I can hardly imagine a tougher business to be involved in. Those still operating B&M audio shops must have a real love for the industry. Back in the day, high end audio shops were amazing places to visit, where you could hear new gear, and dream about what was possible in your own home. Circumstances including the onset of the internet, direct to customer purchase options, and demographic changes in younger listeners/buyers have made it very difficult to profitably operate a B&M high end audio business. When profitability declines, business owners cut unnecessary costs so it is not surprising to see dealers carrying less product inventory, reducing their hours of operation, cutting sales staff, and spending less time on customers who do not appear to be ready to make a purchase. I have friends who worked in promanent local audio shops, but I have not been inside of one in 15 years, ever since I started to purchase gear off of Audiogon or directly from the manufacturers. I refused to waste their time.
One big reason why brick and mortar high end audio dealers struggle.
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i agree wholeheartedly with recent posts by @denverfred @mitch2 @drugolf @rocray for every mistreated real buyer walking in with wads of cash ready to buy, there must be 20-50-100 a-holes who mercilessly abuse the retailers' time, energy, facilities etc for their own benefit |
I only visit a HiFi store if I'm going to buy something or if they have a customer event with a manufacture. I know the stores basic inventory in the Seattle area. If I travel, thats a different story and may pop into a retailer noting that I'm traveling and just wanted to see what they have and not waste a lot of their time. |
...and now for something totally different.... We get the occasional phone call from (generally) a local who’ll ask: "What can you do for me for ( 500~1K$) ?" Sell you parts for a DIY installation, as long as it’s ’residential grade’.....and not too large. The bigger the *X*, the more it will cost or will need to be ’commercial grade’. That typically gets a few moments of silence...then, the usual ’thanks, ’bye.’ The committed may ask for a number on an item or 2. That may start a ’U p/u’ sale or the previous ending to the inquiry. We DO treat those that show up the same as any of our commercial clients; friendly, willing to give advice on their project-in-mind, and help load. Our commercial clients typically begin with an email that stems from a referral from a architect, designer, or a pleased previous client....the latter, usually what we call a ’high-end res client’. We, like the b&m shops we prefer to go to, are willing to ’hold your hand’ and give you the outcome You Want. Match (I call it ’spoof’, but I’ve got a sense of humour about that process) you homes’ architecture? We do that. *S* Quite nicely, if I allow a back pat on my own time & effort. Even with the ’com’(mercial) client, with ping-pong e/m’s, there exists the likelyhood of ’issues’ that require what I call ’fire control’; as in ’put it the F-out’ and move on... (Current project is 80ish mi. south, a major new install for a large city. GC promised that everything would be ready for us early Oct. when we began to set up late Sept. They’re still playing ’grab-butt’, since this is NOT the typical project in nature.) OK... Google "NC custom playgrounds". Scroll down below the map. Our name begins with where we’re located. We don’t have a huge margin either. Sometimes we get ’snagged’, if you will. But you will still get what you expect...and typically a detail or so that you didn’t. THAT....is our je ne sais quoi as to how we approach our work. Crafty art? *shrug* Your call. ;) It’s probably a ’good thing’ I don’t rep audio....for now.... ;) *s* Enjoy our website, J ....not b&m...steel&concrete....and of course...the 'Net. |
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