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If I have good local shops available, should I restrict my purchasing?

So, the title of this post is a bit tendentious — I'm actually interested in a canvas of the ethical landscape. Let me explain….

A few different reviewers I like (Guttenberg, others) have made mention of how important it is to support one's brick and mortar shop, should one have one near enough to visit. I actually have several, though a bunch of them are actually installation businesses that also sell gear.

As I've spent time in these shops listening and learning, I've also gained an amazing education online (thank you Audiogon, YouTube) about the variety of audiophile gear out there — including older gear, and gear made by small, independent artisans. They too deserve support and patronage.

What I'm struggling to determine is how to spend as ethically as possible. Assuming (1) a reasonably good selection and (2) reasonable prices, what do you think is the ethical thing to do as regards audiophile equipment? (I am NOT talking about major manufacturers such as Denon, Yamaha, etc.)

Here are some options, placed roughly on a spectrum. Where would you place yourself?

(a) "Totally limit to the local shop." All purchasing of audio would be restricted to what is available locally. No buying of gear auditioned locally online or used.

PLUSES: supports the local merchant and a place to hear new gear while providing the listener with products that meet the threshold of good audio.
MINUSES: Costs more, limits brand options, cuts out many small makers who sell from far away.

(b) "Partially limit to the local shop." Some (not all) purchasing of audio would be restricted to what is available locally. No buying used or online what is available locally. Exceptions would include products from small makers who sell direct.

PLUSES: supports local merchant, but not as much. Expands brand options, supports small makers. May influence local merchant to carry more artisanal lines (assuming they get the message somehow).
MINUSES: Costs more, less support for local merchant.

(c) "No limits where to buy, but truly audiophile-level products available new should be bought new." Purchasing could be done anywhere, but avoiding used versions of products that are presently available new would be prioritized to support the manufacturer and/or dealer carrying them. This could include the local shop or the online dealer.

PLUSES: Supports makers and those who carry new, good gear. Vintage gear is still ok to buy.
MINUSES: Costs more, reduces support for those making deals and discounts available.

(d) "No limits, period." Any product can be bought anywhere. You can go listen in your local shop and then surf online to buy it discounted or used. If this continues the trend of the disappearance of brick and mortar stores, that's fine. The number of direct to consumer companies will increase, and that model may be the next evolutionary step.

PLUSES: Cost savings (discount, used, etc.); flourishing of new direct businesses; continued health of used markets; increased importance of online reviewers (professional and amateurs).
MINUSES: Traffic and pollution from even more delivery vehicles; demise of curatorship role in audio stores, and the face-to-face relationships they foster. Demise of place to see gear simultaneously and do comparison listening.

This is just a sketch of the ethical landscape. I undoubtedly left our options and supporting/detracting pluses or minuses.

If you've thought about the ethics of your audio purchasing and have some thoughts, I'd like to hear what you take to be ethically relevant.

128x128hilde45
jond's avatar
jond
5,849 posts
 
I will say my experience was I found a really good local dealer when I was fairly far down the road of buying/selling gear churning. Within a few years after that with said dealers help I was basically off the gear buying merry-go-round. Looking back had I tried the dealer approach first I would have saved a lot of time and money and probably had better sound along the way.

All that being said part of the gear flipping experience for me was the pure fun and discovery of it so not sure I would have wanted a purely dealer experience. For now thought my system is pretty stable I have no issues buying stuff used, mostly cables tubes and other accessories. My last major purchase, speakers, was through the dealer and I am thrilled with them. Keen analyses and good breakdown of options @hilde45!
big_greg
6,647 posts
 
I buy most of my gear second hand from a "local" shop in Portland. 

There is a really nice audio store about 20 minutes from where I live (Portland is over 2 hours away) and I know the owner pretty well and want to see him do well. 

Having said all that, I haven't bought much there.  Part of it is that he doesn't carry stuff that I like, or what he does have that I like is out of my budget.

Whenever I need something repaired, I always go there, and I've bought a few things, and recommend them, so I do my part to support them.

I recently bought some brand new Harbeth Super HL5 Plus speakers, and bought those from another great local shop, but I was able to negotiate a nice discount and get a good trade in on my old speakers (more than I paid for them).

I work hard for my money and will spend in the way that's best for me, not someone else, no matter how much I like or appreciate them.  
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,974 posts
 
Thanks @sgordon1 and @jond and @big_greg

All "should" issues will revolve around "personal preferences" only if one determines that there is no ethical dimension to the question. If that’s what you think, then it may be that any option is acceptable to you.

In my own thinking out of these options, I presumed that because brick and mortar shops are in fact valued by many people (customers, owners, manufacturers) then something of value is at stake. That is why an ethical dimension is opened up. The resolution of questions arising within that dimension could go various ways, but something more than personal preference would be involved. But maybe the answers generated here will show whether there even *is* an ethical dimension. I could have that wrong.

I’ll also admit to having a great time surfing for stuff. It’s just so important (to me) to be able to hear something. And what do I owe the dealer for making that possible? That’s where my question started. I’m not sure where it ends — I’m really not.

@big_greg It seems like you’ve found a way to work out various options — you’re supporting different shops in the ways you find commensurate with what they can provide you. And you owe it to yourself to not throw your money away — which is, in the end, your time and sweat. I will note one thing that ran through everything you said — no matter how much your hard-earned money is worth, you didn’t say you audition in person and then do all your buying for the lowest price, online.
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big_greg
6,647 posts
 
@hilde45 You're correct that I don't audition at one place, then buy somewhere else. That is not in line with my values.

I've bought many items second hand without hearing them, mostly based on reviews. I've rarely had any regrets, and if I do, if I've bought it used I can usually flip it and get most or all of my money back.

On the other hand, I've made a couple of impulse purchases because I really liked how something sounded in the dealer's showroom, but it didn't sound that great in my system or had some characteristics I didn't notice initially that I didn't want to live with. 
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