**edit - I forgot front speakers... get a nice set of components... around $150.

 

WOW Chris either you have quite an imagination or have been burned or fired from a retailer and still hold quite a grudge. I have worked in the retail market for both a major retailer and for a local stereo shop for over 18 years, and I must say I have never seen the actions described in your conspiracy theory yet.
1 I maintain being one of the top retailers/expeditors of a major aftermarket brand of electronics and have yet been offered a car or trip to hawaii.
2 properly listening to sets of speakers on a sound board can give you an indication of what is simply crap and what has quality. How many speakers can you listen to over the internet?
3 most of the sales leaders of speakers actually hold the highest gpm and are the same as the big internet sales.
4 I would be embarased to turn on a set of speakers that buzzed or farted when the volume was turned up, and would fix it as soon as the customer left, or even in front of him if that was a speaker they were actually looking to hear.
5 A smart salesman would sell something to a customer if the customer so desired it regardless of whether or not there was a commision because the next item the customer bought may bring even more commision than what he thought. Building a repore with a customer will reward you much more than a 1 time slam sale.
6 And I will let you in on a big internet secret google and/or any other search engines are driven by MONEY. The largest advertisers are always listed first. And yes internet companies actually do write some of their own reviews
The best advice I can give is, find a retailer that is actually an enthusiast and is willing to take the time to not only answer your questions but educate you on what you should be looking for. I would also support that retailer since they are the ones putting in the effort. And don't be afraid to tell them you saw a cheaper price somewhere and let them work with you on it. Another great place to find that advice is on an enthusiast driven forum like this. There are many true enthusiasts on this site that are willing to help. I would recommend posting some of your questions in the audio section cause it won't limit you to viewers of just 04-07's, and sometimes this section gets sooo much traffic your specific questions might get lost in the shuffle.

 

Or if you're cheap (or on a budget) and can do it yourself with the factory HU for awhile... check the link in my signature.

 

Thumper, did you ever get the supercrewsound box installed. im looking into those and a few others.. just want some feedback on the box, finish, and how the subs turned out. thx.

 

Find what you like. Use http://pricegrabber.com. just type in the model number and click search. You will find some unbeliveable prices from many different vendors. Just make sure to read the fine print. You may see that some items have been refurbished. And also watch out for shipping costs. Also use http://crutchfield.com as a guide for specs and to see if it will fit and user reviews.

 

I wonder if you have ever worked big retail. Not private shops but commission for big chains. And not franchise stores, which are mom-and-pop with national advertising.

The largest corporation I worked for did not engage in this, but I had managers that came from many local Cal-Nev-Ari stores who wanted to do these things. It was a normal, respected way to do business.

If you think this sort of stuff doesn’t happen and all the sites talking about it and the books written on the subject are mistaken or faked; I congratulate you being a rarely honest man who only expects the best of others.

Our division spent 250,000 per year on perks for 512 managers. And that does not include really great stuff from vendors and even charities. Cars are not rare, and trips are small potatoes.
Even the bank my wife worked at gave away trips regularly to the management.


You should always listen to the speakers. And ignore the salesman. Listen to the same speakers at more that one place.

I don’t really follow this sentence? If you are referring to GP margin, I don’t connect it. Are you saying the prices are better at any local store? Sure, in the center of Manhattan, or LA, but not 70 miles from the big cities.
Lots of small operations have a pretty narrow GP as they pay more than the big vendors, and their overhead is much higher in proportion.


And you are an honest salesman. Hopefully you make a good living.



I spent 12 years trying to convince a large corporation that rapport with customers would be beneficial. On the other side of the argument were the bean counters that say “make a sale, turn the best profit in a month, the customers you lose are not as important as the monthly bottom line”… I’m gonna have to say I lost.
But I still think taking care of customers is the right thing to do.

On the smart salesman line, sure, but I don’t meet too many ‘smart’ salesmen at Circuit City… I do meet a lot of college kids, druggies, and people who’s ID shouldn’t be subject to too close a scrutiny. Must be a different where you are.


Gee, that sounds like a conspiracy theory. Or maybe you had a bad experience…
Of course you are right, and I’m kidding, but look at your first line to me…

I’ve been to about twenty local stereo shops and frankly; they work on being really friendly, and SELL SELL SELL. Their market seems to be young kids.


It would be nice if you could talk with the installers, but only the sales force speaks English, and mostly little of that. Where you live English isn’t a minority language.


Best place in the world are the forums
And your technical advice is among the very best.

If you had a local shop and I wanted something done, I would undoubtedly have it done by you.
But you don’t live on my street… and folks like you are much rarer than you give yourself credit for.

Chris