[85Sooner]

I have been reading many posts on this board and find that it is a great source of knowledge and will help many learn and make more educated decisions regarding buying plasma televisions. I DO hope however that all of you who are buying online are NOT going into your local retail shops to look at the displays before you buy.


Buying online from whomever you choose is a right all of us have .

however please make it a point not to go and take up a persons time and expertise under the faulty expectation that you will buy from them when in fact all your doing is using them to search out what you want before you buy online.

Those people make their living doing their job and if they did not have to have a showroom and invest in brick and morter they could also afford to lower the price.

Just ask yourself how you would like for someone to take your time and expertise without any intention of compensating you for that which feeds your family.


Check this out as well
www.lightingav.com

 

[Veech]

I'll have to disagree. Just like test driving a few different cars before deciding which one you like best, a purchase as large as this really requires a lot of "eyes on" comparison. I plan to buy one soon and I plan to look at as many live displays as I can before deciding. However, I will tell any sales people that I'm "just browsing" and if they insist on wasting their time after that, then so be it. I will not purposely deceive them, tough. I agree that's not kosher.

 

[cmf]

It's an interesting issue -- is it ethical/moral to use the resources of a retail store if you have no intention of buying from them? My argument is "yes," and here's why.


Brick-and-mortar stores compete in a free market. In other words, they survive based on their ability to make sufficient profit to pay for their facilities, employees, marketing, etc. If those facilities cost him sufficiently extra that he has to charge prices higher than what can be found online, then he is required to come up with some compelling reasons, other than price, for his customers to buy from him. If he cannot do so, and he cannot compete on price against online firms, then he does not deserve to remain in business.


Successful brick-and-mortar retailers usually rely on four things to compete against the lower prices of online retailers: (A) walk-in convenience and/or immediate availability of goods, (B) brand recognition/trust, (C) in-person service, and (D) offering a customer hands-on opportunity with the product prior to purchase (in that order).


Beyond this, it's smart business for a physical retailer to allow browsers into his store for these very same four reasons: (A) you might find it convenient or more desirable to be able to go home with your purchase tonight, (B) as a result of your visit, you might trust the retailer more than doing business with an online firm, (C) you can see the capability of the retailer to provide you with service and support (thereby creating value for you), and (D) you will appreciate the hands-on time, which will likely lead you back to that store in the future.


So, I think it is perfectly within my rights as a consumer to use (or abuse, in your opinion) a physical retailer's store resources within the bounds of regular business. If he can't get my business any other way than low price, and he doesn't have the lowest price, then he doesn't merit being in business. If he runs a good shop, then I'll likely be back to buy that odd cable, that impulse speaker set, or the next OLED display for any of the four reasons above.


Just my .4 nickels,

- Craig

 

[batman09]

85sooner,

You need to get a life!!This is america buddy.If I want to go into a plasma showroom to take a look around I can.As far as expertise goes most of these salesmen don't know what the he**their talking about.Like the famous line....You did know that the gas in that there has to be refilled every 5 years right????Our $600 extended warranty covers that.Its always the same with these guys.........As soon as I walk in the door the salesmen usually attack me.I hate it.Its like a feeding frenzy!I'll stick with the internet!!!This is the age of information!!!!!GET USED TO IT!!!Long live the internet!!! bm

 

[85Sooner]

You are absolutely right in some cases. especially the big chain stores.

In Most Specialty Stores whether your a looker or a buyer. You are the only opportunity the salesperson is going to get for that round. Thats the way it works on an "UP" system.

As far as your loving the internet. Fine. Just don't ask for demos in the stores.

for instance. Did you know that your STRDA2ES is NOT an ES piece at all. Notice that the es stamp is white??? that means its a retagged DB series only with a five year warr. Notice the ratings .09 THD. All ES have always been .05 or cleaner. No problem I'm sure. Oh also, I assume you probably bought it on th internet. Check the serial # and the five year certificate (you recieved one of those right?) and finally check the website you purchased it from. It is ONLY an authorized if they have the ES logo on the web site otherwise. hello grey stock, no warr. etc....

Just an example.

Best regards

 

[85Sooner]

[

So, I think it is perfectly within my rights as a consumer to use (or abuse, in your opinion) a physical retailer's store resources within the bounds of regular business. If he can't get my business any other way than low price, and he doesn't have the lowest price, then he doesn't merit being in business. If he runs a good shop, then I'll likely be back to buy that odd cable, that impulse speaker set, or the next OLED display for any of the four reasons above.


Just my .4 nickels,

- Craig [/b][/quote]


The only problem is that it is not a free market on the internet did you check the link. 90% of all internet sellers are not licensed to carry the wares

I have been around this business for over twenty years and internet shoppers are internet shoppers. there is no way they will buy from the store because they tend to not have any value for anything except low price. I would love to go to those guys for there expertise and repay the kindness. Use up an hour of their time and dump them. The fun part will be when the local retailers quit carrying the product that are available online and the Major brands can sit on the stock. Because nearly everyone of the internet shoppers likes to check out the hardware before buying. That is what has started to happen and you will start seeing more and more attention addressed to this issue. Its kind of like copying music from the internet. the toothpaste is out of the tube and you can't get it back in but there is more than one way to skin a cat. Check out the new info regarding self destructing DVD's as an example.

my best

 

[Catalyst]

Just a few points to make:


'Browsing' most certainly does come with the territory of B&M outfits. I sure as hell would'nt purchase a $7,000.00 vehicle online (nod to Veech) unless I got behind the seat of one I could demo, and you would be hard pressed to find someone (besides yourself, that is) that would.


