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Why do dealers do this?

I'm an old fashioned guy. I like to make my audio purchases from a store and have a person I deal with, establish a relationship, and know that I have someone I can call when I need things. That is why I went into one of the larger stores in my area the other day, ready to audition a couple of things and buy my system. I had a very clear idea of what I wanted, asked to listen to a component with a view to buying it.
The dealer had a completely wrong approach from the start, and it is not a unique situation. I know many good folks in the business are on these forums, so I want to ask why this happens.
From the moment I set foot in the store he created an atmosphere of fairly intense pressure. He started with "you know, I only demo for buying customers". Throughout the visit, I felt continuously pressured to buy on the spot. I was forced to cut my visit short and I was unable to fully appreciate the component I was auditioning. I went from wanting to buy to wanting to run away - who feels comfortable buying something when pressured and rushed to do so right away? So I left the store unsure that I would want to do business with him. Had I had a good experience, and a knowledge that I can go to the store any time and have a good experience rather than have to find a way to "escape" the pressure I would not only have been happy to buy what I wanted, but would have been back often for other purchases. I cannot for the life of me understand where this comes from. One argument I heard is that store owners don't want to have people audition things and then buy online. Well, first off short of refusing to have a show room I don't see how you can make completely sure of that. So, wouldn't making the customer feel comfortable in your store be a better strategy? For me, I now want to shop online rather than go back. And here is one more twist. All online dealers for the product I was looking at make it clear they will not sell to anyone who has a dealer in their area. So I could not buy that online anyway!!
Can anyone enlighten me? Why can I not go to a local store and have that be a pleasant experience any more?
roc_doc

Showing 4 responses by tbg

tbg
5,263 posts
 
It is the same when you go to a car dealer. What does this suggest?
tbg
5,263 posts
 
I fondly remember when I used to visit big cities and go to audio shops. I would often get a chance to hear what Holt and Pearson were talking about. At the time I did have local dealers who had only one listening room and typically only the less expensive lines.

Now shows like the RMAF and THE Show and an extensive group of people whose opinions I trust fulfill the function of directing my attention to new products. Both approaches have their benefits, but I will always remember auditioning seven different Decca London cartridges in a near northside audio shop in Chicago to pick those I liked and bought. I was like a kid in a candy store.

I think survival of store front businesses now is very shaky. Most manufacturers have direct sales, "if there is no dealer in your area."
tbg
5,263 posts
 
I guess you should soon be able to afford indoor plumbing, except for this crisis.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Cajunpepe, in St. Pete. I drove into a Ferrari dealership in a rental Chevy, which I thought I had parked out of view from the show room. All I wanted to see was whether or not I could sit in the spyder, the model now escapes me. You would have thought that I had the plague. Finally, they let me sit in one. I am long waisted and 6'2". Had I bought that car, I would have always risked decapitation.

The guy who showed me to the car, seemed indifferent to my concern, but I realized that I was never to own a Ferrari. Porsches fit me quite well as did older Alfas.
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