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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
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,974 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...)
kenlewis
11 posts
 
I go back to the days of the old Audio Lab in Harvard Square when a salesperson was as likely to share a puff or two and sell you whatever he had or whatever you liked. The existing Audio Lab, now in a different location is very hit or miss but generally a worthless pursuit. I used them for yearly service on my old Mac gear for years until I just didn't have faith in their work anymore.

If others here are referring to Natural Sound as that Framingham, Ma. store, I regrettably  second their experiences. When looking to upgrade my Mac gear a few years back I paid a visit or three and found them to be aloof and mostly uninterested. Even worse at Goodwins High End in Watertown for non Mac gear. So much for even trying to support the brick & mortar places near me.

Eventually I too found Audio Classics in Vestal, NY and never looked back. Bought a mess of Mac gear from them at fair prices, peerless shipping and continuing advise and tech support.
danvignau's avatar
danvignau
935 posts
 
 As a successful commissioned salesperson for a couple of decades, I can tell you this:  I went to work to make money, not friends.  Of course, I made some friends from the hobby that became my source of income, but when a customer was looking at a Ducati or Harley with a near-thousand dollar commission,and one was looking at a BMW that sold for cost to just get these people out of our way, and get their service business, which one did I talk to?  Better still, when we sold SeaDoos at cost and paid $25 per unit, I, who owned a very successful race team, would say, "Let me get you a watercraft salesperson".   When Sound Advice started doing in home A/V systems with thousand dollar plus commissions,  it was impossible to get help on anything else.  Salesmen need to eat, too!  I  also needed B&W's and Audire's, and sports cars, etc.
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,911 posts
 
Hilde - I forgot to add I love your thread and the even handed tone you set :-)

In my Poverty bay system pics there is a picture of our Labrador listening to power amps during an all day demo at Audio Alternative ( now hi Fi buys in Atlanta ) talk about welcomed in !!!!

also for those wanting to bookmark used gear pages try Gig Harbor Audio and Hawthorne in Seattle. Eric at GHA is expanding !!!!!
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