I just saw this Superfi closed down its Shops and called in the adminstrators https://www.whathifi.com/news/superf...res-nationwide
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I just saw this Superfi closed down its Shops and called in the adminstrators https://www.whathifi.com/news/superf...res-nationwide
That's bad news.
My thoughts exactly Rob, one less option when looking for new HiFi used Superfi quite a bit and their service was first class, not enough profit or overheads on the high street their down fall:doh:
Ive bought a couple of things from the Stockport store. Wandered up from Richer sounds and had a look in :)
If Murrays hi fi had still been going, I wouldnt have really needed any other shop. A sofa, a guy in jeans and a few well chosen items makes the perfect shop for me but he didnt last long...maybe a year.
This again raises questions about buying habits, the economy and the future of hi fi retail.
I wonder how Sevenoaks are doing, their business model isn't a million miles away from that of Superfi, although the latter did seem to have a more pile 'em high approach.
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Bad news indeed, but really I'm not sure that many people buy new from these shops anymore. I bet a lot of those visiting such hifi shops have a browse then look for it cheaper online.
Most of the people on here seem to buy mostly secondhand either from each other or off eBay. The rest of the buying public either buy wireless speakers for streaming, or if they've got a bit more money to spend will probably shell out on 'lifestyle' products from the likes of Sonos, as their preference moves towards products which sound ok but look great (to them).
None of which is going to keep the wolves from Superfi's door.
True that I buy a lot of stuff from eBay but usually because it ain't offered anywhere local or is too old to be stocked.
I bought a pair of speakers from Superfi a couple of years back (Q Acoustics 2020i) after a store demo in their Nottingham branch ... also got my Quad Vena from them more recently at a discount not offered elsewhere. Also use Richer Sounds a fair bit. Bought a pair of Bluetooth headphones from Currys only yesterday (same price as Amazon)
I do try and buy new stuff (photo and hifi) from UK based companies either in store or online whenever I can and usually get a good enough deal if you hunt .... but also the people who work there could be neighbours :thumbsup:
Used Superfi a few times and always had good service and a good price. Another on bites the dust!:rolleyes:
The one around here went bust years ago. I bought some stuff from them but in general they had a poor selection and didn't seem to keen on wanting to sell it. I went in for some speakers once, 3 young salesmen and an older manager all standing about doing nothing. Only one youth seemed keen and set up some speakers for me to listen to. One of the others made some comment to him along the lines of 'Why are you bothering?'
When I went in to buy an amp some years later, the manager attended to me. He said I had a choice between a Marantz and a Rotel but he wouldn't do a dem as they were 'closing in about an hour.' No other customers in there, staff just milling about.
Shocking service, and that business deserved to fail. I bet a fair few shops would be like that these days though, as the constant stream of 'tyre kickers' has knocked the fight out of them.
Apart from a few low cost items bought from Richer Sounds Preston, whose service and attentiveness was second to none considering the value of my purchases, I haven't set foot in a hifi shop for several years. Last place was Doug Brady at Warrington, accompanying my bother who was buying a headphone amp. I just asked a couple of questions about other stuff, and they were so helpful and pleasant, I felt a bit guilty about not buying anything!
The 'built in obsolescence' that afflicts so many consumer goods these days doesn't seem to apply to quality hifi, and most decent stuff can be repaired either by folk on this forum or by someone they know, so usually it's only the mass produced tat sold by the likes of Currys that ends up as landfill. For a business to make or sell something that may not need replacing for decades, that can't be good for them.