Another option for dealers is to specify one or two units that they use specifically for trials only. Charge a 10% fee if the guy does not buy a new unit. If the unit goes out on trial ten times in a year...he's just sold a new unit and he still has his trial unit. Even with a trial unit, he should be able to sell it for 50% off list after he's collected several trial fees off of the unit....and still make a profit.I'm not sure the math adds up. For a dealer to make a living he'd need to move a certain amount of product. So he would either need more than 1 or 2 demo units, or he would need a larger percentage of sales to be sight unseen.
And if a unit made 20 trips vis UPS or whatever carrier (10 there, 10 back), I suspect there's a good chance it will be pretty beat up.
But I do agree buyers will want to hear the unit first, no doubt.