Would you ever buy from a dealer/ manufacturer that was a jerk?

There are some makers and dealers who hold very different political (thus ethical) beliefs to my own such that I would not hand them any of my money. I have closed down a bank account for the same reason and try to avoid certain products. I have gotten into it with the owner of BAT a few times on a forum so I would not go near one of their products (fortunately I haven't liked them anyway) and there is a dealer in Florida I wouldn't touch with a barge pole - I am sad that some nice brands are carried by the scum bag and I will avoid those products because I don't want to generate any profit for the guy. If the companies are willing to have him represent their brand then it's one of those things that would make me pause.

This may sound somewhat extreme but in the end, there are hundreds of good audio brands out there and I don't want to give my money to people I view as scum.

 

Well, everyone has an opinion, sure - but when I say, “where is your x section” and the response is “why do you want to listen to that?” You don’t get my business.

 

I try not to but I have.

 

I have purchased stuff from folks who other people have said were jerks but who aren't jerks to me. If they become a jerk with me, I won't return, but I won't blacklist somebody based on someone else's experience... especially if that someone else is a faceless avatar on a forum.

 

Agreed. If the dealer behaves rudely or poorly to me directly, then I'm not buying from them. Third party reports, though, are nothing more than a possible guide to be cautious.

 

And on the flip side, I have purchased media from a popular audiophile label where the owner was a jerk to me and got poor customer service…yet everyone else just adores the person, it seems.

I will still buy stuff from the label, but I will go through Music Direct to get the product instead of direct through the label.

 

Yeah.

While I generally try to avoid unpleasant people, if the only way to get something is from a jerk...

And sometimes people turn out to be less jerky than you'd thought.

Or they may be even jerkier!

 

^ Thread win.

 

That’s a negative. Life’s to short and there is too much good stuff out there.

 

Was this E.A.R.? That is one company that comes to mind where the designer got very popular off phono preamps and apparently was known to have a short fuse.

 

The local dealer that I work with , does not cut his stuff , at all. So I am willing to buy from him , even if he is a bit arrogant.