Is it "Unseemly" to Negotiate With a Dealer?

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by Barnabas Collins, Jun 2, 2017.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Barnabas Collins

    Barnabas Collins Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NH
    Recently-last week actually-I bought a new pair of speakers after demoing for a couple hours against another pair. I wrote out a personal check and ended up paying list+. Keep in mind, I'm really more mad at myself because this whole experience is my fault entirely. But over the past week, I've really felt like I coulda/shoulda/woulda done better but it's too late now. Tomorrow, I take delivery of the speakers. Actually, I am meeting someone from the dealership halfway between my house and the dealership and we're throwing the speakers into the back of my SUV.

    So here's my angst: if you had cut someone a check for over $14,000, should the dealer have offered me a small discount? Or at least not charged me at all to drive the speakers an hour away into my state? I was under the impression that most dealers would deliver products for free, especially if you're spending that kind of coin-if for no other reason than good will. The only "good" was that I avoided paying Massachusetts sales tax but I still ended up paying $150 extra to get them to meet me halfway to my home. I've bought one other piece of equipment from them in the past so I'm certainly not unknown to them. And I keep kicking myself for not even *trying* to negotiate something. So yeah, it's completely my fault. But I'm interested to hear what others think. Am I being unreasonable in my thinking? Thanks for your thoughts.
     
  2. noname74

    noname74 Allegedly Canadian

    Location:
    .
    I'm not sure it is up to the dealer to talk his own price down however I think it would have been more than acceptable to ask them to throw in the delivery for free on such a large purchase.
     
    bru87tr, AaronW, Dave and 2 others like this.
  3. PMC7027

    PMC7027 Forum Hall Of Fame

    You are not being unreasonable. As long as you are not being confrontational or angry I see no problem trying to negotiate a better price.
     
    bru87tr and Barnabas Collins like this.
  4. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Probably no different than buying a new car...up to the individual dealer. Personally I would've asked the dealer about discounts before setting foot in their shop, but that's just me.
     
    forthlin and Barnabas Collins like this.
  5. 500Homeruns

    500Homeruns Peaceful Punk

    Location:
    Lehigh Valley, PA
    I hate "haggling", but if you spent that much I would think they would deliver them (and set them up).
     
  6. rcspkramp

    rcspkramp Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vancouver, WA USA
    I would have expected delivery and installation for paying list price.
     
    bru87tr, forthlin, Dave and 2 others like this.
  7. Vinyl Addict

    Vinyl Addict Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    I don't see anyone intentionally lowering their prices unless they are asked.
     
  8. Cyclone Ranger

    Cyclone Ranger New old stock

    Location:
    Best Coast USA
    I think it's okay to negotiate on things like delivery and installation when you're cutting them a huge check to them, yes.

    What you don't want to be is the guy who's aggressively asking for huge discounts on small purchases, i.e. 'used car salesman' guy.

    Many dealers are just scraping by.
     
    Barnabas Collins likes this.
  9. mds

    mds Forum Resident

    Location:
    PA
    Sounds like you aren't a haggler and that is fine, you must do what you are comfortable with. I however believe for any component that costs this much money and knowing that the dealer was making full profit they should have delivered and helped you set them up for free, assuming that the distance was within an hours drive.
     
    bru87tr and Barnabas Collins like this.
  10. Barnabas Collins

    Barnabas Collins Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NH
    It's a 2 hour drive to my house and it's out of state for the dealer so I don't know if they really would have been willing to go that far. I had to negotiate just to get them to meet me halfway.

    I know that dealers aren't motivated just to give a discount, but 10 years ago, or so, I got 20% off list for a pair of Rotel products-at another dealership-without even asking. This time I wasn't expecting anywhere near that kind of discount.

    Anyway, I should be excited about tomorrow, but I'm not. I'll just be glad when the transaction is completely over.
     
    forthlin and Vinyl Addict like this.
  11. Pastafarian

    Pastafarian Forum Resident

    I agree but having worked for a Naim Linn dealer , you'd have to have been very insistent that we did not only deliver but also ensure that your whole your system was optermised. It's about a commitment to the customer and good sound in their home, for this you're not going to get a discount, as you're also paying for all the dem time in the knowledge that you won't buy a system that fails in it's main task, to play music. Buy online at a discount and find yourself with a cheap dud, at your peril.
     
    bru87tr and Barnabas Collins like this.
  12. rebellovw

    rebellovw Forum Resident

    Location:
    hell
    It is always hard to swallow a major purchase and kind of freaks one out a bit but it will pass.
     
  13. sfoclt

    sfoclt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    The downsides to a dealer model should be theirs to suffer, not yours. You should be getting free delivery and set-up, regardless of distance. That service is exactly what paying a dealer full price is supposed to get you.
     
  14. KT88

    KT88 Senior Member

    It's not unreasonable to reason with yourself about your behavior. It is a bit unreasonable to negotiate after a sale anywhere, and certainly in the US or some other western countries. As someone esle pointed out, it isn't up to the seller (it doesn't have to be a dealer of anything) to lower their normal price for anyone. Some places will not and others may if they are asked and it is reasonable. I don't think $150 is an unreasonable fee for the time they spent on delivery, which is probably 2 - 3 hours and fuel, mileage, etc. That said, it would have certainly been a nice gesture to offer a full, free delivery. I have done that for my customers.

