Maggie Disappointment

There is only one component I've every purchased that I didn't demo at home first (cd player). Perhaps I've simply been very lucky with my dealers up to now.

I would never expect a dealer to lose money lending me a component. The speakers I wanted to borrow were demos. I said I'd borrow them during their shut-down days. I said I could transport myself. And obviously I'd leave a CC# as collateral.

As I said, apparently I've been lucky. But my purchasing preferences are greatly slanted to customer-service oriented suppliers. I spend more to insure I have no worries if something goes wrong.

I suppose I could pay new and hope the dealer will refund if I want to return. I'll ask about this.
01-27-15: Lisaandjon

Hope? A dealer does not have to refund your money. You need to check before you buy. His policy maybe all sales are final.

There are only two B&M dealers left in my area. One has a 7 day return policy the other has an all sales are final policy. If you ask the all sales final dealer why he does not allow returns he replies what is he to do with the return item? He can't resell it for new.

What the all sale are final dealer will do is allow his floor demo equipment to be checked out for a couple of days. Because he is closed on Sunday he may ask you to pick up the item late Saturday afternoon and return it the following Tuesday of the next week. For his protection a sale is written up and the customer pays full price. A credit card works the best. On the bottom of the sales recite is written something to the extent, Check out of demo for home audition. Full refund if returned by _ _ in original undamaged condition . Returned undamaged?….. Can you blame him?

The other dealer in my area will do the same thing if someone wants to take a demo home for an audition. He would rather do that if someone is not sure than for the customer to buy new and return the item and get a full refund. The dealer is closed on Sunday and Monday and asks the customer to check out the item late Saturday afternoon. With this dealer if he knows you well no paperwork is needed.

As others have suggested first take the wife with you and audition the speakers at the dealer’s store. If she likes how they look and sound then see what the dealer will do for you in checking out the demos. Be prepared to pay upfront full price for the speakers. Just make sure on the sales recite you will get a full refund when the speakers are returned by the date specified and in the original undamaged condition you received them in. He may require a small rental fee. I suggest you and the salesperson look over the speakers for damage and note any damage on the sales recite.

" I spend more to insure I have no worries if something goes wrong.
Lisaandjon (Threads | Answers | This Thread)"

What's you secret? lol. Usually, spending more money only insures that you will be spending more money. And the numbers just keep getting bigger. Insuring that you will be spending more money.

01-28-15: Raymonda
Requesting that your dealer loan you a pair, imo, is not reasonable on a low ticket item. First, if he gave you his floor model he would not have any in store for others to hear. Secondly, if he gave you a new pair he would the have a used pair on his hands and loose money.

Not necessarily disagreeing, but my dealer lent me MG12s several years ago. I picked them up before close on Saturday, he's closed Sun and Mon, then I brought them back upon opening Tuesday.
When I bought them, he let me take the floor model for the week I waited for mine.
I had bought several pieces from him previously in that price range (amps, etc.). (Audio Systems, Austin TX)

Not all dealers can do that, of course. Just another perspective.

My local dealer sells Maggies. He has let me borrow other gear to try at home, but I have never pursued buying Maggies from him. Its one of the value added services a local dealer might offer a prospective customer. Its a dealer discretion kind of thing case by case though I'd think. I can understand Magnepan not wanting to undercut their dealers. So its an unfortunate case but perhaps not always so necessarily. Maybe the ops local dealer might reconsider.