What dealer/distributor has influenced you most?

Me thnx it's the bad dealers that stay in one's mind.

Good dealers are what one comes to expect and should you not feel you were dealt with on a professional level you look elsewhere.

I have a couple places I like and often go there first to compare prices. Prices are reasonable I go back to them. I've had some horrific experiences dealing online but that comes with the territory. One thing always stayed in my mind growing up, it's difficult to get customers and once you do, one should go out of the way to keep them. I run across that very seldom in this day and age. It seems the tide has turned and the customer appreciation has went down the tubes.

Bob Neil of Amherst Audio influenced me to get JMR speakers which has been one of my best purchases. I wish he would get back into hardware reviews and cover some affordable gear.

Tim Nguyen of Tone of Music talked me out of a new turntable and said I just needed to upgrade the phono stage. He was right!

http://www.amherstaudio.com/
http://www.toneofmusic.com/home

Dynamic Sound Systems

Affordable Audio

Brooks Berdan

The Analog Shop.

In the end, it is all about the dealer/distributor creating 'value' for the customer. Only when that is done does the dealer have the right business model, that is sustainable. Value depends on the customer, some want service, some a low price, others a 'relationship'. Years ago, when I was in the financial services business, we found that customers wanted an account executive who 'cares' as the number one factor in their doing business with the firm. Making money was number two. Today, value still does not mean the lowest price.