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Ever feel like a "low dollar" customer that your dealer doesn't think worth their time?

I'm a careful researcher for audio gear and I also understand the value of brick and mortar stores. I am not OCD and I am not an irascible haggler. Indeed, I have told my local stores that if they carry something I like, I will buy from them and not try to find it cheaper on the net. I have purchased major pieces of gear from them.

Nevertheless, one local shop is erratic in how it treats me. Emails can take a long time to get acknowledged, and often exchanges take several back-and-forths to get clear questions answered. This shop sells gear at my price point and up to 10x more (think Wilson speakers, $7k power cords). I often feel I'm more like a fly buzzing around their heads than a valued customer trying to establish a customer-dealer relationship. I am trying to be loyal, but it makes me want to shop online. I could be reading the situation wrong, but this is definitely a pattern.

Has anyone else had the sense that they were too much of a "low dollar" customer to be worth the dealer's time?
128x128hilde45
brianlucey's avatar
brianlucey
138 posts
 
Instead of projecting or guessing how they feel ... best move is to make an appointment with a manager, or ask for the mgr in store on a slow day.
Let them know your ethical compass and your feelings and see how they respond.
johnread57's avatar
johnread57
204 posts
 
A third world problem...there are no Hi-Fi stores in the country I live in. I buy and ship. That has interesting ramifications for developing relationships too. Misunderstanding is easily come buy. Frustration and delay is normal. Then we can talk about shipping...no.
rushfan71
291 posts
 
Minorl... So after hearing several people here complain about rude dismissive sales people because as many pointed out they think we can’t afford the gear in the store (see the guy in the suit when they found out it wasn’t his Ferrari) you are telling us, you were dismissed by sales people not because they didn’t think you had the money to buy the gear in their store but because of your race?
God help us. I really hope this is not where this forum is going. I really like the discussions here and hope the conversation stays on Audio.
After all for any business to survive the only color they need to focus on is GREEN.



hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,783 posts
 
@tomic601 Appreciate your points. There's no way I put up with abuse; what I've experienced is erratic and disinterested conduct which shows they don't care about my patronage. You and others have pointed me toward other really good dealers -- and I have noted them and will consult them if I need to.

If I was far away from these dealers, I'd not give a second thought in forgetting them forever. There are two things which motivated me to discuss the issue -- the desire to support *local* businesses and the desire to *audition* gear before paying shipping, etc. Otherwise, there would be nothing here to discuss!
sancho22
106 posts
 
yeah thats a great story. Unfortunately rare. The story with the Ferrari and similar happens all the time. I was once shopping for Shindo gear and got a nice 4 hour listening session which I appreciate until this day.
But even that was closed a bit as the guy in the store kept asking "well how much do you think you will spend on audio in the next few months"? Sounds like a used car salesman- the annoying kind.
I eventually bought some gear (not Shindo) from him, but the service was OK not great (some demo headphones - still waiting of rtes factory box to be sent to me after years...)
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