Fee for home audition

Tales from the Dungeon of Customer/Dealer Exchanges

Customer 1:

A customer visits the store and shows an interest in upgrading a current component. After a nice demo and quality time spent, the customer expresses an interest in the item. The dealer offers to allow him to take it for a home demo. After the home demo, customer reports back later with unit in hand and says he wants to purchase it. One problem, though; he has to get rid of his curernt piece first. The dealer does not do trade-ins (at the time), but later checks a card file and finds someone who might be interested. He makes a call to the prospect, puts the deal together and accepts the cash on behalf of the other customer. The new customer is notified of the good news, drops in to pick up the cash, and tells the dealer "he will be in Friday after he gets paid to pick it up." Friday passes. No customer. Then, the next Friday, and the next. A few weeks later a familiar customer drops in who happens to be acquainted with the other customer. When asked what was going on, he replied: "Oh, he got a better deal online and didn’t have to pay sales tax."

Customer 2:

Customer calls all frantic. It’s the week of Christmas, they just bought something at a Big Box store and want us to install it for them BEFORE Christmas. We explain that we’re booked solid and can’t accomodate. They scream at us and say they’ll never do business with us again!!

Customer 3:

Custom enters the store and asks if we can dispose of an item for them. They knew we had a means to handle this. They explain that they just bought a new one at a competitor and didn’t have a way to dispose of the old one. Since they have done some business with us before, we didn’t want to piss them off, so we agreed to accommodate. A few minutes later, they walk back inside and explain that the item was too big and bulky to handle themselves and asked if we could give them a hand. We did. Haven’t seen them since.

@ghasley your contribution to Grimm thread is vary valuable and I certainly believe you. I am not sure you know the dealer. I did not reveal any info on the dealer as I did not want a single interaction with one customer to damage his business. He has been in business for a few years and I do not think he would still be operating if he was a bad dealer. For whatever reason, he decided to charge me for a home demo. I have moved on and so all good. 

The purpose my thread was to get information regarding home audition. I accomplished that with the help of amazing audiogoners! I just got the Grimm today for home audition today form a very friendly dealer. I will set up everything later tonight and evaluate the new addition to my system. Hopefully it will sound as amazing as it was described and I will end up purchasing the streamer. 
 

Once gain thanks to everyone who contributed!

Seems like a lot of whining going on by dealers here. Learn how to adapt and use your inherent competitive advantage to your advantage and let potential customers demo a piece at home on a day when your store is closed  Let a new customer know after they demo a component that you will compete with other offers they may see and discuss the advantages of buying from you versus buying online. Adopt manufacturers who either don’t sell online or disallow internet sales where there are local dealers. Offer to help set up a component in their system or help set up their whole new system. You have a considerable competitive advantage here, you just have to creatively think about how you can leverage it rather than just feeling like victims. The days are gone when you can just demo something in the store and have the customer walk out the door with it while you count your $$$. Adapt or die. It’s as simple as that. There are lots of people here who are loyal to their local dealers precisely because they offer services that go over and above what any online retailer can deliver. If you’re not prepared to provide that level of service to earn business and rather just charge your prospective clients egregious fees just for people to hear stuff, I wish you luck.

@svenjosh 

I am not sure you know the dealer. 

I’m almost positive I’m right about the dealer…in fact, I would wager the cost of an in home demo that I’m right LOL! I hope you like the Grimm.

@soix 

I don’t think we’ve seen any dealers whining…your points may be valid…or not, depending on the dealer’s goals.

If it’s the dealer I’m thinking of, this person enjoyed a very successful career, retired and started his audio shop. He carries some super high end gear and imports certain other high end, well regarded gear. I’m so very sorry the OP and this dealer found themselves with opposing goals because the OP seems like an outstanding individual and i know, first hand, that the dealer is. This dealer is indifferent IMO as to whether he sells a box or not. He would probably be the first to tell you that he doesn’t sell boxes. You say adapt or die? That doesn’t apply to this dealer I assure you. I would say that he curates systems rather than selling gear.

All’s well that end’s well and the OP was able to accomplish his goals.

Crutchfield also has a good return policy and offers online support. I bought a Cambridge Evo 150 there awhile back because it was a safe bet for me in that the Evo was a huge experiment and I had no idea exactly how it would turn out. Much of this hobby is that way. You take a risk buying expensive, complex lesser known boutique products from boutique dealers. Worth it to some but not for many.