Have you ever wondered why speaker manufactures do not consign speakers to dealers?

Larry do you read the reviews in Stereophile and The Absolute Sound and any others?

I think the answer would be for manufactures to set up a consignment store containing 10 speaker lines with low, middle and high end models so customers can listen to them.  Along with that, add electronic manufactures to show case their amplifiers and receivers.  Add also manufactures to showcase accessories such as speaker wire and inter connecting wire.  Each manufacture pays a percentage of the store's overhead.  I would make the store look really beautiful and located it near the Park Meadows Mall in Lone Tree, Colorado.  This is located in Douglas County which is 8th in the country for per capita income.

I am new to this hobby and I can see why it is in stall and decline mode.  When is the last time you have turned on the TV to watch a commercial selling 2 channel sound systems?

I look at home listings on the MLS and look at hundreds of homes that don't even have a pair of speaker in a room.  If this industry is to survive, manufactures need to educate the public to make them aware of another form of entertainment.  What about trying a direct mail or email campaign and researching a certain demographic more likely to be afford a nice system.  

I also like the idea of retailers setting up a really nice two channel system and home theater in a new home model home.  Then introduce the concept of developing a music room.  I think if home buyers were able to listen to a really nice 2 channel system, they just might want to create a listening space in their new home.

Thanks to all for this discussion.  

For the 'can another dealer pick up your line and take your customers? yes. I know my best local dealer in years past carried lines he dropped because a store like Best Buy started carrying the line (B&W) On the other hand he was able to pick up McIntosh because a very long time dealer who carried it in the metro area folded. The two current 'real' two channel audio stores in my area are very careful to not overlap lines they carry. And when there were more than four, they each were exclusive for most of the audiophile sort of product