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Supporting Local Audio Stores are we?

I know, money talks, bullshi* walks...
But having owned an audio store for about a dozen years, I know how tough it is to 'make a living' for a mom and pop store, without some sugar daddy/momma in the background funding the enterprize.
So, I am wondering if the nice folks of Audiogon support local businesses?
As I stated, "Money Talks" and I get it, we all want the best 'value' for our money. The question is...when does the price versus local support begin/end. When does the follow up and or service/set up outweigh the raw savings?
To be clear, I am not talking fantastic discounts, but a few percentage points off retail. I remember a painful transaction that I had once, during which a customer had taken home a particular CD player two weekends running, only to purchase elsewhere because he 'saved' $53.00 (on a $500. item). OUCH!
I contended that without the long term audition, he had nothing on which to base his purchase? How does everyone else see this?
Right now, its obviously a tough financial climate out there, but looking to more normal times, I am wondering how many of the readers/writers of Audiogon would forego price for service/set up? OK, forget buying great used pieces for fractions of original retail, everyone must probably assume that that's good for everyone, including the dealers, as this frees up customers who are now, 'back in the hunt'.

It will be interesting to hear back, it's been some time since the Brick and Mortar (at least for me) question was aired out.

Best,
Larry
lrsky
tvad
9,467 posts
 
No.

There's no reason to purchase new equipment when there's so much high quality used equipment available.
newbee
4,093 posts
 
I used to support my local dealers but they have long since stopped carrying any product I'm interested in. The few that have survived are only interested in HT, and that is probably why they survived. And I live in a community with over 1.5 million folks in the greater metro area.

I've learned to do 'due diligence' over the internet. If the product I want can be found used, or new, locally I'll get it. But for the most part it comes UPS via the internet.

The days of old fashion B&M dealers with home demo stuff and a service department are long gone so far as I know, and without that, well who cares, even if you're a nice guy.
gawdbless's avatar
gawdbless
1,165 posts
 
I have a few priorities that I have to support before an audio store gets a look in. It makes little or no sense to me in most cases to buy anything 'new' as TVAD has stated, if one looks at the gear on here for sale second hand a vast majority of it is 9/10, virtually as new coupled with very low use, not very old and can be had for perhaps half of the dealers price, and even lower than that for the 'new' item on some items.
My local store has B&W speakers and I would be buggered before I bought a pair of those, even second hand, even for nothing!
jerry_gt3rs's avatar
jerry_gt3rs
57 posts
 
I have the luxury of being 10 miles from one of the countries true high end audio stores. They have been very gracious and liberal with home auditions and their staff goes to every effort to help me get the most from all them. I have purchased some new and also some demo pieces, often at prices only slightly higher that I see here. I think the support I receive is invaluable and has payed dividends.
Getting a well integrated system that delivers great musicality is the key for me and the folks at Goodwin's have helped make that possible.
luvwine
44 posts
 
I try to, but still buy mostly used. I just bought a pair of speakers from a local store as I got a few points off list and I auditioned and liked the speakers at the store (several times and even brought in some of my own equipment and hooked it up to the speakers)and I don't think it is right to take a lot of time from a store and not give them some business. Now, I also bought a preamp used that the same store sells. However, I saved over $2,000 doing so and the store did not stock that model so I could not get a demo. In fact, I am frustrate because I want to give the store more business in, for example, cables, but they don't have 'em in stock for me to borrow and try out. I am sure they don't stock them because of the expense of carrying inventory, but that becomes a "penny wise and pound foolish" proposition, to me, as service and education is where a store can "earn" my paying more than I can buy used and, if they don't provide the service, then I have less incentive to buy from the store. I figure I would not buy used if I was only saving 10-15%, but if I am saving a third or so then it is hard for me to justify paying that much extra just to support my local store.
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