Bill@wa

What is made in the USA or Canada??? Focal -france components come from China / Hertz and Audison Italy components come from China / JBL -usa components come from China / Clarion - Japan components come from China....should I go on....

novek

Mach 5, FI Audio, Sundown Audio, Incriminator Audio, Skar Technologies, Crescendo Audio, Digital Designs, American Bass, USAmps, MMats, Image Dynamics, SSA audio, Dayton Audio, Ascendant Audio

Bill@wa

Theres that word again price? Everyone needs to go to the school of economics to understand what is going on??? As a retailer of a small shop in a small town, I try my best to give the best price but I will give you a quick example. If I want to sell someone something that costs 100 bucks online, my distributor will sell it to me for as much as 150 bucks wholesale in Canada (I am not kidding???). With all of Canadas tax laws, frieght, and brokerage "free trade" stuff the distributor has no choice then to sell it to me for more than on line. The distributor in Canada gets the Wholesale at the same price many times as the online stores...so who's losing...not the distributor, not the manufacture, not the big box stores (all corporately owned)....the small retailers will be non existent in the future....so I need to get with the "program" and start buying on line...

Bill@wa

I am willing to bet money the majority of the components in the above examples are China or Korea....They are simply assembly companies.

gemini8026

Bill, I agree with you about the local stores. I used to work at one. Online sales are killing local retailers.

Here's the problem though.....

I have a mortgage, bills, new car payment, more bills, and I like my car audio.

If I was to have bought all my stuff locally, I would have spent an extra 400$ (I figure roughly) my components saved me 200$, and the two amps I bought were roughly 100 each saved (and that factors in shipping + tax)

So thats 400$ on 3 items.

Thats a lot of money to me. I value good customer service and the ability to take things back if not happy, but for 400$ saved, Im prepared to take that gamble because otherwise I WOULDNT be able to afford that stuff without waiting an extra 2-3 months.

Gas/bills/cost of living has gone up. I need to pinch pennies to make it, and how many on here can say they dont have budget worries!

It's lose/lose....... OR win/win, Im not sure....

Bill@wa

Thanks for your reply Jeff,
Independents are getting frustrated, and we do understand the dilemma everyone faces....I have found an online dealer that is willing to give me a break, so I can hopefully compete in this crazy market. I love car audio, and I love cars....I would hate to see the independent market die due to the ever increasing costs...We are doing our best...and without the independents, means less sound-offs and shops willing to show off their work...It also means less help, less advice and less experts...

Father Yuli

iTrader: (17)

if you own a store and still trying to sell a product you are stuck in the past decade. every successful store these days only sells labour and service - things you can not buy online. you can not compete with online, now way you will survive trying to sell products only.

Sinemeup

Thats why I would sell service, just like Yuli said, you can't get that online.

I dread the thought of the new Best Buy coming to town, but I will jump on getting paid to install their cheap priced amps/speakers. If someone has to pay top dollar for gear, then top dollar for install, there won't be too many people getting new systems. People want cheap, that's why we have cheap, plastic crap that is perfect for 99 % of the population. Video killed the radio star!

Bill@wa

I agree with you both,
We do sell our service, but here is another problem, when I install products purchased from another store or online, who is resposible if the product fails on hookup, I can't just go to the shelf and put in another one...the customer is upset because they think I did something, and then don't want to pay for my time....It happens very rarely, but it has happened. I am now building stuff that is over the top, and focusing on stuff that will make my bills...Were not going away, but we are definetly shifting our focus...

Father Yuli

iTrader: (17)

i hear that. alot of mechanics wont install parts you didnt buy from them as well.

i good idea is to ask your customer if the product they are brining in for you to install has warranty, that gets them thinking before you have to spend time on installing it.