Getting what you bargained for

In our comments section of PS Tracks magazineI mentioned how we in the high-end got what we bargained for when we chose the lowest price over service and advice. I thought it would make a good post on its own. Dealers have always discounted. Even back in the days of famous dealers like Jonas Miller and Mike Kay, a discount could be wangled at the time of purchase under the right circumstances. Sometimes that discount was disguised by a high trade in valuation or free setup or who knows what, but rarely did people pay full price for high-end gear. Dealers thrived, customers benefitted from their advice, service and close proximity. If you had a problem or it didn't sound the way it did in the showroom, you could rely on the dealer to help. The equation of value was simple: customers paid close to the asking price for the equipment, the dealer provided years of service and help. That was an equitable bargain. Then came the inevitable second tier dealer who eschewed service and advice to sell at a lower price. Customers flocked to this model because, well, who wants to pay more? Now we have lower prices through these dealers but what we have given up is the trusted neighborhood dealer who was a part of our community. The problem (or the beauty) with any model in a free market society is you get what you bargained for.