    What I can't stand is when someone negotiates a price and then walks out, only to mail order from another place for a very small difference. That, after spending time here gathering my experience and or demo investments, and supporting some dealer in another state who just stabbed me in the back by using me as his demo and service point. There is one guy here locally who must have been in here a dozen times over the years (I have been in business for 20 years) and who has negotiated pricing, taken many demos and many bits of advice and never bought anything; nothing. This guy dresses nicer than I do, drives a nicer car, etc and so obviously has more money. Yet he likes to take advantage of the investments and hard work of others with absolutely no gratitude. I know this because when he was trying to sell me something or trade something in, he used a photo of his room to illustrate the condition or whatever. In that photo, I could see that damn near everything that he had were products that I sell, yet none of them were purchased here, and many times he never even as much as called to inquire about a price. He came in here about a year ago and asked for a demo of a new product that I had on display and I promptly showed him the door. I never treat customers that way, just him as I had had enough of that. So you really should be supporting local dealers who offer you lots of support when you can, as they have tremendous investment to do just that and also have families that they need to support as well as them supporting the rest of the local economy. Mail order has its place but it has become used to abuse local business of every type.

    What you should do going forward is to use the fact that you purchased such a nice product from them to get better pricing or services with your next investment. It's one thing to say that you "will be spending a lot of money" and another to actually do it there. Talk is cheap and deeds are lasting.
    -Bill
     
    AaronW, Mr. H, rodentdog and 5 others like this.
  15. Erik Tracy

    Erik Tracy Meet me at the Green Dragon for an ale

    Location:
    San Diego, CA, USA
    Dang - meeting you half way?

    Hope the drive back is safe and smooth. If anything happens to the speakers, sounds like this dealer could point back to you and say any problems are yours after the 'hand off'.
     
  16. Pastafarian

    Pastafarian Forum Resident

    Circa 1994 I had a LP12 with a Troika, which had come to it's demise. I visited the dealer 4 hour return journey and liked, the very recent, replacement for the Troika. They came,installed and serviced the LP12 (no cost). From my profile you can see by 94 my equipment was no longer in production, so after 3 days at home I'd decided the new cartridge wasn't as good as the Troika, some head shaking and lamentations. The owner had been away, so when he rang to ensure all was OK I told him my thoughts and he agreed. He was able to get a new Troika from another dealer and could use my cartridge for dem purposes, another 2 hour drive to my home, replaced the cartridge set up etc. all at no cost. That's the kind of service you may get when you're buying high end equipment, although I was very surprised how good it was.
     
  17. H8SLKC

    H8SLKC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, MA
    For that price they should have delivered and removed packaging materials for free, and provided stress-relief massage while at the house. I wouldn't shop there again and it clearly has you upset. If it were me, knowing that you haven't taken delivery yet, I'd call them and offer to complete the transaction only if they'll deliver. In many states the transaction is not complete until completion of delivery. You still have power to shape this scenario and I'm stunned that for 14K, for one set of speakers, they didn't automatically offer delivery. My goodness, when I buy a new fridge, it comes with delivery and cart-away of my old one. Audio retailers....smh.
     
  18. sfoclt

    sfoclt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Many years ago while in school I bought the cheapest McIntosh amplifier (~$1200) from House of Music (in SF). They still personally delivered it to my ghetto-ass apartment in the evening and spent time integrating it into my existing set-up. Ended up spending 5 figures there through the years for not snubbing me when they could have....
     
    bru87tr, Dubmart, H8SLKC and 3 others like this.
  19. Dougr33

    Dougr33 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Twin Cities, MN
    You're being unreasonable only in expecting them to Offer a discount. I would have expected a 5-10% discount if you asked for it, AND had other options you were prepared to take. Industry dudes can chime in, but isn't most retail a 30% markup from what they paid the mfgr/supplier? Of course that covers the cost of their space, staff and inventory, but there should be room to nicely haggle.
    As in much in life... don't look back, just enjoy!!
     
    bru87tr and Barnabas Collins like this.
  20. forthlin

    forthlin Member Chris & Vickie Cyber Support Team

    On the upside, you may have set yourself up for a little extra something the next time you do business with this dealer.
     
    Barnabas Collins likes this.
  21. Vinyl Addict

    Vinyl Addict Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA

    Doesn't sound like he wants to do business with them again though.
     
    H8SLKC and forthlin like this.
  22. Vinyl Addict

    Vinyl Addict Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    By he way ,OP, what shop was it? I'm in the MA/NH area also.
     
  23. Barnabas Collins

    Barnabas Collins Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NH
    Thanks man, that is exactly what I intend to do. Just enjoy my purchase and move on. It's just that little nagging feeling that maybe I could have done better, but I'll never know. I'm sure I'll let go of it eventually!
     
    AaronW, Vinyl Addict and sfoclt like this.
  24. Omnio

    Omnio _ _ _ ____ ____ _ _ _

    Location:
    El Lay
    If the OP has any Hungarian blood in him, as his username suggests, it is natural to look for a deal and pondering if he could have got it with better conditions. I'm talking from experience, with that kind of a background!:) On a serious note, do the shop offer free shipping in their policy? Do they have a website where it can be checked out?
     
  25. quicksilverbudie

    quicksilverbudie quicksilverbudie

    Location:
    Ontario
    U cut a cheque so, can`t go back in time and re-negotiate just chalk it up to experience. I always ask...is that the best you can do ...the dealer may surprise you by what they offer...sometimes more than I thought when it comes to Audio. At least you avoided the tax on a large purchase so that is your discount. :cool:

    sean
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine