High end stores closing do you really care

I'll admit I'm not in marketing, but it's always struck me that the manufacturers are as much to blame as anybody for the plight of the B&M stores. If you don't live in a major metropolitan area, you can't possibly see and hear all the gear you might want to consider, and the manufacturer's enforce this tight, and ultimately small, dealer network.

I have no idea what the demographics of high-end audio buyers is - it makes sense that it's boomers, but boomers are also the ones who are currently at the age where one has discretionary money, so maybe when current 20-somethings are middle-aged, they will spend bigger $$ on audio. Even if they do, though, I don't think it will be in the model of high-markup, personalized attention B&M.

The model has to support a customer who has done their own research, doesn't want to pay all the overhead of a B&M store, but is willing to pay for "optional" things like the equipment being brand new, a warranty, a home audition, etc. If you're just going to sit in your B&M storefront and charge me full retail, I'm just not interested.

The stores in my area are 1) open to home auditions but don't carry the gear I want to hear, 2) closed to home auditions but have the gear I want, or 3) have more of the gear I want but want an appointment to survey my interests. I bought an amp that I could have gotten from dealers 2 and 3 over the internet for half the retail price and only a couple of months old, but overall, I regret not buying from dealer 1, so what am I all about?

Hi-fi is only one of many industries going through this issue. Clothing, furniture, sporting goods, and many others are experiencing the need to change the way they do business due to on-line sales. Things change, and new generations have different "first" thrills compared to the ones we had. I understand Brucephan's remorse over the loss of brick and mortar stores. My first visit was 34 years ago, and I will always remember the "experienced audiophile" salesperson who helped me pick out drivers for my first DIY speakers that got me through college and beyond (they still work). However, technology changes and the information available at the touch of a keyboard is astounding compared to even 10 years ago. Because of the collective information and reviews available electronically, you can learn much more about a potential purchase than you could have from a single sales person 20 or 30 years ago. I can foresee a time when manufacturers may offer "video auditions" to allow potential buyers a narrated demonstration/review of their products and features. Buyers today largely want quality goods at competitive prices, and the group willing to pay for sales/service is getting smaller.

My local high end shop closed in the Fall of '04. To be honest, I don't really miss it, as I never felt comfortable in there anyway. I bought a few items in there over the years, but not enough for the salesmen to treat me like a human being. Sure, they fawned over the guys who threw mega bucks in their direction, I guess that's just human nature. I do miss being able to see/hear the latest toys, though the hear part is a stretch, as I much prefer listening to gear in my system than in any dealer's showroom. I' do not miss the snobbery though.

I do agree with Jab that the death of B&M stores ties in with the squeezing of the middle class. You can see it everywhere in society today from the Wal-Marts to all of the new sport stadiums with their abundance of luxury boxes. Compared to 20-30 years ago, there are many more rich and many more poor, while the middle class has shrunk.
Many need two incomes these days to make ends meet, unlike 30 years ago. Time marches on, it is called progress, isn't it???

John

I 1st got into the equipment with the advent of CD's during the 80's. My parents were killed in a hotel fire in Puerto Rico in 1986. I spent a month down there finalizing their affairs and I wound up spending a lot of time at a audio salon. It was a national tragedy and the guys at the shop understood I was hurting. I'll NEVER forget the kindness extended to me AND the education I got as they spent time with me in their budget room and worked me up to their highest end offerings (over the course of repeated visits). All I bought was a few CD's and a green pen for the CD's (remember those?). I've moved from NY to PA to FL to finally here in Atlanta. Wherever I lived I always made it a point to seek out and befriend my local audio salons. Unfortunately, here in Atlanta, I just wasn't able to break the ice. I tried to invite them out but they weren't interested, and even though I'd visit often, since I wasn't buying anything more than accessories, I always felt like they had my number and didn't want to waste time. Fine by me, I haven't step foot in there for over 2 years. But I gotta admit I miss it.