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My Thoughts re: Dealers Posting on Audiogon

I originally posted this in a thread in the Speakers forum.  It's more appropriate here:

As a former audio dealer and long time Audiogon member who has walked the tightrope I will say that, while I do not have a problem with dealers posting on Audiogon, I do feel that there are some basic rules that should be observed, both by the dealer and by everyone else:

For dealers:
1- Clearly announce that you are a dealer
2- Try to be helpful, objective and educational
3- Understand that an Audiogon forum IS NOT a sales venue
4- If you mention or recommend on of your products, mention again that you are a dealer for this product so that it's clearly understood that you have a finalcial interest in your recommendation
5- Don't trash the competition or other brands

For Audiogon members:
6- Don't complain about dealers posting in Audiogon forums. They are A'gon members like anyone else. If you don't want to read dealer posts them just don't read them
7- Just because a dealer makes a recommendation in which he/she has a financial interest does not automatically make it a bad recommendation. If the dealer comment is in the spirit of the discussion and or answers a question then it's probably appropriate, IMO
8- Dealers, well *many* dealers, have a lot of experience that most just audiophiles do not have. If a dealer is posting to be helpful to the group and not just trying to sell stuff then take advantage of that experience. Their answers to your questions will guide you as to whether they are interested in being helpful members of the Audiogon community or just pushing gear.

I hope that this is helpful guidance. Just my opinions...
br3098
roxy1927
135 posts
 
The dealers who post here for the most part have an educated appreciative light touch which they use conservatively.

The elephant in the room is the one who always puts the heavy heavy hand on the wrong note. A number of times I've turned to a thread on a subject I was interested in and found this dealer made nearly half the posts unrelentingly defending what he had to say to every other poster. I also had dealings with the seller before I knew his sobriquet and when he realized I did not have the money he thought I had soon coldly lost interest in me. Others who knew they weren't getting even a Hershey bar from me have been generous with their knowledge because they loved what they were doing and realized I was very serious about how I enjoyed my music.

I have found dealers respect these threads except for the one we have been discussing. Could you imagine if we had more like him? The PR bloat would sink every conversation.
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ahofer
225 posts
 
As long as they are transparent about being dealers, as well as which lines they sell and don’t sell, I think dealers can be additive to the discussion.  I’m sure it is hard to be objective, though, talking about equipment you can’t sell vs what you can sell. 

What bugs me more is *any* contributor who thinks that because they heard one model of one brand, perhaps not even recently, that they have the “expertise and experience” to tell you how all the models sound and will interact with other equipment. I don’t buy it. Several dealers’ characterizations of my equipment have been wildly off the mark to me. Subjectively, of course, but that’s exactly they reason they are unlikely to get that kind of speculation right.  I even saw two dealers get the specs wildly wrong on equipment they supposedly knew well. 

But I wouldn’t ban anyone for it. Everyone talks book.  Everyone. So their book should be visible.
tobor007's avatar
tobor007
135 posts
 
ahofer145   But I wouldn’t ban anyone for it. Everyone talks book.  Everyone. So their book should be visible.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
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