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Ever feel like a "low dollar" customer that your dealer doesn't think worth their time?

I'm a careful researcher for audio gear and I also understand the value of brick and mortar stores. I am not OCD and I am not an irascible haggler. Indeed, I have told my local stores that if they carry something I like, I will buy from them and not try to find it cheaper on the net. I have purchased major pieces of gear from them.

Nevertheless, one local shop is erratic in how it treats me. Emails can take a long time to get acknowledged, and often exchanges take several back-and-forths to get clear questions answered. This shop sells gear at my price point and up to 10x more (think Wilson speakers, $7k power cords). I often feel I'm more like a fly buzzing around their heads than a valued customer trying to establish a customer-dealer relationship. I am trying to be loyal, but it makes me want to shop online. I could be reading the situation wrong, but this is definitely a pattern.

Has anyone else had the sense that they were too much of a "low dollar" customer to be worth the dealer's time?
128x128hilde45
ricmci
221 posts
 
I think that people/businesses/sales associate don't know they suck until someone tells them they suck. I will never forget about 12 years ago a nurse came up to me and said "Do you know that you have been a real ahole lately!". Changed my outlook completely.  When I find myself falling back to that demeanor, I remind myself what she said. My point is speak your mind and move on. The dealers can correct or not. If they don't treat you well, so be it. It is their loss, not yours. I'm sure someone else out there would be happy to have your business.
bikerbw
108 posts
 
It's been a long time since I've bought something in a shop, besides a few records.  I usually order direct, because my local dealers are not carrying what I'm interested in; not that I wasn't looking to buy in their shop, but I never seem to hear anything that wows me enough to buy.  I have been herded into the "budget" speaker room and told that I WILL walk out with this or that speaker because it will blow me away, but it never does.  I have been offered the service of a shop building me a $50,000 system before they even knew why I was there.  I don't care any more; I just buy elsewhere.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Definitive Audio in Seattle, and Bellevue, specializes in making you feel they are doing you a favor to take money from one so unworthy. No, wait, that's not fair. That's the way they were when it was just Microsoft. They make you feel unworthy even to call for an appointment time to give them your money. No, that's not quite right either. That's the way they were when Amazon came. They make you feel you should be groveling in thanks to live even one moment in a world so perfect as to include the existence of Definitive Audio. Yeah. That's it. Full on Goolag.  
fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,636 posts
 
No never. It sounds like an inferiority complex. Every dealer I've ever purchased from when I started out exhibited mutual respect. Now I usually buy direct and every builder I've dealt with is cool.
hilde45 how could anyone possibly be "your" dealer if not?
I cannot grasp the concept.
chorus
976 posts
 
The only "Survivors" in today's retail world will be those who
understand how to forge a relationship with a customer.

That means most hourly or commission help are eliminated
as the principle of treating everyone equally is not taught
or valued as viable any longer. 

The retailer offering home automation, theatre, lighting and security combo is the new survivor. Limited knowledge of high end audio should be expected from the store.

Covid is going to take down many of the few existing hifi retailers.

I hope I am wrong but...


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