Would you pay to audition speakers

Tell him you are going to buy the speakers used on audiogon, and if you don't like them you will resell them and that won't cost anywhere near $500 if you are paying attention at all.

This is why brick and mortar and many businesses are in trouble they forget about the basic fundamentals of selling. Its called "value". If you offer customers a good value by combining customer service, professionalism and convience you will build a sucessful business. Some customers are tire kickers, some will buy online. But many if they have the financial resources will prefer to purchase from someone who provides time saving service.

If you walk into a store and you know more about audio that the person in the store, then maybe they have not earned the right to be your dealer. On the other hand if you walk into a store and they are able to show you better ways to do things then they may be worth the extra money.

$ 500.00 black mail does not seem like a good way for a dealer to earn your business. I would look elseware. Or buy speakers here and resell if they dont sound good in your system. It will probably still be cheaper.

Would you buy a car without a test drive?

Over the last 8 years I've bought 4 new cars. Each of these cars I took for a test drive and never was I asked to put down some money.

I tried some cars and didn't like them, others were great. The BMW dealer I stick to let me test the drive cars, even some I couldn't afford. He knew I was gonna buy one of the cars. I bought them there because the service offered was good.

A fee of $500 is ridiculous in my opinion. If it was $20 I might do it, but $500 seems outrageous.

A local dealer here does the same thing like this:

You must buy them and audition for less than 2 weeks.
Return them if you don't like them for a refund
less 20% restocking fee.

Same song different day. I shop elsewhere.

If they are expensive speakers for in home audition, and they deliver the speakers to your home, unpack, set them up; than I think $500 is reasonable.