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Local dealer cuts store in half says audio is dead

My local dealer that has been in business since 1979 has given half his store up for a marial arts studio. He told me that 2 channel audio is dead and people just come in to audition gear and buy off the Internet. He says custom installation is the only thing keeping the doors open and that has slowed down alot lately. Through the years I always tried to give this dealer business but things never worked out. The owner was very arrogant and everything had to go his way. I tried to buy my first system there 15 years ago and he would not budge on price. So I took my business somewhere else and they were happy to have my money. A couple of years ago I was looking at some new speakers so I went up the street knowing that they carried the brand. I asked the owner if I could audition them at my house for a day. He said absolutely not. He told me to bring all my equipment to the store and listen there. It's alot easier for me to take the speakers home than to take my TT, 100lb amp and tube pre-amp to the store. BTW-He had a demo pair on the floor so he could of given those to me for the night. I even told him I would give him my CC# to keep on file. Still he said no.

Well it doesn't surprise me that this dealer is giving up on audio. He never tried to offer the service that is necessary to be a 2 channel dealer. I told him that there are still a few 2 channel stores that are still surviving in these economic times. He told me he didn't believe that and that I knew nothing about the business. With that I left never to return. I hope next time I drive by he will be out of business period. He doesn't deserve to survive with his bad attitude.
taters
jcipale's avatar
jcipale
63 posts
 
Sorry to say, but i am surprised he didn't go under a long time ago.

Anybody can open an electronics store. But to compete and do well, you NEED that extra that comes with customer service.
denverfred's avatar
denverfred
252 posts
 
IMCE all brick-and-mortar RETAIL IS DEAD! It’s just a matter of time now that the virus has taught us all to shop online and get delivery. Can you really imagine that you’ll magically stop buying everything at Amazon or gear at Audiogon?


So when a guy like this gets a case of "burn out" (common in all sales environments) the last thing he wants to see is another customer--especially the really valuable one who has qualified himself down to taking them home. "I’ll have to take them off display, box them up, load them up; reverse it all when they come back." Especially if this buyer is always some other salesman’s customer. "Now I might not get paid for any of it!"
Or a guy comes in who professes to need considerable education on something you knows little about:  "You’re not going to make me WORK are you?! I just had to give up half my store because you people don’t come in because I’ve become a jerk because you don’t come in."
All salesmen are really good at writing up invoices for "lay downs." Believe me, I’ve been there and had staff that went there and can assure anyone who hasn’t had the experience that it’s a flavor of depression that can become career-ending--especially if you’re the owner or sole proprietor of a failing business. Good management needed!
This is nature’s way of cleaning things up. This guy will either go out of business or go psycho. He should fire himself!
oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,797 posts
 
I hate shopping online.... hate it, avoid it when I can.  While it's true retail is dying there are still audio dealers that go above and beyond.  Audio Visual Therapy in Nashua NH is that type of dealer.  I was there last week and although right now with the virus they are appointment only, people were there shopping for audio.  
ebm
9,311 posts
 
I know many dealers that are doing great business your dealers is a big turkey let him fly away.
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
This comment applies to the pre and post pandemic world. My beef with audio dealers regards their lack of musical promotion of any kind. Too hard to organize a showroom concert or that rare demo? There are a couple of relatively well known audio "salons" near me and neither have mailing lists to announce interesting new things, much knowledge of or interest in local music events, and no willingness to change. A nearby famous guitar store emails about shows featuring great guitar players that pack the place. Brick and mortar audio dealers seem not to care about developing more business which leads to no business.
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