[SP Wild]

Well yes...I guess if we can reign it in and ensure a balanced discussion...which I see none of here.

 

[Steve Eddy]

Just try and undertsand that technology now moves at such a blistering pace that it is easy for large segments of the population to fall behind and have no clue....there are no monsters here, just room for improvement.

What are you talking about? Online retailing has been around for a couple of decades. And even before "online," there was this thing called "mail order." The only thing that's relatively new here is the emergence of a large and growing high end headphone market.

se

 

[customcoco]

Originally Posted by SP Wild /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
you already know you should have just kept your mouth shut and this would not have happened....you would have heard your headphones and be on your merry way.  You already have the answer....there is no need for this.  
 
 

I can agree with that to some extent. Honesty didn't bring anything good in your case.
 
Sure, the store owners appear to be quite idiotic, but they wouldn't have known about your particular situation if you hadn't told them.
 
It's not your fault, you were just being honest, but if there's one thing that life taught me, is that being too good or too honest doesn't bring any good when it comes to human relationships...

 

[Steve Eddy]

By the way, Stereo Exchange's website has been up since 1996, so they're hardly newbies when it comes to the online world.

se

 

[SP Wild]

What are you talking about? Online retailing has been around for a couple of decades. And even before "online," there was this thing called "mail order." The only thing that's relatively new here is the emergence of a large and growing high end headphone market.

se

  I should have been more clear.  I meant that I believe that many just don't understand the internet and fear it in general.  Unfounded fears like in this instance.  Remember I don't necessarily agree with their actions.  But we are only getting one perspective here which ultimately leads to bias.

 

[SP Wild]

By the way, Stereo Exchange's website has been up since 1996, so they're hardly newbies when it comes to the online world.

se

 
 
You see at this point....I KNOW better than to go against Steve...
 
Ima OUTTA HERE!
 
Just one last point though....having a website doesn't necessarily make them more realistic about what a blog can and cannot do.

 

[marcoarment]

Quote:

  Well yes...I guess if we can reign it in and ensure a balanced discussion...which I see none of here.

 
I disagree. We have both sides of a debate representing themselves with reason, consideration, and civility. On the internet. That's amazing.
 
It's certainly arguable whether I should have posted this story at all. I was on the fence about it. Ultimately, I decided to post it because:
 

1. I thought it would generate a discussion worth having. I think that's been proven correct.
2. I wanted to warn others away from attempting something similar. Certainly, both sides are better off if these conflicts don't happen.

 
Another big reason is that the store's actions expressed a strong and potentially controversial opinion. I like opinionated businesses (and I've run several), but being opinionated is a double-edged sword. The people your opinions resonate with will be much more enthusiastic and loyal, but you risk turning off some people, too.
 
See Schiit for a great example of this: their opinionatedness and attitude are why so many of us love them, but they turn off some people, too. Many people who've read this story have been extremely supportive of the retailer, and some have been turned off.
 
Ultimately, if a business I patronize (or am considering patronizing) takes a strong stance on something, I'd like to know that, and be able to make my own decisions about how and whether that should affect my patronage. By sharing this story as accurately and neutrally as I can, I'm providing a single data point that you can consider if you want to, in either direction.

 

[Steve Eddy]

  I should have been more clear.  I meant that I believe that many just don't understand the internet and fear it in general.  Unfounded fears like in this instance.  Remember I don't necessarily agree with their actions.  But we are only getting one perspective here which ultimately leads to bias.

Ok. I was just trying to reconcile your statement about technology now moving at such a blistering pace. I just didn't see how that fit in to anything.

se

 

[SP Wild]

   
I disagree. We have both sides of a debate representing themselves with reason, consideration, and civility. On the internet. That's amazing.
 
It's certainly arguable whether I should have posted this story at all. I was on the fence about it. Ultimately, I decided to post it because:
 

1. I thought it would generate a discussion worth having. I think that's been proven correct.
2. I wanted to warn others away from attempting something similar. Certainly, both sides are better off if these conflicts don't happen.

 
Another big reason is that the store's actions expressed a strong and potentially controversial opinion. I like opinionated businesses (and I've run several), but being opinionated is a double-edged sword. The people your opinions resonate with will be much more enthusiastic and loyal, but you risk turning off some people, too.
 
See Schiit for a great example of this: their opinionatedness and attitude are why so many of us love them, but they turn off some people, too. Many people who've read this story have been extremely supportive of the retailer, and some have been turned off.
 
Ultimately, if a business I patronize (or am considering patronizing) takes a strong stance on something, I'd like to know that, and be able to make my own decisions about how and whether that should affect my patronage. By sharing this story as accurately and neutrally as I can, I'm providing a single data point that you can consider if you want to, in either direction.

 
They know not what they do...we can only hope that they educate themselves better with the ways of the new reality.

