Have you ever been turned off by an Arrogant Dealer? Thoughts

The place I go to has greeted me like a friend. I walk in they give me a hard time with a smile and will put on music in one of their rooms just for me to listen to. I once was asking about buying a subwoofer and told him what for. He said go right to the -------- dealer they are having a great sale online, I can’t beat it. The cash was in my hand. Over the years I have spend a few k there. Sometimes they have what I need or they think I like, sometimes they don’t and direct me elsewhere. Always have the policy of take it home and listen to it first, then come back and tell us what you think. Went through 3 choices of speakers one time, bought the last onces which were what he thought I might like with the electronics I have. Even when I thought I liked something but it just wasn't right or I was hedging, they said don't spend the money if it isn't right. Superb place, they want you happy. Happy customers return.

Thankfully over the past decades I've had a lot more positive experiences than negative, so have relegated the names of the jerks to the mental dustbin.  Dealers who were more than helpful (even when I was a high schooler and college kid with little to spend) were Jonas Miller, Havens & Hardesty, Middleton, White and Kemp, and of course Neil Sinclair and Evelyn at the original Absolute Audio in Santa Ana.  These days I consider Mike at Excel Audio (Newport Beach) to be my "go-to" dealer, and have made two (for me) major purchases from him in the past year.

My second week open at my high-end store (1974--South Florida) a young man walked in with no shoes, no shirt, cut-offs, and really long, stringy blonde hair.

Surfer, I thought, but hey, I was only open two weeks, so what the heck?

He bought the most expensive Audio Research and Magneplaners in the store, along with a Trinitron TV (remember them?) and a Thornes TT, SME arm, and Supex cartridge.  He ordered a Nakamichi, which was not out yet.

He then went to his car and came in with a suitcase of cash.

SO, I learned very early that, one, never discount a customer over appearance, and two, NEVER ask a customer what they do for a living.

In those days in South Florida, and thoughout the 1980's, we had MANY cash transactions from people one may not think on first look could make those purchases.

Now, the man I sold the business to had two rules:  treat customers like crap, and if they don't squeal at the price, double it.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess...

Back when we lived in the DC area, I visited a lot of "brick and mortar" shops in search of a new pair of speakers.

If my memory serves me, I stopped at one in Bethesda, MD on a dreadfully hot, humid day, with on-and-off rain all afternoon.  When I walked in the front door, the sales rep greeted me with "do you have an appointment?"  It pretty much went down hill from there.  They had the speakers I was interested in driven by a high-quality amp that was in a rack on the shelf above the amp I owned, but they were not willing to unplug the speaker cables to plug them into the same model I owned.  Being a hot day, the AC fan was so loud, I asked if I could have them turn the AC off for 5-10 minutes, but they weren't willing to, saying they would be happy to increase the volume.

I don't know how dealers like this survive...

 Nothing happens without a customer.  The old saying the customer is king.  Wrong, he's GOD