[Lgn3]

When I placed an order for an mscaler and then tt2, I had to join a 4 week waiting line for each item, and I was told that they were more or less built to order.

I have also seen the "instock" being attached to chord items, I think that means, order something and we can then get it from chord.

To be honest, I really don't know, I am just going by what happened to me 2 years ago

I don't think anything has changed and that is an accurate description of the process of ordering Chord and probably most "high end" kit. Covid has probably increased the lead time with most manufacturers.

 

[griff500]

Yep. It’s great when you build a relationship with a good dealer. Good advice, technical support, home demos, discounts and trade in deals. It would be a crying shame if we lost that in favour of online convenience.

Those are certainly thing that have a value. My dealer has been exceptionally helpful, but he has also been very competitive.

 

[Whazzzup]

In Canada I have and would use retailers from across Canada. I don’t care if it’s local, I know blasphemy, but who carries what I want at a great price wins. They best have an online shopping experience. For example I ordered prion 4 cables from texas, I would consider Nordost odine or Valhalla but very difficult to get online or even a price. Like heck I’d phone to find out, in this case Nordost should have an online shopping site. Retail either gets on board or doesn’t, up to them. It’s click and buy, it was before covid it certainly is now. Sarum t super array digital USB was from Connecticut, Canada just doesn’t support high end accessories.

 

[bpcans]

Yep. It’s great when you build a relationship with a good dealer. Good advice, technical support, home demos, discounts and trade in deals. It would be a crying shame if we lost that in favour of online convenience.

Super Pang, I’m lucky in that I’ve got an excellent dealer called ‘Stereoland’ in Bloomington, MN, who I’ve been buying great audio gear from since I was in college back in the late 70’s. They give all the advantages that you’ve mentioned and then some. They helped me get a whole new hp listening station with a trade-up from a Chord Qutest to a TT2, and AQ Earth RCA interconnects to AQ Earth XLR balanced cables at no extra charge. Getting an Mscaler is weighing on my mind because their discount is almost too much to pass up.

 

[Lgn3]

Since you asked I would prefer to buy this kind of product directly from the manufacturer. Both the manufacturer and consumer would benefit from the money saved by cutting out the dealer and the manufacturer would support their products directly. Yes, it would mean a great deal more work for the likes of Chord but the savings made should more that cover the costs involved. Selling online from one site is an order of magnitude more efficient than having a dealer network to maintain.

And just for the record, I have come to hate Amazon. I live in New Zealand and whenever I see something I want they do not ship it to my country. This is often because the manufacturer is protecting dealers here and not allowing them to be under cut by Amazon.

Since you asked I would prefer to buy this kind of product directly from the manufacturer. Both the manufacturer and consumer would benefit from the money saved by cutting out the dealer and the manufacturer would support their products directly. Yes, it would mean a great deal more work for the likes of Chord but the savings made should more that cover the costs involved. Selling online from one site is an order of magnitude more efficient than having a dealer network to maintain.

And just for the record, I have come to hate Amazon. I live in New Zealand and whenever I see something I want they do not ship it to my country. This is often because the manufacturer is protecting dealers here and not allowing them to be under cut by Amazon.

I can see your point but what happens if dealers cease to exist ? Presumably the customer wishes to audition the product so Chord will need to keep an inventory of demo models to send all over the world or offer some kind of return policy. It is just about feasible that could work but what about the rest of the system ? No dealers so no demo rooms for amplifiers, speakers, racks of headphones etc. No dealer facilitated home demos either. No dealers no trade in so any upgrade will be at the mercy of what you can get from eBay.
As it happens I bought my speakers direct from the manufacturer who no longer have a dealer presence in the UK and they set up several models in my home but they could not do that all over the world. So they still need a dealer network world wide.

 

[Whazzzup]

No one trades anything in Canada.

