One big reason why brick and mortar high end audio dealers struggle.


I live in a major metropolitan area with several close by high end stores.  I never go in any of them.  A dealer just opened a new location 5 minutes from my house.  Major dealer with Magico, Constellation, McIntosh and many other serious brands.  I went by a couple weeks ago mid day on a Friday.  Door locked, nobody there.  I call today to make sure they are actually open for business.  Guy answers the phone and says that they were out on an install when I can by and that they are short staffed.  No problem, I understand.  But from that point on the guy takes a subtle but clearly defensive and pissy tone.  He states that they recommend setting up an appointment for customers to view their products.  Sure, and I recommend never going there.  Off my list.  Back to buying online.  Here's the issue.  So many of these high end dealers are only after the wealthy guy that comes in, spends less than an hour there and orders a complete home theater or 2 channel system and writes a check for $50k or more on the spot.  That's there customer base.  I get that it can be annoying to allow a bunch of lookers to come in and waste their time and not buy anything, but isn't it good for business to have more customer traffic?  If someone comes in, spends an hour there, listens to some amazing gear and then buys nothing, doesn't he tell his friends and family and coworkers about his great experience?  Isn't this word of mouth valuable?  These brick and mortar dealers almost universally are unwelcoming and unfriendly to people that want to come in and just look and listen and not buy.  Sorry, but the vast majority of potential customers are not going to spend 20 minutes by private appointment to order their new $100k system.  Why not encourage people to come and spend time with zero pressure to purchase.  I have purchased dozens of high end speakers and electronics over the many years I have enjoyed this hobby.  I might well buy from a dealer if they were actually nice, friendly, and encouraged hanging out and getting to know their gear.  But they don't.  I would never go to a high end store that required an appointment.  Because this creates a huge pressure situation for you to purchase that day.  I'm not ready to purchase on my first visit.  And neither are thousands of other potential customers.  If they can make a good living just catering to the wealthy one time buyers, then, ok, good for them.  Doesn't seem like they can though since so many have gone under.  Maybe it's time to try a different approach?  Step one, no commission sales people.  Step two, welcome people to listen and not buy anything.  Encourage it.  This will create positive word of mouth and significantly increase customer traffic and ultimately create more paying customers it would seem.  I don't get it.  Rant over. Please don't respond that you have an amazing dealer.  I'm sure they exist but they are the exception.  What I am describing is the typical customer experience.
jaxwired
Good points. I hadn't been to ANY audio retailers since Ieft DC for Huntsville, Alabama in 2006. And even in DC then there were only a couple brick & mortar stores left. 

Whilst I certainly never felt pressure to make an appt and any retailer in 40yrs in the hobby, I must say that the fairly newly opened AVIQ in Huntsville, Al (Macintosh, NAD, Classe, Klipsch, among many other brands) gave me the EXACT opposite impression of OP's experience. And I was SO happy just be in a high end store again! They'd been doing custom high-end home installations for 25yrs-ish and only opened the store rather as a hobby than a profit center. So they expressly made it clear that I, or anyone else, can just come in, shoot the sh** (can't believe I have to edit that word here), listen to some fine audio eqpt and music with really no pressure to buy anything. And as the OP says, they know that they'll be the first place I go when I might want to buy something and certainly where I will recommend someone to go if they are looking for high end gear.     
@oregonpapa
I speak from experience here having spent over 50 years in commissioned sales.
I’ve been in corporate sales for 25 years…I despise dealing with <most> commissioned salespeople for personal transactions.   Go figure.  
OP makes a great point. I had the same experience about 5 years ago here in Scottsdale with US Tube Audio. They advertised here all of the brands that they carry and it sounded great. On a day off, I spent an hour driving there to check them out, only to find a professionally printed sign on the door (apparently used frequently) saying that they were out on an installation!
I have two problems with that. First, there should always be someone minding the store during business hours. Second, if you are going out on installations during business hours, you should advertise "by appointment only", which they didn't. 
To make matters worse, when I politely called them on it, they got nasty and threatened to report me to Audiogon.  
   Another post to produce a cascade of opinions. Sure, many have experienced relations with these "brick and mortar" dealers whether high end or not. First, the products a dealer offers must be ones you've already researched as prospective candidates. Then, if required, make an appointment for an audition. If the appointment turns into a pressure tactic to coerce you into buying...walk out after deciding if the product is not what you want.
  Like the OP stated, every location has exceptions to the tactics used by some independent dealers. The OP also stated the "typical customer experience". I wish I knew exactly what that is? We are probably not talking about "typical" purchases such as buying a shovel at Home Depot.


The Subaru guys feel the same way about the Porsche dealer, those guys feel the same way about Ferrari, etc… fill in the blank

Make friends with good people, ignore the A holes… like… here…