If a salesperson doesn't't wish to have his or her time wasted...then don't approach the customer...let the customer approach them. This should cut down on the number of people who walk in just to see what game is playing on ESPN.


Disposable DVD's are a great idea...if the market embraces it. Blockbuster, for example. makes a LARGE percentage of it's money off of late fees. Do you think they will roll out the red carpet for it? No. (I read the same article...MSNBC I think it was). I don't think the rest of the market is too keen on it yet either.


Your link does'nt work.


With this all said, I must admit that it must be hard to be in sales, but as an earlier poster had mentioned (nod to bm), whether you like it or not..it IS business in America. Welcome to the information Superhighway, please fasten your seatbelt.

 

[bossanov]

Sometimes it work the other way too. I spent many hours online over the past weeks researching HT Receivers and visiting countless e-merchant websites and read tens of reviews then this afternoon I walked into a B&M and purchased the Yamaha RX-V1. I spent about 60 seconds with the salesman and completed the purchase. Sometimes the web saves the merchant time as well.

 

[fishferbrains]

It's hard to tell if 85Sooner has an axe to grind because he's a retailer finding it impossible to compete; but the challenge of B+M retailing isn't any different for electronics stores than it is for the auto or any other businesss nowadays.


In the Internet and "big retailer" economy, small B+M stores *can* compete by selling/packaging their SERVICE to the end-user at a reasonable price-point.


I find that I read a significant number of posting here from people seeking after-purchase support for things like professional callibration, cables, stands, etc. These are things that the B+M retailer can bundle and deliver in a compelling fashion and establish that long-term relationship with the consumer.


Ask Cineramax/Peter if competing with Internet retailers is impossible. He provides "service plus" as well is selective about the brands he stocks. I suspect he does quite a nice business as a "small" B+M retailer.


My money is available to the B+M retailer or the Internet dealer who can provide me the best overall value, and that's not simply the initial outlay for the display.

 

[aleet2600]

85Sooner,


If you think people use your expertise in a store then went to buy on internet is unfair to you, then the same applies if someone wants to buy something from BestBuy but went to you to check out the goods.


If I am correct, you are not against internet, you are against people do not buy from you when THEY initiate to talk to you. Assuming you are not complaining when YOU initiate the talk.


So what you are saying is, if customer are not going to buy from you 100% promised, don't waste you time, and you do not want any chance to convince them to buy from you for any reason.


Like other members here pointed out, it's a free country. Everyone has their way to make a living. You choose to be a retailer, other choose to work in other ways.


If we stick with internet shopper going to retail store to check things out. That internet shopper is giving the retailer a chance to convince him/her to buy from retail instead of online.


If you think internet shopper intend to buy online for cheaper price, what if there is no internet? That shopper is still going to buy from whoever is cheaper and still goto you to pump for info. Then you are going to complaint about stores which sell cheaper then you? Where will it end?


It is very understandable to be frustrated at an econmy now. As long as you understand the nature of how business work, venting a little is ok IMHO.


I work in the telecom industry. And I am 100% sure other business applies too, that, everyday we have to compete with many other companies to survive. That is normal. This is what drive companies to provide better products. To make better products, we need people to research and produce them. To cut it short, competition is what drives the economy. If there is no competition, everyone sell the same product for 50 yrs for the same price everywhere.....what does it reminds you of?..........communist countries.

 

[Mad Chemist]

Sorry, but when I bought my plasma, the cheapest I could find it at a B&M was $7000+tax. I bought it online for $4200 delivered. The B&Ms had me in their store and had the oppertunity to make a sale, but wouldn't play ball. I don't care what kind of service they provide, its not worth a 66% higher price. A couple of hundred maybe but thats about it.

 

[Mad Chemist]

DP

 

[srgilbert]

Quote:

Originally posted by 85Sooner I DO hope however that all of you who are buying online are NOT going into your local retail shops to look at the displays before you buy. ....please make it a point not to go and take up a persons time and expertise under the faulty expectation Check this out as well

You seem to have conflicting statements. Are you saying that I shouldn't even LOOK at plasmas on display in a store unless I'm ready to buy it? Or are you saying I shouldn't talk to sales people unless I'm ready to buy? I'm sorry, but that is a crock. There are no "mom and pop shops" in my town, so my only options are BB, CC, or god forbid, Sears. You are lucky if they even have the models they sell on display in these stores, and most of these "sales" people (family men or not) are NOT helpful experts just waiting around in case you have technical questions. They are trained to steer you to the products that will make the store the most money, not usually what is the best for you. They will often "convince" you that the item in stock is "much better" than the one you want that is out of stock.


I learn much more from reading posts on here and downloading the manuals for gear thant I can ever learn in the few minutes a salesman had to spare someone who is just looking.