Underwhelmed!

Dealers run business and have families to support. Go see one, develope a relationship and pay a fair price for a great product. Everyone wins and that is how a healthy society functions.

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I agree that phoning would probably be the better choice. However, I donā€™t understand why any dealer would ignore a potential customer, irrespective of the contact method, especially if they are struggling for sales in this difficult time.

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I emailed a dealer today and got a good response. I had a follow up question and replied back. I gave time for ananswer and then called. Voicemail answered. Calling doesnā€™t always work. No doubt we will get in touch tomorrow.
Also its a modern world. If dealers want business can they really afford to ignore email and even text?

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If you put yourself in the dealerā€™s shoes, they are probably thinking you are just window shopping and that if you are really serious you will call. I am also aware that some people, myself included, prefer to have all the facts to come to a considered decision rather than potentially being cajoled into making a decision you are not sure of, so I do understand your approach. I do find that one needs to be more precise and specific in email, however.

I hope your last post isnā€™t your last as you are the first person I have seen use the sumptuous word ā€˜ vituperative ā€™.

This really is a great place to hang out and learn about Naim. Itā€™s even better for finding new music to investigate. Donā€™t jump so soon. But donā€™t expect members to blindly agree with what is really a complaint towards a number of dealers. Complaints go to them!

Regardless of other comments, Iā€™m totally with you. The customer is alway king and if they cant reply they donā€™t want your business. Go elsewhere, thereā€™s always a dealer wanting to deal. Ive found this for 35 years of Naim and have never paid RRP, you can get incredible prices now in Europe. Just saying. People can be too up themselves on here with dealers like they owe you something. They same people slag off car dealers.

Its a box with a value. Both parties need to have a deal that works for both.

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Interesting thread. I use email most of the time, as I live there - but I will then follow up with a visit or at least phone call once Iā€™ve established the dealer has what Iā€™m interested in. Thereā€™s just too many dealers who donā€™t have in what they say they doā€¦ I drove down to Essex (3 hours) to visit a dealer Iā€™d been chatting to. I drove an hour to Chester to another and discussed a deal there.

Nowadays, I think dealers have to realise that people prefer different sorts of approaches, and so email should be treated as seriously as phone calls as visits. But it does depend on the email approach - something which has clearly gone to lots of people will be ignored.

As opposed to some on here, I donā€™t believe going in with ā€œIā€™d like an xxxx but am looking for an ex-demo one, can you helpā€ is unreasonable - itā€™s honest and clear. A good dealer will either have one they want to pass on, or will work with you to do a dealā€¦

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I have to say I have predominantly used email to contact dealers. Iā€™ve found most reply, some in a way that makes me engage and results in sales. I really wouldnā€™t use the phone unless I really had to.

@swinnerton If Andy and Alastair from Signals are back from their holidays, send them an email and Iā€™d be very surprised if you were not pleasantly surprised. Tell them Sloop sent you.

.sjb

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I use email a lot for enquires to dealers/suppliers, hifi and other things: I can write at any time of day or night, and donā€™t have to find time during the working day to excuse myself from work and make a private phonecall. But if I expect an answer the email being in lieu of conversation of course has to be polite and make my query/position clear.

Many businesses respond effectively. Some take a few days. And some, it seems, must never view their email inboxes, perhaps having an address because it is the thing to have. If I donā€™t get a response from one I really want to hear from I send a polite prompting email - I know how easy it is to mean to reply to an email, but with hundreds of emails a day it is easy to get distracted and forget. A continued absence of response either means the mailbox isnā€™t monitored, or theyā€™re not interested, or if I was responding to an advert maybe the item has sold and they have had far too many enquiries to reply to allā€¦

The dealer who responds promptly and effectively has a high chance of getting my business, and I guess they know that.

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They might be refreshing/rotating their demo stock.

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My experience as a dealer is that there are a whole lot of wankers that just kick tyres and waste ones time. We used to call them ā€œinformation extortionistsā€. As a consumer if Iā€™m ready to buy I call. Really that simple. And if I call and or go into the store and get jerked around, I will never spend a dime there.

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Man with internet access doesnā€™t know about eBay, shocka.

I was overwhelmed ! by the number and variety of responses to my post.
I am pleased to report that a dealer has contacted me with a detailed e mail describing the ex demo unit he has for sale including condition, serial number, approximate usage, warranty, original packaging and so on .
A very professional and informative response to my original enquiry.
I will contact him, by telephone and discuss further.
Regards

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Glad you are getting sorted. Some of the above replies are less than consteutive IMO, not great when someone is seeking help.

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Great shout. Signals are excellent.

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This forum can be a dangerous place for a new member what does it cost to be nice?
I see nothing wrong with the OPā€™s email to dealers what does he have to do fall down on bended knee and beg someone to please take his money.
This can come across as a very cliquey forum sometimes what is it that weā€™ve all actually done except spend too much money on Hifi Iā€™m afraid that doesnā€™t make you special in my book.
Just be nice to new members.

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Good

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Some people are just shy at using the phone, weā€™re not all the same.

Iā€™ve often wondered why some establishments have an email address when they obviously donā€™t utilise them.

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I have / had a dealer with whom I dealt for over twenty years. Three Naim systems , plus a LP12 . I dealt with him at Windsor, Uxbridge and the somewhere just outside the M25.

Then there were three demos which didnā€™t result in a sale, the first he refused to budge on price (Nice stand mounts- just looking for a token gesture of good will after 20 years ) the second and third were absolutely dreadful in terms of component matching.

Now he wonā€™t answer emails.

In the last two years I have changed my amplification, upgraded turntable twice, changed my speakers, bought a second hand Naim UnitiQute to act as DAC , a new UDP is on order , a new phono stage and I bought a new rack .

I now have two new dealers, both with totally different slants, one came and demonstrated at home. The other didnā€™t but I still got excellent service and advice .

In all cases because I received good service with dealers that were new to me.I insisted on paying list price and didnā€™t seek to haggle.

The phono stage and the UDP were ordered during Lockdown in part because I wanted to support them .

The second dealer I started dealing with this year is interesting in that I went to him eighteen years ago, he demoed a lovely system but in the end I was able to sort out the issues and stayed with my existing system. He may not have got the sale, but he made a very favourable impression.

So whilst it may have been time wasted then it wasnā€™t time wasted today .

Yes, customers can underwhelm but where new or potentially new customers are concerned how do you know which ones are the ā€œtyre kickersā€ and which ones will purchase and stay with you?

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They are back on the 18thā€¦and yes they will respond.

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