What's going on with the audio market?


Recent retail sales reports are very bad and I am hearing that sales for audio equipment have been nonexistent over the past few months.  I also see more dealers putting items up for sale here and on other outlets.  Even items that have traditionally sold quickly here are expiring without being sold. 

To what would you attribute the slowdown?  Have you changed your buying habits for audio equipment and, if so, why? 
theothergreg
whart and fourwnds, great posts, all true. The people I see all around me are so distracted, thumbing on their smart phones while doing everything else, even in a movie theater! Sensory overload. Short attention spans, a general sense of anxiety, increasing health and weight issues (too busy on their sp to get any exercise), and everybody tired and fatigued. Mainstream music has been cheapened to the point of it not being worth it's asking price (except for the isolated "song"), which is now almost nothing (except for new LP's ;-). Music is not currently of major importance in most people's lives. The participants here are the members of their own 1%! The future looks grim to me, but then like whart I'm a pessimist. Or as I like to think of it, realist.
I am 33 years old.  I would like this hobby to continue... I definitely don't want to be the last of a breed.

33 years old, first system when I was 25.  Maybe another 32 years of this?  Hopefully?

Currently a growing system.  BW 802D3, Sonus Faber Olympica 3, Classe, Boulder, Cary.

Let's keep the politics out, please.

Let's not turn a perfectly good audio forum into a nasty mess. 

@jafant lol.  Everything is obamas fault even high end audio. Anyway. Stuff is overpriced. Service and quality is lacking? I think computer audio and streaming is also a factor!