Dealer Discount

jay23,

Groceries were not my analogy but gnoworyta's (OP's) although I do approach any shopping in the same way.

What is so "sacred" about high end audio equipment that it should be exempt from a break in price? Televisions, computers, appliances, cars, lawn equipment, clothing - even groceries: I look for and expect to get some kind of deal.

geoffkait,

"Please pass the popcorn! 🍿 "
 

Be careful, popcorn is not good for dentures.

@glupson2The harsh stuff you did not care for did not come until AFTER the business was up and running.

MY education, which my dad said I needed since he had been in retail all his life, was provided by customers I still don’t believe sometimes.

I was totally astounded by this behavior, and HAD to come up with ways to combat it. One day, a guy walked in, picked up an item from the shelf, and ran out. Good grief! I was so amazed I barely had the sense to call the police.

Another time, the locksmith next door who put new locks on my door for me hired a criminal from NJ to drive down and rob the shop. Cops stopped him at 3am driving a van full of my stuff cause in Boca in those days NO ONE drove around at 3am. I was lucky as they thought it was an inside job. Good news was I had not even had time to get insurance yet, so they realized what happened eventually, but I WAS THEIR PRIME SUSPECT!!

I was a kid trying to open a business with great intentions to bring wonderful music to as many people as I could. HAH! As my dear dad tried to explain to me, retail is a nutty business.

SO, the harsh stuff above was simply a necessary REACTION to the behavior I experienced from nutty customers.

That is why I sold the business--could not believe people were such dorks when all I wanted to do was HELP them. Naive? You betcha!

Went back to school, got a couple more degrees, and spent my career at a major computer company while the PC was being invented. Exciting times, and most customers were thrilled to see and use this new technology. Sure, there were nutty ones, but mostly it was a very professional environment that was what I THOUGHT I would have with the shop.

Live and learn, my friend, live and learn.

Cheers,

Richard

richopp,

That was an interesting look back. In particular that part about a locksmith. I did witness once a man driving off a BMW through the window of the dealership after he had come in a few times and established some "relationship" with salespeople. I also sat in the car at the red light when a person crossing the street tried to take the emblem off of it. I honked and he walked away. Very strange.

Now, I am curious. You have some experience in sales, even if it was long ago. In case a person, me although really just a person from the street, walked in your store and said he was interested in some item, clearly stating the model etc., and asked what would be the lowest price you would sell it to him what would you have thought or done? Would you consider it a potential sale and quickly figure out what you would sell it for, even if it is MSRP? Would you consider a person not being serious at all and maybe try to get rid of him? Is there anything else you would do or think in that situation?

This basically depends on the dealer and to brand he is discounting for. Some brands have better margin for a dealer and some not that good.
For high end equipment 10% is low in my opinion