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Could I be a Retail Wretch?

I started a discussion here this morning to get some feedback on whether an external DAC would make an appreciable improvement over an internal processor’s DAC. During the discussion, I said that I typically visit a local audio dealer, to experience the equipment and then, comparison shop to find the best deal. The particular dealer I was referring to, emails me weekly, sends postcards monthly and catalogs quarterly. It’s always with an invitation to “see and hear the difference”. So I visit, and occasionally buy some small ticket items. But, when it comes to spending thousands on nationally available equipment, I don’t feel any obligation to limit my shopping to that one location.

When I shared my buying habits with the forum, I received responses that said using any brick and mortar stores to demo and then buying elsewhere “cuzz” it’s cheaper is just plain wrong…

I was surprised at that statement. I’m a value oriented person. I enjoy quality items. But I search for them at the best price - is that wrong? If there’s no competitive pricing or added value, why should I feel obligated?


gwbeers
ivan_nosnibor's avatar
ivan_nosnibor
782 posts
 
We all start out in the hobby unsure of ourselves, but maybe folks just want to spend too much on it in spite of the uncertainty factor, in an attempt to avoid the perceived spending mistake of buying something of inferior quality....scared money??

Sometimes ya just gotta start small and learn.
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
" No one can make a decision on their own...lets see what the reviews think. "
I would say insulting people for checking what other’s think is rather unfair. And imparts the bitterness soundsrealaudio has gained as a dealer. I know my local dealer who is still in business also has a deep abiding resentment of anyone who is annoying him in the ’usual ways’.                               
Also a product may sound fine, but the companies service sucks, or the product is prone to breaking, or a myriad of other reasons one might not be able to hear anything bad at a demo, but good reasons to not buy it.                                        
And I would make a suggestion to anyone who is ’in the business’ to not air you ’dirty laundry’ in public.. It just makes you seem like a grouch. And who wants to take a chance with a grouch. YOU may get such a reputation and folks who would have come in and buy now just stay away. And if you can’t handle a few bad customers. it is time to retire.
gwbeers OP
62 posts
 

Terry9 

Don’t just throw a stone, run away and say “Goodbye”. If your self respect is so fragile, that you feel the need to pay more for something than you need to, that’s fine. It actually reminds me of a line in Ayn Rand’s, The Fountainhead- “It's easier to donate a few thousand to charity and think oneself noble than to base self-respect on personal standards of personal achievement.”



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