2. speakers
  3. 194001-117492

New buy, no return policy

I am negotiating a sale with a reputable, but small dealer for a pair of new Acora SRC-2 speakers. I have heard them in the showroom with comparable electronics to my own and loved the sound and design. The show room was only slightly acoustically treated.

I'm ready to throw down, but the dealer does not have any kind of return policy if, for some reason, they dont work out in my own space. I dont feel comfortable with this policy but wondering if I am just being too entitled?  Other dealers from which I have purchased new speakers  have had 30 or 60 day returns, no questions asked. 

I also have the opportunity to buy a used set of these speakers from TMR with a return policy (minus 5% ,restock) if not satisfied. Of course the used price is considerably cheaper but there is no factory warranty and although they are stated to have had own owner, their age and provenance are unknown.

Any guidance, opinions or advice?

mintakax
soix
10,359 posts
 

But at some level this is another example of someone using a brick and mortar to audition and then buying elsewhere on the internet.

@onhwy61  I’m also put off by someone using a brick and mortar store to hear speakers and then buy online without even giving the store a chance, but that’s not at all what happened here.  The OP gave the store every opportunity to make the sale and would have purchased from them despite the much higher price, but they were just unwilling to match what TMR was willing to do for a far lower payday.  So they had the opportunity to get the business but in this case just chose not to compete.  TMR went the extra mile and earned the sale while the dealer did not, and they deserved exactly what they got in this case.  That they came back afterwards and offered to do more was an admission they screwed up but was too little too late.  IMO they learned an important $20k lesson that if you can’t even match much less surpass the service an online retailer provides you’re gonna lose, and rightly so. 

inna
7,923 posts
 

The dealer was right and the buyer was wrong. Now he ended up with very expensive second hand stuff.

ghdprentice
8,119 posts
 

OP,

Congratulations on your purchase. I am sure they will remain your end game speakers because of their great performance... and if that fades... well, there is their weight. 

patrickcarey
26 posts
 

You have so many other options.  
With room effects & boundaries, diverse equipment and cables, there is very little chance what you purchase will sound the same in your home.  

For me, if the item is expensive, I need to have a return policy in place or I will not buy the item no matter how well reviewed it is.  

soix
10,359 posts
 

The dealer was right and the buyer was wrong. Now he ended up with very expensive second hand stuff.

@inna  Ha!  The OP ended up with perfectly functioning speakers at a huge discount and the dealer lost around $20k in a potential sale.  Not sure in what universe the dealer was right and the OP was wrong, but that the dealer came back to offer more to try to get the sale pretty much confirms they knew they made a bad business decision here and the OP is really happy — pretty much the exact opposite of what you’re saying. 

More to discover