 

[Hooster]

I can see your point but what happens if dealers cease to exist ? Presumably the customer wishes to audition the product so Chord will need to keep an inventory of demo models to send all over the world or offer some kind of return policy. It is just about feasible that could work but what about the rest of the system ? No dealers so no demo rooms for amplifiers, speakers, racks of headphones etc. No dealer facilitated home demos either. No dealers no trade in so any upgrade will be at the mercy of what you can get from eBay.
As it happens I bought my speakers direct from the manufacturer who no longer have a dealer presence in the UK and they set up several models in my home but they could not do that all over the world. So they still need a dealer network world wide.

I can see your point but what happens if dealers cease to exist?
Vast amounts of money will be saved and these dealers can turn their efforts towards doing something more useful.

"Presumably the customer wishes to audition the product"
Yes, but sadly the dealers where I live don't necessarily have the products I want to audition and if they do they won't let me borrow them. Ideally I would audition everything carefully but the real world does not allow that to happen. Fortunately we have the internet where there are reviews and impressions that can steer you in the right direction. That does not always work out but if I buy something I don't like, then selling it is no problem.

"Chord will need to keep an inventory of demo models to send all over the world or offer some kind of return policy"
They can offer to accept returns for a re-stocking fee that covers their costs.

It is just about feasible that could work but what about the rest of the system ?
What about it?

"No dealers so no demo rooms for amplifiers, speakers, racks of headphones etc. No dealer facilitated home demos either."
Good riddance and good savings if you ask me. Dealer facilitated home demos ain't happening where I live either. I have a limited budget to spend on audio equipment and if I can push my $ further by not paying the price of demo rooms, dealer stock and the time and effort put in by dealers, great.

"As it happens I bought my speakers direct from the manufacturer who no longer have a dealer presence in the UK and they set up several models in my home but they could not do that all over the world. So they still need a dealer network world wide."
Nice. How much did you you pay them for setting up several models in your home? It wasn't free, if that is what you think, it came out of the price you paid for your speakers. You also paid for Joe down the road who had all the speakers set up and then decided he didn't want any of them...

 

[Amberlamps]

So true.
I suspect that half the problem is that for many dealers, IT or webpages or online stores, are scary and consequently they outsource their online presence to IT consultants, who inevitably charge a service fee. The result is that dealers see updating their online shopfront, or accepting online orders, as a cost instead of an opportunity.

I started building my first PC in 1980, so have a mindset that a dealer, who upskills themself, so that they can spend just one hour a week updating their website, adding special offers, or answering customer questions on head-fi or their own forum, is an asset to the trade.

Since we are on the topic of IT, PC's and the internets, note the S, meaning internetS more than 1 possibly 2 but more than likely 3 or more.

I would just like to say that next week I'm getting upgraded from 53mbit down and 15mbit up, too 1gig down and 1 gig up, my isp sent me a free fritzbox which arrived today, it looks ugly, and how far is the wifi going to reach when it has no external aerials.

I shall sell it along with a still sealed asus something 86, as I don't need the 2 new ones and I don't need my backup of a backup of my main router.

Modems and routers all have a 2 year lifespan, hence my collection of old and used gigE routers. It's about bloody time they start adding fans to these things......

 

[Amberlamps]

I had discussed with a dealer before they sold what they had and others have told me that they get some stock in when they can because it sells very well. I am only repeating what I have been told recently though. Maybe their stock magically disappears just moments before you place your order...

Chord have recently rejected some black metalwork that wasn't up to standard so there's a delay that I am having to wait through. Fortunately, my dealer has lent me a M-Scaler/TT2 to use until mine arrive.

Some dealers can't sell the more expensive chord products for some reason, as before I found my dealer, I contacted 2 other stores and both told me that they were not able/allowed to sell them and they both referred me to the dealer I have now.

Weird but true, it's maybe not true, but them telling me that is true, it did happen, I think.

 

[griff500]

I'll have some of whatever @Amberlamps is on.

 

[Lgn3]

I can see your point but what happens if dealers cease to exist?
Vast amounts of money will be saved and these dealers can turn their efforts towards doing something more useful.

