When entering a new audio shop...

organ

I was on another forum and saw a thread about dealers who are quite rude to people they think don't have much money or don't want to spend much.

Most of my experience with high end audio shops have been wonderful. There were only two incidents where I had bad treatment.

I've found an excellent dealer that I've been going to for many years now. I was treated very kindly from the moment I walked into the shop. I didn't dress like a million bucks either.

I will only go to another shop now if my current shop can't get something I really want which is available somewhere else. Very rare though.

Now, when it comes to audio, I don't want to hand over my money to an a-hole dealer or someone who acts like I'm not in their class. I'm talking snobby audio dealers here.

So to check how nice the store owner and staff are, I would walk in wearing a plain shirt and jeans. If I'm ingnored, eff em. But if they greet me as soon as I enter the shop, that is great. I"ve only been ignored once many years ago. Hell, maybe next time I'll wear a metal t-shirt or something. A dealer who is nice to someone wearing jeans and a Mayhem or Watain shirt will get my $. I hate snobby dealers.

How have everybody's experience with audio dealers been like?

thuffman03

I can't say that I have that experience. Most of the time when I walk in I know what I want and only have a quick quesiton or so.

Though with the equipment I have most of the time they are like wow or don't know anything about my stuff.

Lsi9

I prefer to spend less time in an audio shop as possible and deal with the sales help even less. I never buy what they tell me anyway (rhetorically speaking). If I go to buy I dont like drawing it out, in and out they dont know what hit 'em heh

Ern Dog

I mostly buy my gear from Audiogon. I've been to many audio shops and have never been treated poorly or ignored, the opposite actually.

slowpolky

audio shops have jacked up prices in fargo, theres one shop called team electronics and the guys a snob, he tryed to sell an epson 6500 for 3500 because i too pretended to know nothing

F1nut

I'll never understand the logic of acting ignorant when shopping for anything.

Gravyfries

I stopped in Saturday Audio Exchange on vacation in Chicago and found them to be some of the nicest folks I have ever met. Helpful, funny and genuine. Great experience!

Knucklehead

We have a local shop and the only thing they deal in is Klipsch & B&W, which is fine, but my first mistake was to tell them I have Polk equipment......instant A-hole.

reeltrouble1

I have been treated very well by audio dealers.

RT1

NotaSuv

I have visited at least 20 audio shops in the past 6 months of being out of state and the only shop that had attitude was in the LA area, all others were very friendly and most helpful...

hearingimpared

In recent years I have been treated very well by brick and mortar audio dealers.

Face

Never had an issue, but then again I haven't been to any in Manhattan yet.

venomclan

I find the dealers mostly crappy in my area. A few have been very good, but I cringe waling into a shop I have not been to before. When a snooty dealer tries to badmouth another brand, I mention that I just picked up a pair of Wilson's and Boulder amps, it usually shuts them up. Just for kicks and giggles.

organ

Nota Suv,
Funny you mentioned LA. Just about all the complaints I hear are about dealers in LA.

Venom,
That's a good one. Tell them you got a pair of Wilson Alexandrias lol.

mmadden28

There's a lot of old money in my area. I know a few and they don't dress or act the part--you wouldn't know they had money at all (until you read about their donations to charities, see how massive their properties are, or recognize the family name if it were mentioned). It'd be a mistake to make assumptions based on what somebody is wearing to determine what level of service a business provides, but people in this world make all kinds of assumptions on everything-its stereotyping (and then some) and it won't end. Sometimes it comes down to whether or not the salesperson enjoys what they do, and/or if they make a commission.

The last audio shop I was in (I haven't been to many-usually too rich for my blood), I was treated respectfully and the salesperson answered my questions honestly without over selling (looking back). I was dressed business casual and had my maniac boys with me, he offered them some popcorn and a seat to watch a movie so we could talk. If I were to buy anything, I would have bought from him/that shop.

Honestly the type of store where I see the attitude shift based on potential sale is almost always a furniture store. And I hate they way they horde at the entrance then attack you as soon as you walk in. Well anyway-I just tell them I don't eed any help at the moment and move on.

Tony M

The Audio Lab here in wilm. nc. has an owner that has spent time with me as if I was a millionaire ( I'm far from it)and then when I wanted to return some speaker spikes I bought from him yrs. later, he told me I could go to Lowe's Home Improvement and get some adapters to make them work.:mad: I was seriosly thinking of spending 12,000 with him months later until the later happened.I bought a cd and a used car instead ! shame...

Tony M

dupl

organ

Ouch. Were you going to exchange them for a different size? Maybe the adaptors are only a few dollars and he thought that would be an easier way to go.

bklynNupe

organ wrote: »

Now, when it comes to audio, I don't want to hand over my money to an a-hole dealer or someone who acts like I'm not in their class. I'm talking snobby audio dealers here.


How have everybody's experience with audio dealers been like?

When in NYC, go to Stereo Exchange for a real a-hole experience.:mad:
I'm envious, I wish I had a go-to audio guru in NY. I guess It doesn't matter, I get better advice and prices online.

schwarcw

If you look like a customer (late 20's and older), introduce yourself, act polite, smile, make eye contact and inform the sales people that you are just window shopping, you will get good service 95+ % of the time. If you look very young, stoned, dressed like a bum and behaving badly, you will not have a good experience.

zarrdoss

A friend of mine got like a 10,000 insurance check and went and cashed it and then came and got me to go stereo shopping. We went to a high end shop and we had picked out about 7,000 worth of equipment and we could not get one of those snobs to help up. So finally we asked to see the manager he came out and my friend tolled him of his intentions of buying over $7,000 and could not get anyone to help us. he asked in a very snotty voice "do you have any money" and my friend pulled out a huge roll of hundreds and said yes but it wont benefit you any and we turned around and walked out the door with the manager saying "wait". So we drove down the road to Best buy and got most of the same stuff for half the price and then went to the strip club with the money saved.
Moral of the story is just because someone does not look like they have any money does not mean they don't.

WilliamM2

So we drove down the road to Best buy and got most of the same stuff for half the price and then went to the strip club with the money saved.

You went to a "high end" shop that carried the same gear as Best Buy?

xj4094dg

NotaSuv wrote: »

I have visited at least 20 audio shops in the past 6 months of being out of state and the only shop that had attitude was in the LA area, all others were very friendly and most helpful...

Do you remember the shop in LA? I live in LA. Thanks.

ESavinon

Face wrote: »

Never had an issue, but then again I haven't been to any in Manhattan yet.

You should try Stereo Exchange. They're courteous, helpful, and honest.