I have a few very good B&M dealers within 1 hour of my home and a couple that I don’t care for. I do find that the trend toward appointment only is becoming more commonplace. I guess the downside of that is, I can’t stop in on impulse but the plus side is if I set an appointment to hear e.g. cartridge and PreAmp combination, it is ready to go when I get there. The other thing I like is I can listen without having background music from someone else in the store. But I personally like the face to face sales/buying approach, that is just me, old fashioned?, maybe. Although I have made friends with other customers in the store and been exposed to music that I would probably not have heard as well.
But in the long run I have found better deals and service via B&M than website.
In the end each dealer has to set his MO based on his business financial footing, fail or succeed, it’s his balls on the table. But if I don’t like a dealer then I don’t go in his store, even if he is the only Brand X dealer in the state.
Personally, I want to see small business survive, that really takes courage especially in today’s business climate. Audio, media, clothing etc, it is a rough terrain out there and I will support whoever treats me as a valued customer. I think sometimes the “stand offish” personality is tension of a businessman hoping to pay the rent. And being understaffed today is more common than it ever used to be, a person can make more tax free standing on a corner with a cardboard sign than having a job.
My opinions of course and I expect contrary rhetoric and that is your right, but just wanted to share another point of view on the subject.
But in the long run I have found better deals and service via B&M than website.
In the end each dealer has to set his MO based on his business financial footing, fail or succeed, it’s his balls on the table. But if I don’t like a dealer then I don’t go in his store, even if he is the only Brand X dealer in the state.
Personally, I want to see small business survive, that really takes courage especially in today’s business climate. Audio, media, clothing etc, it is a rough terrain out there and I will support whoever treats me as a valued customer. I think sometimes the “stand offish” personality is tension of a businessman hoping to pay the rent. And being understaffed today is more common than it ever used to be, a person can make more tax free standing on a corner with a cardboard sign than having a job.
My opinions of course and I expect contrary rhetoric and that is your right, but just wanted to share another point of view on the subject.