@mahler123 I actually wouldn't have a problem doing that depending on the fee. The only reason I purchased a pair of speakers from them a year ago was because the salesperson spent some time (30 min) with me evaluating amps for a different rig.
Auditioning Used Equipment - Am I crazy ?
I reached out to a well respected dealer to see if I could audition an amp they had advertised on one of the used gear websites. This amp sells for over $20k and they were asking around $10k. This mfgr only has 12 dealers nationwide. I've heard their extreme high end equipment at shows but not this particular line. To my surprise, the dealer responded No. The unit was already boxed up to ship (hasn't been sold yet) and they wouldn't set it up for me. So my questions are:
Am I crazy asking to audition a component priced at $10k ?
For any dealers or dealer salespeople, is there a dollar amount where u turn auditions down at ? What is it ?
For consumers, is there a dollar amount that you would buy a component and roll the dice without auditioning it ?
Thanks !
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@testpilot hit the nail on the head. Some people complain that the hobby is losing interest. Maybe they are driving customers to Magnolia and on-line? One of their competitive advantages is brick and mortar. |
Maybe you could have started your conversation with the dealer with something like this, "I bought a pair of XYZ speakers from you a while back and am now looking for and amp that would pair well with them. I see you have a used ABC amp listed on line in my price range and am wondering how that would work for me and if there's a possibility I could listen to the pairing?" Now you've presented yourself as an interested customer and not just a tire-kicker. If the dealer does not respond in kind, move on. |
Your best bet it to buy the amplifier with the understanding that you can either: A) Get store credit if you return it B) Agree to an audition fee that will be applied to purchase if you buy it This way both you and the dealer have skin in the game and he is guaranteed either a sale of something or a fee for his trouble. You get to audition the amp and not risk paying the 10K for something that just doesn't work for you. Win/Win.
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I cannot believe the stupidity of this dealer. Follow me here, they're in Wisconsin and sell esoteric audiophile grade gear. Their available geographic market is halfway to Chicago to the south, halfway to Minneapolis to the west, and north to the border. How many qualifed customers do they have access to, a hundred, give or take? Now a qualifed local walks in looking to buy a $10K piece of gear. Anybody with any sense recognizes this as an opportunity to build a relationship with a new customer. I hope the dealer reads this and realizes that this was an epic fail. |
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