJR
07-05-2008, 12:12
I think some dealers ally themselves with particular distributers and/or manufacturers, but apart from B&O franchisees (privately owned "one brand" dealerships) I'm not sure if this happens in the UK, as the market is now so insignificant, sadly.

Steve Toy
07-05-2008, 12:16
Can we have a competition mods to see who measures the most of the B & T scale please


Can we make it slightly less obvious that dealers are in competition with each other please? ;)

Neil McCauley
07-05-2008, 13:13
Nice to see see Howard back in the groove:p
Can we have a competition mods to see who measures the most of the B & T scale please :steam:

"Please Sir (visualise HP trembling) what is the B & T scale?" Thank you.

Steve Toy
07-05-2008, 13:32
B&T = bitter and twisted. I don't think you are b&t btw. That accolade is reserved for Mr Dunn who is currently on sabbatical.

Filterlab
07-05-2008, 14:19
...reserved for Mr Dunn who is currently on sabbatical.

For a good long time with any luck. :)

Neil McCauley
07-05-2008, 15:06
Ah. I see. B&T. Rather good that. Not my old sparing partner 'Current bun' Dunn surely? My memory is hazy, but was he an equipment supplier at some point? Or is it best to let sleeping dogs, etc? I seem to recall offering to 'fill somebody in' regarding that name or similar to it when I was a lot younger. Or it might have been Russ Andrews, or the miserable sod from Nytech. Can't remember why. I mean "fill in" in the physical sense, not the metaphorical one. I'm better now though, apparently.

Marco
07-05-2008, 15:15
LOL@ "Current bun" Dunn! Apparently he's 'handy' with his fists, too...

However, Howard, if I may be so pedantic as to suggest it would read better as 'Currant bun'? ;)

Marco.

Neil McCauley
07-05-2008, 16:29
Yes, quite correct. Currant it is. Oh dear - it's happening again!

"Me legs have gawn - guv!" I mention this only in relation to fists, obviously. Today, I prefer Krav Maga.

I'd like to chat a bit more, but I'm off to Catford shortly to do a home demo of a LFD Integrated and a PS Audio Power Plant Premier. South London has, for people like me from North of the River a fairly fearsome reputation.

If by chance I don't make it back, I thank you all for your indulgence to date.

Marco
07-05-2008, 16:37
May your journey 'Sarf' of the river be a safe, pleasant, and profitable one. We shall chat later and muse over the details of a successful sale :)

Marco.

Mr. C
07-05-2008, 16:50
Mr 'Current Bunn', is very reminiscent of a wounded pit bull terrier which has been weened on psychotropic substances over a long period of time and not yet re-entered this particular universe fully, possible still is a state of quasi-flux (imho)

Marco
07-05-2008, 17:01
LOL. I see you also decided to go with an 'e' as opposed to an 'a'...

I guess it must be fashionable ;)

Or perhaps you were merely quoting Howard? :eyebrows:

Marco.

Iain Sinclair
07-05-2008, 18:42
If we're being pedantic, the thread title should be 'When it comes to buying, whose agenda is it anyway?'

Right, carry on with the name-calling.

Steve Toy
07-05-2008, 18:50
I would like us all to play nice and not feed the energy monster. . .

Iain Sinclair
07-05-2008, 18:53
I would like us all to play nice and not feed the energy monster. . .

What are you, a hippy or something? I though taxi drivers were meant to be argumentative sods who laid down the law about how 'hanging's too good for 'em'?

Marco
07-05-2008, 18:54
If we're being pedantic, the thread title should be 'When it comes to buying, whose agenda is it anyway?'


You're absolutely right, Iain. Although I'd have a semi-colon in there instead of a comma, as in:

"'When it comes to buying; whose agenda is it anyway?'

It has more impact that way, I feel.

Gosh, isn't this fun! :lol:

Marco.

Iain Sinclair
07-05-2008, 18:55
I'd like to chat a bit more, but I'm off to Catford shortly to do a home demo of a LFD Integrated and a PS Audio Power Plant Premier. South London has, for people like me from North of the River a fairly fearsome reputation.


In the case of Catford, that fearsome reputation is fully deserved.

Steve Toy
07-05-2008, 19:26
Iain, I presume and hope that your gross generalisation about people in my trade was in jest.

Iain Sinclair
07-05-2008, 19:27
"Are some high-profile retailers as independent as they make out, or are they covertly owned by their suppliers? And why should it matter?"


No, yes, and it doesn't, in that order.

Hifi retailers are there to sell you stuff; specifically, the stuff they stock. If they don't sell enough, they'll go broke. It's not a charitable or philanthropic operation. I can't see how any retailer, in any area, can be truly 'independent'; they can't stock everything, and the selection they make will be made on various criteria, including the 'profile' of particular brands, the profit margins they can expect for each unit shifted, and so forth.

As long as the retailer I patronise is reasonably civil, knows the stuff he's selling and doesn't dance around like a tit when I'm auditioning stuff, I'm a happy camper. The role of the hifi customer, unless he just wants to chuck his money about, is to be aware of all likely agendas, keep an open mind and open ears, and avoid snap decisions.

Iain Sinclair
07-05-2008, 19:30
Iain, I presume and hope that your gross generalisation about people in my trade was in jest.

Oh yes. My brother-in-law's a taxi driver and he's a lovely bloke. Mind you, he really does think we should string the bastards up, as it's the only language they understand.

Steve Toy
07-05-2008, 19:33
I am quite liberal for my trade, I admit.