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High end stores closing do you really care

In the last 5 years alot of high-end audio shops have closed or made there emphasis home theater. At first I was really concerned by this but now I could care less. In the past month I have been shopping for interconnects and record cleaner. I have talked to my local stores and they either don't carry what I'm looking for or don't really care. It's easier for me to call the Cable company in Pa (I'm in Ca) And have them send me some cables to Audition. Or to call Music Direct or Acoustic sounds for record fluid. There is only 1 or 2 descent places to get an audition of equipment in general and there brands are limited or they never have anything in stock. One dealer admitted to me that if he didn't have capital from other sources he would of closed down years ago. As much as I love high-end audio the reality
is once guys my age get ready for retirement there will be very few buyers and not enough to keep a brick and mortal store open. The only way the high-end will survive is by mail order and internet sales and I still think it will be a very small market. Like my father always used to tell me " Nothing is forever"
taters
essentialaudio
1,147 posts
 
Sonicbeauty wrote:
Great advice. Let me know if you ever hear of one will you?
Sarcasm noted, but it doesn't have to be so. If you don't like how you are treated by a dealer there are things you can do besides buying over the phone or the net. For one thing, the dealer needs to know he could do better, especially if it involves something you were ready to purchase. Drop a note to him anonymously. If you were really put off, tell the distributor or manufacturer.

Chadnliz summed it up well.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
I generally agree with Sonicbeauty, save that it was not the attitude of dealers that did them in, it was the internet and world competition. Local dealers need a 35% profit margin (this was years ago when I was involved as a dealer). There is no way that internet sales needs such a margin. They can afford to give "deals" to customers state, nation, and even worldwide.

This is going to happen or has happened for most goods. I just bought a suitcase on the internet, as local prices are substantially higher and I can find just what I want, not just what local dealers choose to have. Restaurants, grocery stores, cars, and houses are all that is likely to resist this.

When I first used the internet in the 80s, I had no vision to see where all of this was to lead.
psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
and the high end will vanish as the industry is dumbed-down and commoditized. It truly is a self fulfilling prophesy.

Man, that's far from reality!

You need to see the manufacturer's forums in AudioCircle, starting with Channel Islands Audio. Now, that Dusty V. is a real threat to the establishment, let me tell you...

***
essentialaudio
1,147 posts
 
Psychicanimal, we are talking about different things.
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