Is it possible to be honest and a successful Hi-Fi salesperson?

[Mart68]

Direct sales benefits both manufacturer and consumer, retailers are superfluous, what value do they add?
Keith

It doesn't apply to everyone of course but above a certain wealth level many customers are looking for an experience, not just to buy a product and take it home.

The personal touch. They view the dealer as a friend and confidant. They get invited to open nights where they get to meet owners and designers. They get e-mails saying 'You should come over and check this out' - or, if they want, the dealer will come to them. They are let in to an exclusive club where they feel special.

 

[Purité Audio]

Traditionally I would completely agree, but if I sell a customer, for example a pair of 8Cs I will probably not see that customer again simply because for most there is no ‘upgrade’ not even a mains cable.
Keith

 

[Mart68]

Traditionally I would completely agree, but if I sell a customer, for example a pair of 8Cs I will probably not see that customer again simply because for most there is no ‘upgrade’ not even a mains cable.
Keith

So you find something else to sell them. You keep a database of all your customers and you occasionally e-mail them to say 'Thought you might be interested in this.'

They may be sorted for speaker, DAC and amps but they still need sources, interconnects, speaker stands, room treatment. People like to get new toys. Those same customers probably don't think anything of spending a grand for the latest Iphone even though it's really not appreciably different from what they have.

'Always be closing.'

All depends on how much money you want to make and how you want to run your business. If you don't need to do that, then don't. If you don't want to do that but the business isn't making any money, time to start. Or look for another way to earn a living. I mean, it's not a game, it's food on the table or not.

Lie to the customer to make a sale? No. Good salesmen don't need to do that. Are you manipulating the customer psychologically? Yes, of course you are. If someone's not comfortable with that then they shouldn't be in sales.

 

[RexrothPigeon]

They may be sorted for speaker, DAC and amps but they still need sources, interconnects, speaker stands, room treatment. People like to get new toys. Those same customers probably don't think anything of spending a grand for the latest Iphone even though it's really not appreciably different from what they have.

I can only speak for myself, not anyone else, but as an 8c owner, I have the speakers I want, I have the cables and stands, I don't need sources (the speakers are roon endpoints), and I'm not interested in further room treatment. I'm not desirous of any new audio toys.

 

[Mart68]

I can only speak for myself, not anyone else, but as an 8c owner, I have the speakers I want, I have the cables and stands, I don't need sources (the speakers are roon endpoints), and I'm not interested in further room treatment. I'm not desirous of any new audio toys.

Of course not everyone will take the worm when it is dangled. You just need some to do that, and some will.

 

[Sokel]

It doesn't apply to everyone of course but above a certain wealth level many customers are looking for an experience, not just to buy a product and take it home.

The personal touch. They view the dealer as a friend and confidant. They get invited to open nights where they get to meet owners and designers. They get e-mails saying 'You should come over and check this out' - or, if they want, the dealer will come to them. They are let in to an exclusive club where they feel special.

It does not need to be wealth, just loyalty.
They can carry speakers to your house for example, and not just one pair, so to see what they do in your room.
For free for old costumers usually, for a small fee maybe to new ones.

Or in case of heavy gear and some failure they come, pick it up, fix it and return it back where it was.
The best of them don't say a word at the whole process

 

[Mart68]

It does not need to be wealth, just loyalty.
They can carry speakers to your house for example, and not just one pair, so to see what they do in your room.
For free for old costumers usually, for a small fee maybe to new ones.

Or in case of heavy gear and some failure they come, pick it up, fix it and return it back where it was.
The best of them don't say a word at the whole process

No it doesn't need to be confined to the big spenders. Depends on the dealer. Some are not interested in punters who only have a grand to spend. Some make the effort regardless.

I'm looking at it from the perspective of the wealthy customer and what they want and expect. They are who keep the dealership open.

When I did sort of have a dealer they were really only interested in customers who wanted full installs and were spending ten grand or more. Everyone else was treated as a time waster or, at best, an inconvenience.

 

[Sokel]

No it doesn't need to be confined to the big spenders. Depends on the dealer. Some are not interested in punters who only have a grand to spend. Some make the effort regardless.

I'm looking at it from the perspective of the wealthy customer and what they want and expect. They are who keep the dealership open.

When I did sort of have a dealer they were really only interested in customers who wanted full installs and were spending ten grand or more. Everyone else was treated as a time waster or, at best, an inconvenience.

You're probably right about it, a speaker costing one grand is probably light enough to carry it home yourself, at the back of your car, etc.
It's the heavier stuff that makes them handy.

 

[Petrushka]

This is why Amazon exists.

I mentioned working in a camera store many years ago. What I failed to mention is that even in 1970, most of the business was mail order.

During slow times, counter sales people filled mail orders. There was no conflict between the businesses.

Now imagine if retail had evolved along these lines.

Maybe it has. Many large retailers have online sales and local pickup. Amazon seems to be the sales outlet for independent stores. Anyone know an example in the audio business?

 

[Roland68]

This is why Amazon exists.

I mentioned working in a camera store many years ago. What I failed to mention is that even in 1970, most of the business was mail order.

During slow times, counter sales people filled mail orders. There was no conflict between the businesses.

Now imagine if retail had evolved along these lines.

Maybe it has. Many large retailers have online sales and local pickup. Amazon seems to be the sales outlet for independent stores. Anyone know an example in the audio business?

There are several of these in Germany:
- Pawlak in Essen
- Aura in Essen
- Schluderbacher in Willich
- Die Nadel in Dormagen
- Projekt Akustik in Bad Schwartau
- HiFi-Regler in Münchberg
and many more.
All of these stores have been around for decades.

