Store auditioning and then buying on-line from others. How do you feel about it ?

I have never walked into a brick-and-mortar shop without the motivation, funds, and a price in my head that I would be willing to pay if the demoed equipment passes muster and the retailer will negotiate. Otherwise it’s a waste of time and energy all around. Get your jollies at the audio shows; do business with the retailer.

It is wrong an unfair. It costs them money to have a room, to have gear... It's not only the time spent with the customer. And it is not sustainable behavior. It will kill stores on the long run, just like book stores and Amazon. 

Ok- so let's put this in concrete terms. Item X available at a traditional store for $2,000, new with warranty, and available on line, new with warranty, for exactly 1/2 the price. As a consumer, are you obligated to sustain the brick and mortar retailer above your own pecuniary interests? 

I do  my best to support local business. I am willing to pay more when provided value added. Its that simple.

Here’s a story. I went to a local shop Monday after Thanksgiving and auditioned headphones with my Chord Mojo DAC. Ended up buying a pair of Grado phones I auditioned. Except none in stock so dealer imdicated they could order it for me from their store on Amazon and have it shipped to me. So they did. All good. I even got a 10% cyber Monday discount

Two weeks later now and still no phones delivered. Maybe tomorrow. Turns out they had to have the phones shipped to the store first which took longer than expected and then ship them to me. They were in the store finally yesterday.

I could probably have ordered them straight on Amazon wih Amazon prime and had them sent straight to me in two days. Now I got an online discount plus dealer has to cover two shipping costs.

Just weird. Where is the profit in that?  Very inefficient process for everyone.