"Presumably the customer wishes to audition the product"
Yes, but sadly the dealers where I live don't necessarily have the products I want to audition and if they do they won't let me borrow them. Ideally I would audition everything carefully but the real world does not allow that to happen. Fortunately we have the internet where there are reviews and impressions that can steer you in the right direction. That does not always work out but if I buy something I don't like, then selling it is no problem.

"Chord will need to keep an inventory of demo models to send all over the world or offer some kind of return policy"
They can offer to accept returns for a re-stocking fee that covers their costs.

It is just about feasible that could work but what about the rest of the system ?
What about it?

"No dealers so no demo rooms for amplifiers, speakers, racks of headphones etc. No dealer facilitated home demos either."
Good riddance and good savings if you ask me. Dealer facilitated home demos ain't happening where I live either. I have a limited budget to spend on audio equipment and if I can push my $ further by not paying the price of demo rooms, dealer stock and the time and effort put in by dealers, great.

"As it happens I bought my speakers direct from the manufacturer who no longer have a dealer presence in the UK and they set up several models in my home but they could not do that all over the world. So they still need a dealer network world wide."
Nice. How much did you you pay them for setting up several models in your home? It wasn't free, if that is what you think, it came out of the price you paid for your speakers. You also paid for Joe down the road who had all the speakers set up and then decided he didn't want any of them...

I can see your point but what happens if dealers cease to exist?
Vast amounts of money will be saved and these dealers can turn their efforts towards doing something more useful.

"Presumably the customer wishes to audition the product"
Yes, but sadly the dealers where I live don't necessarily have the products I want to audition and if they do they won't let me borrow them. Ideally I would audition everything carefully but the real world does not allow that to happen. Fortunately we have the internet where there are reviews and impressions that can steer you in the right direction. That does not always work out but if I buy something I don't like, then selling it is no problem.

"Chord will need to keep an inventory of demo models to send all over the world or offer some kind of return policy"
They can offer to accept returns for a re-stocking fee that covers their costs.

It is just about feasible that could work but what about the rest of the system ?
What about it?

"No dealers so no demo rooms for amplifiers, speakers, racks of headphones etc. No dealer facilitated home demos either."
Good riddance and good savings if you ask me. Dealer facilitated home demos ain't happening where I live either. I have a limited budget to spend on audio equipment and if I can push my $ further by not paying the price of demo rooms, dealer stock and the time and effort put in by dealers, great.

"As it happens I bought my speakers direct from the manufacturer who no longer have a dealer presence in the UK and they set up several models in my home but they could not do that all over the world. So they still need a dealer network world wide."
Nice. How much did you you pay them for setting up several models in your home? It wasn't free, if that is what you think, it came out of the price you paid for your speakers. You also paid for Joe down the road who had all the speakers set up and then decided he didn't want any of them...

I think you can be pretty sure that if Chord thought they could run a successful business by cutting out the dealer they would do so. No one is forcing them to sell their products through dealers.. Whether any savings they, or any other manufacturer, make by selling direct would be passed on to the customer is open to question

 

[Hooster]

I think you can be pretty sure that if Chord thought they could run a successful business by cutting out the dealer they would do so. No one is forcing them to sell their products through dealers.. Whether any savings they, or any other manufacturer, make by selling direct would be passed on to the customer is open to question

Do manufacturers who sell direct pass savings on to customers? In my experience they certainly do since it is a win win. They sell more products, the customer pays less and the manufacturer is paid more.

Will Chord start selling directly? Who knows, they may or may not but I would be surprised if they don't.

 

[N Quarter]

No one trades anything in Canada

Sure they do, I have traded a LOT of gear over the years, here in Windsor at Audio two, and in Aurora at Audio Eden. You take a loss of course, but deals can be made.

 

[Amberlamps]

I'll have some of whatever @Amberlamps is on.

It's not a lie, I can even show you the email.



Boom headshot!

 

[Whazzzup]

ok I’m ocd but I got it under control....? Couple of chord products in there, memorabilia sound man cave. Scotch and wine addiction Err collection but that’s another story and another room