Audioman58, your point about markup is just stupid.
How much a products profit is nearly immaterial in running a business.
Profit isn't measured in just the difference between wholesale price and retail sales amount, it is measured in your business total costs subtracting the products cost, which then equils what you actually make.
You miss out on store rent, electricity, credit card processing fees, staff costs, insurance, cost of the demo product, breakage, theft, internet costs, advertising costs, shipping costs. etc.
I don't know of a single store owner who is actually wealthy from selling high end audio, do you?
The real profit from most stores is in the range of 10-20% after you factor in all of the above. Most reatailors survive on custom installation jobs which are generally much more profitable and for larger dollars then most high end audio sales.
Hence the lack of brick and mortar stores vs internet warehouse operations which generally have lower costs.
You really need to paint the total picture.
If high end audio was that profitable there would be a lot more stores not way less.
Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