About once a year I go to a couple of the local high-end stores just to see if they've changed their approach at all - new pricing strategies, more intelligent advice, different products, etc. I'm open to seeing the value, but it never seems to make itself apparent, so I go back to educating myself and providing service to myself. I'll even be real open with them, and ask them about all of these issues, but instead of trying to win me as a customer, they get all nervous and avoid the questions. I agree with Abstract7 - if you're up front about what your approach is, there's not a question of morality. It's the flip side of Best Buy saying, "we'll beat any advertised price". You walk in and say, "I'm here to see if you'll do what it takes to win my business". If what it takes is the lowest price, so be it. If it's a certain type and amount of service for a certain price, that's fine too. It's only a question of morals when you purposely mis-lead somebody.
What Are Your Audio Morals?
Assuming:
A. We all want to audition equipment before we buy it;
B. We all want the most for our money;
C. We all can find the same equipment cheaper on the Internet than from high end dealers;
D. We all know that you can't audition equipment on the Internet.
Therefore, the question is: How can you morally audition equipment at dealers when you know you won't be buying there?
After all, the dealer is giving you his time, his advice, the exclusive use of his listening room (all at the expense of customers who may actually biuy from him), a pro-rated percentage of wear and tear on his equipment, and a pro-rated share of his rent, electricity, salaries, advertising, taxes, maintenance, etc.
What do YOU do when you want to audition equipment? Do you:
1. Use your local dealer and buy from him?
2. Use your local dealer and buy elsewhere?
3. Don't use your local dealer, but buy elsewhere as long as you can return it?
4. Take a chance and just buy based on reviews, thinking maybe you can sell it if you hate it?
5. Other?
BTW, I am not a dealer. I'm just aware that if we all use dealers as free audition services knowing we'll buy elsewhere, local dealers will soon be extinct.
Maybe that's OK. Perhaps, with the advent of the Internet, local dealers serve no purpose anymore. That may be a future topic of discussion.
A. We all want to audition equipment before we buy it;
B. We all want the most for our money;
C. We all can find the same equipment cheaper on the Internet than from high end dealers;
D. We all know that you can't audition equipment on the Internet.
Therefore, the question is: How can you morally audition equipment at dealers when you know you won't be buying there?
After all, the dealer is giving you his time, his advice, the exclusive use of his listening room (all at the expense of customers who may actually biuy from him), a pro-rated percentage of wear and tear on his equipment, and a pro-rated share of his rent, electricity, salaries, advertising, taxes, maintenance, etc.
What do YOU do when you want to audition equipment? Do you:
1. Use your local dealer and buy from him?
2. Use your local dealer and buy elsewhere?
3. Don't use your local dealer, but buy elsewhere as long as you can return it?
4. Take a chance and just buy based on reviews, thinking maybe you can sell it if you hate it?
5. Other?
BTW, I am not a dealer. I'm just aware that if we all use dealers as free audition services knowing we'll buy elsewhere, local dealers will soon be extinct.
Maybe that's OK. Perhaps, with the advent of the Internet, local dealers serve no purpose anymore. That may be a future topic of discussion.