Burned out hi fi salesman

Bottom line, retail is not what it used to be and the internet has just thrown most salesmen over the edge. Most people want to pick your brain, then go buy it used on this website or others. I had one guy call me after 2 years of no communications to pick my brain about good cheap DVD players for around $200 (when I didnt sell any). He had not and still has not bought anything from me. Any professional consultants out there in other industries? Try doing your job for free......would burn you out pretty quick.

This is a funny thread, audiophiles are completely at fault for this situation.

Want 20% off or MORE! and expect a business to keep quality people around with no margin? They can't, buy mail order so you can own it, even though "it" to you really is a review, bragging rights and a faceplate? Yes I'm talking about you!

How can someone own grand Piano's and say they believe in the 5% thing? When I sold Grand Piano's they were my whipping boys for selling the Audience 72's, 1/2 the price twice the performance (nobody disagreed when they heard it with their own ears). Don't get me started on the pathetic Amati Homages. The general consensus to this thread shows the incredible lack of personal expert advice available to the High End Audio consumer. If audiophiles would on a much wider basis learn to reward good service and not be selfish by trying to save money all the time at every turn, then maybe we would know that putting MIT cables on JMLabs is a really bad idea and we'd be happier.

But it has been my experience that audiophiles do not want to be happy. Really

"I have recently sold all my SS equipment for Tube equipment."

I'm sure this was well thought out process over the phone, the reason why they were enthusiastic is they don't have any other customers. Problem with hifi salesmen is Home Theater customers stop by and once given a convincing demonstration buy a system. A new concept for audiophiles I know who must correlate their new findings and consult their elders and tiki dolls for absolution and justification.

Audiophiles amuse me to no end with their complete inability to make a calculated decision and then engage in the flip side and make an impulse buy that lands them in purgatory for another year.

Nocaster what were you looking for at your local hifi shop?
ie. What was the purpose of your visit?

Hit a nerve CS? While I agree to some of what you said, my real disagreement comes with fault. Audiophiles are not the only ones who want it both ways. What's your take on audio salons who complain about internet sales stealing customers while maintaining a website of their own which promotes worldwide sales?

This is a funny thread, audiophiles are completely at fault for this situation.

Funny, I would say the opposite: Last time I got good service at a storefront dealer was ten years ago in Europe. Never mind that my first system after moving to the US was completely bought at retail, i.e. amp, CDP, turntable, all from the same dealer. And the service: Well the dealer told me since it was only a sub $3000 system he would not be able to spend half an hour to mount a cartridge. And that although this guy was hanging out at his shop the whole day waiting for customers to come in, with tons of downtime.

I agree that the current trend (better the trend for the last decade) to hunt down the best deal on everything from electronics to plasma TVs to DVDs has completely degenerated to an obsession for most consumers and is killing anyone who is trying to run a small business that focuses on service rather than price. But then the same is true in reverse for the high-end retailer. I found several only interested in selling 10,000+ systems, and best you decide 5 minutes after you enter the store while completely absorbing every lie and story the sales person told you. I caught too many dealers telling complete nonsense to their wonderfully naive "Hometheater customer" that Cinematic_Systems loves so much. Service starts on the service provider's side, not on the customer's side!

Sorry, but I would rather deal with all the enthusiasts in this hobby directly. All the manufacturers, direct distributors, small enthusiast dealers running their business out of their home have given me much better service than any regular store-front dealer so far. And they are by far busier and more limited in their time than any regular dealer I have been too. I never minded paying full retail in these cases, where there actually was a service.

Well, just my 2c....

Rene