I estimate there are currently about 50 medium-sized to large hi-fi retailers in Germany, and another 100 or so smaller ones with both a physical store and mail order.

Some of them are extremely strict about their limited service offerings for mail order orders, which is why their equipment is more expensive in-store.

 

[101geo]

I was never a retailer but traded quite a lot with used gear, I told many a fib when it came to selling cables, does that make me a bad person or did they deserve it?

 

[Purité Audio]

I can only speak for myself, not anyone else, but as an 8c owner, I have the speakers I want, I have the cables and stands, I don't need sources (the speakers are roon endpoints), and I'm not interested in further room treatment. I'm not desirous of any new audio toys.

The 8Cs really are a system within themselves, contemporary actives just do not fit the traditional ‘upgrade’ paradigm, which is good.
But it does mean as a retailer you have to continually find new customers.
Keith

 

[pablolie]

The 8Cs really are a system within themselves, contemporary actives just do not fit the traditional ‘upgrade’ paradigm, which is good.
But it does mean as a retailer you have to continually find new customers.
Keith

...plus it's also the simple fact that satisfied customers are the biggest advocates any business can have - they spread the word, and people listen to those they trust (i.e. other consumers) far more than marketeers and salespeople's promises. *If* you are really convinced your just scored your end system for life, you'll also be happy to tell the world why you think so, and quite likely also recommend the place you got it from. (Which is exactly what the enthusiastic 8C posts above are doing, incidentally - it's the best advertisement possible).

 

[RexrothPigeon]

Which is exactly what the enthusiastic 8C posts above are doing, incidentally

ngl I don't even remember then name of the place I bought my 8Cs from

 

[Palladium]

Very old topic and I've read basically none of the replies, but I'm going with a qualified "no".

If you won't lie to your customers about how audio works, someone else will, and will take the time to discredit your honest, scientifically-based guidance while they're at it.

People come to a hi-fi salesperson to be sold hi-fi. The reality of hi-fi is somewhat disappointing when you get right down to it. Most components (over ~$200, other than transducers) you can buy are either snake oil or have nearly zero chance of improving your sound in a noticeable way. But the preponderance of audio reviewing and writing and youtube commentary ignores this fact and even goes out of its way to dispute it.

Selling the truth in hi-fi, it seems to me you are swimming upstream.

In the consumer audio segment, I noticed it was hard to compete without lying about certain specs, because everyone lies about them, flagrantly, especially frequency response width and wattage. In the high end, where buyers think they know more but don't, I imagine it's even worse.

IMO brick and mortar hi-fi is one of the worst business to be in these days. Alternative products or/and sale channels are already so good and are only getting better every passing year.

Hell even TV shipments are declining from the "good enough" curse.

 

[Roland68]

IMO brick and mortar hi-fi is one of the worst business to be in these days. Alternative products or/and sale channels are already so good and are only getting better every passing year.

Hell even TV shipments are declining from the "good enough" curse.

That might be your impression, but it often doesn't reflect reality.
In Cologne alone, we have over 10 successful hi-fi shops, and another 15-20 in the surrounding area. All of these shops have been around for more than 10 or 20 years. I know that's the case all over Germany.

Perhaps you're overlooking the fact that many people want to touch and listen to these things before buying them. Many people also want advice, especially given the now overwhelming range of speakers and equipment available. How often do we see newcomers in this forum who have spent months researching hi-fi systems online, only to have their findings completely reversed within hours?

Local retailers also often serve as meeting places and exchanges among like-minded individuals.

Televisions are a completely different story these days.

 

[Rja4000]

I believe you may be honest and successful.
Not make a fortune, of course.

I've been working as a HiFi salesman in a HiFi/TV/Video shop during a few months when I was (very) young, in early 80s. I was genuinely trying to give good advises to the customers (with my limited knowledge and experience at the time) and that quickly paid of: the boss told me HiFi turnover doubled in the few months I worked there.
Of course, it was a different time and context.

The main issue today is not about being honest, rather about the concurrence of e-shopping and the cost of having a real shop and stocking hardware which will be obsolete (by marketing standard) quickly.

From what I've been told, most HiFi shops are in deep debt to their distributors. In that case, are they still able to chose what to sale ?

 

[RexrothPigeon]

Perhaps you're overlooking the fact that many people want to touch and listen to these things before buying them. Many people also want advice, especially given the now overwhelming range of speakers and equipment available.

most everyone I know does this and then buys online to get a better price

sucks for the brick & mortar retailers, of course, but for the vast majority of people, saving money is a higher priority than that.

 

[Purité Audio]

Yup that is now the norm, not just hi-fi, we had a fantastic shoe repair shop near us which had been on the same site 49 years but no longer.
The owner told me years ago how customers would try on a particular pair of shoes, scan the product code and then ,while they were still in the shop search for the best online price.
Personally I find that disgraceful.

Keith

 

[Mnyb]

Yup that is now the norm, not just hi-fi, we had a fantastic shoe repair shop near us which had been on the same site 49 years but no longer.
The owner told me years ago how customers would try on a particular pair of shoes, scan the product code and then ,while they were still in the shop search for the best online price.
Personally I find that disgraceful.

Keith

Yes despicable behavior ( person should not be in society it's one tell tale that the person is broken , can not be the sole flaw of this person, probably a general a-hole ) .

If I listen to a pair of speakers in the shop i buy them there if i fancy them .

The successful stores left also has an e-business on the side at least the one i use , sometimes i order stuff online talking to no one , sometimes i walk in and chat