Avalon Pricing Policy?

Unless the buyer is making out the check or payment to the maker of the goods instead of the dealer him/herself, dealers do have some latitude with the sales price!

Apart from that of making a poor deal for themselves of course.

Well, it's great that you are offering the dealer the business. That gives them the opportunity to be creative within whatever rules they either need or like to follow.

Art, your high moral standard is surely admirable. But we are talking about a business transaction here. Business transaction is all about negotiation, particularly when high-priced goods is involved. To me, unless I am buying rarity, a seller who refuses to negotiate is sending me a signal that he doesn't want my business. In this case, there is nothing wrong buying from web. The situation is created by the dealer, not by the customer. No one is using the dealer here.

I have bought many equipment new from local dealers and I have yet run into one who won't give any discount. I am not talking about deep discount here but a dealer should have no problem giving 5 -10% off list price to make a sale.

I don't know what Avalon's policy is. If they indeed revokes dealership because someone gives a 5 -10% discount, I don't think they will have too many dealers selling their products.

Provide the opportunity for a dealer gesture that at least sticks to the letter of the manufacturer request. For example, ask whether the dealer has an "open box" pair, customer return or demo pair. Or buy something else as the same time an a VERY high discount.

I try to avoid buying on the net new or used when I've used a local dealers time on a product. I just keep them separate, in order to not waste a dealers time.

And I try to find out up front whether the dealer is permitted to discount a prroduct either explicitly or implicitly.

This is the best way I've come up with to handle a somewhat difficult issue; I'm open to alternative suggestions.

I have always felt that the best approach for a dealer would be to offer free local gatherings & demonstrations, large ones, nearly daily. Develop a steady stream of music lovers that habitually visit your shop at least weekly. Eventually some percentage will surcumb to "I want it now" and also begin to appreciate the value of working with a dealer. Let 95% of them buy on the internet; all you need is that 5% that want to buy local.

I've yet to see any dealer adopt this approach though.

Art

Just be patient and you might be able to find a slightly used pair here at a deep discount.

Peter s has the right approach. This eliminates all the the afore mentioned problems with retail merchandising.
Also, Avalon speakers are one of the better bargains in Audio. They can go head to head with much more expensive speakers, very musical.
Give a listen to the Reference 3a Grande Veenas if you like the sound of the Avalons.

Find a dealer who has a pair of demos they are allowed to sell as discounted. I don't know what restrictions constitute the definition of demos. If out of state, and if you have a local Avalon dealer, you may have to visit the out-state dealer to be able to do the deal. Or - if you have a friend near that dealer, that would likely suffice and he/she can be buying a "gift" for you.

I've been attached to sales in one way or another for decades.

Never the less, I'm continually confounded why when a legit offer to buy for less than MSRP arrives on your doorstep, it is so handily dismissed.

There are all sorts of reasons for the why of it, pro & con. Posturing, policy, etc. I've often felt in these instances letting $$$ walk out the door is no help to anyone, especially the dealership. it can stay there and cost you, or you can let it go and make close to whay you had in mind, and likely recieve another prospect on both the good will engendered by the discount and the performance of the piece as previewed by other associates of the buyer, not to mention his own now positive word of mouth advertising, which to some extent has now been subscribed.

Suits me either way. Sure it can be disappointing at the time, but there's more than one dealer.... or path to purchase your hearts desire OR either it's equivlancy or better somewhere else.

Moving product always paid me. Always. on the consumer front and from the viewpoint of the distributor or manufacturer.

Dusting it off didn't.

high end audio is unlike most any other realm on the planet. For quite invalid reasons. mostly ego. The "if you have to ask attitude" said aloud or by presentation is pervasive.

I think too, it accounts for how tenuous the industry often finds itself.

I'd much rather deal with a businessman who happens to sell high end audio, than a high end snob who thinks he's a businessman.

When a legit, reasonable offer is tendered and then ignored or vanquished outright, the only loser in the equation is the seller. I'll usually come back with an alternative I feel is amicable to both parties based upon my interest in the item, and leave it in their hands. At times my counter is little more than an additional $20 - $30, and the prospective buyer refuses to move up. it's a real headscratcher, but so be it.

I feel more than any other reason, austere attitudes and arrogance are the primary contributors for so many dealership failures. manufacturer positions are more staunch and hard lined on the subject but as the disappointed buyer, so too can the maker simply find another dealer to hock their goods too. Consequently makers will direct their dealers to hold retail prices up as part of their 'dealer profits increasing' with the effort for price protecting the goods publickly throughout their brick & mortar sellers. Usually those handicaps are applied to advertising, and not 'in house' sales, special events, etc.

Find a more ammenable seller of those same goods, or find their other brand duplicate. it's a very big world.

I bought a pair of Avalon Eidolon Vision speakers early this year, and yes, their pricing was pretty fixed. From a marketing standpoint, that should be the right way to sell a product. If the product delivers the right value and a unique value proposition, why should the manufacturer provide discount. Of course, being a prospective customer, I was not too happy about the stiff pricing policy, but then I still bought the speakers because I just love what I heard in Avalons and in no others at that price level....

Did you give hime a reasonable offer or just asked him how much he can discount them? I work in sales too so I know offer to buy (a commitment)goes a long way...maybe they didn't realize how serious you were and thought you're just messing around.