I'll give it some thought, John. I hate to wind up getting a rep as a trouble maker or whistle blower. I think by and large the makers are aware who are their better bets. It shows in their orders of pieces from those self same makers. I tend to think the makers have resigned themselves to it. A necessary evil. Business is business. I'm unaware of any maker of high end audio that once a dealership is found out to be less than friendly, or high handed acting towards the consumer, or even those which are wildly unethical, that they would pull their line from them.
competition is great. Dealerships in high end don't see it that way. Instead of boone, it's bane in their eyes. they lay in wait for the consumer who will simply 'lay down' for them... or those who are either fearful or ignorant of the web. The dealers sure fear it too. Those uncompromising attitudes do hamstring earnings in fact. So be it. Word of mouth and the power of choice will spell out what the future holds for them.
The disadvantage that comes to you and I, is the increase in price and less availability. More sales, means more demand. Greater demand means greater production. Those steps equate to increases in profits. Profits allow for more funds being cast towards developments in design technology. Advances in technology will become more cost effective.
More production, means more employment. it also means more proliferation of the products in demand and therefore less cost per item produced. Sure would be nice if the $10,000 items were only $6,000... and the $6000 were $4000... and so forth. A higher level of standards would be had by more people. More people having a higher level of gear more reddily would induce more exchange. More word of mouth. More...
Instead of the now so escalating costs we endure as the rule. those spiraling costs of equipment, the separatist attitudes of the dealers, fuel the waning interests of exceptional audio and the industry itself. Higher prices suits less people. Less people is less people. That path leads quickly to an end as it proposes a built in, predestined finality.
So to echo the words of that ill fated soulful little wailer from Port Arthur Texas, "Get it while ya can"