[KLJTech]

Our Best Buy has, and I assumed, probably wrongly so that all have the higher end (Magnolia) room/section at the back of the store where they have the PSB M4U2, Sennheiser Momentum's, NAD, B&W P7's and many others for demo. They also have two higher end rooms setup with much better speakers such as MartinLogan and B&W's plus better electronics than you'll see on the main floor. I didn't even know that these existed at our store until a month or so ago as I thought all they had back there were the top of the line 4k LCD TV's and home theater gear. 
 
http://www.magnoliaav.com/ (you can check for locations)
 
I did find out recently when I bought my B&W P7's that the return policy at Best Buy is now 15 days on many items (I'm not certain, maybe it's on all items) rather than the 30 days that they use to have. Best of luck, maybe they have on close to you. 
 
Back on topic, love me some Schiit Audio gear and can't wait to read the Lyr chapter. 

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Hmm, you mean the stores are most likely to showcase the products from companies that have paid the most for shelf space and give the best spiffs (trips, prizes, etc) to the salespeople for selling them? What a shock! (I'm being sarcastic, of course--but the reality is that the all-knowing, completely impartial and benevolent dealer is very, very, very, very, very rare.)
 
But wait, let's talk about this a little more. In the USA, have you ever wondered why there's a seemingly limitless supply of crap restaurants like Olive Garden and Red Lobster? Because the company that backs them has deep pockets, and can offer more than the start-up restaurant with an inspired chef to the mall or retail space lessor, including advertising pull-through. In that case, that's the "shelf vig" and the "spiffs" in mainstream audio. 
 
Thankfully, this is now being countered by user reviews such as Yelp, and on the audio side by forums such as this one (and others, of course.) The problem is that Yelp and user reviews can be gamed as well, but it's still better than the old days of a one-way conversation defined by advertising dollars.

 

[ethan7000]

I love the transparency that social media / forum sites have forced on the business world and that conversations are now two-way. Businesses that are doing things that their consumers want are being rewarded, while the old guard are having to improve their practices or find themselves out of business.
 
Reviews in general are kind of a problem in that most people that will write a review have an extreme feeling about a product (extreme dislike or love).  People that feel "ok" about products rarely take the time to write reviews.
 
Then there's something called the "social desirability bias" which is something that communities like Head-Fi suffer from. Basically the issue is that we all want to be liked. That's why most of the reviews you see here are very positive. If I dislike a popular headphone, say an Audeze for example, and bring up what I think are the issues, there will usually be a barrage of posts defending the beloved product and perhaps disparaging the one giving a negative review. So it takes courage to go against the grain, which most people feel is just not worth it. But to be honest, a more balanced opinion of products would help us as consumers a great deal more. 

 

[wgb113]

Distribution has a place as some manufacturers rather focus on just that, making product, but I agree that the direct model is always better for the consumer if the manufacturer has put in the resources and effort to deal with end users.
 
And I work in redistribution!
 
All that said, I'd love to one day open a HiFi store.  Something small that carried new and used gear.  I'd want to carry brands that I believed in, like Schiit, but I'd have to respect their decision to go direct.
 
Bill

 

[Armaegis]

  Then there's something called the "social desirability bias"

 
And the next step... rigging the social bias! Of course some of that is obvious, but a lot isn't. Then it devolves into a very meta issue. On top of expectation bias. And then someone throws in measurements and it all goes downhill.

 

[JamieMcC]

What I find frustrating is the disparity in prices between countries I find myself now regularly importing products from overseas now much more than I used to. I am UK based and it just seams nuts that I often find EU made items headphones amps tubes parts etc and can import them from the US, Japan, NZ, Russia, etc with shipping and import fees often for 30=40% less than purchasing them from within the EU.

 

[madwolfa]

Looks like direct sales is the future... seeing how much pressure is on Tesla nowadays from the "traditional" sales guys...
 
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2014/02/10/new-effort-begins-to-outlaw-tesla-retail-model.html

 

[Xcalibur255]

   
Thankfully, this is now being countered by user reviews such as Yelp, and on the audio side by forums such as this one (and others, of course.) The problem is that Yelp and user reviews can be gamed as well, but it's still better than the old days of a one-way conversation defined by advertising dollars.

 
Large businesses that receive bad reviews on services like Yelp are now beginning to sue the people who write them claiming defamation, and in at least one case already they've won.  It seems to me like the story of American business has always been one of the "old guard" using their power for the sole purpose of keeping things the same (so they can remain in control of course).  Presumably because this is easier than innovating or attempting to evolve.

 

[wahsmoh]

This looks like a really interesting read. Who knows maybe it will be an Amazon best seller

 

[ethan7000]

   
And the next step... rigging the social bias! Of course some of that is obvious, but a lot isn't. Then it devolves into a very meta issue. On top of expectation bias. And then someone throws in measurements and it all goes downhill.

Or then we could get into choice-supportive bias and post-purchase rationalization that shows an amplification of consumers' positive feelings towards products once they've purchased them 

 

[dleblanc343]

   
Years ago I enjoyed a concert by Dick Dale (King of the Surf Guitarists for all you youngsters) and bought the shirt - which says in big letters
 
I'm a ********!
 
Oddly enough, I never wear it.
 
Back OT, this is great info - like auditing a course at Wharton where the prof is actually cool.
 
Thanks, Jason.
 
The Ragnarok will be my sixth Piece of Schiit, if it ever comes out...

My father is a huge surf guitar nut so I grew up listening to a lot of that. I enjoy Dick Dale a lot, it's kind of random considering where I'm from and my age group though 

 

[Armaegis]

so I had to google up surf guitar... and then got totally sidetracked by this guy's hair...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOSC4Xz2_SU

 

[Tuco1965]

Damn distracting that is!  

 

[fleasbaby]

I am actually going to see Mr. Dale in San Juan Capistrano in a couple of weeks...I don't follow him personally, but couldn't turn down the opportunity....

 

[Audeze]

Jason, we at Audeze admire what you and your team have done with Schiit.  We're excited to see what unfolds here.  
 
- Mark Harper