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Is it even possible to get a factory authorized dealer to give a discount?

Over the years I run into the same thing over and over. I go to a dealer of my favorite gear and he has a piece that's been on his floor for months. I ask of it can be sold at a discount and he states "My contract with the manufacturer prohibits me from discounting or else I loose my distributorship" . OK, fair enough but the the same gear with about the same hours on it appears on US Audiomart from a private seller and it's 40% off retail. What gives?  I know a dealer has to make an honest markup for the cash he invested in inventory, overhead  and his expertise but why can't the dealer "make a deal" and give a nice little discount to the loyal customer?  

I asked my local dealer audioexcellence.us and he basically said this: "If there were free and fair discounting between dealers there would soon be no dealers as dealers with excess inventory would discount until almost all dealers were gone then the remaining dealers would 200%+ mark up new gear and the entire ecosystem would be wrecked. Consumers would enjoy a windfall discounts for a short time and soon thereafter there would be lost dealers, lost manufacturers and then price inflation like crazy plus crap innovation.  

That made sense to me but can't a guy get a deal?   What are your thoughts?  Is your dealer worth his markup? 

My conclusion was to support the guy who brings gear to my house and sets it up. I like him, he's not getting rich (or else he wouldn't be there sweating the install) and I'm better off having music (a system) that makes my spirits soar. Yes it's really expensive but I think I'm getting a non-diminishing return in joy and happiness. 

What do you think? 

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secretguy
1,591 posts
 

The OP answered his own question several times.

erik_squires
15,763 posts
 

Pro Tip:  Many dealers may not wish to publicly give you a discount but will throw in heavily discounted accessories or other products to sweeten the deal.  Worth asking.

jl35
3,934 posts
 

I think dealers often can and do find a way to offer discounts to their truly "loyal" customers...I find myself, if buying new, to often prefer manufacturer direct sales...

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noromance
9,470 posts
 

@tomic601 2012 banger here. (Herself has a new SUV) I keep looking at wonderful car options, persuaded by rational argument, and retreating when I fully understand the increased costs a new vehicle brings. It’s not that I can’t afford it; it’s more an unwillingness to step up from negligible billing to substantive billing.
Apologies for off topic.
On the discounts, I feel that’s the price set, and that’s what the seller wants. Other than saying, "is that the best you can do?", I wouldn’t push it. I was recently at my LRS, and their price for a re-released album was $6 over the Amazon price. I asked if they could price match, and they flatly refused.

yesiam_a_pirate's avatar
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yesiam_a_pirate OP
154 posts
 

@secretguy- yep I did. Reason being that posing my need for good data required my post to be phrased as a question and not a statement. Otherwise nobody would weigh in. 

I really appreciate the replies as they have educated me on how to get better pricing on the Audio Research Reference 320ms that are coming out this May without causing my dealer to get in trouble with ARC. Neither of us want that :)

I gave him a 10% deposit on them and I'm in the cue. I'm loosing sleep over this purchase due to excitement and the fact I've never paid so much money for anything except a car and a house. 

@eric_squires  that's a GREAT idea!  I feel the need to buy a full set of Audioquest silver cables for 1 penny! 

 

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