audio store arrogance!!!!!! (1 Viewer)

[jack w]

First off i would like to say that im a regular guy with regular money that likes the nicest things i can buy.I purchaced my home theater components from a store in lake grove long island.Marantz,paradigm,pioneer elite,about a year ago.I go in there today to inquire about front projection for the home theater im building in my basement and all i get is attitude ,attitude attitude.Its like these guys cant be bothered to give me civil answers to perfectly legit questions.Obviously im taking my business elsewhere but where else is there to go? Another thing is all the projectors they carry start at $5000 and to be honest this is my ceiling not my starting point. Has anyone else had these experiences in these boutique audio stores or is it just me?

 

[david stark]

It's not just you, there are a lot of stores like that. I went to one on Toronto enquiring about projectors, I said I was starting to look at projectors to buy in a few months time and I was wondering what projectors they stocked and thier throw distances assuming a 2m wide screen. From asking me absolutely nothing at all he thought I should maybe look at a plasma tv??? When I mentioned that plasma screens were somewhat smaller than 2m wide he suggested maybe a sony short throw projector, again I'm not sure why. After this I left and don't plan on returning.

I've had similar attitude from a few stores (mainly audio hi-fi) and I simply don't return. The one I currently use has always been friendly and helpful even before I made my first purchase (which took about 4 or 5 months from my 1st visit).

I suspect a lot of it has to do with my age and the way I have been dressed when I've been in. I haven't walked in in ripped jeans and a dirty t-shirt, but I haven't walked in a suit either.

 

[Mike Wladyka]

i agree with the age thing...i am 24 and was demoing speakers the other day, and a different salesman from the guy who was helping me came over and kicked me off of a system so that he could show his customer...that really pissed me off.

 

[Sacha_C]

I also went to a store that didnt have any PJ below $5 000, they had 2 setup in a room, onme ceiling mounted and one on the table, it was the celing mounted one that was working. I ask to see the one on the table, he says "That's the one that's working right now", really? Then why is the light comming from the top one and the projection is unobstructed when I walk in front of the one on the table?

 

[Jerome Grate]

In the beginning, I couldn't count how many times I dealt with this type of arrogance. I was just stepping into home theater and eventhough I had some stereo background, it didn't matter. What I did was joined some forums like this, asked the questions that at the time some may have thought was stupid, got the answers and became educated. I find now that some of these guys are arrogant not because they know so much, but the fact they know so little. I guess some type of defense mechanism, anyway, that's my suggestion to you, there are so many experts here that can answer your questions, and when you feel knowledgeable enough and comfortable, make your decision based on your knowledge. Audition what you want to audition and ignore any attitude you may experience. Focus on what you need, get it and enjoy.

 

[Jason_Els]

Hehe, this reminds me of an episode I had a high-end HT place in Paramus, NJ (you can guess which). My friend is looking to create a home theater so I took him in to show the different technologies, to see if he is sensitive to DLP rainbows, and basically incite HT lust .

We were sitting in one of the theaters viewing LOTR:FOTR and in comes another salesman with this really loud guy who's dissing everything the store has. They chuck out MY DVD and put in something else in a different system while we were sitting there! I was upset because I felt I was hosting my friend and it was an insult to my friend and I don't care how loud this guy is, I'm auditioning the equipment.

So I go over to the salesman and basically say, "Sorry but we're looking at the equipment here." He continues and I told him flat out, "Has this guy ever bought anything from this store?" The salesman just looked at me dumbfounded so I continued, "Well I have. I have spent money here and I am trying to convince my friend to also spend money here. If you want to lose the business of an established customer and the business of a possible customer go right ahead."

He gave me the most evil look and just replied, "I'm sorry, I didn't know it would be a problem," and backed-off. I didn't know this salesman (he was new) and it's SO atypical to get that kind of treatment in this store that I shrugged it off. The loud customer came in anyway and bascially complained about how dark the picture was (a night scene ) and how nothing in the store would make him happy. He left after that pronouncement (and didn't buy a thing).

