Direct selling and/or high street selling

[Alex_UK]

HOWEVER, in my view, there is a difference between an honest profit and bumping up the prices to make the stuff more "exclusive."

Absobloodylutely - ignoring the emotive word "slurp" there is a big difference between profit and profiteering - however, in my experience (and my airy-fairy way I like to view the world being levelled through karma...) profiteering never lasts too long before they are found out. Some things in life are genuinely worth paying a premium for, but price does not guarantee a premium product.

[magiccarpetride]

I been reading a post on Analogue Art and the thread stated to look at direct selling
First of all I still think there is room for both the Traditional Hifi Dealer and people who sell direct. But if a look at my equipment none of it came from a traditional high street dealer
I think with rent costs etc it is very hard to maintain the traditional high street models, a lot of dealers now operate from home or have premises that are not based in big cities.
I think a good dealer is still a good way to get equipment but just wondering what people think around different trade models

One thing I like about dealers that I couldn't get elsewhere (not from craigslist/audiogon, nor from purchasing online) is the try-before-you-buy deals. Most of us here know that, unless you actually try the component at home, and unless you can actually live with it for a while, you can't really tell whether that component is a good match for your audio system.

Smart dealers capitalize on this, and they also forge long-term relationship with their patients.

Yes, there are individuals who abuse that relationship, and after tricking their dealer to take them through the trial period, return the component and then buy the same one used, or online. But that's despicable, and it certainly creates a huge body of bad karma for such individuals.

However, most people are not like that, and appreciate the time and effort that the dealer puts into the deal. Unless you have lots of well heeled friends who are into audio and who are willing to let you borrow their gear for evaluation, your best bet is to make a solid relationship with a good local dealer. That's gonna buy you a lot down the road, as you get a chance to evaluate a lot of configuration. As a matter of fact, I believe that arrangement might save you a lot of money throughout the years of pursuing the audio pleasures.

Am I currently pursuing that model? Sadly, no. The reason? I wasn't able to find a dealer in my city who would be really interested in engaging me in this long term process. Most dealers around here are only interested in dealing with super rich Asian clientele, thus peddling the super esoteric products with price tags in tens of thousands, so I'm not really on their radar.

So if you hear them complaining, it's partly their fault -- neglecting your potential customers is fine if that's what you choose to do, but then you lose all rights to complain.

That's how I see it.

[Spectral Morn]

One thing I like about dealers that I couldn't get elsewhere (not from craigslist/audiogon, nor from purchasing online) is the try-before-you-buy deals. Most of us here know that, unless you actually try the component at home, and unless you can actually live with it for a while, you can't really tell whether that component is a good match for your audio system.

Smart dealers capitalize on this, and they also forge long-term relationship with their patients.

Yes, there are individuals who abuse that relationship, and after tricking their dealer to take them through the trial period, return the component and then buy the same one used, or online. But that's despicable, and it certainly creates a huge body of bad karma for such individuals.

However, most people are not like that, and appreciate the time and effort that the dealer puts into the deal. Unless you have lots of well heeled friends who are into audio and who are willing to let you borrow their gear for evaluation, your best bet is to make a solid relationship with a good local dealer. That's gonna buy you a lot down the road, as you get a chance to evaluate a lot of configuration. As a matter of fact, I believe that arrangement might save you a lot of money throughout the years of pursuing the audio pleasures.

Am I currently pursuing that model? Sadly, no. The reason? I wasn't able to find a dealer in my city who would be really interested in engaging me in this long term process. Most dealers around here are only interested in dealing with super rich Asian clientele, thus peddling the super esoteric products with price tags in tens of thousands, so I'm not really on their radar.

So if you hear them complaining, it's partly their fault -- neglecting your potential customers is fine if that's what you choose to do, but then you lose all rights to complain.

That's how I see it.

I think that is terrible...had it happen to me once as the customer (actually never got as far as that) of a Home Cinema dealer. I went down to see about speakers and he was so uninterested in me because it was a budget speaker package. He sat behind his desk and pretty much could not be bothered. A rich client came in, and he was up from behind the desk and over to him like a shot. I left feeling like a pile of walking poo..... no if he had poo on his shoe, he would have at least paid it enough attention to remove it

Treat others as you would want to be treated yourself and do so always.



Regards D S D L

[Marco]

Hi Alex,

Am I currently pursuing that model? Sadly, no. The reason? I wasn't able to find a dealer in my city who would be really interested in engaging me in this long term process. Most dealers around here are only interested in dealing with super rich Asian clientele, thus peddling the super esoteric products with price tags in tens of thousands, so I'm not really on their radar.

Indeed; it's shocking. Dealers like that can't be arsed having to work for sale - they prefer it to fall into their laps instead.......!

Trouble is, there's only so much of that 'cream' business around, and when it eventually dries up, they'll find that all the 'bread & butter' stuff has been hoovered up by another dealer willing to go the extra mile - so tough titty, I say, to the money-grabbing parasites!!

Like I said before, dealers and manufacturers who are in the game for the wrong reasons eventually get found out and end up the losers... I love watching Karma in action

Marco.

[magiccarpetride]

I think that is terrible...had it happen to me once as the customer (actually never got as far as that) of a Home Cinema dealer. I went down to see about speakers and he was so uninterested in me because it was a budget speaker package. He sat behind his desk and pretty much could not be bothered. A rich client came in, and he was up from behind the desk and over to him like a shot. I left feeling like a pile of walking poo..... no if he had poo on his shoe, he would have at least paid it enough attention to remove it

Treat others as you would want to be treated yourself and do so always.



Regards D S D L

Hear, hear. I don't like the 'old guard' elitist attitude. I believe that we're all equal, and your money is as good as anyone else's money.

But some of those quasi elitist shops insist that they only do business with people who have certain 'pedigree'. I remember one incident (happened 20 years ago) when I walked into a computer store, and after browsing, asked the sales person if they could give me the price list. He smiled and said: "We only have the price list for our customers!"

I kid you not, that's exactly what he told me. So who am I, then?

[magiccarpetride]

Hi Alex,



Indeed; it's shocking. Dealers like that can't be arsed having to work for sale - they prefer it to fall into their laps instead.......!

Trouble is, there's only so much of that 'cream' business around, and when it eventually dries up, they'll find that all the 'bread & butter' stuff has been hoovered up by another dealer willing to go the extra mile - so tough titty, I say, to the money-grabbing parasites!!

Like I said before, dealers and manufacturers who are in the game for the wrong reasons eventually get found out and end up the losers... I love watching Karma in action

Marco.

True, karma never sleeps!

The lopsidedness always occurs during the transient times, such as the ones we live in right now. Here in Vancouver, we have a large influx of wealthy Asian people. They immigrate to the West Coast with bags of money, and create this feeding frenzy anomaly. The real estate and retailers reorient themselves to catering to those clients, managing at the same time to completely alienate us, regular customers.

But as you said, the influx is not unlimited, and soon it'll dry up, and what will those geniuses do then?

[Mike]

Internet shopping killed the High street.

No. Bloody fascist parking restrictions did!

[Spectral Morn]

No. Bloody fascist parking restrictions did!

It certainly does not help.


Regards D S D L