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Supporting Local Audio Stores are we?

I know, money talks, bullshi* walks...
But having owned an audio store for about a dozen years, I know how tough it is to 'make a living' for a mom and pop store, without some sugar daddy/momma in the background funding the enterprize.
So, I am wondering if the nice folks of Audiogon support local businesses?
As I stated, "Money Talks" and I get it, we all want the best 'value' for our money. The question is...when does the price versus local support begin/end. When does the follow up and or service/set up outweigh the raw savings?
To be clear, I am not talking fantastic discounts, but a few percentage points off retail. I remember a painful transaction that I had once, during which a customer had taken home a particular CD player two weekends running, only to purchase elsewhere because he 'saved' $53.00 (on a $500. item). OUCH!
I contended that without the long term audition, he had nothing on which to base his purchase? How does everyone else see this?
Right now, its obviously a tough financial climate out there, but looking to more normal times, I am wondering how many of the readers/writers of Audiogon would forego price for service/set up? OK, forget buying great used pieces for fractions of original retail, everyone must probably assume that that's good for everyone, including the dealers, as this frees up customers who are now, 'back in the hunt'.

It will be interesting to hear back, it's been some time since the Brick and Mortar (at least for me) question was aired out.

Best,
Larry
lrsky
gawdbless's avatar
gawdbless
1,235 posts
 
Chadnliz,
I agree with you, but I do not want the trumpets and a big fanfare when a pair of speakers sounds amazing at $45,000,$100,000 or even $300,000. I want all the hooplah to happen when a pair of speakers sounds amazing for 3k and is the toast of the hi-fi community, and surely that is the trick, for the designers to achieve greatness for little dinaro.
I suppose there is 'snobbery' in hi-fi circles also.
Does anyone have an approximate idea on how many pairs Vandersteen will sell at that price? 100pr, 200pr or more?
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Repeating something I posted before...my grandson makes a good living importing stuff from China, including speakers. One model he was selling for $50, but there were few sales. He jacked the price up to $200, and now they sell well. I bet the same thing would happen with better speakers with a zero added to both prices.
lrsky OP
1,118 posts
 
Brimac et al,

Great post, and well thought out.
"Seems to me you could do a whole lot better selling services a la carte to shoppers who need them. Bundling the service with the product is a solution for some, but it's patently obvious that, for the majority, they would prefer a choice."

Yes, as stated previously, money IS an object, and since this is a luxury item, pricing would seem to take precidence. I don't blame anyone who looks for a great value, bargain. The issue at hand could also be that, people trade, seek new gear for what reasons? Are they unhappy because of what they perceive to be inferior performance? I asked the question about us being dillatantes, which TVAD answered honestly, 'yes'. I know I am, and have been since the middle '70's.

The flaw, if we can call it that, in the industry is, that MOST of the customers ARE hobbyists, therefore look to trade up, across, down etc perpetually. It's FUN to open a box with our latest toy inside.
Someone said to a friend of mine, "If you're in this business to sell to hobbyists, you will lose your *ss." You need to sell to 'customers' who want luxury goods.
The only problem there is, that those customers seem to be a small percentage of the market, which perpetuates the price/margin debate.

I only asked this because I wonder what everyone thinks. I don't have a store, so I am, while not ambivalent, not affected. I do empathise and sypathise with BM dealers these days.

Thanks for a great answer.

Larry
lrsky OP
1,118 posts
 
Gawdbless,

Years ago, THIEL sold more dollar volume, in their top end models than their lesser priced units. I know this seems to be a given to some, but since the price then was, (some 18 years ago) about ten times the retail to retail, they, at least found it surprising that they sold as many of the upper priced units as they did.
So, while this doesn't answer the question, I would say that Vandersteen will sell 'quite a few', pair during the life of the product.
If he's anything like JT, he's doing it because he loves it anyway, and enjoyed the challenge of making something special.
They are pretty cool looking aren't they?

Larry
blindjim
3,092 posts
 

RE Vandy's big gun

There are, amazingly enough, other models in that ionisphereic range from which to pick. Certainly, 'got rocks loyalists' will be all over them. I'd feign placing a number on units being moved short term. < 50 pairs in a year? More?

I wonder just how many of the top tiered units from any makers line up are sold on average, annually. On these shores or others.

I do tend to agree also that the greatest majority of 'high end audio' devices tend to reflect performance to expense of ownership more often than not. Amps, preamps, sources and cabling usually do reflect and validate their promises of performance to cost... and there are exceptions to the rule in each genre of course.

With speakers though, it does seem otherwise a bit more often. Overachievers there do continue to spring up to public attention more readily. Like as not it's a mere attribute of their portion of the system's overall performance, and how integral or impactful they can be to it.

I sure would love, for just one time to hear some $40 or $50K speakers all set up right... AND then hear some of lesser expense in the exact same setup. Or vice versa... just to hear what's what on that level. Just once.

BTW.... just how much total cost should be in a rig whose speakers are right at $50K, anyway? $50K? $100K $200K?

... and would they use 'em for HT? I bet someone would.
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