HT stores have GOT to be careful. Any place that sells expensive luxuries does. You never know who your customers are and what they look like or how much they will spend. Cultivating relationships is important and I always go first to the stores that treat me as a valuable customer.

 

[NickSo]

Just today, I called a local store regarding some front projectors, and ran into the same kinda thing.

At first i thought they had quite good customer service, and they probably do... for people who are wanting to spend the dough...

I've called them up once, they even called me back to see how I was doing on my projector search, and they said they would try to beat the price i am planning on purchasing from. Cool, i thought. No call from them for a few days.

Today, i call them and ask for a price quote on the BenQ PB6100, they said they'd call me back. They called back, I got the quote, its all good. I then asked if he had the PB2120, then he started getting 'annoyed'. He asked me what price range I was looking for, I told him. He then began getting more annoyed, like I was wasting his time. He then said he would neer recommend spending less tahn $7,500 on a DLP projector, and that I was "looking for a projector based completely on price." Sure half truth, im looking for a good VALUE. He quickly speaks of the Z1, i said i was considering the Z1 as well, but then I told him about my situation, using it for presentations, as well as the need for a long throw distance, he came back with "yaknow what? Just get the X1, allright? Okay bye." He may not have meant to offend with it, but i couldnt help but be slightly offended, feeling as though their store was too good for the price range i was looking at.

There's my rant...

 

[Ralph Summa]

I had an experience with a local audio store recently that really pissed me off. I walked in looking for speaker brackets for my new speakers. The dealer said he only had brackets that fit the Paradigm speakers that he sells but he could sell me a pair of speakers for around $250 and the brackets would be included. I politely said that I had just purchased a new Polk HT set-up and was all set for speakers. He then said I could put the Polks in my basement and then I could have a superior product in my HT. What an arrogant bastard. I just said thanks anyway and walked out.

 

[Tim Jin]

We have to remember that most of these people work on commission and they are no different then car salesman.

Paul's TV (The King of Big Screens) are very arrogant pricks. They wouldn't give me the time or day to show me what they had in my price range and I wasn't about to waste my time, so I bought my set somewhere else.

I find that most of these stores mark up their prices and most of the time you can deal with them, but a lot of the time its not worth the hassle. I much rather spend my money somewhere else.

Plus, wearing a cheap $100 sute doesn't really impress me and they really think their God sent of A/V.

 

[Mark Danner]

So far the only store that I have had trouble in is Sound Advice. I am totally invisible in that place. I have stood in a sound room fiddling with receivers for 30-40 minutes and not one person says a word to me. So I end up leaving. It happens every single time I go there. Its so bad that my wife gets mad at me if I tell her that I am going there. She always tells me never to buy from them. Unfortunately I dont have too many other options. I went to 2 specialty shops and both guys were great! I felt bad not buying speakers from one of them.

 

[Sacha_C]

Mark, you're complaining because they're not comming to bother you? That's exactly what I would want, I hate it when they come try to sell everything to you, and if I wnt info on a product I ask them.

I got a minisystem last year at the sony store and the sales men gave me 10% off ($50), then I decided to return it cause it was soooo WEAK (200 watts, my old one was 300 watts) and it only had pro logic 1 and I wanted PLII. I return it and get a receiver and speakers costing more than double the minisystem price and expected the same 10% rebate, but the salesmen that had served me was busy in the back, so another one did it. I aksed to get a rebate and he says ok, you had $50 off the old one, so that does $1500 - 50 = $1450. I said can't I have 10% like I had on the minisystem, he said no, then by chance the salesmen that had sold me the minisystem comes to the cash and gives me $50 off each the speakers and receveir, bringing them both to the next extended warranty level based on the price range just below, saving me an extra $100 in extended warranties , if that other salesmen hadn't came I would have left and bought it online.

And I recently returned to the sony store and when that guy that only wanted to give me $50 off saw me come in he said "hey how's it going? I'm the one that sold you your receiver" :rolleyes