certin speaker makers harder to get dissounts fro

WOW, what a responce . Thanks everyone for their thoughts and time taken to to respond. I have gained some good tools and will put them to good use.

A discounted sale is better than no sale at all. Anyone that goes in and pays retail in this hobby is either a fool or very wealthy. The reason most of us want a discount is to get the most bang for our buck. We all usually strive for gear above and beyond our budget. LUSH wants to scold us for not being sheep and paying retail for gear marked up 40-60%-but admits he only buys used gear. So while LUSH won't support his local dealers by buying new gear at retail-he expects the rest of us to be loyal audio fools. LUSH-when you pull your foot out of your mouth-please then kick yourself in the a$$ with it. Its all supply and demand-99% of audio gear is grossly overpriced. The manufacturers are the ones that need a reality check. If the dealers continue to close up-it will ultimately put the manufacturers out of buisness too. The popularity of this website proves that their are endless audiophiles looking to spend alot of money on gear-were just looking for fairly priced equipment that gives us the most bang for our buck...........

Cj1capp,

I carry roughly a dozen high-end electronics and loudspeaker lines. On paper the average mark-up is right at 40 points, but in practice it's less because in most cases I have to pay for shipping. I have one line that's at 50 points if I pay in time, and two that are in the low 30's. My cable lines have a higher markup on average, but I don't have any that are over 50 points. The trend I have seen is lower markup (as low as 25 points in some cases) in the higher end gear, with higher markup (up to 80 points) in midfi gear.

I haven't had to deal with the overhead of running a brick-and-mortar store, as mine burned down before it ever opened. My experience has been as an in-home showroom. Now some of my manufacturers have strict rules about discounting, and if I want to keep those product lines I have to abide by their wishes. I'm not a Martin Logan dealer, but that might be your dealer's situation.

You might try this: Ask your dealer if, instead of offering you a discount (which I would say is customary for large or system purchases), would he consider giving you a generous trade-in allowance on some used gear? He may be prohibited by his manufacturer's rules from discounting, but he is not prohibited from offering you more than bluebook value on a trade-in.

Best of luck to you,

Duke

KrellDog, I think you need to re-read my post. I said I buy used because I'm not a rich man, but I don't waste a sales person's time. I have bought new before, NAD CD and Amp and gotten a little off, I know there is room to move but I didn't bust his chops about it.

The difference in my opinion is that I'm realistic in my approach. I'd never dream of wasting somebody's time or taking alot of it only to badger him on price. If price is my main concern I'd do online research and buy used or online. Which I have done lately...that's the difference. So please try and actually read what I'm typing before you go on some ignorant post yammering on like I'm the anti-christ.

A large part of being a succesful retailer is to get people in your store(physically) Regardless of whether you buy something or not it gives the retailer the oppurtunity to win your buisness. That buisness may be today/next week/or next year. If your in their store during buisness hours it doesn't cost them anything to provide you with information and equipment demonstrations. This is their oppurtunity to win you over as a customer. I've kicked many of tires in my day,and I've also spent thousands of dollars in audio shops. My money will always be spent with the store that bends over backwards whether their making a sale or not. Buying audio for me is a process. I'm going to take my time and road test the gear/and drain the salesperson for every drop of information I can get. If the store/salesperson isn't willing to do this-and provide me with a realistic discount(10-20%)off,I'll go somewhere else. You put your foot in your mouth by preaching to us about supporting our local dealers-and not beating them down for a discount. Yet you don't support your local dealers because you only buy used gear. You buy used gear because you can get more gear for your money-and thats all any of us are trying to do regardless of whether we buy used or new. My whole point is that your in no place to scold people looking for the best deal they can get. Ultimately the dealer can just say no. It still beats a store full of gear and no customers.