 

[SP Wild]

Ok. I was just trying to reconcile your statement about technology now moving at such a blistering pace. I just didn't see how that fit in to anything.

se

 
I'm kinda speaking from experience.  Ten years with my head under a bonnet (just under ten years those bastards)...quite happily mind you....the time flies and when I looked up I was lost.

 

[Chris J]

I disagree. We have both sides of a debate representing themselves with reason, consideration, and civility. On the internet. That's amazing.

It's certainly arguable whether I should have posted this story at all. I was on the fence about it. Ultimately, I decided to post it because:

• I thought it would generate a discussion worth having. I think that's been proven correct.
• I wanted to warn others away from attempting something similar. Certainly, both sides are better off if these conflicts don't happen.

Another big reason is that the store's actions expressed a strong and potentially controversial opinion. I like opinionated businesses (and I've run several), but being opinionated is a double-edged sword. The people your opinions resonate with will be much more enthusiastic and loyal, but you risk turning off some people, too.

See Schiit for a great example of this: their opinionatedness and attitude are why so many of us love them, but they turn off some people, too. Many people who've read this story have been extremely supportive of the retailer, and some have been turned off.

Ultimately, if a business I patronize (or am considering patronizing) takes a strong stance on something, I'd like to know that, and be able to make my own decisions about how and whether that should affect my patronage. By sharing this story as accurately and neutrally as I can, I'm providing a single data point that you can consider if you want to, in either direction.

Your posts have been more than civil!

 

[Steve Eddy]

They know not what they do...we can only hope that they educate themselves better with the ways of the new reality.

But it's really not all that new. Back in the day, before the internet, hell, even before most people had computers, you could walk into a place like Stereo Exchange, give a listen to some gear, and then buy it, often for less, through a catalog retailer like Audio Advisor. If you lived in a state other than where the catalog retailer was located, you also avoided state sales taxes, which could more than make up for the shipping costs. Whether "mail order" or "online," brick and mortar retailers have always had to deal with this situation. Back in the '80s, there was a music store up in Reno that had made a name for themselves by meeting the prices of music stores down here in Sacramento, including shipping, and on top of that you didn't have to pay California sales taxes.

This is an age old battle that probably dates back over 100 years to the old Sears Roebuck catalog. The only real difference today is that we're placing our orders over our computers rather than over the phone or through the mail.

se

 

[Hutnicks]

But it's really not all that new. Back in the day, before the internet, hell, even before most people had computers, you could walk into a place like Stereo Exchange, give a listen to some gear, and then buy it, often for less, through a catalog retailer like Audio Advisor. If you lived in a state other than where the catalog retailer was located, you also avoided state sales taxes, which could more than make up for the shipping costs. Whether "mail order" or "online," brick and mortar retailers have always had to deal with this situation. Back in the '80s, there was a music store up in Reno that had made a name for themselves by meeting the prices of music stores down here in Sacramento, including shipping, and on top of that you didn't have to pay California sales taxes.

This is an age old battle that probably dates back over 100 years to the old Sears Roebuck catalog. The only real difference today is that we're placing our orders over our computers rather than over the phone or through the mail.

se

While the mechanism for purchasing may well be a similar model to the days of yore, what has really changed is the method of driving the traffic from the brick and mortar stores. The entire blogosphere was non existant back then and you really had to do a lot of leg (and phone) work to seek out deals via mail order back in the day.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Having detailed information about products is really important when in the market for a big purchase. The main reason folks visit Head-Fi.


Prospective buyers come to retail stores for that information. They hope to meet someone who knows what they are talking about and see a wide range of inventory. No matter how the retail model changes nothing can totally replace the store experience at times.



I worked in retail for 20 years. From the stores point of view they get uptight at times. This whole retail thing has a ton of pressure, especially at times when sales are slow. There will be these silly moments of quirkiness just because of the pressure to perform.

With that said there is never a reason for the OPs story. It just makes no sense.



This thread is the perfect example of word of mouth in action. Every customer should be treated fairly. When both sales people and prospective buyers meet at a shop they are actually sharing the hobby together. This single feeling is why the OP spilled the beans straight away. He wanted to be noted for his enthusiasm for headphones.


Someone needs to send this thread link to the store so the OP gets an apology and some free headphones.

 

[marcoarment]

Someone needs to send this thread link to the store so the OP gets an apology and some free headphones.

 
Honestly, I really don't want any of that. I don't want people harassing the store owners, I don't want an apology (I don't think they did anything wrong, just made a debatable business decision), and I definitely don't want free merchandise.
 
I buy nearly everything I get for myself or review purposes, and I don't abuse returns (I'll only return items I bought for reviews if they're actually defective or unbelievably bad, which is rare). I never ask companies for freebies. If they offer on their own to send me something for free (very rare), I feel more comfortable with press-loaner arrangements that I send back after a certain amount of time. I'm not out to hoard free stuff, rip anyone off, or be an undue burden on anyone.