Nothing at all wrong with asking for a discount, bartering or negotiating a deal especially on a high value item, it's maybe not appropriate at Tescos but I'm sure there's none of us including the various hifi dealers wouldn't have a go if buying a car or motorbike whether new or secondhand.
First time, I read that as cats.Only thing I buy new are carts and again they're just a punt
Your main problem is that no one gives a damn about your profitability. You are just one of a few ways of buying Hifi equipment and most end users want the best stuff available at the lowest price. All supply chains have to be competitive in order to survive.Last time I I did the maths on 10% discount on a £1000 was a £100 and if 30% is our profit that means £200 is what we would achieve Less 20% vat of course which equates to £160
And at this point doesn’t take into consideration day to day running costs
I just love those who need to point out their education and career to be able to discuss.I'm just a retired University lecturer in business.
If that's a straight sale over the phone or by email that equates to £160 for about 10 or 15 mins 'work', not bad by all accounts.Last time I did the maths on 10% discount on a £1000 was a £100 and if 30% is our profit that means £200 is what we would achieve Less 20% vat of course which equates to £160
And at this point doesn’t take into consideration day to day running costs
i forgot credit card chargesIf that's a straight sale over the phone or by email that equates to £160 for about 10 or 15 mins 'work', not bad by all accounts.
I got burnt by Tag DVD32R as well, 5K down the drain !!! Also when it went belly up they didn't give any design details to anyone , so we couldn't get them repaired. Kevin the chap from Bicester tried but without schematics had no chance. Shame because I thought Udo and co. were making all the right noises in the sense of how modular the designs were and how future proof . Future proof my arseNo I worked PT in a hi fi shop as as student. the 30/40/30 deal suggested was correct for imported budget (or budget +) kit in the 80's, but the BADA dealers wanted a lot more.
Consider that a supermarket has a 15% markup. Huge footfall, everybody in the country spends £50 a week at least. I spend over £100, well off family of four £400!
Bigger shop OK but how much footfall does a highstreet HiFi retailer get and how much do people spend.
Employing two blokes and renting one prime retail unit is costing you (net) at least £3k per week (even if they're pretty poorly paid) plus the cost of financing whatever dem kit you have! You have to add 20% VAT to that and charge it to your customer. Go figure!
I can see that a second user dealer in high end equipment with no retail presence can manage on 30% but a new equipment retailer supporting a shop, demo items in stock and staff would struggle.
When Keith (Purite) was here he openly admitted that he didn't actually own a lot of his dem stock and that can obviously reduce overheads significantly but he still has to run a shop.
Be under no illusions - I don't begrudge dealers a living - they're a valuable resource and if we don't buy any new kit they won't be there in the future. If you want the latest "state of the art" it's going to cost you.
The trouble is the last time I bought into that (in the Hi Fi world) I ended up with a Tag McLaren DVD32R and Chord DAC64 feeding a 72/Hi/250/SBL's which rapidly morphed into an 82/2xHi/135's/SBL's. Six grand up against the wall in less than two years. I was in industry earning pretty well in those days and some people drop a lot less on cars so not too upset really.
I was actually able to enjoy listening to CD's for the first time in my life which is good, but the equipment was rapidly obsoleted and (in the case of the DVD32R expensively) unreliable which is bad!
I now own better equipment which in real terms cost 10% of the price.
My subsequent purchases have been largely pro audio or internet (been through the series of Benchmark DAC's to the Topping) lower markups and better value - not much better longevity really but at the price not so bad.
If and when the NBL's die I strongly suspect I'm going with a Genelec active pro system. Nuff said.
Kevin fully recapped last year my TAG DAC20 and It sounds glorious, possibly better than it did new!I got burnt by Tag DVD32R as well, 5K down the drain !!! Also when it went belly up they didn't give any design details to anyone , so we couldn't get them repaired. Kevin the chap from Bicester tried but without schematics had no chance. Shame because I thought Udo and co. were making all the right noises in the sense of how modular the designs were and how future proof . Future proof my arse