This might just be the end of brick and mortar

I certainly wasn't suggesting I am happy to see the end of B and M stores, just that their day may be over. I think we will all lose without them. There simply aren't enough Audiophiles around to make them viable and those who are left have adopted a new model for making purchases. Many of us are looking for buy direct or second hand bargains and won't pay the premium for personal service in a store.

Store owners need to wake up and smell the Roses, and do that soon. Giving up the Main St store and working from home or a cheaper lock up small industrial unit, open by appointment. There are many ways to develop interest, small shows run by a single store in a local hotel, having open evenings with wine and canapes demonstrating how good music and film can be with the right kit. Business's in the UK are doing that now and I am sure they are in the US. You can't just sit there in an empty store waiting for the odd customer to come in. They also have to be welcoming. All of us have experienced the assessment as you walk in a store, mentally weighing your wallet, before they even deign to acknowledge your presence. If you are welcoming, maybe you won't make a sale the first time, but the 3rd or 4th time they come back

Chrshanl37 I was going to email you so as not to hijack this thread but I didn't see anyway to do that. Sorry. It's on Matt's DAC shootout thread that is very very long right now. He lives near Audio Connection and we have a few posts over there about Richard Vandersteen's visit and meeting up.

IRT this thread, I think there are pros on both sides. Just like any business, we will continue to see all B&M stores needing to 'keep up' with what the customer's want. They will do this or they will go out of business. For years now, all I've heard is that online is putting the stores out of business.

I've been around this business since 1970 and have gotten to know many in the industry as I'm a networker type of person. One of my closest friends closed his doors around 2002 or so because he thought home theater was going to put him out of business as his prices were so much higher. The irony is that in speaking with Richard Vandersteen last year when he did his yearly AC visit, he spoke about going to the very high end speakers as THEY were the ones selling the best. For whatever reason there is a huge rift right now in audio....I'll use the $300pr speakers to say 3k a pr (just to give an idea of what he was saying) and 6k-unlimited a pr. There are big markets still for both. We can and will all live in harmony for a while still regardless of a return policy that the OP has said is one thing, but on the MD site it says something totally different.

There have been many points brought up in this thread and so far I don't think we've seen any absolutes, do any of you? I do have one other question that's been talked about a few times in this thread and that's how anyone can audition anything in a show environment. When I'm spending over 20k on something I just can't justify buying anything that I haven't heard properly vs at least a couple of other products. I'm lucky as I'm in CT and there are still at least 4 or 5 stores in my state alone and then I have Boston, NH, NYC, NJ and even DE ..... I'm lucky as I recently upgrades my whole system. That is the biggest reason I've heard soooooo many products that are out there and that includes the very small companies products that are sold via 'home stores'.....Some I've liked, however there are some well known 'direct' type of companies who sell via mail order, but have a few 'home stores' that carry their products and none of them impressed me. I've heard a few others that impressed me greatly, but I was still concerned about the future and getting parts etc. if something went wrong. I'm older and older school than many of you who will only buy used on the net or via the direct route. I fully understand both sides and my personal opinion is that there is still room for both sides and will be for a fairly long time. JMHO

I actually meant to say Bess is one of the best analog guys in the country. I used to deal with the best analog guy in the country but he passed away 3 years ago. The one and only Mr. Brooks Berdan.

11-20-14: Ctsooner
On topic, I don't understand why some of you come across as hoping that B&M stores go away.

Why can't there be all options? In the end, that's the best thing for everyone.

11-20-14: Dill
Look at it this way, if all the B&M stores evaporate, you would be left only with two options to audition & buy new audio gear.

1) Buy the item from an online dealer and have it shipped to you.
2) Listen & buy the item from an audio show.

Both 1 & 2 will cost you money if you want to return it.
Only option 2 allows you to listen to it before you buy.

Most B&M stores in this country will let you listen for free, some will let you take the item home for audition for free.

Now, if you do not want the item option 1 & 2 will cost you money, while your local B&M store might not.

Bottom line, without B&M stores it will cost you to audition gear in your home system.

I don't wish for B&M demise but their business model cannot compete with more efficient models. It's a new economy and just taking advantage of all the positives. There are reasons malls are food courts, haven't use ATM to withdraw $$ for 10+ years, all bills are paid online ... World keeps on evolving and I'm trying to evolve and adapt to it.

I'm not the commander and chief and with a stroke of a pen, sign an executive order to save B&M. With the internet and technology, there are more efficient ways to sell products. Commander and chief is working on an internet sales tax. When gov picks the winners and losers, we ALL lose. I digress ...

With technology, home based businesses are popping up in my area. They drop components off my house to demo or demo in their homes. With lower overhead, I get a better deal so both parties win. One owner grossed $1,000,000+ last year working part time while keeping his full time job.

That's fine guys, however high end audio is still and will continue for the near future to be about emotion...The music and not the product of the month. That's the difference that some of you don't understand. I'll put my system up against any other system put together for what I paid for it all. most of the B&M guys are doing it for love still and there will always be some room for that. I've always taught my kids that it's only a good deal if you get something that you love for less....I'm happy for you KNG as well as the rest of you who only deal online. You can point out why YOU like online better than B&M and established brands, but that doesn't make you right or wrong, just like my opinion is just that....That said, I've lived long enough to hear the demise of so many things because of computers, then online etc...and for most things I'm still waiting.....