I am going to get rage to my response, but here it goes:
Your experiences with Accuphase and poor answers is the coming trend in this industry. The internet is absolutely the best thing that has ever happened to the consumer. It allows people to shop, bargain, pit dealers against eachother, pepper manufacturers with questions and allow the consumer to make an informed decision for the best possible price by buying used, or through someone blowing out the product online NEW at used prices. It really is a dream come true.
The problem is, this business model sets up the distributor and dealer to invest mass amounts of time, providing free consulting for the consumer for no profit. Accuphase is attempting to put the power back in the hands of the dealer, but clearly the consumer is suffering if he has no dealer. So what will eventually happen, if all high-end does not go belly up, is the following:
1) Internet dealers will prevail, brick and mortars close, manufacturers start to sell direct with high customer support. Consumer buys used online, or NEW at "used" prices.
2) Manufacturers and Internet dealers are now actually competing with eachother. Both lower price to compete with used market and eachother, and decrease customer support to maximize financial solvency. (TODAY WE ARE HERE)
3) Internet dealer fails, no profit, undercut by manufacturer.
4) Manufacturer sells direct with NO customer service at lowest prices to remain solvent.
The reasons for this are simple. Those dealers providing hours of consultation to everone over the phone, when the consumer goes and buys used gear will have two options: 1)Provide no customer service, maximize volume and sell at prices that rival used gear, or 2) close down.
It will take time, but dealers will eventually be extinct (me included). Both scenarios will offer less and less customer support, and shift the risk totally onto the consumer to buy and sell his gear to "hear" new products. All products will eventually be sold factory direct, with no customer service. Dismal outlook, but the bottom line is that the old days of great customer support and consultation were supported through products that actually sold near the retail value.
Your experiences with Accuphase and poor answers is the coming trend in this industry. The internet is absolutely the best thing that has ever happened to the consumer. It allows people to shop, bargain, pit dealers against eachother, pepper manufacturers with questions and allow the consumer to make an informed decision for the best possible price by buying used, or through someone blowing out the product online NEW at used prices. It really is a dream come true.
The problem is, this business model sets up the distributor and dealer to invest mass amounts of time, providing free consulting for the consumer for no profit. Accuphase is attempting to put the power back in the hands of the dealer, but clearly the consumer is suffering if he has no dealer. So what will eventually happen, if all high-end does not go belly up, is the following:
1) Internet dealers will prevail, brick and mortars close, manufacturers start to sell direct with high customer support. Consumer buys used online, or NEW at "used" prices.
2) Manufacturers and Internet dealers are now actually competing with eachother. Both lower price to compete with used market and eachother, and decrease customer support to maximize financial solvency. (TODAY WE ARE HERE)
3) Internet dealer fails, no profit, undercut by manufacturer.
4) Manufacturer sells direct with NO customer service at lowest prices to remain solvent.
The reasons for this are simple. Those dealers providing hours of consultation to everone over the phone, when the consumer goes and buys used gear will have two options: 1)Provide no customer service, maximize volume and sell at prices that rival used gear, or 2) close down.
It will take time, but dealers will eventually be extinct (me included). Both scenarios will offer less and less customer support, and shift the risk totally onto the consumer to buy and sell his gear to "hear" new products. All products will eventually be sold factory direct, with no customer service. Dismal outlook, but the bottom line is that the old days of great customer support and consultation were supported through products that actually sold near the retail value.