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Could The Music Room biz model be duplicated? A second TMR?

TMR has a great thing going; professionally tested, well-photographed, researched, guaranteed trial and good shipping policies. They have a partner (somehow) with PS Audio's trade in program. It's a huge success and had lead to many happy customers and a lot of in-home trials.

My question is: Could someone else pull this off? Are we destined to have just one TMR in the country?

I think about a company, say, like Parasound. Lots of sales, very professional business, worldwide sales. What if they started a trade in business like PS Audio and had a companion business like TMR.

Could our country use a second TMR? Wouldn't that be awesome?

Or maybe TMR could expand and have a second location -- say, in California, near lots of shipping ports.

Just thinking aloud here.
128x128hilde45
theo's avatar
theo
2,674 posts
 
Maybe TMR should open a second site on the east coast. They could increase their used inventory by being in a couple locations and save on shipping costs for those buying and selling. By the way they no longer carry PS Audio since PS decided to move everything in house and deal directly with their customers. 
ebm
9,311 posts
 
Wow that's great!
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,974 posts
 
@theo East coast would be great. I didn't think they sold new P.S. Audio directly, but rather that the used gear that P.S. Audio gets from their generous trade in program is somehow channelled to TMR for resale. I read that, I believe, somewhere. There's a network of relationships between the two enterprises, including a supply of incoming gear.
rdk777's avatar
rdk777
570 posts
 
I'd prefer to have audiophiles sell gear amongst themselves rather than have a middleman.  The items sold by TMR could be a lot cheaper less fees/commission.  In essence, they are selling used gear for a commission. I haven't bought a single product from TMR as I haven't seen a value to date.  I don't think there should be another TMR - one is too many.
dvddesigner
78 posts
 
To each is own own...

"I don’t think there should be another TMR - one is too many."

I feel a good portion of the audience for the gear sold by the likes of TMR, Sky Fi, and others is very specific and purchasing from real business with real business polices can be comforting. This is especially true as some of the gear does get expensive. Even Audiogon could be considered a middle man as they are directly in-between a seller and a purchaser and will take a percentage of the sale. This is not a bad thing in either case.

The benefit is the store fronts they offer. For example, Sky Fi has a piece of gear I have lusted after for years - a Cello Audio Palette. Very expensive at just shy of 20k and very rare and hard to repair. I would rather work with a business on a purchase like this than just someone who says they have it and will send it out Tuesday and then "poof" they funds and the seller disappear.

Yes - I think there is a very solid place for these business and they seem to offer a wide variety of gear benefiting us all.
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