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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
gadios
94 posts
 
You buy where you audition. Negotiate as is customary.

If you chose a brand not represented in your area then you are
limited to what you read,wh at someone else owns or knows
about it. Get a trial period.

Join an audio club, travel to a show, buy from dealers with good credentials when buying new. 

In the HiFi Shark used market, caveat emptor always applies.
Nothing over 3-4 years old. Best deals are from people who buy
and sell for a hobby. One owner only. Original purchase receipt required. Verify with serial number by calling maker. 

Red Flags include:
-Selling for a friend-Run quickly.
-Just back from the shop
-No answers to legit questions
-Never buy a speaker without hearing it first.

Smart Buys:
-Open box -all of warranty
-Dealer demo -some warranty

Smartest Buyer:
Patient shopper with a wise mentor/consultant.

It is your money to spend as you see fit.
Just stay out of store if you know you won't
possibly buy from them. Yes they will be going out
of business most likely anyway. Does not give you free
rein to F=them on the way out. 

hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,974 posts
 
@gadios great list of do's and don'ts. Thanks a bunch.

@millercarbon: wonderful post. I especially love this paragraph:
"Don't abuse it. Do have the guy earn his money. Do ask to swap speakers or cables or whatever in order to compare. Do ask to home audition. But don't waste their time. Do it when you're serious about buying. Then if you go through these steps, home audition and all, don't be looking to shave the last few dollars. Just buy it. He earned it. You saved a ton. Because having done all this you know what you're getting. Internet prices are low and should be because until and unless you've heard it, its a crapshoot. Don't kid yourself. Price is only part of what you pay. There's also time and money wasted when what you bought sight unheard winds up getting traded."
blainer55
47 posts
 
I like to buy where I shop and get my information and service.
Priority is to local shops - if I go in to touch and feel and listen, that's where I buy.  This is where the best service is.

If I do ALL of my shopping and information gathering online, I'm comfortable buying there.  This can be boutique shops or places like Crutchfield.
I will also buy used on places like Craigslist - but not to get a little better deal on something new I just auditioned. More for vintage or something I just can't find locally anymore.
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,911 posts
 
Spent some quality time today with Eric at Gig Harbor Audio and on the way home with Victor and Bob at Advanced in Tacoma. Relationship is important and can lead to discovery:-)

have fun enjoy the music
almarg's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
almarg
9,670 posts
 
+3 @tvad (or whatever the + count is at this point). Very well said.

Tablejockey 2-22-2020
So, everyone here is being ethical, by claiming EVERY out of state purchase they didn’t pay sales tax on...RIGHT?
I doubt it.

I for one have always been scrupulously honest in declaring "use tax," as sales tax on out-of-state purchases is referred to in my State.

BTW, there was a thread here a year or two ago in which that issue was discussed, and it turned out that a number of very experienced audiophiles living in States in which use tax is required to be declared and paid were not even aware of the requirement, even though it presumably appears as a line-item on their State tax returns. Presumably that kind of public unawareness has been contributing to States increasingly working out arrangements with online sellers for them to collect use tax at the time of purchase, and remit it to the State.

Finally, FWIW, I’ll mention that a major criterion I personally use in selecting audio products for purchase is that I strongly prefer to give my money to manufacturers who have established top-notch reputations for responsiveness to and supportiveness of owners and potential owners of their products. Even when I don’t foresee a need to ever call upon a manufacturer for support or even with questions, I simply prefer to give my money to that kind of company. If a product under consideration is made by a company whose reputation in those respects I perceive to be mixed or worse, it usually seems possible to find comparably good products made by manufacturers not having that downside. That is a major reason why products made by Herron, Pass, Daedalus, VAC, and Bryston are or have been represented in my system. And although I have never owned any Atma-Sphere products, based on Ralph’s extensive participation here and on the many comments I’ve seen about the exemplary manner in which he conducts business I would certainly also include Atma-Sphere on my personal list of exceptionally responsive and supportive manufacturers.

Best regards,
-- Al



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