@kevn thanks for explaining your position; it's very thoughtful and I need to reflect a bit on it. My first thought, which I'll offer tentatively, is that it makes sense insofar as the fine car is already put together, where an audio system is not -- you're right about that! At the same time, the elements of what make the car a good one would require learning and there would need to be learning, too, to know how that car fits my terrain, my driving style and expectations, my expectations of driving experience. Same with golf clubs, though there the parallel with audio is an easier fit insofar as the set of clubs need to be put together -- for my body, skill level, etc.
So, I guess, on first pass, the circumstances between audio and those other product purchases (need to make an educated and "right fit" decision) seem similar enough to argue that if one pays a fee for audio, one should pay a fee for the others. In my own view, no fee should be paid because it's just part of the sales job and whatever the costs are can be amortized into the purchase price.
Take care, and thanks for your nice reply.
