High end stores closing do you really care

Brick and mortar stores are a relic of the past, meaning that they can no longer hold the customer hostage with ridiculous and meaningless techno-chatter only intended to confuse the buyer into buying whatever the salesguy recommends, while treating his competition like dirt.

I know this is a stiff comment, but I honestly think that only a very few shops will survive, those that can really connect and provide some added value to their services.

Trouble is, the average Audiogoner probably knows as much if not more about hi-end than the typical hi-fi shop know-it-all.

Factor in the snobby attitude and the incredible mark-up profit margin these guys make, and you can wonder what really is their reason for still being around.

They have been scaring away the first-timers (instead of weloming them into the hobby) and shying away from selling ''introductory'' sytems in favor of higher single-order sales....and re-directing curious potential high-enders to the local Circuit City store.

No wonder great web communities like Audiogon and internet web-dealer-direct sales flourish.

What can I say, they asked for it.

Never encountered that type of snobbery. In fact, ten to twenty years ago, most were willing to demonstrate systems that they knew were well beyond my means. Some had plenty of advice and opinions that I took with a grain of salt. However, without that exposure to various brands, I would have had no idea how well music can be reproduced.

I've heard what really killed the high-end shops was the returns. A salesman told me that over half the gear was returned after a few days of test driving. Naturally, it could not be sold as new anymore and that dug into the margins.

It's a loss, mostly, to the younger generation that won't get the opportunity to develop a discerning ear.

This thread brings up some points that are central to what customer service and satisfaction are all about. Do you buy a car without a test drive? What about a business suit? Why should high performance audio be any different?

I recognize some items that you can't try before you buy, say a phono cartridge. But are you well versed in setting one up and have the requisite tools for doing it accurately for maximizing performance? I don't know about other dealers, but for example someone here in the Chicago area who buys a cartridge from me gets the full setup at his or her home included in a fair price.

Some mention that they find in home auditions difficult if not impossible to get. Wow, I can't imagine putting up with that. Someone who wants to try a preamp or CD player or even a pair of speaker cables has that opportunity, because I don't believe in forcing people to make snap purchasing decisions - been there, done that, regretted it later.

Some storefronts are going away, it's inevitable with the mail order and direct sales models and for dealers not pulling their weight, but not for the high end where careful selection and system matching are valued. My advice is, find a dealer in your area who goes out of his way to help you optimize system performance, and reward his efforts with your business and referrals. A 30 day money back offer is no substitute for an in home audition before the sale and support long after the sale. I suppose this may be viewed as self serving, but supporting local retailers is your only means to ensure they will be around to help, otherwise you will be forced to deal with box movers whom you never see before or after the sale, and the high end will vanish as the industry is dumbed-down and commoditized. It truly is a self fulfilling prophesy.

''My advice is, find a dealer in your area who goes out of his way to help you optimize system performance, and reward his efforts with your business and referrals''

Great advice. Let me know if you ever hear of one will you?

Thanks!

Its a shame Sonicbeauty thinks dealers who go the extra mile are a myth, they are real.....maybe few but real.
Audio Connection in Verona NJ is a great store with a helpful staff and have been out to my dad's a couple times for follow-ups and this stores efforts will be rewarded whenever possible. They have also mailed me products to try, even though I do not live in NJ.
I think many who have dealt with John and his staff will agree with everything I have said. Mostly I am in the camp of not really caring about bad stores with bad staff closing shop, then you come across a store like A.C. and it makes you re-think your position.