Walking Into A Brick & Mortar High End Audio Store

as a former real estate agent i can offer my opinion on 'lookers'...it is part of the job to take risks with potential customers and if you are only willing to work with people that need a house in 5 minutes you are either a billionaire or not cut out for the job. salesmen all get together and tell war stories but at crunch time you put on game face and try to make the best of it and figure out what the person is really looking for etc. i see nothing wrong with shopping if you honestly tell the guy you are just in the looking stage and tell him you do not want to waste his time etc.. HOW ELSE IS AN AUDIO SHOP GOING TO ATTRACT LOYAL CUSTOMERS IF THEY DO NOT EXPECT AND TREAT KINDLY THOSE NOT READY TO BUY RIGHT NOW? a bona fide audiophile salesman will hopefully enjoy the opportunity to talk shop and create a return customer. if not, then too bad for him and the owner who has this guy on the floor. the abuse you took on this post was not justified in my opinion.

I've walked out of hifi stores when sales people don't bother to come up and ask me if I need help. Perhaps they think I am not a useful commission. Their loss.

I've walked out of hifi stores when sales people don't bother to come up and ask me if I need help. Perhaps they think I am not a useful commission. Their loss.

Serious Brick & Mortar stores will know how to qualify you and your intention not to buy. If they do not, they would have been put out of business long ago. So, if you are near New York City, put yourself to the test by going into Lyric, on Lexington Avenue. Oh, be sure to bring your brokers monthly statement with you, otherwise they will know you are not a serious buyer. Lyric knows how to 'qualify'. As a 'relationship' store they want to visit your home to check out how 'serious' you are. Let us know.

I understand that times are tough in the B&M shops. It's a very tough business to be in, now, more than ever. That said, there are clear success stories out there. Obviously, there's many variables involved with success but this thread got me to thinking of an old mentor from my younger days. He was one of the most successful salesman in a team of successful salesmen. Not naturally good looking but he made himself very attractive. Sharp, aggressive, funny, smart, high energy. He was like a loveable shark! I'll never forget him telling me once how it didn't matter what the product was, he considered himself a SALESMAN 1st and foremost. My favorite quote of his was "I should be able to pick a turd up off the street and make you feel like you MUST own it!!". I loved this guy (RIP). Because of him (and others like him that I used to deal with) I've always seen the stereotypical audio sales guys as being kind of whiney.